Butter's Adventures of a Poker Novice [Archive] - Front Office Football Central

Butter

07-24-2006, 11:12 AM

Now that I can't play my soccer game at work, I need something to fill the in-between time... and there is plenty of that here. As long as I keep getting told what a great job I'm doing and am offered multiple raises and bonuses every year, I'm going to think I'm doing ok. Not to say that I'm doing nothing wrong... I realize this is not kosher on some level.... but as long as I am careful and don't get caught, we're cool.

Point is, I'm back to playing online poker during the day. To bring you up to speed on where The Mrs. and I have been, poker-wise... we both collected a free $100 to play with at PartyPoker a while back. I crapped out on mine, trying to play higher limits than my bankroll would support. I tried to play $1/$2 and even $2/$4 limits at times, and as any regular player will tell you, there are going to be swings. Problem was, when I had a prolonged swing downward, I ran out of money.

So, as you may remember, the Mrs. hit some big money in some tournies a while back (Well, YOU wouldn't remember that, but the people at the other site would.). "Big" being relative, but $200+ was pretty big to us. She tried to keep playing, and make some money at sit 'n go's, but neither of us were good enough at those to regularly make money. The Party Poker SNG's tend to be a crapshoot anyway, because they don't give you that many chips to start with, and the blinds go up fairly quickly. So unless you build a large stack early, you end up pretty much being forced to gamble when there are 4-5 players left. And in order to make money at SNG's, you pretty much have to win 1 of every 3 that you enter, or place in the top 3 2 out of every 3. We weren't able to do that.

The money sat there for a long time... then one day, I discovered they had added blackjack to PartyPoker. I made nearly $300 in one day, doubling our money to over $600. It was an incredible run of luck. But we actually wised up and withdrew $300. It's a good thing we got that money out when we did, because shortly thereafter, I blew pretty much all the rest of it (save about $30) on blackjack. I thought I was a wizard. Turns out I just had a very, very good run, followed by a very, very bad run. On the whole, I broke even. But since we withdrew $300, and there was about $330 in there to begin with, The Mrs. account ended up with $30.

Last week, I went on there under my name, got a free $30, and promptly lost it on no-limit tables. They then offered The Mrs. $40 free, and I took it. So, we start now at PartyPoker with $70.

I won some money in a $2 tourney (about $6.50 or so) last week, then handed it back + some at no-limit. I vowed, then, to stick to low $ tourneys and limit tables, since in order to keep the new $40, I had to play 400 raked hands in 10 days.

I started today (7/20/06) in The Mrs. account with $60.57.

Opened up 2 tables, a 10 seater and a 6 seater. I noticed at other sites I had played at recently (also with free cash), that I do better at 6 seaters than at 10. I like playing pots, and a short table lends itself to aggression moreso than a large table. At those tables, you have to wait for big hands, and play them well. At shorter tables, you can bluff successfully much more often, or ride out opponent's bluffs more often as well.

So, both tables I start with $25 at, leaving $10 in reserve.

I start out raising with impunity at the tight 6 seat table, but soon enough the table adjusts to my aggression. I start out up slightly, then trend slowly downward. I take 2 big hits when my QQ is beaten by KK in a fairly large pot, then I have an AJ beaten by AQ. Also, I lose with pocket Q's again when someone called a raise with A8o, and two 8's hit the flop.

The 10 seater isn't going well either. I realized soon, though, that I was calling too much there, and perhaps being a bit too passive, not getting in value bets on the river for fear that an overcard had hit an opponent.

After about 1/2 hour, I was down over $20 total. I had run the $60 to start to $37+. Horrified, I started to panic a bit. Instead of betting hard trying to make my money back, though, I stepped back and let myself fold around for an orbit. I realize that I am just going through a bad run of cards and bad luck, and convince myself to stay around and that the cards will pick up... and that I will maximize the money out of those cards, and minimize the amount that I lose through bad cards.

Sure enough, at the 6 seater table, I start picking up pocket pairs. I pick up 6 pairs within about 15 hands, and raise them all. I win the majority of the hands, mostly thanks to the guy seated across the table from me, who pretty much calls down any hand he's involved in. I got AA, KK, QQ, 77, 99, 22... I went from under $15 at this table alone to over $44 in about another hour's time. I also notice that one of the players who had over $72 a little while ago, was now under $60, largely thanks to my nice rush. The table breaks up shortly thereafter, and I end up with over $38 in my stack, meaning I made $13 for the 90 or so minutes of play. They say that on these kind of limits, in order to make money, you should average winning 3-4 BB/hr. I made over 13 BB in 90 minutes here, so that was nice.

At the 10 seater table, I start just playing better. I fold a lot of hands that I would normally call with (QTs, J9o, and such marginal fluff). This keeps me from speculating on flush draws and 2nd pairs that I end up losing with more often than not. I pick up 77 in the cutoff, and raise. I get 2 players, and the flop is 9-8-7, all clubs. That's death for a hand like mine. It looks like gold, but I need a board pair at this point, and I know it. Still, I bet out and the 2 raisers call. Turn is 3c. Check-check again, I bet out and get raised. There's your club flush. River is 3d, and I river a full house. We cap the betting there, and I make nearly all my money back on that one hand. I have the misfortune of splitting 2 very good hands later on, but leave this table about $2 up... which is about 1.5 BB/hr... which is a good expectation at high levels, but probably not so great here. But considering I had $11 at this table at one point, and finish with $26.75, I'll take it.

Finish: $75.67
+$15.10 for session

Butter

07-24-2006, 11:13 AM

7/20/06
Party Poker
$2 Speed tournament (re-buys and add-ons supported)

I've only played in a couple of re-buy supported tourneys before, and certainly know that the playing is much looser in them... usually because people will just crap out and spend another $2 to buy back in during the first hour (during which you can re-buy an unlimited number of times). I plan not to re-buy, and if I make it to the 2nd hour, I will use another $2 to add-on if I make it that far. The blinds go up every 5 minutes in this tourney, and also each player only has 15 seconds to act.

You start out with 3,000 chips, and the blinds open at 20/40.

Just as the blinds go from 20/40 to 30/60, I check an unraised pot with 3 players from the BB. I have 3d4d… flop is 6-5-2 rainbow. Small blind bets 350 into a 180 chip pot… I smooth call, player to my left also calls, he’s all-in. River is an 8, putting a possible higher straight and a heart flush into play… I bet the pot size, and the SB folds… all-in player flips up Kc6c, so I cinch this hand and bump from 2800 or so to 3856. Guy that was all-in on this hand and lost simply re-buys.

11 minutes in, there are 902 entrants, and there have been nearly 900 rebuys.

Blinds at level 3 (50/100), I get JTh, and call the 100 BB in middle position. 5 players, flop is AQ4, 2 diamonds, 1 heart. I call a bet with a gutshot and a backdoor flush possibility, and we have 4 players continuing to the turn. Turn and river bring JK of spades, turn was checked all the way around, and I end up with the nuts… with a 10. I bet 600 on the river, and get no callers… I move up to 4556, 4th place at the table… and that’s without add-ons.

Less than 20 minutes in, and some crazy MFer at Table 10 has 86,000 chips. He’s increased his stack by 3,000%. That table must be chock full of crazy re-buyers. I am at the opposite end of the spectrum at my table, with about 2 or 3 crazy players who will re-buy nearly every hand if they get anything halfway decent.

3 players get knocked out at around the ½ hour mark when someone holding AA slow-plays them, and knocks out 3 players who get into a crazy raising war pre-flop with rags like A4 and J9. I get moved to a new table… just ahead of the blinds, which are about to increase to 300/600. I have 3956. I get 58 in the BB, and fold to a raise… down to 3,356. SB, I get 39o, and fold it. 3,056 now. I need to pick up a hand before the blinds swing back around to me. The next 2 hands, I get 39o, making it 3 hands in a row. Awesome.

I see now why it’s so crazy… at this point, you pretty much have to move in with any pair, any decent Ace, or any 2 face cards if you haven’t built up to at least 10k. I get stuff like 25s and J4 while watching the blinds of 400/800 + 25 ante roll towards me.

I get AJo in early position and move in. I get a caller with 99… I flop an Ace and a Jack, and move up to 7,487.

A9c UTG, but I fold. Probably should’ve gone for it, especially when the flop comes 9-3-2.

AKo in the BB… here’s another all-in hand. I get 2 callers, and win with my AK against AT and A7 when they get no help. I’m up to 23,736. Blinds move up to 600/1200 + 50. Tourney is down to

99 in the cutoff. I call 800, and call an all-in of about 4,000 more… and lose to KK. 19,012 now.

JTo I would normally play in late position, but not here. Flop is 9-Q-K, and I want to cry. I would’ve tripled to over 60,000, and busted AA in the process.

I’m in the blinds again, and fold A2o to a large raise. I get cute with 33, and fold to a big bet, dropping me to 13,144.

The prize pool on this thing looks like it’s going to near $10,000… with just 900 starters in a $2 tourney, that’s a monster. I’d love to make the money, but it’s going to be nearly impossible unless I catch some cards before the 1 hour break, when the rebuys stop. Blinds move up to 1000/2000 + 75.

Looks like my table will be broken up before the blinds hit me again… I’m at table 52 with 530 or so players left, and 4 more players to get through before the blinds come. I get 77, and fold. Middle pairs are losing propositions against these crazies. Again, I would’ve won that hand, AQ v. 33, and the highest card that hit was a J. DAMMIT.

I get moved to table 23, just ahead of the blinds. BB, I get K2o. Fold. Down to 10,769. K5 v. AQ, and I would’ve split. Double damn. SB, I get A4o. Fold to an all-in. Players on this hand actually made a flush that would’ve beat me. So for once I don’t feel so bad about folding a marginal hand.

I’m at 9,619, with 75 antes right now… again, I’m looking to double (or triple as the case may be). 25o, fold. Would’ve made a straight as A-3-4 hit through the river.

33 comes, I fold as 2 people call a large all-in ahead of me that would cost me over half my chips. 2 players all-in, 3 more call them on this hand. Flop would’ve totally missed me, so I don’t feel too bad.

The field is down to 438 players with only 50 minutes gone. Blinds go up to 1500/3000 + 75… 10 minutes to the break. 23o, I fold.

AKo, I go all-in. 2 callers, they have 45, and A6… a 6 hits the board, and I’m done. MFer. The 6 hit the turn too, so I was looking good up until then. I decline the re-buy, and this roller coaster is over. I finish 424th... I imagine about 100 will pay, so I had a long way to go... there's no point buying back in now, when the blinds cost as much as I'd get in one re-buy.

Butter

07-24-2006, 11:19 AM

7/20/06, Afternoon session
Start: $73.67

I once again sit at a 6 and 10 seat table simultaneously. First hand at the 6 seater, I get sucked into some crappy hand with 3h6h thanks to the wonder of pot odds (I was getting about 8:1 for the initial call, thanks to having to ante in 50c to start). I lose $2 on that deal.

I get 77 on the 10 seater. I call, and there are 5 players. Flop is 9-6-6. I win with a single bet post-flop, and get 4 others to fold. This is the kind of table that’s tough… hopefully, the more aggressive players just weren’t involved in that pot.

6 seater, I get AcKc on the button, and raise. SB re-raises, and there are 3 players to the flop. Flop is 2-7-9, I call 50c… turn is a 10, and I fold to more betting. I raise again next hand with ATo, and get 2 callers again. Flop is AK3 rainbow. I lead at it, and get a caller. Turn is a 4. Caller now takes the betting lead, and I just call behind him for the next 2 turns… I should’ve raised, because all he had was a K. Missed out on $1 there.

I lose about $4 when my 66 loses to 77 on a board of AA879. The bettor was the guy who took the lead in the betting on the previous hand, so I didn’t know what to make of him. This scenario looks familiar, as about 20 minutes in, I’m down $7.25 on the 6-seater and $3.25 on the other.

I get KK at the 6-seater. I raise in middle position, and crazy guy folds. Flop is 6-A-K, 2 clubs. He bets out. I just call. Turn is 2s. He bets at it again, I raise him. River is a 2, giving me a boat. He can’t but help to call my river bet, and I’m back to $22.50 at this table. Short time later, I pick up 33 in the SB and call a raise. I stick with calling it down, and the raiser had KQ and didn’t improve on the board of rags. I win a bit there, then win with KK again as the single other player in the pot folds to me on the turn. Back up to $27.75.

I am just getting blinded down on the 10-seater, with no hands of note being dealt to me.

I lose $4 when my AJ loses to 5-10o on the river… as the flop was A-Q-T, I bet it aggressively, and the douche I face off with makes 2 pair on the river 5. I lose another $4 later, when my AJ is beaten by AQ, and 2 Aces hit the board. I thought about re-raising on the river, but thought better of it, and it’s a good thing I did. Down a total of $10.25 now between the 2 tables. I lose another $1.50 when I raise with AQ, but fold when 4 of a suit I don’t have hit the board. I lose with AK and AQ a bit later, and drop to $11 at this table. Almost time to consider cutting my losses. I raise with QJ, and stay in through the river as the flop brings 9-T, but I hit nothing and drop to below $10 at this table. I leave the table with $9, a $16 loss.

Meanwhile, at the 10-seater, I’m still down $3.50 thanks to winning a small pot here, and losing one there. I join another 10-seater, and see what this’ll get me, as the account has now dropped to somewhere around $54.

I get KQ and 33 simultaneously… I lose with both as all big overcards hit the 3’s board, while I fold to a raiser on the KQ board when an Ace and 2 suited cards come up. That’s great.

Seems like every time I’ve drawn 2 face cards the flop is either all rags or an Ace comes out. This sucks.

Get QQ on the old 10-seater. I raise, but no one calls, so I pick up 75c. I get ATo on the new board, but fold to a strong bettor on a board of QK6.

Once again, I get 2 hands on the tables simultaneously. Js9s on one, KJo on the other. I call raises on both (I was in the BB with J9). The J9 board goes J-T-3, while the K board comes Q-J-T. I end up losing the first hand when the board finishes KQ, and the raiser naturally had an Ace that beat my smaller straight. I chop the other when that board finishes with a 9 to give any King a straight.

I finally get a good money-making hand at the new table… I draw 88 and call along with 4 others. Flop is 8sAs7d. I check it around, and sure enough the button bets at it… 3 players to the turn, and it’s the Jh. I deserve to get beat if I check this again and the button checks into a spade flush, but he bets at it. The SB calls, and I raise…. The button folds, but the SB stays in for some reason. River is a Qc. Slight chance he just made a str8 with KT, but I bet anyway. He calls, and I pull down the $10+ pot. Sadly, I lose most of that money on the other table, as my 77 is called down by A8, and an 8 hit the flop.

I make up some ground at the new table, when my QJ is called down all the way on a board of 3QK7K by A3.

Sadly, I’m forced to leave my 2 tables when my e-mail system, which I’ve been without all week, comes back online. Not a good session, this. I didn’t hit any flops except maybe one… make that 2, as I hold out on one table when I’m dealt AJ and have my raise re-raised… Flop is A-3-6, and I check to the raiser. Should’ve played this hand faster, as he checks the river, knowing he’s beat. I pull a little of my losses back late.

Finish: $52.67
-$21.00 for session

Butter

07-24-2006, 11:21 AM

Comment from me from 7/20/06

So, yeah, apparently I need to play EVEN TIGHTER than I was already. I was folding stuff like KT and Ax-suited unless I was on the button or in a blind. I guess I'll have to tighten down even more... which makes playing rather boring. But if I want to make money, I'll have to do it.

Butter

07-24-2006, 11:22 AM

7/21/06
Party Poker, 50c/$1 limit tables
Start: $52.67

I open 2 10-seater tables, and plan to play SUPER-TIGHT! at both. SUPER-TIGHT! is a trademark of Butter, Inc. and may not be reproduced or re-transmitted without the express written consent of Major League Baseball, for some reason.

Natch, first hand I get dealt AsKs at one table. I call a raise. Flop is Ac-2s-Kc… raiser checks, I bet… they do the ol’ check raise. I call. Turn is another club, they bet, I raise this time, they call. River is another club… they check (clearly signifying “please take this pot from me! I have no club!”), I bet, they fold. I net $4.25.

I win a small pot at the other table when I make a small pair and there is little action.

As-Qs on the button later. I raise with only 1 limper behind me. The blinds call me, and the flop is a wonderful 4s-5s-Qd. The SB surprisingly bets. The BB calls, I just call, planning a turn raise. The turn is 9h, and again the SB bets… BB calls, I raise… SB considers, but calls, BB folds. I bet the river, which is a spade, completing my flush, and I win a $10.50 pot after the SB reluctantaly calls my , netting about $6 on that one.

I raise AQo in the cutoff… it’s re-raised by the SB. I call, holding position. Flop is ugly, T58, 2 diamonds. I hold a diamond, so I call a 50c bet. The field is down to 2 players, turn is a nice Ah. SB bets, I just call. River is Qh… SB checks, I bet… they make the call, and I win the $10 pot with a rivered 2 pair.

I raise pocket 10’s in middle position. Flop is 10-6-5… I only had one caller, and they check, so I just go ahead and bet to take it down… but they call. 2 spades on the board. Turn is a Jc… they bet. I raise, they call. River is Qh… they check, I bet. They consider, then raise. I call, fearing a made straight, but in fact, they just had AJ and were making a play. Plays don’t work here, doofus. I win the $10.75 pot.

I raise with KQo in MP and take the blinds.

I call a raise with TT in the SB, but fold to a turn bet with 2 overcards on the board. SUPER-TIGHT!!!

I raise from BB with JJ. 2 callers, flop is As-5d-2d… I bet out. I get raised, and decide to fold. SUPER-TIGHT!!

I raise QQ from MP3 with only the blinds in play. The cutoff calls me, and that’s it. Flop is all hearts, Q2J. I bet, caller thinks about it…. then folds. I win $2.75.

I raise KJo from early position, trying to take down the blinds. It works! I guess no one had any Ace or suited cards like 10-5 or something. I know normally I would at least get 1 caller, if not more, so I’m kinda surprised there.

I call A6o in the SB… 3 players, flop is 6-6-7. I check, BB checks, cutoff bets, I call. BB folds. Turn is 7s. I bet, cutoff raises, I call. River is a 4. I check, cutoff bets, I call… he was on a total steal, had a busted flush draw. This was the same guy who tried to make a play before. I win the $8 pot.

I just call 77 from the SB… 3 players, flop is 3-2-2. I bet out, BB folds, other calls. Turn is a 4… I bet again, they call. River is a 7, so I get a full house. I bet, they call, I win $6.

I get really tempted to leave both tables, as I’m up over $24 at this point. But I don’t.

I raise with 66 UTG. Everyone folds! I usually hate raising with middle pocket pairs, but it’s working at these tables today.

KQo in SB… I call, 3 players. Flop is A-8-J, all spades. I have the Ks, so I’m drawing to the nut flush, and lead out. MP1 calls me. Turn completes my straight, Th. I bet, they call. River is Ac, so as long as they don’t have 2 pair, I’m not too worried. They call, and I win the pot.

I open raise with A7s in the cutoff, and get called… Flop completely misses me, they bet, and I fold. SUPER-TIGHT!!

KQs, I raise… it’s re-raised, and I call. Flop is 4-T-8 rainbow… I check, and fold to a bet… turn and river are 9-J, so I cry when I see that I would’ve beaten them both with a str8 on the river. Both other players had ATo. Re-raising with AT, eh? I’ll remember that.

AKo in the cutoff, I open raise. BB calls, flop is J-9-9. I bet at it after a check. BB calls, hmmm.

I fold 66 on the button facing a raise and a caller… SUPER-TIGHT!

I raise with 22 in late position… 2 callers. Flop is Kc-5c-8c. I bet after 2 checks. I get a call. Turn is 9h…. I bet again… SB considers, but folds. I made a play on that one, and win $5.

I raise with 44 UTG. 2 callers, flop is Q-5-A, all spades. I bet out, get a call. Turn is an 8, SB checks, I bet, they call. We go check-check on the river brick, and they had flopped 2 pair but were scared of the flush. I needed another spade to win, as I had the 4s.

J2o in BB, I check it. 5 players, flop is Jack high. I bet, it gets raised, 3 callers. Turn is a blank, I check and fold to another bet. SUPER-TIGHT!!

Raise with KTo on the button following a limper… all 3 players call, flop is Q-4-T rainbow. I raise the SB… he re-raises, I call. Turn is 5d. I just want to see what he has now…. But I fold. SUPER-TIGHT!!

AA in the cutoff. I open raise. BB calls me. Q-8-2, 2 hearts. Check, I bet. They call. Js is the turn. Check-bet again, and now they raise me. I call. River is Ts, they check, I check. They flopped 2 pair, with 2-8 of diamonds. Fucker. I go down 50 cents at this table after having my Aces cracked, but am still up over $15 at the other one.

KJo in the cutoff. I raise, and get 2 callers. I bet at the Ace high flop… it gets raised, I fold.

I am definitely on the down-swing here, so I decide to pack up shop right when the blinds hit me on each table. I know, there is no such thing really as luck, but sometimes it really does seem to follow a pattern… I seem to either catch a bunch of cards and hit a bunch of flops, or get my Aces cracked and hit nothing for about a half hour, and watch my money slide away.

Here is a list of hands I would have normally played, but didn’t, because I was playing SUPER-TIGHT!!!

Hands I normally would play that I folded:
Ad-6d
J9o (on button)
Qc-Tc (UTG)
QTo (in late position)
As-2s (MP3)
KJo (on the button, facing a raise and re-raise… I would def. normally have called here, but it’s a good thing I didn’t as the players were holding AA and KK)
2d-7d (j/k, checking to see if you’re actually reading)
Kc-Tc (UTG+2)
A9o (in cutoff, facing a raise)
KJo (in SB, facing a raise)
A9s (MP1)
KTo (UTG+1)

Those folds probably saved me at least $6, probably more, considering that I would’ve probably caught pieces of some of those flops and felt the need to carry on with them. But on nearly all of them, I would’ve made nothing.

Good session.

Finish: $65.92
+$13.25 for 75 minute session

Butter

07-24-2006, 11:22 AM

7/21/06
Party Poker, .50/$1 limit tables
Start: $65.92

This session literally lasted 10 minutes over 2 tables. I was just looking to kill a bit of time before I have to leave today, then it got busy for me and I had to quit. Which is fine.

Here are the highlight hands (thanks to the site mentioned in the body below). I played less than 20 hands total.

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (7 handed) Hand History Converter Tool (http://poker-tools.flopturnriver.com/Hand-Converter.php) from FlopTurnRiver.com (http://www.flopturnriver.com) (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif.
Hero raises, 5 folds, BB calls.

Flop: (4.50 SB) Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets, BB folds.

Final Pot: 2.75 BB

Results in white below:
No showdown. Hero wins 2.75 BB.

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (8 handed)

Preflop: Hero is SB with 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif.
6 folds, Hero raises, BB calls.

Flop: (4 SB) 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (2 players)
Hero bets, BB calls.

Turn: (3 BB) Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (2 players)
Hero bets, BB calls.

River: (5 BB) 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (2 players)
Hero bets, BB calls.

Final Pot: 7 BB

Results in white below:
BB has Ah 7d (one pair, aces).
Hero has 6s Ac (two pair, aces and sixes).
Outcome: Hero wins 7 BB.

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (10 handed)

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif.
UTG calls, 4 folds, Hero raises, 4 folds, UTG calls.

Flop: (5.50 SB) 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, 3http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets, UTG calls.

Turn: (3.75 BB) 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets, UTG folds.

Final Pot: 4.75 BB

Results in white below:
No showdown. Hero wins 4.75 BB.

And for Table 2:

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (8 handed) Hand History Converter Tool (http://poker-tools.flopturnriver.com/Hand-Converter.php) from FlopTurnRiver.com (http://www.flopturnriver.com) (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

Preflop: Hero is CO with Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif. Hero posts a blind of $0.50.
2 folds, MP1 calls, 1 fold, Hero (poster) raises, 3 folds, MP1 calls.

Flop: (5.50 SB) Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (2 players)
MP1 checks, Hero bets, MP1 calls.

Turn: (3.75 BB) Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (2 players)
MP1 checks, Hero bets, MP1 calls.

River: (5.75 BB) 2http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (2 players)
MP1 folds.

Final Pot: 5.75 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has Kc Ah (two pair, aces and kings).
Outcome: Hero wins 5.75 BB.

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (10 handed)
Preflop: Hero is MP1 with Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif. CO posts a blind of $0.75.
3 folds, Hero raises, 6 folds.

Final Pot: 2.50 BB

Results in white below:
No showdown. Hero wins 2.50 BB.

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif.
1 fold, Hero calls, 5 folds, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: (3 SB) 8http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, 5http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (3 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets, SB folds, BB folds.

Final Pot: 2 BB

Results in white below:
No showdown. Hero wins 2 BB.

Finish: $76.67
+$10.75 for 9 minute session

Butter

07-24-2006, 11:23 AM

Comment from 7/21/06

My 2 favorite hands above are me pushing with AT and getting the guy with possibly a better hand to fold... and then having the guy fold to my AK on hand 1 at Table 2 when he could've just checked.

Butter

07-24-2006, 11:24 AM

7/23/06
Start: $76.67

So, Andrea decides that she's going to throw her hat back in the poker ring. It's been so long since she's played at Party Poker in fact, that she's forgotten her alias and has to ask me what it is. I busy myself with some household chores while she gets down to business. I make it back in time for her 3rd hand, which is:

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (10 handed)

Preflop: Hero is SB with Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif.
4 folds, MP2 calls, MP3 raises, 2 folds, Hero calls, 1 fold, MP2 calls.

Flop: (7 SB) 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (3 players)
Hero checks, MP2 checks, MP3 bets, Hero calls, MP2 calls.

I internally roll my eyes as she makes the call here... she's drawing pretty much to a Queen and that's it.

Turn: (5 BB) Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif

Well, maybe sometimes drawing to an inside straight is OK.

(3 players)
Hero checks, MP2 bets, MP3 calls, Hero raises, MP2 3-bets, MP3 folds, Hero caps, MP2 calls.

River: (14 BB) 2http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (2 players)
Hero bets, MP2 calls.

Final Pot: 16 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has Jd Kh (straight, ace high).
MP2 has Ah 4s (two pair, aces and fours).
Outcome: Hero wins 16 BB.

Pretty good start here. We sit by and watch some amazing hands unfold... all in 23 minutes' time.

===================

Preflop: Hero is CO with Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif.
1 fold, UTG+1 calls, 3 folds, Hero raises (I had to prod the raise out of her, but this is a good play in late position), 1 fold, SB calls, 1 fold, UTG+1 calls.

Flop: (7 SB) 2http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, 3http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (3 players)
SB checks, UTG+1 bets, Hero raises, SB folds, UTG+1 calls.

Turn: (5.50 BB) 8http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (2 players)
UTG+1 checks, Hero bets, UTG+1 folds.

Final Pot: 6.50 BB

Results in white below:
No showdown. Hero wins 6.50 BB.

=========================

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif.
3 folds, Hero calls, 1 fold, CO raises, 2 folds, BB calls, Hero calls.

She played this better than I would have. I probably would've folded after a raise, even with QJ here, but it turned out nice....

Flop: (6.50 SB) Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, 8http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (3 players)
BB bets, Hero calls, CO calls.

Turn: (4.75 BB) Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (3 players)
BB bets, Hero raises, CO 3-bets, BB calls, Hero caps, CO calls, BB calls.

River: (16.75 BB) 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (3 players)
BB checks, Hero bets, CO raises, BB folds, Hero 3-bets, CO calls.

Final Pot: 22.75 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has Qc Js (straight, ace high).
CO has 8d 8c (three of a kind, eights).
Outcome: Hero wins 22.75 BB.

We didn't see that he had made trips, but we couldn't believe her good luck in not only making the nuts here, but getting re-raised. A huge pot.

But she's not done.

===========================

Preflop: Hero is SB with 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, 5http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif. CO posts a blind of $0.50.
UTG calls, 2 folds, MP1 calls, 2 folds, CO (poster) checks, 1 fold, Hero completes, BB checks.

Flop: (5 SB) 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, 5http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (5 players)
Hero checks, BB checks, UTG checks, MP1 bets, CO calls, Hero calls, BB folds, UTG calls.

Turn: (4.50 BB) Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (4 players)
Hero checks, UTG bets, MP1 calls, CO calls, Hero calls.

River: (8.50 BB) Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (4 players)
Hero checks, UTG checks, MP1 bets, CO calls, Hero calls, UTG calls.

Final Pot: 12.50 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has 7c 5h (full house, tens full of sevens).
UTG has 6h As (three of a kind, tens).
MP1 has 4s 4h (full house, tens full of fours).
CO has Qc Ah (three of a kind, tens).
Outcome: Hero wins 12.50 BB.

Again, great luck here to beat 3 in the pot... I thought she was screwed for having slow-played the 2 pair to begin with (which I encouraged, wrongly), but imagine my shock when after the 2nd 10 comes out, a 3rd hits. I still thought someone would have 88 or something to beat her.

But she's STILL not done.

=============================

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, 5http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif.
1 fold, UTG+1 calls, 1 fold, MP2 calls, Hero calls, 3 folds, BB checks.

I grumble about just calling in position with Ax here, but in retrospect, it was a GREAT move.

Flop: (4.50 SB) Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (4 players)
BB checks, UTG+1 checks, MP2 checks, Hero bets, BB folds, UTG+1 folds, MP2 calls.

Turn: (3.25 BB) 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (2 players)
MP2 bets, Hero raises, MP2 3-bets, Hero caps, MP2 calls.

River: (11.25 BB) 3http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (2 players)
MP2 bets, Hero raises, MP2 3-bets, Hero caps, MP2 calls.

Final Pot: 19.25 BB

Results in white below:
MP2 has 9c Qc (two pair, queens and nines).
Hero has Ad 5d (flush, ace high).
Outcome: Hero wins 19.25 BB.

Just great fortune again to get someone to hit a good hand while she holds the nuts. Amazing luck.

Great luck and good play combine here to bring down the most I think I've ever seen someone take down at one of these tables in just 23 minutes. Amazing. And I would like to take credit for it all, but the Mrs. made a couple of calls that I probably wouldn't have, and then made them work. If I had played it here, I would've missed out probably on at least twenty of these dollars.

Finish: $117.17
+$40.50 for 23 minute session[/quote]

Butter

07-24-2006, 11:24 AM

7/24/06
Start: $117.17

I knew it wasn't a good idea to play when I opened it up. There are a lot of people at work today, and they're constantly going by my desk with the screen exposed. It just makes me unsettled, a lot jumpier than I'd normally be. And bad luck today combined with the jitteriness = not a good session.

But it could've been worse. Here are the highlights from about a half hour of play.

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif.
1 fold, Hero raises, 4 folds, SB calls, 1 fold.

Flop: (5 SB) Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (2 players)
SB bets, Hero calls.

Turn: (3.50 BB) Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (2 players)
SB bets, Hero raises, SB calls.

River: (7.50 BB) 3http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets, SB folds.

Final Pot: 8.50 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has Ks Ac (two pair, aces and kings).
Outcome: Hero wins 8.50 BB.

==========

Preflop: Hero is SB with Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif. CO posts a blind of $0.50.
5 folds, CO (poster) checks, Button raises, Hero calls, 1 fold, CO folds.

Flop: (6 SB) Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets, Hero calls.

Turn: (4 BB) 8http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets, Hero raises, Button calls.

River: (8 BB) Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (2 players)
Hero bets, Button raises, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 12 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has Jc As (two pair, jacks and fours).
Button has Kh Ah (flush, ace high).
Outcome: Button wins 12 BB.

Fuck it, I knew he had made the flush, but I still called that last bet anyway... good play? Bad? I can't fold for one more bet at that point, can I? Should I check that?

==========

Preflop: Hero is SB with 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif.
3 folds, MP2 calls, 2 folds, Hero completes, BB checks.

Flop: (3 SB) Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (3 players)
Hero bets, BB folds, MP2 calls.

Turn: (2.50 BB) Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (2 players)
Hero bets, MP2 calls.

River: (4.50 BB) Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (2 players)
Hero bets, MP2 raises, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 8.50 BB

Results in white below:
MP2 has Ks Td (straight, ace high).
Hero has 7c Ah (two pair, aces and sevens).
Outcome: MP2 wins 8.50 BB.

I guess if you live by drawing to the inside straight, sometimes you have to die by it.

==========

Preflop: Hero is Button with Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif.
5 folds, Hero calls, 1 fold, BB checks.

Flop: (2.50 SB) 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets, BB calls.

Turn: (2.25 BB) Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets, BB raises, Hero 3-bets, BB calls.

River: (8.25 BB) 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets, BB calls.

Final Pot: 10.25 BB

Results in white below:
BB has Kc 6c (two pair, kings and sixes).
Hero has Jh Th (straight, ace high).
Outcome: Hero wins 10.25 BB.

==========

Preflop: Hero is Button with 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif.
1 fold, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls, 2 folds, Hero calls, 1 fold, BB checks.

Flop: (4.50 SB) Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, 8http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (4 players)
BB checks, UTG+1 bets, MP1 folds, Hero calls, BB calls.

Turn: (3.75 BB) Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (3 players)
BB checks, UTG+1 bets, Hero calls, BB raises, UTG+1 3-bets, Hero folds, BB caps, UTG+1 calls.

River: (12.75 BB) Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (2 players)
BB bets, UTG+1 raises, BB 3-bets, UTG+1 caps, BB calls.

Final Pot: 20.75 BB

Results in white below:
BB has 6c 9h (straight, jack high).
UTG+1 has Ac 8c (two pair, aces and eights).
Outcome: BB wins 20.75 BB.

Couldn't stay in the pot with the raising and re-raising going on after the turn... but I probably should've. What would you have done here?

==========

Preflop: Hero is CO with Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif.
4 folds, Hero raises, 2 folds, BB calls.

Flop: (4.50 SB) 8http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets, BB folds.

Final Pot: 2.75 BB

Results in white below:
No showdown. Hero wins 2.75 BB.

:mad:

==========

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif.
2 folds, Hero raises, 2 folds, Button calls, 2 folds.

Flop: (5.50 SB) 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, 2http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (2 players)
Hero bets, Button raises, Hero calls.

Turn: (4.75 BB) 3http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets, Hero calls.

River: (6.75 BB) 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 8.75 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has Jh Js (two pair, jacks and fours).
Button has 7d 7s (two pair, sevens and fours).
Outcome: Hero wins 8.75 BB.

Again, I think I'm playing too timid here... darn work jitters.

==========

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif.
1 fold, Hero raises, 5 folds, BB calls.

Flop: (4.50 SB) 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, 2http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets, BB calls.

Turn: (3.25 BB) 5http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (2 players)
BB checks, Hero checks.

River: (3.25 BB) 2http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (2 players)
BB bets, Hero folds.

Final Pot: 4.25 BB

Results in white below:
BB doesn't show.
Outcome: BB wins 4.25 BB.

Not sure on this one if I should have continued betting the whole way... but I just felt beat here. Ace-rag has me, so again I just didn't feel comfortable calling that last bet with King high.

==========
Preflop: Hero is BB with Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif.
1 fold, UTG+1 raises, 6 folds, Hero calls.

Flop: (4.50 SB) 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, 3http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (2 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 bets, Hero calls.

Turn: (3.25 BB) Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (2 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 bets, Hero calls.

River: (5.25 BB) 5http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (2 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 checks.

Final Pot: 5.25 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has Qd Qs (one pair, queens).
UTG+1 has 9c Ac (high card, ace).
Outcome: Hero wins 5.25 BB.

Again, playing too timid. I think the first couple hands scared me into thinking everyone was going to river me this session. That King scared me.

==========

That's it. It could've been better, could've been worse. It is what it is. I'm just glad I didn't lose $20 like it looked like I might there at the beginning.

Finish: $115.42
-$1.75 for 30 minute session

Butter

07-24-2006, 11:29 AM

Suggestions and comments more than welcome, as you're now up to date.

The Mrs. and I both play under the same account, since I've blown all the money offered to me through Party Poker. I have some tiny amounts of money at other sites, but my problem is I get bored and start playing at higher limits than I should... then before I know it, I take a couple of losses and I'm wiped out.

The ultimate goal here is to actually be able to make some money at this... not enough to quit a job or anything, but enough to take out every so often and do something fun with.

Getting back to playing after a long break just reminds me how much I enjoy playing. Even when you're losing, as long as you're playing well and playing smart, it's a lot of fun.

Butter

07-25-2006, 07:19 AM

Andrea had a tough time at the limit tables yesterday, dropping about $18 to dip under $100 total.

Then last night we each played in a multi-table tourney (MTT)... she a $1 one, I a $3 one.

In mine, I doubled up early thanks to holding AA against a very aggressive large stack... but about 20 hands later I gave the 3,000 in chips I just got to someone else when they called my 4xBB raise with 78o when I was holding QQ.... the flop held 2 8's. I knew I was being trapped, but I wouldn't have folded to a large bet anyway, so I just went in. I struggled to get some ground back, then ended up crapping out about midway through the tourney with KJo on a steal attempt... when the same guy called me with 78o again, and hit an 8.

Andrea, however, did much better than I. She actually was very patient, and was able to go from struggling around 2,900 chips to holding nearly 10,000 chips in a short time with some good hands. Then, later, she got moved and found AA early on at the table. She made the min. raise (blinds were 200/400 at this time), and the player behind her made another min. raise to 1200. The blinds both called, and she went all-in. The re-raiser and the BB called her... the BB had Q9 of hearts. Good call for over 10k chips there, schmuck. Andrea jumped to over 42,000 chips at that point, and had over 2 1/2 times anyone at the table at that point.

She didn't get much for the next 45 minutes... then I predicted "I bet you'll go out on something like AK when you don't improve." She gave me a look, and then LITERALLY THE VERY NEXT HAND was dealt AK. She raised, got called... and gave away about 12k chips when the caller had KK. That was the beginning of the end. The final hand came when she still had about 20,000 chips and the blinds were still a reasonable 1,000/2,000. She got 10-10 in middle position... re-raised the player behind her all-in... he called with QJo... flop had a 10, but it was 8-9-10, and she was out in 159th (out of 2280) after flopping trips, but being beaten by a straight.

Tourney fees paid: $4
Tourney winnings: $1.59
Acct. balance: $95.26

Butter

07-25-2006, 11:10 AM

Start: $95.26

Man, I picked a couple of tight tables today. It was like trying to get blood from a stone to get any money out of these people. I was picking up virtually no hands, but the ones I did get, no one would call my raises with. I got AA 3 times, but aside from that, I got QQ once and AK-AJ only 3 or so times. I think I actually did well to lose so little considering how hard it was to get anybody to call a freakin' bet.

Anyway, here is the hand-picked HAND OF THE DAY.

Preflop: Hero is BB with Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif.
7 folds, SB completes, Hero raises, SB 3-bets, Hero calls.

Flop: (6 SB) Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, 5http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (2 players)
SB bets, Hero calls.

Turn: (4 BB) 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (2 players)
SB checks, Hero checks.

River: (4 BB) 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (2 players)
SB bets, Hero raises, SB 3-bets, Hero caps, SB calls.

Final Pot: 12 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has Ac 4d (flush, ace high).
SB has Kc Qs (flush, king high).
Outcome: Hero wins 12 BB.

I definitely lucked out, but considering that I had my AA beaten once and top pair beaten several other times, I figure it evens out.

I can only attribute the fact that I merely lost $5 to my new SUPER-TIGHT! strategy. Otherwise, this would've been a total bath.

Finish: $90.51
-$4.75 for session

Butter

07-26-2006, 08:33 AM

Brief session this morning, as I have some work to do... but then I'm going to play in 2 tourneys simultaneously in a bit, a $6 and a $2. I want to at least make enough to cover those fees.

Start: $90.51

HAND OF THE SESSION

We'll make it 2, actually.

The very first hand I played:

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif. Hero posts a blind of $0.50.
4 folds, Hero (poster) raises, MP3 3-bets, CO caps, 3 folds, Hero calls, MP3 calls.

Flop: (13.50 SB) Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (3 players)
Hero checks, MP3 bets, CO calls, Hero calls.

Turn: (8.25 BB) Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (3 players)
Hero bets, MP3 raises, CO folds, Hero calls.

River: (12.25 BB) 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (2 players)
Hero checks, MP3 bets, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 14.25 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has Ac Ks (full house, jacks full of kings).
MP3 has 7c 7s (full house, jacks full of sevens).
Outcome: Hero wins 14.25 BB.

==========

And the last one:

Preflop: Hero is SB with Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif.
4 folds, MP2 calls, 3 folds, Hero raises, 1 fold, MP2 calls.

Flop: (5 SB) Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (2 players)
Hero checks, MP2 bets, Hero calls.

Turn: (3.50 BB) Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (2 players)
Hero checks, MP2 bets, Hero raises, MP2 calls.

River: (7.50 BB) Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (2 players)
Hero bets, MP2 calls.

Final Pot: 9.50 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has Ad Ac (three of a kind, aces).
MP2 has Td Kc (two pair, kings and tens).
Outcome: Hero wins 9.50 BB.

Finish: $106.01
+$15.50 for 25 minute session

Time for the tourneys. I'll report back at their conclusion.

Butter

07-26-2006, 09:50 AM

Start: $106.01

$6 MTT ($5 + $1 fee), 284 entrants, top 30 pay

I get most of my initial 3,000 taken from me in around hand #15…

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t40 (9 handed)

MP1 (t4265)
MP2 (t2690)
MP3 (t1860)
CO (t2320)
Button (t3765)
Hero (t3200)
BB (t2765)
UTG (t2960)
UTG+1 (t3235)

Preflop: Hero is SB with Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif.
1 fold, UTG+1 calls t40, MP1 calls t40, MP2 raises to t162, 3 folds, Hero calls t142, 1 fold, UTG+1 calls t122, MP1 folds.

Flop: (t566) Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (3 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 checks, MP2 checks.

Turn: (t566) 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (3 players)
Hero bets t350, UTG+1 folds, MP2 calls t350.

River: (t1266) Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (2 players)
Hero bets t600, MP2 is all-in t2178, Hero calls t1578.

Final Pot: t3444

Results in white below:
Hero has Ks As (one pair, aces).
MP2 has Td Ts (three of a kind, tens).
Outcome: MP2 wins t3444.

Blinds are up to 30/60 by the time play gets back near me… I go all-in with AKo in first position… I have 2 callers. They show 99 and KTs. Flop brings a T and nothing higher, and I’m out in 241st place.

Nice job in the big pay tourney there. Not a great play by me on the 1st AK to not play it a bit faster, but I did get unlucky at the end of the hand.

Butter

07-26-2006, 09:57 AM

$2 MTT (no fee), 667 entrants, top 70 pay

My first real playable hand is about 15 minutes in...

Big Blind is t40 (10 handed)

MP1 (t2995)
MP2 (t1920)
MP3 (t1980)
CO (t6760)
Button (t2540)
SB (t3025)
BB (t3305)
UTG (t6992)
Hero (t2940)
UTG+2 (t9815)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif.
1 fold, Hero raises to t140, 4 folds, CO calls t140, 2 folds, BB calls t100.

Flop: (t440) Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (3 players)
BB checks, Hero bets t240, CO calls t240, BB calls t240.

Turn: (t1160) Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (3 players)
BB checks, Hero checks, CO checks.

River: (t1160) Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (3 players)

For some reason, the converter doesn’t like the end of this hand… what happened was that the BB moves all-in immediately. I consider for about 20 seconds, then call. CO folds. I’m bet with any Q, as once again, slow-playing bites me in the ass. But, I lucked out here:

Hand results:
BB had 6c, 7c… he was on a busted flush draw.
I win with my Jacks full of Queens and more than double to over 6,000 chips.

Later on, this hand transpires:

Big Blind is t200 (10 handed)

UTG+1 (t10219)
UTG+2 (t4941)
MP1 (t2208)
MP2 (t6538)
MP3 (t7601)
CO (t3475)
Button (t2050)
SB (t4420)
Hero (t6640)
UTG (t10266)

Preflop: Hero is BB with Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif.
3 folds, MP1 raises to t400, 4 folds, SB calls t300, Hero calls t200.

Flop: (t1200) 2http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (3 players)
SB checks, Hero bets t1808, (that puts MP1 all-in, he calls), SB goes all-in (2212 more), Hero calls t2212.

Turn: (t5220) Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (3 players)

River: (t5220) Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (3 players)

Final Pot: t5220

Results in white below:
SB has 2c 2h (three of a kind, twos).
Hero has Kh Js (one pair, jacks).
MP1 has Jc Jd (three of a kind, jacks).
Outcome: MP1 wins t5220.

I knew I shouldn’t have called that raise to begin with. I flopped pretty good, but even as I saw it I thought “danger, MP1 over there could have QQ or even AJ, and you’ll be screwed”. Even so, before those thoughts reach my fingers, I decide to put him all-in… then by the time the other guy goes all-in, I’m essentially committed to spend 2200 more to try and hit a K… little do I know that I was so badly beaten, or I would’ve folded in a heartbeat.

That was the last hand before the first break, and I now sit with 2200 chips, facing 150/300 blinds upon return.

2nd hand after the break, I open push all-in on the button with 2070 with AJo, and pick up the blinds to go to 2520.

I push again with QJs in MP, as the table has turned tighter. I get a call, and he’s got AA… I’m out in 261st.

Fail to cash in both tourneys, acct. stands at $98.01

Butter

07-27-2006, 03:08 PM

Played a couple more sessions, and am down one shiny quarter in 3 sessions since this last tourney.

The hand that has been plaguing me lately have been low-to-mid pocket pairs. I know, big shocker there. I tried to raise it the last several times I've played them. The only time it seems to work out is if everyone folds, which I guess isn't so bad. But raising with them from early position seems to be a recipe for disaster... and just calling with them from early position seems to invite a raise. I've probably lost more money in the past few sessions on 77 and 55 than I have on all other hands combined. I'd be up at least $5 if not for them.

Thoughts/suggestions? Should I just straight fold these pairs from early position at these types of tables because they're generally so loose? Or call but fold to a raise? I have been folding to a raise if I can't get heads up with the original raiser, knowing that pocket pairs will be behind.

Butter

08-02-2006, 09:13 AM

Got a little cocky, had some problems, and managed to run the bankroll from over $100 down to around $55. Got discouraged, and stopped playing for a couple of days... but won $11 at 1 table in limit yesterday, and felt a bit better.

Last night, we both played in a tourney, Andrea in a $3 and I in a $1. Party Poker has changed their payout structure a bit... the $1 tourney usually gets 2,000-2,500 people in it. Whereas it used to payout to the top 220, now it pays to the top 300. I think they just cut the top prizes a bit, and are paying more places.

Andrea's $3 tourney went like this.... about 10 minutes in: find QQ in early position. Raise to $150 (blinds at 20/40). Player behind with a re-raise to 370. Andrea goes all-in. They call with... 99. Flop is 9-2-6. Sorry about that, but that's poker. It sucks sometimes, just like life.

My $1 tourney went a bit better. I managed to build to over 20,000 after the first 90 minutes. Then for the next 90 minutes, I didn't get a hand better than Ax-suited. I folded a seemingly never-ending procession of hands like T3, 48, and Q6. I tried to make 1 play, raising with a suited connector in late position... it got called by 4 players, and the flop was all over-cards of different suits, so I folded that after some heavy betting. Every time I try to represent some kind of hand, no matter how tight I've been playing, I seem to get called and beaten. Perhaps I'm not being aggressive enough, or perhaps I'm not picking my spots wisely.

At any rate, I pretty much fold through 3 levels of small incremental pay. $2.10, then $2.41, then $2.70-something. Finally, I have $4,200 with blinds of $1,500-$3,000 and get AQo on the button. I go all-in and get 3 callers. One of the big stacks who called pushes everyone else out on the all small card flop, then turns up AJo when everyone folds to the bet. Nothing higher than a 9 hits, and I quadruple to over $16k.

Next table, I run through the blinds with nothing again, then push with Q9c vs. a single raiser. I had about $10k left vs. a large stack, figured I would get called with a number of hands. He had KJ... I hit my Q, and more than double to around $25k.

At this point, the blinds are 2000/4000, with 100 antes, and I'm envisioning a resurrection to make the final table. There are only 88 players left out of 2,031, so I think one more double up and some solid play may get me to the final 30 or 40 at least, and a significant bump up to $7-9 or so.

2 hands after the Q9, I get JJ on the button. A number of callers... I go all-in to try and take it down. It's 25,200 with 4,000 blinds... everyone folds except the very last guy... he calls with A2o. A2! Board comes Q-9-Q-3.... wait for it.... A. I crap out in 87th place, and win a whopping $3.15.

Butter

08-02-2006, 09:16 AM

Today, I played in a $2 tourney for about 5 minutes. I vowed to be a bit more aggressive. I raise with K9s on the button and get the blinds. I raise with AQo and get 3 callers. Flop is A-J-T. MP bets, I raise, he goes all-in. I know I should've folded, but I don't. He has AK, and I'm essentially out. No re-raise of my raise with AK was confusing to me, but it was early so that's actually something I do quite a bit in hopes of trapping a smaller Ace. Nice play, me.

Butter

08-02-2006, 10:38 AM

Start: $58.62

I decide to fully get back on the horse one table at a time, after attempting some aggressive stuff, I wound up almost dunking the bankroll under $50. But my head is back on straight, and we're going back to tight... SUPER-TIGHT! pre-flop, but aggressive post-flop.

It works well. It helps that 2 seats to my left is a guy who is calling nearly every pot and nearly every pre-flop raise.

To wit:

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif.
1 fold, Hero raises, 1 fold, MP1 calls, 5 folds, BB calls.

Flop: (6.50 SB) Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, 2http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (3 players)
BB checks, Hero checks, MP1 bets, BB folds, Hero calls.

Turn: (4.25 BB) 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (2 players)
Hero checks, MP1 bets, Hero calls.

River: (6.25 BB) 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (2 players)
Hero bets, MP1 raises, Hero 3-bets, MP1 calls.

Final Pot: 12.25 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has Ad Jd (flush, ace high).
MP1 has 3s Ks (one pair, sixes).
Outcome: Hero wins 12.25 BB.

Bluffing all the way with King-high... nice one.

===========

But here is the official HAND OF THE SESSION:

Preflop: Hero is CO with 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, 8http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif.
2 folds, UTG+2 calls, MP1 calls, 2 folds, Hero calls, 1 fold, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: (5 SB) 5http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (5 players)
SB checks, BB checks, UTG+2 bets, MP1 raises, Hero calls, SB folds, BB folds, UTG+2 calls.

Turn: (5.50 BB) 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (3 players)
UTG+2 bets, MP1 calls, Hero calls.

River: (8.50 BB) Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (3 players)
UTG+2 bets, MP1 folds, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 10.50 BB

Results in white below:
UTG+2 shows Ac Ah (two pair, aces and tens).
Hero has 6s 8s (flush, ten high).
Outcome: Hero wins 10.50 BB.

=============

After the hand, I uncharacteristically snark "nice slowplay" to the caller who let 5 people in the pot holding AA. I normally wouldn't say that, but something came over me. I got no response, nor did I deserve one. Couldn't fold a gutshot straight flush draw there, not with the 5 people in the pot pre-flop.

Finish: $69.75
+$11.13 for session

Butter

08-02-2006, 03:30 PM

I made my 2 big winning hands count this afternoon. I was up and down for a couple of different, brief sessions, dropping back to almost $55 at one point.... but then I got these 2 hands towards the end of the day, and they made my day.

I present, a tie for HAND OF THE SESSION:

Preflop: Hero is UTG with Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif.
Hero raises, 5 folds, CO calls, 2 folds, BB calls.

Flop: (6.50 SB) 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (3 players)
BB bets, Hero calls, CO calls.

Turn: (4.75 BB) 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (3 players)
BB bets, Hero calls, CO folds.

River: (6.75 BB) 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (2 players)
BB bets, Hero raises, BB calls.

Final Pot: 10.75 BB

Results in white below:
BB has Js Ad (full house, sixes full of jacks).
Hero has Qc Qd (full house, sixes full of queens).
Outcome: Hero wins 10.75 BB.

After this hand, someone says the guy I bet "is horrible". This is one of my first hands at a new table, so that's news to me.

==========
Preflop: Hero is SB with Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif. CO posts a blind of $0.50.
2 folds, UTG+2 raises, 2 folds, MP3 calls, 2 folds, Hero calls, BB calls.

Flop: (9 SB) Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, 3http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (4 players)
Hero checks, BB bets, UTG+2 raises, MP3 folds, Hero calls, BB folds.

Turn: (7 BB) 5http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (2 players)
Hero checks, UTG+2 bets, Hero calls.

River: (9 BB) Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (2 players)
Hero bets, UTG+2 raises, Hero 3-bets, UTG+2 calls.

Final Pot: 15 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has Ts As (full house, aces full of tens).
UTG+2 has Ah Js (three of a kind, aces).
Outcome: Hero wins 15 BB.

Speaking of horrible players... the massive suckout here boosts me to a huge win, and a big + for the day.

Finish: $86.00
+16.25 for session, up $27.38 on the day

Butter

08-03-2006, 12:02 PM

Started out this morning in a $1 tourney. I was playing well, had 8k chips with about 230 left out of 950, when a big stack got moved to my table. I needed to move up, but wasn't desperate. First hand with the mega-stack at the table, I see 88 UTG. I raise to about 1500 (blinds are 200/400). He calls in position, and the SB calls. Flop is 3-7-T mixed. I think about what the big stack could've called with, and figure maybe any Ace or KJ or something... I go all-in, which is about 6500 into a pot of around 5000... not a big overbet or anything. He calls immediately, and turns up KT suited to send me home in 223rd.

Then I lose $7 at the first limit table I play. Not great, I'm already down to under $80.

Then I move to another table about 1/2 hour later, and things pick up greatly.

Here are my big wins at the new table:

Preflop: Hero is SB with Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif.
6 folds, CO calls, 1 fold, Hero completes, BB checks.

Flop: (3 SB) 5http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (3 players)
Hero bets, BB folds, CO raises, Hero calls.

Turn: (3.50 BB) Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets, Hero raises, CO 3-bets, Hero calls.

River: (9.50 BB) Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (2 players)
Hero bets, CO calls.

Final Pot: 11.50 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has Ac Jc (full house, aces full of jacks).
CO has Jd Td (two pair, aces and jacks).
Outcome: Hero wins 11.50 BB.

===========

Preflop: Hero is Button with Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif.
4 folds, MP2 calls, 2 folds, Hero calls, 1 fold, BB checks.

Flop: (3.50 SB) 3http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (3 players)
BB checks, MP2 checks, Hero bets, BB calls, MP2 raises, Hero calls, BB calls.

Turn: (4.75 BB) 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (3 players)
BB checks, MP2 bets, Hero calls, BB calls.

River: (7.75 BB) Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (3 players)
BB checks, MP2 checks, Hero bets, BB folds, MP2 calls.

Final Pot: 9.75 BB

Results in white below:
MP2 has Kc 8c (one pair, kings).
Hero has Kd Tc (two pair, kings and tens).
Outcome: Hero wins 9.75 BB.

=========

Preflop: Hero is CO with 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif.
1 fold, UTG+1 raises, 4 folds, Hero calls, 2 folds, BB calls.

Flop: (6.50 SB) 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (3 players)
BB checks, UTG+1 bets, Hero calls, BB calls.

Turn: (4.75 BB) 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (3 players)
BB checks, UTG+1 bets, Hero raises, BB calls, UTG+1 calls.

River: (10.75 BB) 2http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (3 players)
BB checks, UTG+1 checks, Hero bets, BB calls, UTG+1 calls.

Final Pot: 13.75 BB

Results in white below:
BB has Td 9s (two pair, nines and fours).
UTG+1 has As Ac (two pair, aces and fours).
Hero has 7d 7s (full house, sevens full of fours).
Outcome: Hero wins 13.75 BB.

I know calling raises with middle pairs at limit tables is a recipe for disaster... but I was losing with them last week, and this week they've caught fire.

============

Preflop: Hero is BB with Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif.
2 folds, UTG+2 calls, 5 folds, Hero raises, UTG+2 calls.

Flop: (4.50 SB) Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (3 players)
Hero bets, UTG+2 calls.

Turn: (3.25 BB) Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (3 players)
Hero bets, UTG+2 calls.

River: (5.25 BB) 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (3 players)
Hero bets, UTG+2 calls.

Final Pot: 7.25 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has Jh Ah (two pair, jacks and tens).
UTG+2 has Ac 8h (one pair, tens).
CO doesn't show.
Outcome: Hero wins 7.25 BB.

Not sure if UTG+2 thought I was trying an out-of-position steal there or what.

===========

Preflop: Hero is UTG with Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif.
Hero raises, 2 folds, MP1 calls, 6 folds.

Flop: (5.50 SB) 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (2 players)
Hero bets, MP1 calls.

Turn: (3.75 BB) 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (2 players)
Hero bets, MP1 calls.

River: (5.75 BB) 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (2 players)
Hero bets, MP1 calls.

Final Pot: 7.75 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has Qs Ad (two pair, aces and sixes).
MP1 has Kh Tc (two pair, kings and sixes).
Outcome: Hero wins 7.75 BB.

MP1 here is the same guy that called me down on the previous hand.

The last 2 hands came in my last orbit, so I left very happy.

Finish: $104.50
+18.50 for session

Butter

08-04-2006, 07:36 AM

Just for fun, and because I like looking at stats, I download the free version of Poker Tracker and download my last 1,000 hands into it.

This is what I see:

VP$IP = 18.8%
Att. to steal blinds: = 23.21%
Won $ at SD% = 51.32%
PF Raise% = 8.90%
Win rate = 2.34 BB/100
Aggression factor = 0.94

AA is my best hand, which makes sense... but I notice that KQ was one of my worst. I cold-call with it far too often, and end up making nothing or just getting beat.

But I do realize that the sample I put in is way too small to be statistically significant.... especially considering that 66 is rated in my top 5 hands.

Butter

08-04-2006, 07:37 AM

By the way, I pretty much have no idea what most of these stats mean, but they're purty to look at.

Butter

08-04-2006, 12:38 PM

I had an extended session this morning that was full of ups and downs... I played 2 tables at once for the first time in over a week, since I took 2 straight nearly $20 losses doing so.

It started out bad again, and I couldn't figure out why. I was making the same plays I always made, just on 2 different tables at once, which isn't that hard to keep up with. Yet still after 20 minutes I was down almost $12.

I guess poker is just a game of ups and downs sometimes. I stuck with it, and over 2 hours finished just ok. I was up over $12 at one point, but still finished up a good bit.

Here are the early unsuccessful hands that had me biting my nails:

Preflop: Hero is UTG with Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif.
Hero raises, 5 folds, SB calls, 1 fold.

Flop: (5 SB) 5http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (2 players)
SB bets, Hero calls.

Turn: (3.50 BB) 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (2 players)
SB bets, Hero calls.

River: (5.50 BB) Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (2 players)
SB bets, Hero raises, SB 3-bets, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 11.50 BB

Results in white below:
SB has Ac Tc (straight, ace high).
Hero has Jh Kd (two pair, kings and jacks).
Outcome: SB wins 11.50 BB.

Not sure about raising with that hand in that position, but it would've worked if not for that meddling river.

============

Preflop: Hero is UTG with 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif.
Hero raises, UTG+1 calls, 5 folds, Button calls, 2 folds.

Flop: (7.50 SB) Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (3 players)
Hero bets, UTG+1 calls, Button calls.

Turn: (5.25 BB) 8http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (3 players)
Hero bets, UTG+1 calls, Button calls.

River: (8.25 BB) 2http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (3 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 bets, Button calls, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 11.25 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has 7c 7h (two pair, sevens and fours).
UTG+1 has As 5s (flush, ace high).
Button has 3d 3s (two pair, fours and threes).
Outcome: UTG+1 wins 11.25 BB.

I guess I made the correct read here, but still ended up getting rivered. I suppose I shouldn't expect to win them all.... but I still do.

================

Those were at the table I lost money on... I left that table about 45 minutes in, and sat at another table, which I broke even at. This last table, I finished up $14 on. Here are a couple of highlight hands.

Preflop: Hero is UTG with Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif. CO posts a blind of $0.75.
Hero raises, 3 folds, MP3 calls, CO (poster) calls, Button calls, 1 fold, BB calls.

Flop: (11 SB) 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, 3http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, 2http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (5 players)
BB checks, Hero bets, MP3 calls, CO folds, Button folds, BB calls.

Turn: (7 BB) Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (3 players)
BB checks, Hero bets, MP3 calls, BB calls.

River: (10 BB) Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (3 players)
BB checks, Hero bets, MP3 folds, BB folds.

Final Pot: 11 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has Ad 7d (two pair, aces and sevens).
Outcome: Hero wins 11 BB.

Got lucky here, but at least one of these guys must've been on a club draw.

===============

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif.
1 fold, UTG+1 raises, 1 fold, Hero calls, 6 folds.

Flop: (5.50 SB) Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (2 players)
UTG+1 bets, Hero calls.

Turn: (3.75 BB) Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (2 players)
UTG+1 bets, Hero raises, UTG+1 3-bets, Hero caps, UTG+1 calls.

River: (11.75 BB) 3http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (2 players)
UTG+1 checks, Hero bets, UTG+1 calls.

Final Pot: 13.75 BB

Results in white below:
UTG+1 has Ks Qs (three of a kind, kings).
Hero has Ac Kd (three of a kind, kings).
Outcome: Hero wins 13.75 BB.

===============

And here's the bummer part... had AA twice, KK once, and QQ once... all 4 times, the table folded to my raise. Got no action on my big hands, so it makes my winnings even a bit sweeter.

Finish: $112.75
+8.25 for session

Butter

08-04-2006, 12:42 PM

Don't everybody fight to get your comments in all at once. :)

bselig

08-04-2006, 12:44 PM

SirFozzie

08-04-2006, 12:53 PM

Good stuff, Butter. I can't play cash games well, for reasons I enumerated elsewhere, but it's still interesting to read.

Butter

08-04-2006, 03:00 PM

I'm liking this dynasty, in the same boat. Sold a million play money chips for $12, now up to $86, just started playing tournaments the other day, placed in the money in 1 of 3. It can be devastating to get wiped out even once with that small a bankroll.

You can sell play money chips? Why would anyone buy play money chips, and which site was this?

EDIT: Apologies if that sounds condescending, but I truly had no idea there was a play chip market.

bselig

08-04-2006, 03:46 PM

Not condescending at all, I'm not sure I get it either. I think one reason could be that it's hard for some people(like me) to get money onto pokerstars, so you can buy play money and then sell it for cash, with the broker taking both sides of the transaction. I sold mine on http://www.psplaymoney.com/.

And not to turn this into my dynasty thread or anything, but I just placed in another ridiculously low stakes tournament, have finished 3rd, 10th, 21st and 4th. They seem more entertaining then regular table play. Might move to low-stakes tournaments primarily if I can keep placing.

Butter

08-05-2006, 09:12 PM

Me and Andrea played 3 MTT's Friday night, and busted out before the money in all 3, costing us $6 total (a $1, a $2, and a $3).

But this hand made up for it... with Andrea manning the controls:

Preflop: Hero is BB with 3http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, 2http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif.
6 folds, Button calls, 1 fold, Hero checks.

Flop: (2.50 SB) 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, 5http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (2 players)
Hero bets, Button raises, Hero 3-bets, Button caps, Hero calls.

Turn: (5.25 BB) Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (2 players)
Hero bets, Button raises, Hero 3-bets, Button caps, Hero calls.

River: (13.25 BB) 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (2 players)
Hero bets, Button raises, Hero 3-bets, Button calls.

Final Pot: 19.25 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has 3s 2c (straight, six high).
Button has Ac 2d (one pair, sixes).
Outcome: Hero wins 19.25 BB.

She was more aggressive than I would've been, especially on the river when a full house became a real possibility. But as you can see, that guy was just an idiot. In fact, afterwards I encouraged her not to leave the table until he did, lest she let his money get away to someone else.

Finish: $118.25
+5.50 for session (+11.50 in ring game, -6.00 in tourneys)

Butter

08-07-2006, 10:59 AM

Rough weekend, and Monday. Started out nice on Sunday, running things up to $127+. Then we crapped out of 2 $6 5-table SNG's, and lost $10 at a ring game... losing the last $6.87 when I raised and re-raised with someone holding JJ on a board of T-3-2-7 rainbow. I was all in by the river, which was an A, and lost to ATo.

Down $22 on Sunday.

Then today, I decide to enter the $6 MTT. 330 people, top 40 pay. I am in middle chip position most of the way, then with 73 players remaining, I get KK in the BB. I have 6500 chips, blinds are 300-600. Button raises to 2500, he has about 18000 chips. I go all-in, he calls with AKo.

Board comes 3-J-7-A-8, and I'm out in 73rd place. Can't catch a break on the MTT's lately.

Then I sit at 2 tables at once with $10 each... I have no luck there either... I have top pair of Jacks beaten twice by overpairs... then I had my Aces cracked by A-4 of diamonds when the other player rivered a flush... I bet that one aggressively too, capping the turn when I was sure I had the best hand. Disappointment aside, I do suppose it was time I had my AA beaten, since I did it 2-3 times to others last week.

Lost $13.50 at the ring games, and another $6 on the tourney.

Like I said, rough weekend + Monday so far.

Finish $89.01
-19.50 for Monday morning play

Butter

08-07-2006, 12:31 PM

I decide not to get down about the losses of late, but instead resolve to build it back up.

And I do just that, to some degree, this afternoon. Once again, I opened at 2 tables with $10 each. After about 30 minutes, I was up to $20 on one and crapped out on the other.

Here is the crap-out hand:

Preflop: Hero is Button with Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif. MP3 posts a blind of $0.75.
1 fold, UTG+1 calls, 2 folds, MP2 raises, 2 folds, Hero calls, 2 folds, UTG+1 calls.

Flop: (9 SB) 5http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (3 players)
UTG+1 checks, MP2 checks, Hero bets, UTG+1 calls, MP2 calls.

Turn: (6 BB) Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (3 players)
UTG+1 checks, MP2 checks, Hero bets, UTG+1 calls, MP2 folds.

River: (8 BB) 5http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (2 players) (Converter didn't like this part, but I bet, was raised, and called my last .75 all-in)

Final Pot: 8 BB

Results in white below:
UTG+1 has 4c 5c (three of a kind, fives).
Hero has Kh As (two pair, kings and fives).
Outcome: UTG+1 wins 8 BB.

What could I do? I had $4.25 to start that hand, I couldn't let it go on the river.

==============

So, I crap out there and open another table for $10. I finish at that one with $12.50, but I keep rolling on the table where I had $20 up to this point... I finish there up over $20, thanks to hands like this one:

Preflop: Hero is BB with 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif.
4 folds, CO raises, 2 folds, Hero calls.

Flop: (4.50 SB) 3http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (3 players)
Hero bets, CO raises, Hero calls.

Turn: (4.25 BB) Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (3 players) (I check, it's bet, I raise, it's called for all-in)

River: (4.25 BB) Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (3 players)

Final Pot: 4.25 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has 9s 9h (three of a kind, nines).
UTG+1 doesn't show.
CO has 7d Qd (high card, king).
Outcome: Hero wins 4.25 BB.

===============

Leading us to the HAND OF THE DAY:

Preflop: Hero is UTG+2 with Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif.
1 fold, UTG+1 calls, Hero calls, 2 folds, MP3 raises, 2 folds, SB calls, 1 fold, UTG+1 calls, Hero calls.

Flop: (9 SB) Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (4 players)
SB checks, UTG+1 checks, Hero checks, MP3 bets, SB calls, UTG+1 folds, Hero calls.

Turn: (6 BB) 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (3 players)
SB bets, Hero calls, MP3 folds.

River: (8 BB) Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (2 players)
SB bets, Hero raises, SB 3-bets, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 14 BB

Results in white below:
SB has 9h Ks (two pair, kings and nines).
Hero has Ah Th (two pair, aces and tens).
Outcome: Hero wins 14 BB.

Thought I was beat on the river when it was re-raised, but I was not. Considered raising the flop, but the losses of late weighed on my decision not to do so. Guess I should've.

Finish: $103.76
+14.75 for session

Butter

08-07-2006, 11:47 PM

Alright, look. I'm getting pretty damn tired of going in with the best of it during a MTT only to come out on the losing end of things.

Here are the beats we took in tonight's tourneys.

Andrea, in a $3 MTT... AA raises pre-flop, gets called. Flop is 2-5-6... she goes all-in, gets called by 33. The 4 hits the turn and she's out.

Me, in a $1 MTT... KK raise pre-flop, it's re-raised. I go all-in. Re-raiser calls, shows AA, and I'm out.

Tonight, in a $5+1 10 player SNG, we're down to 3 handed... yes, 3 handed... I get KK, raise. SB re-raises, I go all-in. They call and turn up AA! WHAT. THE. FUCK.

Seriously, if anyone wants to calculate odds on that shit, please do.

The critical hand of the MTT came here for me... I'll have to do it all manual-like since the hand converter is down.

I have T5o in the SB. 2 callers behind me, so I go in just for value, 50 more to call as blinds are 50/100. BB checks, 4 players. Flop is 5h-Ks-Th. I have flopped 2 pair. I make a weak 100 bet, expecting a raise. I get it... 2 in fact. CO raises to 200, button to 300. Now I'm thinking someone has KT, but I have to stick with it. I re-raise to 700. Both players call.... so the pot is now 2500. Turn is 4c... I bet 1200, both players call. Now I'm thinking flush/straight draws. I'm down to 1000, both other players have similar stacks. river is Qh... making a flush. I check, hoping for the check down. It doesn't come, as the button goes all-in. I have to call, and the CO does as well.

CO shows Ah, Kd
Button shows Kh, Js
I win with 2 pair.

I knock 2 players out, essentially, and we're down to 5 handed after a couple more hands.

Then it goes and gets straight up weird in the final 4.

I'm in the SB in commanding chip position, and raise to 600 (blinds are 100-200) with JTo. BB raises to 1400, but I decide to take a flop. Flop is 2-T-T. Bingo. I check, BB bets over half his stack, I raise him all-in, he calls. He shows AA. No help for him, and we're down to 3, and I have 12000 chips to the other 2 players 4000 each.

The house starts to crumble when I re-raise all-in with AQs, and am called with TT... A ten hits the board, and now we have 2 players at around 8k, with 1 at 4k.

I get AA in the BB, and it gets folded to me, so I pick up the blinds. Woo-fuckin'-hoo.

Next hand is my KK... I just call from the SB, and the BB raises minimum. I raise to 1000, he raises to 2000, I go all-in. He calls, and shows AA. I'm down to under 3k.

About 5 hands later I go all-in (2312 chips) in the BB with 55. AA guy calls me with Q8h... naturally 2 8's hit the flop, and I'm out in 3rd. Weird finish, but after the $4 loss on multi-table tourneys, this gets us back to even on the night.

Butter

08-08-2006, 09:21 AM

This morning's freeroll, we're down to 176 of 690. I have 9300 chips, blinds are 200/400.

I get AA in late position. A raise to 1400 behind me and a call, I go all-in. Big stack on the button calls, as does raiser. Me and the raiser are all in. I have AA, Raiser has AQ, big stack has JJ.

Flop is 8-9-J, thanks for playing.

Butter

08-08-2006, 09:51 AM

Lost with KK again... $6 MTT... blinds are 20/40, I raise to 200 on the button. 3 callers, which is AWESOME.

Flop is A-5-7, not so awesome. It's checked around. Turn is a 6... I bet 260 into the 800+ pot. MP2 folds, MP3 raises, CO goes all-in. I fold. MP3 calls.

MP3 had 89s, turned a straight, CO had 66, turned trips.

So, I knew someone had an Ace, but apparently they didn't. At least I limited my damage on that hand, and got my chips right back on the next hand with ATs.

But still, I am trying to remember a run where I lost so many times in a row with AA or KK. It's not coming to me.

Is it bad play by me, or just bad luck?

primelord

08-08-2006, 01:50 PM

The Party Poker SNG's tend to be a crapshoot anyway...

I have just started reading this thread, but I wanted to mention that this is not true. It may feel like a crap shoot because you get to the point where you have to shove with 4 or 5 people left, but that isn't Party SnGs it's all SnGs. That is how SnGs are structured. It's actually far from a crapshoot. Skilled players can make very good money playing nothing but SnGs.

primelord

08-08-2006, 01:56 PM

Lost with KK again... $6 MTT... blinds are 20/40, I raise to 200 on the button. 3 callers, which is AWESOME.

Flop is A-5-7, not so awesome. It's checked around.

Don't check that flop. Yes most likely someone has an A, but it isn't a sure thing. Checking is only giving someone with a draw or a smaller pair a chance to draw out on you for free. You have position so if your bet gets called you will likely be able to take a free card on the turn if you don't improve and if you get check raised on the flop you can release your hand pretty easily.

primelord

08-08-2006, 02:14 PM

Here is the crap-out hand:

Preflop: Hero is Button with Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif. MP3 posts a blind of $0.75.
1 fold, UTG+1 calls, 2 folds, MP2 raises, 2 folds, Hero calls, 2 folds, UTG+1 calls.

Flop: (9 SB) 5http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (3 players)
UTG+1 checks, MP2 checks, Hero bets, UTG+1 calls, MP2 calls.

Turn: (6 BB) Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (3 players)
UTG+1 checks, MP2 checks, Hero bets, UTG+1 calls, MP2 folds.

River: (8 BB) 5http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (2 players) (Converter didn't like this part, but I bet, was raised, and called my last .75 all-in)

Final Pot: 8 BB
You absolutely have to 3 bet that hand preflop. You have a monster hand and you have position. The rest of the hand looks good although the flop bet would have been even better if you had 3 bet pre.

Preflop: Hero is BB with 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif.
4 folds, CO raises, 2 folds, Hero calls.

Flop: (4.50 SB) 3http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (3 players)
Hero bets, CO raises, Hero calls.

Turn: (4.25 BB) Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (3 players) (I check, it's bet, I raise, it's called for all-in)

River: (4.25 BB) Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (3 players)

Final Pot: 4.25 BB

Heads up you should raise 99 preflop here too even though you are out of position. Your opponent has shown no strength so you likely have the best hand and he is apparently short stacked so he can't even hurt you that much if he does have a hand.

Leading us to the HAND OF THE DAY:

Preflop: Hero is UTG+2 with Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif.
1 fold, UTG+1 calls, Hero calls, 2 folds, MP3 raises, 2 folds, SB calls, 1 fold, UTG+1 calls, Hero calls.

Flop: (9 SB) Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (4 players)
SB checks, UTG+1 checks, Hero checks, MP3 bets, SB calls, UTG+1 folds, Hero calls.

Turn: (6 BB) 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (3 players)
SB bets, Hero calls, MP3 folds.

River: (8 BB) Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (2 players)
SB bets, Hero raises, SB 3-bets, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 14 BB
You flop a VERY strong draw on the flop. It's possible your Ts are already good, but if not you likely have 14 outs. You have a huge equity edge here. You also have fantastic position relative to the preflop raiser for jamming this pot. Check raising the flop is the best play here. You have an edge of every bet that goes into that pot ont he flop so you want as many of them to go in as possible. The rest of the hand is fine.

Butter

08-08-2006, 02:59 PM

Thanks for the tips, primelord! Much appreciated.

As for your SNG comment, I guess I'm not that skilled. I can usually get into the top 3 once out of every 3 times or so, but I don't place 1st quite enough to make them profitable. I was close last night, though, as detailed above.

Butter

08-08-2006, 03:00 PM

This afternoon started out frustratingly... I decided to try a 5-table $5+1 SNG.

I guess I should know by now that either I completely suck at multi-tablers, or I am on a prolonged bad stretch in them. Still can't figure out which. But suffice it to say, I can't win a coin flip to save my life.

In this one, we're down to 15, with the top 7 paying. I have 3200 in chips, I need to move up to make the money. Blinds are 150/300. I am in the BB. I get AKo. Big table stack raises to 1500, I move all-in. He calls and shows 10-10. Flop is K-2-T, and it's thanks for playing yet again. Although to be fair, earlier in the tournament I did beat KK with AJ, but that wasn't an all-in situation. I called a standard raise from early position, and check-raised when an Ace hit the flop.

HOWEVER, that being said, it looks like I need to play more ring games, and less tourneys. Maybe I need to play some limit tourneys or something, because I have been on a roll. If not for the $12 I essentially threw away... well, I'd be up a lot. You'll see.

I did my standard 2-table open at $10 each. I had already won about $15-20 earlier today, but blew most of that on the above 2 tourneys at $6 each.

I'm just going to let the hands speak for themselves. On one of the 2 ring game tables, the deck was hitting me in the face. There's one loss in here, and that would be from the other table.... you pick which one!

Preflop: Hero is BB with Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif. MP3 posts a blind of $0.50.
5 folds, MP3 (poster) checks, CO calls, 2 folds, Hero checks.

Flop: (3.50 SB) 5http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (3 players)
Hero checks, MP3 bets, CO folds, Hero calls.

Turn: (2.75 BB) Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (2 players)
Hero bets, MP3 calls.

River: (4.75 BB) 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (2 players)
Hero bets, MP3 calls.

Final Pot: 6.75 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has Js 4h (four of a kind, fours).
MP3 has 3h 7s (three of a kind, fours).
Outcome: Hero wins 6.75 BB.

=============

Preflop: Hero is UTG+2 with Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif.
2 folds, Hero calls, 6 folds, BB checks.

Flop: (2.50 SB) Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (2 players)
BB checks, Hero checks.

Turn: (1.25 BB) Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (2 players)
BB bets, Hero calls.

River: (3.25 BB) 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (2 players)
BB bets, Hero raises, BB calls.

Final Pot: 7.25 BB

Results in white below:
BB has Th 7d (two pair, queens and tens).
Hero has Ac 9c (flush, ace high).
Outcome: Hero wins 7.25 BB.

===========

HAND OF THE DAY!

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with 5http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, 5http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif.
UTG calls, Hero calls, 3 folds, CO raises, 1 fold, SB calls, BB calls, UTG calls, Hero calls.

Flop: (10 SB) Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, 5http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (5 players)
SB checks, BB checks, UTG bets, Hero calls, CO raises, SB folds, BB folds, UTG calls, Hero calls.

Turn: (8 BB) Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (3 players)
UTG checks, Hero checks, CO bets, UTG calls, Hero raises, CO 3-bets, UTG folds, Hero caps, CO calls.

River: (17 BB) 5http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (2 players)
Hero bets, CO calls.

Final Pot: 19 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has 5s 5d (four of a kind, fives).
CO has Kc Ad (two pair, aces and kings).
Outcome: Hero wins 19 BB.

===========

Preflop: Hero is SB with 5http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif.
2 folds, MP1 calls, 2 folds, CO calls, Button calls, Hero completes, BB checks.

Flop: (5 SB) 5http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, 5http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (5 players)
Hero checks, BB checks, MP1 checks, CO bets, Button folds, Hero calls, BB folds, MP1 folds.

Turn: (3.50 BB) 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (2 players)
Hero bets, CO calls.

River: (5.50 BB) 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (2 players)
Hero bets, CO calls.

Final Pot: 7.50 BB

Results in white below:
CO has 9s 9c (two pair, nines and fives).
Hero has 5h 4c (three of a kind, fives).
Outcome: Hero wins 7.50 BB.

=================
Preflop: Hero is MP2 with Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif.
2 folds, MP1 calls, Hero raises, 2 folds, SB calls, 1 fold, MP1 calls.

Flop: (7 SB) 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (3 players)
SB checks, MP1 bets, Hero calls, SB folds.

Turn: (4.50 BB) Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (2 players)
MP1 bets, Hero raises, MP1 calls.

River: (8.50 BB) 3http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (2 players)
MP1 bets, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 10.50 BB

Results in white below:
MP1 has 8s Ts (one pair, aces).
Hero has Kd Ad (three of a kind, aces).
Outcome: Hero wins 10.50 BB.

==============

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, 8http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif.
UTG calls, 4 folds, Hero calls, CO calls, 1 fold, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: (5 SB) 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (5 players)
SB bets, BB folds, UTG calls, Hero calls, CO folds.

Turn: (4 BB) 2http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (3 players)
SB bets, UTG raises, Hero 3-bets, SB folds, UTG calls.

River: (11 BB) 2http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (2 players)
UTG bets, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 13 BB

Results in white below:
UTG has Ts Tc (full house, tens full of twos).
Hero has 9h 8h (straight, jack high).
Outcome: UTG wins 13 BB.

I just knew he had made a full house on that last card... dammit!

Hard to complain about it after the day I had, though.

Finish: $143.03
+39.27 for day... +51.27 for ring games, -12.00 for tournaments

Butter

08-09-2006, 01:09 PM

We finished down $4 again last night after crapping out in 2 tourneys. I was never really in my $1 one, and Andrea made it to the last 150 or so in her $3 tourney before losing out about 40 spots from the money thanks to bad advice I gave her (which was "push with A9o on the button!" The lone caller aside from the blinds called her and had 10's. Oops. Sorry. Don't mind me.)

Anyway, I start today at $139.03.

I win a bit at a ring game before moving on to the great double tourney set-up Party Poker has at 9:40/9:45... which is a $6 tourney, then a $2 one.

The $2 one doesn't last long, as I am busted against a bluffer when he actually shows a good hand after showing 2-3 raggedy ones and raising most pots. I have A6, he had J4, flop was A-4-4. He bet some amount, I raised him, he went all-in, and I called.

However, the $6 one... well, that one went a bit better.

$6 MTT - 355 entrants, top 40 pay
Finally, I get to write a summary! I've been waiting to actually cash in one of these before doing it, but here we are.

I didn't win a pot for the first 25 minutes. Then:

Big Blind is t60 (10 handed)
Hero (t2470)
MP1 (t2041)
MP2 (t3510)
MP3 (t6868)
CO (t3087)
Button (t12458)
SB (t3920)
BB (t10)
UTG (t4536)
UTG+1 (t9628)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+2 with Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif.
2 folds, Hero calls t60, 1 fold, MP2 raises to t195, 1 fold, CO calls t195, 2 folds, Hero calls t135.

Flop: (t675) Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, 3http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, 3http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (4 players)
Hero checks, MP2 bets t300, CO folds, Hero calls t300.

Turn: (t1275) Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (3 players)
Hero checks, MP2 checks.

River: (t1275) 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (3 players)
Hero checks, MP2 bets t675, Hero calls t675.

Final Pot: t2625

Results in white below:
BB has Ac Td (flush, ace high).
Hero has Qh Jh (two pair, queens and jacks).
MP2 has 8s 9s (one pair, threes).
Outcome: Hero wins t2525. BB wins t50.

MP2 was on a total bluff there, and I almost bought it... especially after the 4th club came out. I lucked out here a bit, maybe.

=============

Big Blind is t100 (9 handed)
Hero (t3555)
UTG (t2730)
UTG+1 (t13996)
MP1 (t2692)
MP2 (t4680)
MP3 (t6251)
CO (t10)
Button (t4716)
SB (t9898)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 8http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, 8http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif.
1 fold, UTG+1 raises to t250, 1 fold, MP2 calls t250, 2 folds, Button calls t250, 1 fold, Hero calls t150.

Flop: (t1050) Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, 3http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, 8http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (4 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 checks, MP2 bets t200, Button calls t200, Hero raises to t1200, UTG+1 folds, MP2 calls t1000, Button folds.

Turn: (t3650) Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (2 players)
I go all-in here... MP2 folds.

Final Pot: t3650

Results in white below:
No showdown. Hero wins t3650.

===========

Big Blind is t300 (10 handed)
Button (t15340)
SB (t9252)
BB (t9058)
UTG (t7535)
UTG+1 (t11422)
UTG+2 (t1870)
MP1 (t2160)
MP2 (t9392)
Hero (t5480)
CO (t4999)

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif.
3 folds, MP1 raises to t600, 1 fold, Hero raises to t2100, 4 folds, MP1 goes all-in for t60 more, Hero calls t60.

Flop: 8http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, 2http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, 8http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (2 players)

Turn: 3http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (2 players)

River: 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (2 players)

Final Pot: t4770

Results in white below:
MP1 has Kh 9h (one pair, eights).
Hero has Qh Qc (two pair, queens and eights).
Outcome: Hero wins t4770.

==================

We're down to about 110 players at this point.

Big Blind is t400 (9 handed)
CO (t20180)
Button (t9488)
Hero (t7690)
BB (t17723)
UTG (t12514)
UTG+1 (t6440)
MP1 (t14376)
MP2 (t9558)
MP3 (t9936)

Preflop: Hero is SB with Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif.
3 folds, MP2 raises to t1300, 3 folds, Hero calls t1100, 1 fold.

Flop: (t3000) 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, 5http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, 5http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (2 players)
Hero checks, MP2 bets t1025, Hero calls t1025.

Turn: (t5050) Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (2 players)
Hero checks, MP2 bets t400, Hero goes all-in, MP2 folds.

Final Pot: t5450

Results in white below:
No showdown.

Bumps me up to nearly 11,000 chips, but there's still lots of work to do.

===========

I move all-in on a King high flop with AKo a bit later after having a raise to 1700 on 200/400 blinds called by 2 players. I win that pot and move up to 13,500.

I am picking off the blinds and antes every so often with hands like ATo and 44, but am holding steady at around 11-12k chips, as the blinds are up to 400/800 with 25 antes.

Possibly my most dangerous move of the day here:

Big Blind is t1200 (9 handed)
SB (t33932)
BB (t21469)
Hero (t10590)
UTG+1 (t57908)
MP1 (t20720)
MP2 (t101832)
MP3 (t10986)
CO (t20756)
Button (t32967)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif.
Hero calls t1200, 5 folds, Button raises to t2400, 2 folds, Hero calls t1200.

Flop: (t4800) 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets t3061, Hero calls t3061.

Turn: (t10922) Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (2 players)
I move all-in immediately here, and the Button immediately folds.

Final Pot: t10922

Results in white below:
No showdown. Hero wins t10922.

Bumps me to over 18,000 chips, a fairly safe place to be as the money approaches. I actually also win the next 2 hands in the blinds when I bet a couple of draws and low pairs... this pushes me to over 21,500 in chips.

I cruise into the money, and am fluctuating between about 17k and 21k in chips. The leader is at around 200k, but I'm about middle of the road with under 40 left, so I am optimistic about where I can finish here.

=============

I get moved to Table 1 which holds the #2 stack of the tourney with over 130k when I arrive... I'm at 17k and am 3 seats to his right, which isn't great, but it could be worse. Plus I notice that he seems fairly tight.

Big Blind is t2000(9 handed)
Button (t40135)
SB (t82203)
Hero (t17026)
UTG (t18568)
UTG+1 (t10428)
MP1 (t130449)
MP2 (t2594)
MP3 (t7887)
CO (t12149)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, 8http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif.
7 folds, SB raises to t3000, Hero calls t2000.

Flop: (t8450) Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, 5http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, 2http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (2 players)
SB pushes all-in immediately, and I call with my spade draw and backdoor straight chances. I'm hoping he's not paired up here, and I was right.

Turn: 2http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (2 players)

River: 8http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (2 players)

Final Pot: t34577

Results in white below:
SB has As Qd (one pair, twos).
Hero has 7s 8s (flush, ten high).
Outcome: Hero wins t34577.

I double up here, and it's the beginning of the end for the SB I played on this flop. He ends up 20th.

The last premium hand I get is KK in middle position. I raise to 6k, and everyone folds. People are dropping fairly quickly since the money has been made, and before we know it, we're down to 2 tables.

I drop a good bit of money waiting for some decent cards, but mostly I fold a seemingly endless procession of 49, K5, 6T and the like. The 2 hands I did play I completely missed the flop and had no realistic shot at the hands (A6s, and 9Ts - both on the button). Before long, with the blinds going up to 2000/4000, I'm down to 10,000 in chips and getting desperate. However, by folding and being tight, I have moved up 2 more slots in the money, and we sit with 13 players left. If I make the final table, it's another bump of about $5, then each slot moves up from there quite a bit.

===============

Big Blind is t4000 (6 handed)
SB (t60510)
Hero (t10190)
UTG (t189040)
MP (t19464)
CO (t257252)
Button (t16072)

Preflop: Hero is BB with Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif.
4 folds, SB completes, Hero moves all-in, SB calls.

Flop: 8http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (2 players)

Turn: Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (2 players)

River: 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (2 players)

Final Pot: t20780

Results in white below:
SB has 9s 7h (one pair, aces).
Hero has Ad Tc (three of a kind, aces).
Outcome: Hero wins t20780.

With the win, I last past 2 more players, and we're down to 11.

=============

Big Blind is t4000 (6 handed)
MP (t56720)
Hero (t16580)
Button (t191340)
SB (t15164)
BB (t256952)
UTG (t15772)

Preflop: Hero is CO with Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif.
1 fold, MP raises to t12630, 3 folds, Hero moves all-in for t16480, MP calls t3850.

Flop: 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, 8http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (2 players)

Woo-hoo!

Turn: Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (2 players)

D'oh!

River: Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (2 players)

Final Pot: t39560

Results in white below:
MP has Ad Jc (three of a kind, aces).
Hero has Js Jd (two pair, aces and jacks).
Outcome: MP wins t39560.

I definitely would've made the final table if I could've had that one hand hold up. There were at least 3 others in the tourney who were hurting, and I think I could've made it to at least 8th... but hey, I did pretty well here. I'm happy with the finish, and my play overall.

Finish 11th out of 355 - Win $21.60
Final bankroll: $156.96
+13.93 total, +7.60 in tourneys, +6.33 in ring games
(I lost $6 on another SNG when my AK lost a coin flip)

bselig

08-10-2006, 02:02 AM

Butter

08-10-2006, 07:28 AM

2 hands cost me and Andrea about $20 last night. Andrea crapped out of 2 SNG's, then the 3rd was a dogfight.

She went all-in with 68o 4 handed, and ended up sucking out on AA with a straight. But then after it got down to 3 handed, the tables turned on her and she lost with KK to K5 when 2 5's hit the board. The nice part about it for the K5 guy was it was the same guy she beat with the 6-8. Still, 3rd place is good enough for $10. But if she had won that hand, the other guy would've been down to 100 chips and she would've been in great position to win, which would've been $15 more.

Then, I am playing a the 8:05 $1 tourney at the same time. This tourney always has between 2,000 and 2,500 participants. After 1/2 hour I'm down to about 1600 chips (from the 3000 starting chips) and figuring on ways to exit gracefully. Then I actually start playing well and picking up some hands.2 of my favorite hands were:

I had QQ in late position with about 16k in chips. I raised to 2500 (blinds were 300/600). I got 3 callers. Flop is K-Q-J, 2 diamonds. UTG goes all-in for about 9k. I go all-in, and the table folds around. He shows J-T... river is a J, giving me the full house and putting me into the table lead at 33k.

After losing a hand or 2, I'm down to about 26k. Then, I get 99 in the SB. The CO raises to about 2500 (blinds are 400/800 now), and I just call. Flop is J-4-8, 2 diamonds. I decide to put the pressure on and go all-in. I figure the CO is on a weak Ace or something like that because he's been raising a lot. He doesn't insta-call, which indicates to me right away that he does not have a Jack. He thinks for about 20 seconds, then calls and shows K-8 of clubs. No help for him on the turn or river, and I move up to 53k and am the dominating table leader.

Top 300 pay, and we're already down to under 150 at this point. I still have 50k or so chips as the blinds are now 1000/2000. I am being VERY patient, including folding KQs in the SB, when 2 players behind me raised and re-raised... turned out it was AK v. 77, and I would've knocked them both out when a Q hit the flop. But still, that's a good fold.

Then I finally get a good hand I'm hoping for action on: KK. Player behind me with 35k chips raises to 7800. I re-raise to 25k. Everybody folds, and the player behind me thinks on it for a LONG time, and goes all-in. I call, and I get the dream scenario... he has KQ.

But of course, the flop comes Q-Q-4, and he knocks me down to under 13k. With blinds at 1500/3000 after a couple minutes, I end up going all in with KJ, running into KQ, and watching no help come for me.

I go out in 138th, and win $2.94. If I win that KK hand, I would've been among the tournament leaders, and definitely primed to make at least the last 20, which would've paid me at least $10-15.

So, that sucks. But it could've been worse I guess. But I would rather lose with KK to AA and just chalk it up to bad timing than lose when I was in such a dominating position like that. It kept me up last night. Well, for a few minutes anyway.

Finish: $150.90
Lose $6.06 total by losing 2 SNG's outright, and making $12.94 on a total of $19 in tourney fees

Butter

08-10-2006, 07:42 AM

I've basically been playing nothing but the 45 seated $1 tournaments since my last post here, and I'm down slightly on them. I can make money pretty consistantly on the low stakes table games, but the problem is they're just incredibly dull compared to tournaments.

My wife thinks the same thing... she says she enjoys playing the sit n go's because she finds the no-limit aspect very exciting, but also likes that she's only risking $6, as opposed to a no-limit cash game, where you could put up well more than that on one hand and lose rather easily. I think she finds limit ring games quite boring.

Butter

08-10-2006, 09:10 AM

Tried a $6 limit tournament this morning. 260 entered, top 30 paid. I was among the table leaders most of the tourney until the deck went cold for me. By the time the blinds were 200/400, I had 7600 chips or so. I got JJ in the SB and called a raise. Flop was 8-9-J. It was bet, I just called planning to raise the turn. Turn is a 3h, I check raised, and there are still 2 opponents. I figure to make a crapload here as long as the river isn't a Q or a 7. The river is Qh. I bet out, am raised, call it and see the heart flush with AJ.

I go down to 3500 chips, get JJ again 2 hands later... raise it, have 1 opponent who called me with A8... I bet and raised it all the way, but 2 8's hit the board and I was out in 94th.

But I think I did well for my first limit tourney. I think I will play that one again sometime. If not for a couple of semi-unlucky turns there, I would've had well over 15k chips heading towards the money, which would've let me play my preferred game.

Butter

08-11-2006, 03:27 PM

After some more unsuccessful tourney appearances, our bankroll drops below $140.

I had a good roll going this morning in the 10:40 $6 MTT... with about 400 of the field of 1050 or so gone, I got QQ. I raised to 450 with 50/100 blinds. The player ahead of me goes all-in... the caller directly behind me goes all-in. This had been a fairly loose table where I had picked up some good hands to get up to 5k in chips, but the guy behind me has me covered. I decide to go for it, figuring to be in great shape if I win, going to over 11k in chips. I call, big stack behind me has 66, small stack ahead of me shows ATs. I'm in good shape. At least I was until the 6 hit the turn. Flippin' trips. Still, I am just a few bad breaks from being a consistent MTT money finisher. Maybe I need to stop going all-in with hands like QQ and KK and try to play them after the flop. I suppose not, but it's frickin' frustrating.

But then this afternoon I make up for things with a solid run at one .50/1 limit table.

Here are some choice hands from that session:

Preflop: Hero is SB with Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif.
7 folds, Hero raises, BB calls.

Flop: (4 SB) Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, 2http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, 8http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (2 players)
Hero bets, BB calls.

Turn: (3 BB) 2http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (2 players)
Hero bets, BB calls.

River: (5 BB) 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (2 players)
Hero bets, BB folds.

Final Pot: 6 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has Ah Kd (one pair, twos).
Outcome: Hero wins 6 BB.

==================

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif. CO posts a blind of $0.50.
2 folds, UTG+2 calls, 1 fold, Hero raises, 2 folds, Button 3-bets, 1 fold, BB calls, UTG+2 folds, Hero calls.

Flop: (11.50 SB) 3http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (3 players)
BB checks, Hero checks, Button checks.

Turn: (5.75 BB) 5http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (3 players)
BB checks, Hero checks, Button checks.

River: (5.75 BB) 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (3 players)
BB checks, Hero checks, Button bets, BB folds, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 7.75 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has Ks Qd (high card, ace).
Button has 9h Jc (high card, ace).
Outcome: Hero wins 7.75 BB.

I make a good read there... his final bet just felt like a steal attempt, and I was right.

=================

Preflop: Hero is SB with Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif.
UTG raises, 7 folds, Hero calls, 1 fold.

Flop: (5 SB) 8http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (2 players)
Hero checks, UTG bets, Hero calls.

Turn: (3.50 BB) 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (2 players)
Hero bets, UTG raises, Hero 3-bets, UTG calls.

River: (9.50 BB) 3http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (2 players)
Hero bets, UTG calls.

Final Pot: 11.50 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has Qc Ts (straight, queen high).
UTG has Ks Kd (one pair, kings).
Outcome: Hero wins 11.50 BB.

Nothing like flopping a straight.

===============

Preflop: Hero is SB with Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif.
UTG calls, UTG+1 calls, 1 fold, MP1 raises, 2 folds, CO calls, 1 fold, Hero calls, BB calls, UTG calls, UTG+1 calls.

Flop: (12 SB) Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, 2http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (6 players)
Hero checks, BB checks, UTG bets, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls, CO folds, Hero calls, BB calls.

Turn: (8.50 BB) 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (5 players)
Hero checks, BB checks, UTG bets, UTG+1 calls, MP1 folds, Hero raises, BB folds, UTG calls, UTG+1 calls.

River: (14.50 BB) 3http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (3 players)
Hero bets, UTG raises, UTG+1 folds, Hero 3-bets, UTG caps, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 22.50 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has Jd Jh (three of a kind, jacks).
UTG has 3s Kh (two pair, kings and threes).
Outcome: Hero wins 22.50 BB.

====================

In this next hand, I'm up against the same guy I just beat out that last hand. He couldn't have liked me much by the end of things.

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif.
3 folds, Hero raises, 1 fold, CO calls, 1 fold, SB calls, 1 fold.

Flop: (7 SB) 2http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (3 players)
SB checks, Hero checks, CO checks.

Turn: (3.50 BB) 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (3 players)
SB checks, Hero checks, CO bets, SB folds, Hero raises, CO calls.

River: (7.50 BB) Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (2 players)
Hero bets, CO raises, Hero 3-bets, CO caps, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 15.50 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has Qd Qc (three of a kind, queens).
CO has 4d Kc (two pair, kings and fours).
Outcome: Hero wins 15.50 BB.

=================

After that hand, I dropped $10 at that table, and another $5 at another table.... I was over $170 at one point, but still finish way up for the day.

Not sure what I started at, but I think I finished up about $20 here.

Finish: $157.28

Butter

08-15-2006, 03:24 PM

We actually dropped below $120 on Saturday this weekend, then last night got above $165. Andrea has been tearing up SNG's, finish 2nd/2nd/1st in her last 3. I have been about even in ring game action of late. I have been doing well in MTT's, finishing in the money in about 50% of the last 10 tourneys played... and frankly, with these crazy $1/$2/$3 Party Poker MTT's with 1500-2500 entrants, it's not easy to navigate the minefields. Now, my goal is to not just make the money, but to start finishing a bit higher up than I have been.

Anyway, today I sat at 2 cash tables at about 3:15. After about 20 minutes, I'm down $5. Then, I get 2 raising hands in the CO position... In the middle of both hands, some guy comes in my office and wants to talk work. Well, what am I going to say? "Get the fuck out of here you fucking fuckhead!" came to mind, as well as faking a fainting spell. But in the end, I helped him with what he wanted, came back to the tables, and found myself down over $10 total.

I left one table that I was down $9 at, and replaced it. I ended up about even there, which meant I needed to make hay at this 2nd original table. Which I did.

It was beautiful. I was running over the table. See for yourself:

Preflop: Hero is CO with Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif. UTG posts a blind of $0.50.
1 fold, UTG+2 calls, 2 folds, MP3 calls, Hero raises, 3 folds, UTG+2 calls, MP3 calls.

Flop: (7.50 SB) 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, 3http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (4 players)
UTG+2 checks, MP3 bets, Hero raises, UTG+2 calls, MP3 calls.

Turn: (6.75 BB) Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (4 players)
UTG+2 checks, MP3 bets, Hero raises, UTG+2 folds, MP3 3-bets, Hero caps, MP3 calls.

River: (14.75 BB) Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (3 players)
MP3 checks, MP3 calls.

Final Pot: 15.50 BB

Results in white below:
BB doesn't show.
MP3 has Ts Qs (flush, queen high).
Hero has Ks As (flush, ace high).
Outcome: Hero wins 15.50 BB.

==============

Preflop: Hero is Button with 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, 8http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif.
5 folds, MP3 calls, 1 fold, Hero calls, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: (4 SB) 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, 5http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (4 players)
SB checks, BB bets, MP3 folds, Hero raises, SB calls, BB calls.

Turn: (5 BB) Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (3 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets, SB folds, BB folds.

Final Pot: 6 BB

Results in white below:
No showdown. Hero wins 6 BB.

==============

Preflop: Hero is SB with Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif.
7 folds, Hero raises, BB 3-bets, Hero calls.

Flop: (6 SB) Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, 5http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (2 players)
Hero checks, BB bets, Hero calls.

Turn: (4 BB) 3http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (2 players)
Hero checks, BB bets, Hero raises, BB calls.

River: (8 BB) Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (2 players)
Hero bets, BB folds.

Final Pot: 9 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has Kc Ah (one pair, aces).
Outcome: Hero wins 9 BB.

==================

Preflop: Hero is CO with 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif.
UTG calls, 1 fold, MP1 calls, 1 fold, Hero raises, 2 folds, BB calls, UTG calls, MP1 calls.

Flop: (8.50 SB) 2http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, 2http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (4 players)
BB checks, UTG checks, MP1 checks, Hero bets, BB folds, UTG folds, MP1 folds.

Final Pot: 4.75 BB

Results in white below:
No showdown. Hero wins 4.75 BB.

=================

Preflop: Hero is Button with 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif.
4 folds, CO calls, Hero raises, 1 fold, BB calls, CO calls.

Flop: (6.50 SB) 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (3 players)
BB checks, CO bets, Hero raises, BB folds, CO folds.

Final Pot: 4.75 BB

Results in white below:
No showdown. Hero wins 4.75 BB.

=================

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif. Hero posts a blind of $0.75.
1 fold, UTG+1 calls, 2 folds, Hero (poster) checks, 3 folds, BB checks.

Flop: (4 SB) 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (3 players)
BB checks, UTG+1 checks, Hero bets, BB folds, UTG+1 folds.

Final Pot: 2.50 BB

Results in white below:
No showdown. Hero wins 2.50 BB.

=================

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with 8http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, 8http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif.
1 fold, Hero raises, 2 folds, MP3 calls, 2 folds, SB calls, 1 fold.

Flop: (7 SB) Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, 2http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (3 players)
SB checks, Hero bets, MP3 calls, SB folds.

Turn: (4.50 BB) Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (2 players)
Hero checks, MP3 bets, Hero calls.

River: (6.50 BB) 2http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (2 players)
Hero checks, MP3 bets, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 8.50 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has 8s 8c (two pair, aces and eights).
MP3 has 6c 6s (two pair, aces and sixes).
Outcome: Hero wins 8.50 BB.

================

It was great. I finish up nearly $10 total, even after taking a $9 loss on that other table.

Finish: $174.38

Butter

08-16-2006, 01:15 PM

Andrea won her 2nd straight SNG last night, while I bubbled out in the 7:30 $10+1 MTT... finishing 250th or so out of 1,200-ish folks, when 150 made the money.

That is a net of $8, which put us over $180 for the first time.

Today, there have been company bigwigs all over the place, including one temporarily occupying the office directly across from me. When they went into their big meeting, I went into a $5+1 SNG of my own. My thinking here is, of course, "well, if she can win these, so can I."

Almost true.

View the crucial hands of my tourney.

Big Blind is t100 (10 handed)
CO (t1430)
Button (t2538)
SB (t1750)
BB (t926)
Hero (t1840)
UTG+1 (t3924)
UTG+2 (t1850)
MP1 (t2525)
MP2 (t341)
MP3 (t2876)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif.
Hero calls t100, 5 folds, MP2 is all-in (t341), Button calls t341, 2 folds, Hero calls t241.

Flop: 3http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (3 players)
Button bets t100, Hero raises to t350, Button is all-in (t2097), Hero calls all-in (t1149)

Turn: 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (3 players)

River: Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (3 players)

Results in white below:
Hero has Jh Ac (two pair, aces and jacks).
MP2 has 2s Ah (one pair, aces).
Button has As Js (two pair, aces and jacks).
Outcome: Button and Hero split.

MP2 is out, our first casualty.

===============

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t100 (9 handed)
MP2 (t541)
MP3 (t3806)
CO (t3210)
Button (t326)
Hero (t1586)
BB (t1791)
UTG (t2050)
UTG+1 (t3769)
MP1 (t2921)

Preflop: Hero is SB with 8http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif.
2 folds, MP1 calls t100, MP2 calls t100, MP3 calls t100, 2 folds, Hero completes, BB checks.

Flop: (t500) 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, 5http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (5 players)
Hero checks, BB checks, MP1 bets t229, MP2 folds, MP3 calls t229, Hero calls t229, BB folds.

Turn: (t1187) 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (3 players)
Hero checks, MP1 bets t297, MP3 raises to t594, Hero moves all-in (t1257), MP1 folds, MP3 calls t663.

River: Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (2 players)

Final Pot: t3998

Results in white below:
Hero has 8c 7c (straight, eight high).
MP3 has 5d Jh (two pair, jacks and fives).
Outcome: Hero wins t3998.

=============

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t200 (7 handed)
Button (t882)
SB (t3010)
Hero (t3798)
UTG (t2417)
MP1 (t3729)
MP2 (t4269)
CO (t1895)

Preflop: Hero is BB with Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif.
1 fold, MP1 calls t200, 3 folds, Button moves all-in (t882), Hero calls t682, MP1 folds.

Flop: 3http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (2 players)

Turn: 8http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (2 players)

River: 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (2 players)

Final Pot: t2064

Results in white below:
Hero has Kd Qs (high card, ace).
Button has 9d 9c (one pair, nines).
Outcome: Button wins t2064.

Maybe a shaky call there, but I was definitely looking for the coin flip, and I got it. This could be where I get in trouble, as Andrea avoids coin flips like the plague, whereas when we get down to 5-6, I'm more than willing to put my chips in against smaller stacks with them. And I get hurt here.

==================

Big Blind is t200 (6 handed)
UTG (t2910)
Hero (t2716)
CO (t2017)
Button (t4098)
SB (t4069)
BB (t4190)

Preflop: Hero is MP with 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif.
1 fold, Hero raises to t550, 1 fold, Button raises to t900, 2 folds, Hero calls t350.

Flop: (t2100) Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, 8http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets t375, Hero folds.

Final Pot: t2475

Results in white below:
No showdown. Button wins t2475.

I really needed to move all-in there regardless of the flop... but I froze up and it cost me. I think he was on a higher pair than I was.

================

I lead the table in getting fairly aggressive, then this hand comes up:

Big Blind is t400 (6 handed)
BB (t3210)
Hero (t2516)
MP (t2817)
CO (t4698)
Button (t3669)
SB (t3090)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif.
Hero calls t400, 2 folds, Button raises to t1000, 2 folds, Hero moves all-in (t2116), Button folds.

Final Pot: t4116

Results in white below:
No showdown. Hero wins t4116.

That puts me in 2nd place again, after making 2 bad plays earlier.

===================

And the penultimate hand:

Big Blind is t400 (6 handed)
SB (t2810)
Hero (t4116)
UTG (t2817)
MP (t4698)
CO (t2669)
Button (t2890)

Preflop: Hero is BB with Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif.
3 folds, Button raises to t800, 1 fold, Hero calls t400.

Flop: (t1800) 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, 3http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets t614, Hero raises all-in (t3316), Button calls all-in (t1476)

Turn: Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (2 players)

River: 3http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (2 players)

Final Pot: t5980

Results in white below:
Hero has Td 9c (two pair, tens and threes).
Button has Qc Ah (two pair, aces and threes).
Outcome: Button wins t5980.

That knocked me down to 1200 or so with the blinds at 200/400. I didn't last much longer, and get knocked out in 6th. The ripper is that I was 3:1 after pairing my ten, and I knew he would call my all-in with his 2 overcards. I knew all this, but still lost.

I did proceed to make back most of my fee at cash tables, despite having AA, KK, and JJ (twice) beaten.

Finish: $180.26

Butter

08-17-2006, 01:06 PM

What a roller-coaster day this has turned out to be. Andrea placed 1st again in a SNG last night. I crapped out early in another $11 tourney, then lost $2 at a ring game to make it $171 or so to start the day.

Then I started out off poorly at cash tables. Ended up taking about a $7 loss, and then decided to enter 2 SNG's at the same time. So, after paying the fees, we're sitting at $151.

But I do VERY well in the SNG's.

A couple highlight hands:

Big Blind is t100 (8 handed)
MP1 (t1700)
MP2 (t2052)
CO (t2380)
Hero (t3280)
SB (t4311)
BB (t366)
UTG (t4121)
UTG+1 (t1790)

Preflop: Hero is Button with 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif.
UTG calls t100, 2 folds, MP2 calls t100, CO calls t100, Hero calls t100, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: (t600) 8http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (6 players)
SB checks, BB checks, UTG bets t100, MP2 calls t100, CO folds, Hero calls t100, SB calls t100, BB folds.

Turn: (t1000) 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (4 players)
SB checks, UTG bets t100, MP2 raises to t500, Hero calls t500, SB calls t500, UTG folds.

River: (t2600) Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (3 players)
SB checks, MP2 bets t500, Hero raises to t1000, SB calls t1000, MP2 folds.

Final Pot: t5100

Results in white below:
SB has 8s Qh (two pair, queens and eights).
Hero has 4d 4c (four of a kind, fours).
Outcome: Hero wins t5100.

This hand vaulted me into the lead, where I stayed until heads up. After about a 15 minute heads up battle, here's the final hand:

Big Blind is t800 (2 handed)
BB (t7504)
Hero (t12496)

Preflop: Hero is Button with Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif.

I push all-in pre-flop and get called.

Flop: (t800) 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, 8http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (2 players)

Turn: (t800) Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (2 players)

River: (t800) 2http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (2 players)

Results in white below:
BB has 4s Kd (one pair, fours).
Hero has Jd Ah (one pair, aces).
Outcome: Hero wins.

==============

The other tourney was more about chip accumulation.

Big Blind is t200 (7 handed)
UTG (t5620)
Hero (t3085)
MP2 (t1225)
CO (t3280)
Button (t3320)
SB (t1165)
BB (t2305)

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif.
UTG calls t200, Hero calls t200, 2 folds, Button calls t200, 1 fold, BB checks.

Flop: (t900) Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (4 players)
BB checks, UTG bets t400, Hero calls t400, Button calls t400, BB folds.

Turn: (t2100) 8http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif (3 players)
UTG bets t400, Hero calls t400, Button calls t400.

River: (t3300) 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (3 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets t1200, Button folds, UTG folds.

Final Pot: t4500

Results in white below:
Hero has Td Tc (straight, queen high).
Outcome: Hero wins t4500.

I hung around the top 3 the rest of the way, and limped into 2nd place.

=================

So, now I'm at $191 and feeling like I'm "the stuff".

Then I sit at 2 cash tables, and soon discover that I am not, in fact, "the stuff".

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (10 handed)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif.
1 fold, Hero raises, UTG+2 3-bets, 1 fold, MP2 calls, 5 folds, Hero calls.

Flop: (10.50 SB) Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, 8http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (3 players)
Hero checks, UTG+2 bets, MP2 calls, Hero calls.

Turn: (6.75 BB) 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (3 players)
Hero checks, UTG+2 bets, MP2 calls, Hero calls.

River: (9.75 BB) Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (3 players)
Hero checks, UTG+2 bets, MP2 calls, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 12.75 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has Td Ac (three of a kind, aces).
UTG+2 has Kd Kh (full house, kings full of aces).
MP2 has Qc Ks (two pair, aces and kings).
Outcome: UTG+2 wins 12.75 BB.

===============
(9 handed)
Preflop: Hero is MP2 with Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif.
UTG calls, UTG+1 raises, 1 fold, Hero calls, 4 folds, BB calls, UTG calls.

Flop: (8.50 SB) 5http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif, 3http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (4 players)
BB checks, UTG checks, UTG+1 bets, Hero calls, BB folds, UTG calls.

Turn: (5.75 BB) Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (3 players)
UTG checks, UTG+1 bets, Hero raises, UTG folds, UTG+1 3-bets, Hero calls.

River: (11.75 BB) Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif (2 players)
UTG+1 bets, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 13.75 BB

Results in white below:
UTG+1 has Ks Ac (one pair, aces).
Hero has Ad Qc (one pair, aces).
Outcome: UTG+1 wins 13.75 BB.

===================

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (6 handed)

Preflop: Hero is CO with Thttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif. MP posts a blind of $0.50. Hero posts a blind of $0.50. UTG posts a blind of $0.50.
UTG (poster) checks, MP (poster) checks, Hero (poster) checks, Button calls, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: (6 SB) 2http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif, Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif, 8http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (6 players)
SB checks, BB checks, UTG checks, MP bets, Hero calls, Button folds, SB folds, BB folds, UTG calls.

Turn: (4.50 BB) Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif (3 players)
UTG checks, MP bets, Hero calls, UTG folds.

River: (6.50 BB) Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif (2 players)
MP bets, Hero raises, MP calls.

Final Pot: 10.50 BB

Results in white below:
MP has Jc 9c (flush, king high).
Hero has Tc 7c (flush, king high).
Outcome: MP wins 10.50 BB.

So yeah, I dumped $25.

I'm sitting on $166+, and am getting ready to play a bit more this afternoon.

Butter

08-21-2006, 08:31 AM

Hey, this sit 'n go stuff isn't that hard.

Or at least, that's what Party Poker is leading both me and my wife to believe.

Last night, I'm watching the end of a show while she fires a $6 single table SNG up. She does her standard fold most everything, but double up when she gets AA or some-such other monster hand. It gets down to 6, and there is one guy raising nearly every hand... but he's only raising the minimum. Andrea gets K5 suited in the BB and makes the call. Flop comes K-6-K. She checks, he bets, she calls. Turn is a blank, and she checks. He bets more. She goes all-in. He calls... with A8 suited, a total nothing hand. She doubles up, and says "ty" in the chat, a rare taunt. He responds with "kissssssss", and promptly goes out in the next hand with some garbage.

She makes the last 5 and keeps building her stack. Then, she goes on a nice run. She knocks out 4th place when the flop comes 8 high, and she's holding A8o. The other players calls her all-in with K8o, and she wins. A couple of hands later, she has J4o in a blind, and wins another major pot when the flop is J-4-7 or something like that, and the other player is holding J2o. Still later, she takes a dominating chip lead when she's holding 96o in the blind, and the flop is 9-6-7. Other player pushes all-in with 95o, and she wins again.

She ends up winning the tourney, and netting another $19. She is on a roll. Her tight early, aggressive late strategy certainly seems to be paying off.

After witnessing that demolition, I decide to fire up a $6 SNG of my own.

I have a bit of a different strategy than Andrea. It is a bit more dangerous, but I think it's also a bit easier to win with it.... but it also is a bit easier to lose large amounts of chips.

2 hands kept appearing for me here... 77 and KJo. I think I won with the 7's one time, and that was on a bet after I had raised the pot, when the flop was A-Q-x. Two other times, I was played with and beaten, and 1 other time I folded to heavy pre-flop action, and would've flopped trips.

I got QQ in MP once during level 2 (30/60 blinds). I raised to 220, and got a caller from the SB. Flop was A-7-7. He checked, I bet 375 and got called. Turn was a wondrous Q. I explained to Andrea after the hand that since I had position, I would've checked the turn after I appeared beaten, since the SB didn't appear to want to play his hand aggressively. I bet the same amount on the turn and river, and knocked the SB to about 300 chips.

Later on, I tried raising with the KJ once, but the player behind me seemed determined to play with me every time I tried to raise. And each time I made a continuation bet on the flop, he would call me. I think we split about 4 hands that went like that, and soon enough we're down to 4 players, and I'm one of them with about 5k in chips.

I fold a bunch of junk, but in doing so watch 2 other players depart the tournament, and soon I'm heads up with about 6k to the other players 12k. He is a decent heads up player, but way too conventional. He is checking / betting / calling way too predictably, and I hope it's just a matter of time until I can get a hand to double up with. It comes with JTo. He min. raises to 1200 (300/600 blinds), I call. Flop is 8-9-3, I decide to push all-in. He calls fairly quickly, and shows A9o. I'm in good shape with 2 overcards and a decent draw. Sure enough, the river is a Jack, and I double up.

We're now about even, and I slowly take the chip lead with a couple of raises. He appears to be tiring of my aggressive play, so I decide to take my foot off the gas and try to trap him. 2 hands later, here comes AQo. I just call, but he raises before the flop... I move all-in, he calls. It's a race, as he shows 99. Board comes 2-T-2-J-K, and I make my straight to win the tourney.

Nice evening, as we start with $167, and move up to over $205 after netting $38 from the 2 hours of action.

Butter

08-21-2006, 01:57 PM

We finally jump over the $200 goal, and I have a HORRENDOUS day at the cash tables, and drop us back under $200. Back under $180, in fact. I think we're at $177 now.

However, there is a new development. I now have $38 at Poker Stars. This is the money I won a while back at Poker Champs. Poker Champs closed their doors to US players about a month or two ago, and I transferred my money into my Neteller account. I was going to put it right into our Party Poker account, but they have a $50 minimum. Poker Stars' minimum is $25, so I was able to deposit the whole amount there.

Plus, Poker Stars has smaller buy-in sit 'n go's, and lower limit tables, which will suit my bankroll just fine to start. So, for the time being, I'll be playing mostly at Poker Stars. I won $1.30 in 15 minutes at a .25/.50 table, so that was nice.

bselig

08-22-2006, 01:18 AM

My experience is the opposite sadly, outside of one first and one second, I've been getting butchered at the $1+.20 sngs on pokerstars. Still did ok enough at the tables that I'm up to $112 though.

Butter

08-22-2006, 10:22 AM

Poker Stars
Start: $34.40

Decide to enter a $3 + .40 turbo NL SNG. In these turbo Poker Stars tourneys, you get 1500 chips… blinds start at 10/20, but go up every 5 minutes.

First hand, I get QJ in the BB. It’s raised to 40, then to 100. I make the call as does one other player. 3 players, flop is 8-J-2, rainbow. I check, other caller checks, re-raiser goes all-in. I’m figuring an overpair, but I decide to make the call anyway in case it’s AK. It’s not, it’s AA. Turn is a 9… river is a 10, giving me the big suck-out and doubling on hand 1 to over 3100 chips.

I make another call with QJs later, and end up making another straight to knock out a small stack, and climb over 3700 chips. I move up to around 4000, and the table starts getting desperate when the blinds hit 75/150, as 2 players go all-in… and 1 is knocked out. Down to 6, and I’m still the chip leader.

I mostly stay out of the way, and eventually we get down to 3. The chips shift around a bit, and I end up with AQ on the button. I just call, but the SB min. raises (blinds are 200/400). I move all-in with my 4500 chips or so, and he calls me. He has AKo, and I’m out as the flop is all low cards. I net $2.60 on that deal.

I also enter a $2 + .20 MTT around the same time. It’s relatively uneventful, I sit around 3k in chips after the 1st break, and needing to start building up to make the money.

I get AKs in MP (blinds are 75/150)… UTG raises to 300, I re-raise to 1500… button goes all-in for 1400-ish. UTG goes all-in, I call my last 1500, and here we go. UTG has AQs, button has 77. Flop is 8-Q-7 with none of my suit, and that’s about as big a disaster as I could get. I’m out in 225th, about 100 places shy of the money.

Finish: $34.80

Butter

08-22-2006, 11:14 AM

Start: $34.80
I sit at two 25/50 cent limit tables with $5 each to try and build up some money here.

First hand at table 1, I get A6h in the CO. I am already in for .25, so I call a raise. Sadly, the BB re-raises, now I’m in for 75 cents on this hand, since we still have 4 players. Lucky for me, flop is 8-3-2, all hearts. It’s checked around the 1st time, as I am in position and try to get some action here. Next card is a T, orig. raiser bets, player behind me calls, I raise. Orig. re-raiser folds, raiser folds, player behind me calls. River is a 5, no heart… he checks, I bet, he calls… I win $6. He had T9o or something like that.

Other table, I get JTs in MP, and limp in. Flop is J-Q-J. SB bets out, I am the only caller. Turn is a K, now I’m worried about a full house. He bets again, I call. River is A, he bets again, I call. He shows J2, so I take it down with a straight.

15 minutes, and between the 2 tables, I’m up $6 even. I always did well at the 25/50 cent tables at Poker Champs as well, but they were always empty.

I get blinded down a bit, then win a large pot, as I river 2 pair with my A4h… I had hit a 4 and 2 hearts on the flop, and stayed in to the river… poor guy had KK.

I pick up the blinds with AA a bit later, but get no action after my early raise.

Not a bad little session here.

Finish: $45.20
+10.40 for session

Butter

08-22-2006, 03:01 PM

Start: $45.20

Sit at two 25/50 cent tables again, with $5 each.

Pick up KTc in the BB… me and one other player go to the flop, which is J-A-J, one club. I check, he checks, turn is 4c… now I’ve picked up a flush draw to go with my gutshot, I call a .50 bet. River is 7c… I check, he bets, I raise, he calls and mucks AK. I pick up a smallish pot with some luck there.

I call in MP with 56d… flop is A-9-3, one diamond. BB checks, UTG+2 checks… I bet and take down $1.10. Bluffs DO work if done in the right spots.

One of these tables is super-tight… I pull down the blinds just by raising with 55, 66, KQ, and KT. I also win a nice pot with KQ when a Q hits the board and I out-kick QJ.

I also get massacred at one table when my A7s falls to A4… a 7 and 4 were on the flop, but a 4 hit the river to lose me about $1.50.

I’d be lying if I didn’t say that playing these limits is BOR-ing, but I can’t just leap into a 50c/$1 table, and drop $30 in a session like I have done at Party Poker. In fact, if anything, playing at these limits is making me play more patiently, which is how I should be playing in the first place.

Finish: $50.20
+5.00 for session

Butter

08-23-2006, 03:11 PM

Start: $50.20

I enter a Poker Stars standard 9-seat $5+.50 NLHE sit ‘n go. That takes me down to $44.70 right off the bat. Payouts in the 9 seater are $22.50, $13.50, $9 for 1st/2nd/3rd.

The table seems fairly tight… the first hand I play is 89s in the SB. It’s raised to 60 on the first blind level, but there are 3 callers, so I make it 4 getting odds to speculate here. Flop is 9-8-8. Hello, vicar! I check… it’s checked to the button, who bets 60. I call, as do 3 others. Turn is a 7… I am hoping someone makes a straight or a flush or something here. I check, it’s bet to 100, I call as does the button. River is another 9, which is not great for me, giving any other 9 a boat as well. I check, everyone else checks, and I take the early chip lead.

The table loosens up as we get some big hands facing each other… QQ v. TT, AJ v. KQ and the like. Problem with all these clashes are, it’s always the small stack who ends up doubling, so no one goes out. Finally, one guy goes out while pushing after taking a beat, trying to steal with K2, and losing to ATs.

Blinds at 25/50, I raise to 200 in the CO with AQd. Button has only 300, so he goes all-in. I call, he shows 22… flop brings 2 more Aces, and I knock out player #2.

2 more players go out a hand later, as flop is Kd-7d-9c… one player pushes with 2 pair, 79o… another pushes with a flush draw 89d, and yet another is all-in with KTo. Turn is a T, and river is a brick, giving KT the hand and knocking out the other 2.

So, we’re down to 5, and I’m 3rd in chips with the blinds still at 25/50. Blinds move up to 50/100, and I’m staying around 2200 chips. I move up to 2900, as in the SB I call with Q5, the flop is KQK… I min. bet to the river and get called down with Ace-high. Blinds go up to 75/150, and I’m still 3rd.

The small stack goes all-in with KK and gets called by KJ… KJ ends up losing, shockingly, and we’re still at 5.

I steal the blinds with K5h, and move into 2nd place. I lose with middle pair a bit later, and drop back to 3rd.

I make a dangerous move a bit later… I get 99 in the SB, and raise to 450. BB re-raises to 750, I call. Flop is K-T-2… I go all-in, figuring him for Ax. I am right, he folds, I move up to 3000 chips and 2nd place again. Blinds move up to 100/200 just after this hand. Next SB, I raise to 500 with K8o. BB calls, flop is K-8-T, I decide to slowplay and check. BB checks… turn is a 3, I min. bet 200, and get called. River is another 8, I bet 600… BB thinks on it, but folds, and I’m a strong 2nd place now.

The player to my left keeps trying to play with me, but loses. Here’s another hand we contest, as I raise to 700 with ATh. He calls, everyone else folds. Flop is Q-8-2, 2 diamonds. I make a continuation bet of 600, and he thinks on it but folds… putting him into 4th place. I have basically stolen all of his money to move into a strong 2nd, and contending for 1st. I move into 1st, as chip leader raises with 89d, then odds force him to call a small stack all-in who has JJ, which holds up for the win. He moves back into the lead by knocking out a small stack, and we’re down to 4 players. Antes kick in shortly thereafter, and we’re up to 100/200 + 25 ante as the top 3 are all within 1000 chips of each other, trying to wait out the guy with 1600 chips.

It doesn’t happen. It’s like pulling teeth to get anybody to bet at the pot. I do my share of stealing, but I am stolen from a fair bit as well. Eventually, blinds are at 200/400 + 25 ante… one guy has about 7500, and the rest of us have about 2000. I get JTc on the button and call, BB checks. Flop is 4-5-6, 2 clubs. BB checks, I check to get the free card. Turn is 6 of clubs… BB bets 1200, I raise my remaining 1585 all-in, he calls. He has 67. I am a big favorite, just have to dodge a 4, 5, 6, or 7, so 10 cards… river is a 7, and I’m out on the bubble. Damnit, I had this in the bag, too.

I decide to sit at 2 cash games for a bit after that disappointment to try and get some money back. I make a shiny quarter before being interrupted by lunch. (at $44.95 at this point)

After lunch, I sit at the cash tables again. First hand I get at one table is 6d-7d. I check my forced blind in middle position, 5 players in, flop is 8d-4d-9c. Pretty strong draw I have here, I resist the urge to raise the flop, and call a 25c bet as do 2 others. Turn is 5s, and I’ve made one of my draws. I raise the bettor, and we’re heads-up. River is Ad, completing my flush, SB checks, I bet, he calls (with T9), and I take it down, netting $3 on the hand.

Another hand, I’m in for 50c on 9d-Td in early position… flop is 9-2-2, but 3 players stay in to my bet… turn is a 3. I bet, it’s raised, I call. I check-call to the river, where raiser shows 33 for a turned boat. I lose $2+ on that hand.

I raise AKo from early position later, get 2 callers, and 1 of them calls me all the way to the river with A3 when AK hit the flop. Thanks buddy!

KT in the SB later, Flop is 7-T-T… I bet out, and get 2 callers. Turn is a 4th T, and I bet again, and get one caller who’s all-in… he actually rivers a straight (he called with 68 for God’s sakes), but I take down another $2+ pot.

At this point, I am at $11.20 at one table, and $1.10 at the other. Henceforth, I shall refer to the table I’m up on as Good, and the table I’m down on as Bad.

I win a MONSTER pot on the good table, calling a raise and re-raise with AQ, and AQ both hit the flop. I am afraid of sets and straights and flushes after all the raising on this hand, but my AQ holds up to AK, and I win an $8+ pot.

At the bad table, I finally get a hand to hold up, as my raised AJ flops a straight, and I take a smallish pot.

Now, I’m up to $17.65 on Good, and $5.30 on Bad (after buying back into the Bad table with 2 more bucks).

Here’s a perfect example of the dichotomy between these 2 tables. I get dealt KJ simultaneously at both tables. On the Good table, I’m in the SB. On the bad table, I’m in late position. On the Good table, it’s raised, and I call, as does one other. At the bad table, it’s unraised, and 4 go to the flop. On the Good table, the flop is J-J-3, 2 hearts. On the Bad table, the flop is Q-Q-5. At the Good table, I check, and the 2 behind me bet and call. At the bad table, I fold to heavy betting. At the Good table, the turn is a K, and I get to raise the 2 bettors… and take down another big pot.

At the Bad table, I hold 66, and flop a set… and lose to a turned flush. I knew I had lost, but you can’t fold a set. Period.

So, at the bad table, I go broke, after having invested $7. At the Good table, I finish at $23.35… so for the cash games here, I finish up $11.35.

So, naturally, I decide to try my hand at another SNG.

Actually, this time it’s 2 Turbo SNG’s due to time. I try a $1.50+.25 18 player SNG, and a $3+.40 10 person Turbo SNG. That leaves me at $51.15 on the day, so I’ll have that plus any winnings here.

I finish 7th in the 18 player tourney, as I pushed all-in against 2 others pre-flop with KQ… I was the first to move in, but they called and had KJ and 99. Flop was K-J-2, and that essentially knocked me out.

In the $3 + .40 turbo, I pretty much fold my way to 6-handed. Then, I win 3 straight pots by raising and taking the blinds/antes (100/200 + 25), with AQ, KQ, and 22.

I knock out another player in 5th place, as he is forced all-in in the BB when I’m holding AA. Sadly, no one else wants along for the ride, even though I just called the BB.

One specific player has turned very aggressive after we get to 4-handed, and I double up off him out of the BB, as he raises, I re-raise with JJ, and he moves on me with 66. Flop does bring 2 overcards to my Jacks, but I am lucky enough to double through and move into 2nd.

I take a couple more hands by raising, but maniac raises himself into 1st again, dropping me to 2nd. I know I just need to wait for my hand, and I get it with QQ in the SB. He is to my right, which is an advantage, as he goes all-in on me on the button. I call, and he shows T5c… meanwhile, the BB also moves in with A3o, and when the flop is King high, I take down the pot and knock us down to 3, while holding the commanding chip lead.

Maniac raises on my BB again, he in the SB… I have J8h, so I decide to speculate and call 2500 more to try and get rid of him, hoping he’s on garbage. He is, and shows 58o. Flop comes with a Jack, and we’re down to 2. I have a 12500 to 2500 chip lead.

I fold the first heads up hand out of the SB. In the BB, I get to check with J8o. Flop is J-2-2. I check, other player bets 800 (blinds are 200/400). I move all-in, he calls, and shows he was slowplaying KK. Sadly for him, his slowplay backfires, as I river a 2nd Jack, giving me the $15 win.

Finish: $66.15
+15.95 on day, +11.60 on cash tables, +4.35 in tourneys (1 1st place, 1 4th place (top 3 paid), 1 7th place (top 4 of 18 paid))

Butter

08-24-2006, 07:20 AM

Butter

08-24-2006, 03:28 PM

Start: $66.15

Again, I sit at 2 low limit tables with $5 each.

First hand at the good table, I draw 46d… flop is 9-3-5, all diamonds. I raise to try and get people off their single diamond, but 2 call me. Turn is a Tc, I bet and get called. River is 2d, giving me a straight flush. I bet, and they both fold… must not have had diamonds after all. Still, I net over $4.50 on that hand.

On the bad table, I pretty much run out of chips fairly quickly, calling middle and top pairs all the way, only to see I was pretty much beat the whole time. Not good there. I load up another bad table and sit with $5 more.

Even the good table goes south, as I pick up AQs, flop an Ace and 2 spades, but lose to a rivered 2 pair to KTo.

I decide to cut my losses after losing $5.45… dropping me to $60.70.

I enter a large 829-entrant MTT, costing me $2+.20, and a 9 seat regular SNG, costing me $5+.50, dropping me to $53 even.

Top 162 pay in the MTT, so hopefully I can at least make something there.

In the SNG, I essentially fold my way to 4th… and once there, I can’t do anything. The times I tried in the early rounds to steal, or steal after the flop, it didn’t work. And once heads up, I didn’t see any card higher than a Jack until I had 280 chips left, and was in the blind of 50/100. I push with A8h, and win… I double to 560. Next hand, I pick up AQo, and get called by AJo… naturally, the flop holds a Jack, and I’m out in 4th, just off the money.

In the MTT, I see nothing of interest for the first half hour… I pick up KQc in the SB, and basically get to check to the river, when I make a flush, and I bet 400 into a 200 pot, and get a call much to my surprise. So, 1 lucky shot there, and I move up to 1975.

Blinds at 50/100, I call in early position with QJo. 6 players in, flop is A-K-7. It’s checked to the CO, who goes all-in. Button also goes all-in. Don’t know why, but I get an urge to go all-in myself on an unlikely draw, but I fold. Turn is a ten. Dammit.

By the break, I am blinded down to 950, and the blinds just hit 75/150, so it’s time to try a push or two with anything decent. K3s on the button looks good. The chip leader at the table calls me… he shows J7d… a K hits the flop, and I’m at 2125. Next hand, I get QQ and try my luck again with 525 already in the pot. Everyone folds, and I’m up to 2650, slightly more than 10 times an orbit, so I can relax… for now.

I lose a pot with top pair when somebody rivers a straight, and drop back to 1500. I push on the button with A6c, the BB has AA, and I’m out in 280th.

Back to the cash tables with $10.

What is it about first hands with me? On the good table, I pick up A3o, and the flop is A-3-4. I win $2.40 on this hand. On the bad table, I pick up A8o, and lose $1.50 when the flop is A-2-2 and the BB shows Q2 after I call him to the river.

I rake in about $5 net on AKo a bit later, as I just call a raise with it out of the BB… flop is K-7-2, I call a SB bet, and the raiser calls as well. Turn is an A, I check to the raiser knowing that hit them. He bets, SB calls, I raise, button calls, SB folds. River as a T, I’m hoping they had AT or something like that. I bet out, they call and show AQo.

I leave the cash tables again, having won $5.30, moving me back to $58.30.

I enter a $4+.40 180 person SNG, which pays the top 18, or last 2 tables. I also enter a $5.+.50 9 person SNG… this drops me down to $48.40.

I come up card dead in both, and finish 6th in the SNG, and 106th in the multi-table SNG. Great showing there.

My confidence is not shaken, I wouldn’t say, but it is frustrating to come up with nothing better than KQ during about 2 hours of tournament play during the course of the day. Must mean I’m due to come up big sometime soon. Of course it doesn’t REALLY mean that, but that’s how it feels.

Last action of the day, I sit back at some cash tables, hoping to work my roll back up a bit. I call it a roll, but it’s more like a couple of bills in a wallet.

It works fairly well, as I strike lucky at both tables and run my bank back over $62.

Finish: $62.30
-17.60 in tourneys, +13.75 at cash tables

Toddzilla

08-24-2006, 03:46 PM

I want a call, but then again I almost don't, considering that someone COULD have 56 on this flop (but hopefully don't). The maniac behind me folds, the player behind him calls. He shows KK, and I've successfully trapped the trapper. Then, I get re-trapped when the turn is a K, and I'm out in 5th.That happens to me a lot, and if I understand Pumpy correctly, the pot-odds didctate that you're gonna get called here pretty much every time.

I'm not sure how the hand would have played out differently if you had led out going all-in. Would the KK make the call straight away? Who knows.

I think - and someone please correct me if I am wrong - that if you're holding a set and are willing to go all-in on a pot you can get outdrawn on, then better to go all-in sooner rather than later. The pot was big enough to make a nice addition w/o having to put yourself at risk by ttrying so squeeze a little more out.

This coming from the donk who busted out of 12 straight tournaments yesterday :)

primelord

08-24-2006, 10:34 PM

After 4 SNG's over 2 days at Party Poker, we've gone from $177... to $178. Andrea has made a 2nd and a 3rd. I made a 4th and a 5th which equals nothing.

Here is how last night's SNG finished up for me.

With 5 players left, everyone had similar chip stacks, which is odd. Plus, the blinds were at 300/600, also odd for 5 to be left at this high a level. I draw 44 on the BB, and check. 2 others were also in this pot. Flop is 7-8-4. I check my set, hoping to trap, because the guy behind me has been betting everything. He bets 600, player behind him calls. It comes back to me, and the pot before the flop was 2100... it is now 3300 with the bets. I raise all-in for my remaining 3350 or so, which I figure is a good move given the pot size.

I want a call, but then again I almost don't, considering that someone COULD have 56 on this flop (but hopefully don't). The maniac behind me folds, the player behind him calls. He shows KK, and I've successfully trapped the trapper. Then, I get re-trapped when the turn is a K, and I'm out in 5th.

Once sit and gos get to the 300/600 level and you 5 guys left they are not a post flop game. Your mistake in this hand was not just shoving all-in preflop. With two limpers there is already 2100 in the pot. You figure to have the best hand so you need to just shove now. Everyone is scared of going out right before the money and you will only get called by premium hands. I realize someone had KK this time, but generally with just two limpers you will take the pot down preflop and will have almost doubled up in the process.

Butter

08-25-2006, 03:09 PM

Start: $62.30

I enter 2 Turbo tourneys, a HORSE one and a NLHE one, both for $3.40, knocking me down to $55.50.

I crap out in the SNG, as under 1000 chips, I push with a re-raise against a 200 chip raise with 25/50 blinds… I have 99, caller shows AQ… an Ace hits 4th street, and I’m out in 8th.

In HORSE, I hit 2 good Omaha hands, making a boat on one, and checking down 2 pair after some heavy flop betting on a couple players who must’ve missed their Low hand.

In the first hand of 7 card stud (blinds at 60/120), I draw 3 7’s, 2 of them down. I bet and raise that mother all the way to the river, bringing one guy along for the ride and winning a $600 pot.

In 7 card stud hi/lo (80/160 blinds), I miss my flush, but the river brings a 3rd king, so I split another pot putting me in the chip lead with over 3,000. In the 2nd hand, I actually end up with 3 pair… Kings, Queens, and 7’s, the Kings and Queens are good enough for another Hi to push me up to 3350.

Back to 100/200 limit hold ‘em… one player is all-in on the first hand, and another is close to it. We lose one, and 3 others are on life support, under 700 chips. I lose 500 chips on one hand with KJ in the blind, to KQ in the CO. We drop another player on the next hold ‘em hand, but now it’s going to be tough, as the top 4 all have about 3000 chips, while the bottom 2 are nearly out.

We switch back to Omaha now, and I have a brain freeze, throwing away a super possible low hand, holding 6-5-4. Blinds are 75/150 now, and we drop another player, down to 5. I pick up the High nuts, as the board shows Q-2-5-6-7, with 3 different suits, and I’m holding 8-9. I split with the Lo, and move into 2nd.

Back to razz, 200/400 limits. I win the first pot on a bluff bet, showing 87 but holding AK face down. I pick up the 4th hand of razz, betting a strong hand and getting a fold, so I’m hanging in around 3rd. Then I get screwed a bit later, holding 8-9-A-2, I draw 2 Queens and another 9 to lose a hand. I drop to last with another bad hand, as I push my 8-5-4 pretty hard against a player showing K-J, but by the river, I’ve got 2 pair, and he’s got an 8 low.

300/600 stud now, and I am getting shit here. I push holding 3 diamonds, including an Ace before the flop, and am called by pocket Queens. Best I get is a pair of 9’s, and I bubble out in 4th.

I try 2 more turbo HORSE tourneys, for $3.40 (8-seat) and $1.75 (16 seat), dropping me to $50.35.

For the novices (including me), HORSE is a game where you play an orbit each of Hold ‘Em, Omaha Hi/Lo, Razz, 7 card stud, and 7 card stud Hi/Lo Eights or Better.

In the 8-seater, I drop 150 chips or so on 44 when the board comes 2-3-6-6-T, but end up losing to a rivered flush from the SB. I pick up some chips in Omaha Hi/Lo, nailing 2 straights for Highs. In razz, I pick up 6-5-4-3-2 on my first 5 cards, but obviously don’t make much. I get screwed on stud, when I get a third Ace on the final card, but my opponent picked up a 3rd King to go with his 2 nine’s, and make him a full house. One player goes out, and I hang on for 4th place when we get to 100/200 hold ‘em. I raise with AQ UTG, and lose about half my stack when I hit nothing. I crap out in Omaha, as I bet/raise a flopped set of 6’s but lose on the river to a straight. I lose in 6th.

In the 16-seater, I don’t pick up much early, but I move up a bit by winning 2 razz hands by betting with a good hand showing against some pairs and high cards. I drop a bit by staying in with 4 to the flush but not hitting in stud. I get on a roll in Stud Hi/Lo, picking up a split in 2 pots, and scooping another with a 6-5-3-2-A flush. I drop a couple hands in hold ‘em, when I get outdrawn holding KK and TT. I’m still 2nd out of 14, but not as strong as I was. I climb back to 2nd of 12 when I make a straight in Omaha Hi/Lo, and no Low hand qualifies… then I win the next hand of 200/400 Razz with 7-6-5-4-2. I drop a few chips when I end up making AA55 in Razz… that one started so well, too. We reach the final table as I knock out another player in Stud Hi/Lo with 2 pair, and I’m 2nd of 7 on the final table. Top 4 pay, so I’m feeling optimistic, as long as I don’t do something stupid. We’re getting set to go to 500/1000 Limit Hold ‘Em, and we’re down to 6.

We lose another on the first Hold ‘Em hand, and I’m now in 3rd. I luck out with some sweet Omaha Hi/Lo hands later, holding JQJT, and 424A, and end up scooping both pots and knocking out 2 small stacks, and we’re down to 3. Then, I flop a straight in Omaha, and luckily my opponent never improves on his 2 pair, and I scoop another and take a small chip lead to heads-up.

I start out getting unlucky in 500/1000 Razz, and drop to under 2500 chips. But I make a huge comeback thanks to some raises that pan out, and my opponent drawing up cards like K, Q, and J. Soon enough, we’re back to even, and I end up winning it on a 7 card stud hand where I hold QQ in the hole, and then end up with another pair up… I’m called down all the way to the felt with a single pair of Aces, and take $9.60 for first.

So, I’m up to $59.95.

To close out the day, I enter single table turbo NLHE and HORSE tourneys to the tune of $6.80 total, dropping me to $53.15. HORSE is only 8 seats, while the NLHE is 10.

In the NLHE tourney, I play pretty well, but when we get to 4 handed, I’m in 3rd. Blinds are 300/600, and I get AJo. It’s raised to 1200, and I push all-in. Raiser calls, and shows KJo. I feel bad about this for some reason, and when the turn comes with a King, I realize why. Bubble out in 4th. I just can’t cash in these NLHE sit ‘n go’s lately, not even when I’m getting in the pot good.

In the HORSE tourney, I finish 3rd and pick up $4.80. Eh. I had 2 pair in a stud hand and lost to a final card trips.

Finish: $57.95
-4.35 on day, -6.80 in 2 NLHE tourneys (1 9th place, 1 4th place (both in 10-seat tourneys)), +2.45 in HORSE (1 1st place (in 16-seater), 1 3rd place, 1 4th place, 1 6th place (all in 8-seater))

Butter

08-29-2006, 12:21 PM

So, I had another weird poker weekend. It was all over the place. At one point, I was around $40 at Poker Stars, then almost up to $80.

Andrea's Party Poker account keeps hovering around the $175-190 mark, as we do just well enough in SNG's to break even.

And Party Poker finally gave my personal Party Poker account a $30 incentive to return to the tables, in exchange for playing 300 raked hands. I decided to go for it, and after 2 sessions, I was exactly even. Then, yesterday, I made $30 to double up to just over $60.

So, here's where we are right now:

Andrea's PP account: $179.35 (+109.35 in just over 1 month)
My Poker Stars account: $68.10 (+38.10 after 2 weeks)
My PP account: $60.87 (+30.87 after 2 days)

Butter

09-01-2006, 07:19 AM

Lost all my own Party Poker money... we continue to stay about even in SNG's with Andrea's Party Poker account... but I won a good bit the last 2 days playing a cash game of HORSE at Poker Stars.

So, here's where we are right now:

Andrea's PP account: $182.35
My Poker Stars account: $109.45 +$38 in cash game HORSE, +$3 in tourneys over last 2 days
My PP account: GONE!

Butter

09-01-2006, 03:11 PM

Played an absolute TON of HORSE today, and guess where I finished up?

Start: $109.45
Finish: $109.20
-.25 for day

Butter

09-05-2006, 10:00 AM

Finished up over $15 at HORSE this weekend.

Poker Stars balance: $125.70

Andrea is having trouble in the SNG's, and I haven't been any help. Our Party Poker balance has dipped under $140. In fact, I may catch it today if I have a good day.

Our Party Poker balance: $138.50

Toddzilla

09-05-2006, 10:13 AM

Are you playing on the $1/$2 HORSE tables? How are they? There seems to always be a wait to get on - are they worth the wait?

Butter

09-05-2006, 03:04 PM

Are you playing on the $1/$2 HORSE tables? How are they? There seems to always be a wait to get on - are they worth the wait?

I enjoy them a lot, but the swings are way more pronounced than on a standard limit hold 'em table. Play tight, you'll do well. Very well.

I'm on a downswing right now, my roll is not big enough to support really playing at these tables. So if it keeps up, I'll be in trouble.

Toddzilla

09-05-2006, 08:45 PM

I enjoy them a lot, but the swings are way more pronounced than on a standard limit hold 'em table. Play tight, you'll do well. Very well.

I'm on a downswing right now, my roll is not big enough to support really playing at these tables. So if it keeps up, I'll be in trouble.I know. I'm kind of squeamish about hitting the $1/$2 level, but if it is the lowest level they got, then there should be fish in the pool, right?

I dipped my toes in a little today and saw that on almost every turn, someone forgets the game is different and they bet big on the wrong hands. A set of kings is cool, unless it's hand #1 of Razz - haw haw.

I think I saw you on a table today - do you go by Butter(xx) by any chance?

Butter

09-06-2006, 07:55 AM

I think I saw you on a table today - do you go by Butter(xx) by any chance?

Butter75, yes.

Toddzilla

09-06-2006, 11:00 AM

Well that sucked. I donked off most of my stack after you left and then took of with just over $15 left.

I seem to have a run of good play about 10-15 minutes in where I'm up about $10. That is when I need to stop playing.

Butter

09-06-2006, 11:20 AM

I know what you mean... I feel your pain.

I have a new self-imposed rule... I start at the HORSE tables with $20. If I hit $50, I have to leave. I had $57 at the table we were both at, then left with $6.05.

On the other hand, the other table I was at simultaneously... I hit $57, and left. I started the day with $46.20. And even with the $14 loss at the table we were on, I am now around $95.

Fighter of Foo

09-07-2006, 11:36 AM

Andrea's Party Poker account keeps hovering around the $175-190 mark, as we do just well enough in SNG's to break even.

You're paying 20% rake for the $5 SNGs. Move up to 10+1 and you will make money.

Toddzilla

09-07-2006, 05:11 PM

Butter

09-08-2006, 10:36 AM

You're paying 20% rake for the $5 SNGs. Move up to 10+1 and you will make money.

Yeah, but if we bust out 4 or 5 straight, our account will be under $100.

Butter

09-08-2006, 11:05 AM

I don't mean to threadjack your dynasty, but a quick HORSE observation on PS. It has been *brutal* this week for me. I'm down about $100 playing tight as possible. It seems that my stack takes small steps downwards - blinds and antes - then I'll win a hand and take a large step up. Problem is, the steps backwards are getting larger and the big wins aren't so big. I was 2-tabling this morning with $40 each and had to stop when each one stack was under $20 and I busted out on the other. I think I'm just not cut out for this.

I had a similar problem. I had a downswing that was so harsh, I got under $40... my original deposit was $38, so this was a problem. I started playing those $3 HORSE tourneys, and a bit of straight up 25/50 cent Omaha Hi/Lo, and got back over $50. Then I took $10 to a HORSE table, prepared to lose it and start over again... but I made a modest return of $10 on it and sit at over $60 right now. Probably try some straight Omaha and HORSE tourneys this afternoon.

Fighter of Foo

09-08-2006, 02:52 PM

Butter

09-08-2006, 03:19 PM

Relatively speaking, you're getting crushed by the rake and not the play of your opponents.

I agree with you. Just have to convince my wife of that.

Butter

09-08-2006, 03:20 PM

The slow rebuild at Poker Stars continues, as I win $15 at an Omaha Hi/Lo .50/$1 table this afternoon. I'm back to over $75.

primelord

09-08-2006, 11:17 PM

If that's the case, move someplace where you can play $5+.50. I don't know how many SNGs you've played, but add 50 cents for every one and see what your bankroll would look like. Relatively speaking, you're getting crushed by the rake and not the play of your opponents.

If the level of play is equal, then yes he could just add .50 x the number of tournaments he has played. However if he plays at another site with a lower rake, but a higher level of competition then he could actually see far worse results.

I am willing to concede that the difference in skill levels between the party 5+1 and the Stars 5+.50 is fairly insignificant. I just wanted to point out that there are situations where it is +ev to play at site even if it has a higher rake.

primelord

09-08-2006, 11:23 PM

I crap out in the SNG, as under 1000 chips, I push with a re-raise against a 200 chip raise with 25/50 blinds… I have 99, caller shows AQ… an Ace hits 4th street, and I’m out in 8th.

I suspect it is hands like these that are causing you to striggle in these SnGs. There is no reason to go broke with 1,000 chips at the 25/50 level with 99. Even if your opponent plays wild and raises a lot of hands you are better off waiting for a better opportunity. At 25/50 you still have a good bit of play left in those 1,000 chips. Just muck the 99 to the 200 chip raise.

Edit: I did just notice you said under 1,000 chips and not that you had a 1,000 chips. I guess it depends a bit on how far under 1,000 you were, but since you said under 1,000 and not something like around 700 I am assuming you were just under 1,000 and it is still better to throw your cards away pre.

Butter

09-12-2006, 01:25 PM

I've cut back on the HORSE, playing it only when Omaha Hi/Lo is unavailable.

That being said, I won $27 in 10 minutes at HORSE today, and have made about $7 as it stands right now in about 90 minutes of .50/$1 Omaha.

So, after dropping to $64 thanks to my unsuccessful entry into the Colossal Squid tourney #49, I am now back over $100 at present.... hopefully to stay there for the rest of the day. But I don't know... those HORSE tables are calling my name.

Butter

09-13-2006, 10:14 AM

At PartyPoker, Andrea and I finally hit a run of good luck, and we both won a SNG last night... it only brought us back to $160, though, so that should tell you how bad we had been running.

At PokerStars, I lost $20 of the $27 I had previously won at HORSE... but imagine my surprise when I log on today and there are .50/$1 HORSE tables.

So, I sit at $89+ there, and plan to hit the HORSE and Omaha tables this afternoon.

Toddzilla

09-13-2006, 10:34 AM

imagine my surprise when I log on today and there are .50/$1 HORSE tables.w00t

There goes my productivity

Butter

09-13-2006, 12:12 PM

I have a first no fold 'em HORSE beat. QQ UTG in limit hold 'em. I raise, 3 other players call. Flop is T47 rainbow. I bet, button calls, SB raises, BB calls, I re-raise to $1.50, EVERYBODY calls. Turn is a J, I bet out again, this time the button calls, the SB folds, and the BB calls. River is a 7, I bet again, button and BB call... BB shows A7o. Staying in through a pre-flop raise and a flop raise and re-raise with middle pair. That was frickin' painful to lose that $5 from my stack and watch A7 pick up $17.

Butter

09-14-2006, 07:48 AM

I'm up to a personal best at PokerStars, $115.55.

Was right at $90 when I got home yesterday... I briefly played a HORSE table, but then decided to play a SNG. I clicked on a Hold 'Em tourney, but inadvertently clicked on a limit tourney. When I was seated, 2 other guys said, "oh crap, this is a limit tourney". Then one of them said "I think limit is for pussies who are afraid to gamble". So, feeling the irony, I said "well, I think limit is for people who can read and know which frickin' tourney they're entering." Well, some other guy at the table says "well said", while the other 2 guys go silent... one of them announcing "i'm just going to raise every hand until I'm out".

So I took advantage of that to move up to 2k in chips early. Eventually we got down to 4, and I was in trouble. But I started betting and raising a lot and ended up moving up to a comfortable 2nd. Then comes the weird part. "Well said" guy is down to 94 chips with blinds at 100/200. He is on the button, I'm in the CO/UTG position. I raise with JJ. BB has about 800 left, he calls 200 more. Flop comes 10 high, he checks, I bet, he calls. Turn is another brick... he bets this time. I raise, he calls. River is a Q, I bet him all-in... CLEARLY a fold, as even with the 100 blind coming for him next, he'd still have over 100 chips to fold and wait on the other guy to get knocked out. Instead, he calls, and loses to my pair... he had ATo. I tell the other guy "hey, yw". I move on to win the tourney, as I get my Q9s to turn a straight against KT's 2 pair. So that's a nice net of $17+.

Then I decided to enter a big MTT, which I hadn't done in a while. I enter the $3+.30 at 7:05. I played this tourney very loose and aggressive... and got 2 big suckouts to push me into the money. Once I was all-in with AT v. AQ, and pulled a T on the river. Then, with T9 in the SB, I moved all-in (which was about twice the pot size of 1500) on a T high flop. I got called by JT, but pulled a 9 on the turn to move to about 8k in chips. From there, I decided to play against my instincts a bit and see what happened. To my surprise, it worked well. I semi-bluffed a couple of times with flush draws, coming over the top with raises and forcing folds. I also knocked someone out for about 3000 chips with 66 against AQ that didn't improve. At one point, I had just over 20k in chips and was 26th out of over 200. But then I tightened way up and got no hands better than about A2 or K6 for a LONG time, and ended up losing in 83rd place. Still, out of 1500+ entrants, that wasn't bad. I picked up $7.07 for my troubles, a $4 profit.... putting me at $115.55 total.

Butter

09-14-2006, 02:45 PM

I made about another $20 at HORSE today. So, I stand just shy of $135 with more playing scheduled tonight. Can I catch Andrea's $160 with Party Poker? That's my short term goal.

Toddzilla

09-18-2006, 01:54 PM

Butter,

Have you tried the $3+$0.30 Turbo HORSE tourneys? I cashed in three out of 4 of them today (1st and 2 2nd) and they seem to be pretty loose. If you guard your chips, you should do very well.

Also, the $.50/$1 HORSE and Razz tables have just about killed off the $1/$2 versions. I like the Razz tables, since the effect of pairs and trips seem to be lost on more than a few

Toddzilla

09-20-2006, 12:17 PM

Sorry to have threadjacked your dynasty, but the $3 HORSE and $3 RAZZ SnGs continute to be pretty profitable for me. Even the $0.50/$1 RAZZ tables are pretty fun.

Toddzilla

10-17-2006, 02:19 PM

Sorry I killed your dynasty

Butter

08-11-2015, 07:58 AM

So, I'm resurrecting this. Now that I'm older, my wife and I both have decent jobs, I have a bit more money to play with. Plus, I have been watching a lot more poker on TV lately, as it's been making a comeback with the proliferation of cable sports networks.

Got me in the mood to play. Started to look around and noticed that there are way fewer sites catering to US players now, due to the hazy legality of playing poker online from The States. PokerStars and FullTilt Poker are mostly European sites. Seems like the Feds are mostly interested in chasing down large sums of money, not small stakes home players. Ohio has no specific laws restricting game playing. That's about as much of a green light as I needed.

I dug around a bit for a site that would be friendly to US players. There are a couple. The most reliable one appears to be Bovada, formerly Bodog. I tried at a couple others for a single day to play some freerolls. I won like 0.04% of a bitcoin in one tournament, which is weird... works out to maybe 10 cents. A couple of the others, the software just seemed poor, or the site sketchy in some way.

Decided to put in $50 to Bovada and try my luck at building it up. With a 50% bonus, I start with $75 there. I'll give some periodic updates on it. Going to do some more research bankroll building, because I'd actually like to make some money instead of just donking it all away.

What's funny is, when I go back and read these hand histories, how loose I was playing. No wonder my variance was all over the place. I was playing way too loose, playing games I didn't fully understand, playing at too high of stakes. I would be at $180 one day, then down to $50 the next. It was crazy. When the Feds finally scared all the poker sites off of taking US players, I think I had wasted all the money we had anyway. My wife was probably a better player than me. She was tight-aggressive, and I was just loose-semi-passive, which is REALLY BAD. My wife was the one that had the big tournament wins that got us some money before, when we had over $500 at PartyPoker back in the day. She would win it, then I would just stack off money by trying to play too many hands in big tournaments . And SNG's. And ring games.

Funny too where I'm at in my life now to just have $50 that I can put in for fun at a poker site to see if I'm any good at it, and to be self-aware enough to know that I thought I was a half-decent player at the time, but I was definitely not. Not by a longshot. We'll see where this goes, and I'll give some updates.

Hand feedback is always welcome. I still have a ways to go, clearly.

Butter

08-11-2015, 08:01 AM

In order for me to actually be able to withdraw the 50% bonus money (the $25 on top of the $50 that I physically put in), I have to play some crazy number of hands that are "raked", and / or pay a large number of tournament entry fees. As of August 3rd, when I played for about 3.5 hours, I cleared a whopping $1.07 of this bonus. Once I'm able to clear that $25, then I have the chance to earn another $25 with even more rake and tournament fees.

For novices, rake is the amount that the casino charges for you to be in a pot. At the cash game level I am playing in (which is .02/.05 no limit hold 'em, or .05/.10 limit games), the casino keeps 1 cent for every 20 cents that is bet into the pot, up to a maximum of 50 cents. So if I win a pot where $1 is bet, I will only net 95 cents.

I have to earn another 144 "points" to clear my bonus. In order to earn points, I have to play at cash tables or in SNG or multi-table tournaments. I get a sliding scale starting at .05 points for .01 of rake that I contribute to cash games or tournament fees, all the way up to 1 whole point if I contribute $1 to the rake, or pay for $1 in tournament fees.

To play in a sit 'n go tournament (a tournament where there are 9 players that play down to 3 paid places over about an hour or so), the lowest level costs $1 for the prize pool, but .10 in fees. The win breakout for a 9 person SNG is $4.50 for first, $2.70 for second, and $1.80 for third.

August 4, 2015
Start at $75

I don't have any details, but I do know this:

I played at a pot limit Omaha table, and lost $1.50 in about the time it took you to read this sentence. Man, I do enjoy Omaha but I have to tighten that up if I'm going to play any.

I entered a 5-table SNG where the top-8 places paid and the top prize was $13. I finished like 14th out of 45.

I won a single table 9-person SNG for $4.50.

Also entered a $1 SNG that was a satellite to a much larger tournament, and was out early. I should not be playing satellite tournaments.

I sat at a 9-person .02/.05 no limit hold'em (NLHE) table (referred to as 5NL based on 100-times the big blind size) with $1.50 and got up to $4.87 before leaving.

I also sat at a 9-max .05/.10 fixed limit hold 'em table with $1, and was down to .58... before the table got down to 3 players, and this one guy tried to raise every pot. And on most pots, I just so happened to be getting cards, so I got that back to $2 before leaving.

I am really trying to play much tighter... I had no issue folding smaller pocket pairs, whereas before I would almost never do that. I widened my range of hands to play in late position (button and cutoff positions), and tightened it way down otherwise. I folded a lot of draws where I wasn't getting the proper odds to call, whereas before I would call down just about every draw to the river, where I missed them quite often and would fold... which is something they talk about bad players doing.

I am working on being reformed, but it's hard.

Finish: $77.81
(+1.20 on tournaments, +$1.61 on ring games)

Butter

08-11-2015, 08:03 AM

August 5, 2015
Start: $77.81

Took a bath here.

Started by sitting at 2 ring games, a 2NL table and a 5/10 cent limit table.

I busted out my $1.50 at the 2NL table when I played my TT against a well-disguised QQ vs. a board that was all undercards.... and bought back in with $2.00... ended up leaving that table with $2.01.
Bought in the 5/10 cent limit table with $2 and left with $3.51. Made 2 cents for the hour-plus I was at these tables.

Nee-ha.

Bought into a 5-table SNG for $1.10, finished 15th out of 45 where only 7 cash. Got really no cards in this tournament.

Bought into a MTT for $1.10 with 148 players where first place paid $37 and 18 got paid. I tripled early, but then busted out mid-tourney against a guy who sat at the table and basically said "I didn't mean to sign up for this tournament" and was going all-in about every other hand. I had AKh v. JTo and lost when a Jack hit the board. Finished 74th.

I sat with $2 at another 9-max 2NL table and busted out in short order... I was in the cutoff and was facing a raiser and 3 callers with .20. Pot was at something like .90 so I raised it to all-in with QQ. Got called with KK and lost $2 pretty quick. Overplayed QQ against a number of players showing strength there. All-in pre-flop was probably not a great play, should've gone up to .60 maybe and then if someone else goes back over the top or a scare card hits the board, I could get away. But if I remember right, neither A or K hit the board, so I was probably busting either way.

I also sat with $1.50 at another .05/.10 limit table, and raised KQs on the button. Got 3 callers. Board came QxxxA and was called all the way to the river with Ace-rag with no flush possibility. Lost like 60 cents on that one and didn't catch anything else good.

Finish: $72.36
(-2.20 on tournaments, -3.25 on ring games)

I should be fine with how I played the limit table and the multi-table tournament, because math says I will come out ahead (or have +expected value (+EV)) for these plays, but it is still annoying.

Also, I probably subscribe a bit too much to the tongue-in-cheek poker theory I was reading the other day that "nobody ever has anything".

Butter

08-11-2015, 08:05 AM

August 6, 2015
Start: $72.36

I start the day in a 2NL ring game and a .05/.10 limit game right away. $2 at NL, $1.50 at limit. I end with .86 on the NL table and 2.39 on the limit table, losing about a quarter.

Then I join 2 tournaments at once, a $1 Super-turbo SNG where the blinds go up every 3 minutes, and a $1 multi-table tournament that is pretty straightforward.

I don't do well on either of these. In the SNG, fairly early I am dealt J9o in the SB. I call 50 and we go to the flop, which is 992, 2 hearts. I check to induce a bet, I get a bet, I raise the pot size, BB calls. Turn is a 3rd heart. I bet about 2/3 of the pot size which means half my stack is involved now. BB goes all-in. I guess I should've gotten away at this point, but I snap call instead and BB turns over 64 of hearts and I'm out in 8th after just 10 hands.

The MTT... I am doing ok enough, getting to about 1900 from my initial 1500. Pot that killed my chances was this:

I am dealt TT in the BB. 3 callers before me, I just check in an attempt to be sneaky... plus playing middle pair in early position tends to be tricky. Blinds are just 20/40 at this point anyway.
Flop is a good one, 6d-4d-Td... I get top set, but there is a made flush already possibly on the board. Pot is 160. SB bets 120. I raise to 360 to force the single diamonds out of the hand. Folds around to SB, who re-raises me to 800. I could've gotten out here, but I just couldn't lay down top set. I just called and hoped for a paired board or not a diamond. I could also already be beaten. Turn is a 4th diamond, SB goes all-in. I fold, giving up half my stack in the process. In reviewing the hand history today, SB did indeed have a single diamond, Jack of diamonds, so my read was correct. I could've put him to the test on the flop by 4-betting all-in, but I doubt he was folding.

I get down to about 600 chips before getting AA in the cutoff. I go all-in hoping for a call. I get 2 callers, including another all-in. 3 way all-in to the flop. I show AA, UTG shows AKo, player behind me shows QQ. Board comes Q58QJ, I lose emphatically and am out in 33rd place where 18 pay.

BTW, at this poker website, no names are displayed, so I refer to all players as "he". I apologize for my inherent sexism.

At this point, my bank is below $70. I head back to a NL and limit table simultaneously. I blow the NL wad rather quickly when my AQo raise pre-flop is not respected by TT, and I attempt to force TT off his hand with a post flop bet on a 66K board, committing all of my $1.01 on the table. I don't improve, and leave the table with nothing.

At the limit table, I make .50 but am now down below $69.

I then try my hand at some poker variant that this website produces called Zone Poker. It is a 2NL 6-max ring game... but what happens here is when you fold, you immediately are sat at another table taking another hand. It increases the action, but also fails to get you in a rhythm. What you are hoping for here is either being the bully or catching some cards. I try my hand at the bully, failing cards, and end up down almost $3 in rather short order. Welp.

Licking my wounds at $66, I should've packed up. But I mentally regroup and decide to try my hand at 2 more tournaments.

A $1 Pot-Limit Omaha (reg. Omaha, not Hi/Lo) SNG and some multi-table tournament called a $2 Super Knockout tourney. More about that one later.

First, the Omaha tournament. VERY FIRST HAND, I am 2 behind the dealer and am dealt As-Ad-Kd-4h. A pair of aces and suited AK are among the best starting hands in Omaha. I raise pot, which is 110 when it gets to me. I get 4 callers. Flop is 6h-Td-Qd, giving me a gutshot royal flush draw. UTG bets pot, 570. Next player calls, I raise pot, which is all-in. Folds around to UTG who calls, as does UTG+1.

Their hands are:
UTG: 9d-Qc-9h-8d
UTG+1: 7h-5h-6s-Ts

UTG has a double gutshot straight draw, and a gutshot straight flush draw. UTG+1 has essentially 2 pair. He has no business here.

Turn comes 4d, making my Ace high flush. River comes Jd, completing UTG's straight flush... however, also completing my royal flush. Bad beat there.

I triple on the very first hand and pretty much ride that to victory. +$4.50, and a much needed boost of confidence. Hard not to win when you're flopping royal flushes in that situation though. Although, to my credit I was holding the best hand pre-flop and pushing my edge as you are supposed to.

In the $2 Super Knockout MTT, $1 of each entry goes to the prize pool, while the other $1 goes to each player who knocks anyone out. You knock someone out, you get $1.

I am at about my starting stack well into the tournament, when there is a triple-all in at the table, AA v. JJ v. AK. AA wins, and next hand, AK goes all-in. I am in the BB and correctly identify him as tilting, as I call with A6o, and win when an A flops. I win $1.

I am up to 7,000 chips when CO goes all-in against me as the dealer. I call half my stack vs. an all-in with 88, and see JJ come up. Board comes 58K5A, and I luck up to 11k chips and another $1 knockout.

I get AA UTG, raise, get 2 callers including the dealer who has about 1 BB left. I raise post flop to isolate him, and he shows Q9o. Board does bring a Q, but that's not enough as I notch a 3rd knockout.

We start approaching the money, and everyone slows down. I decide to start raising, A LOT. I raise 6 out of 9 hands or so. I get called once, and even win that pot with a large C-bet while holding 26o. I get up near the chip lead with this tactic against a VERY tight table.

I notch my 4th knockout when I catch A2o in the BB, and face a less than 1 BB all-in against 2 other bettors. They are more than willing to check it around when the board brings an Ace, and I win the showdown.

I get KO #5 when I raise to 2000 from the CO with AJo and face an all-in re-raise from SB of over 9000 chips. That's half my stack, but I figure I'm in a race situation here. Surprised when I see J9s from the SB. Board comes 252KK, and I take the chip lead with over 32k chips.

About 3 hands later, I get QTh UTG. I raise to 2100 with blinds of 400/800. I get one caller near the button. Board comes a seemingly great Q82 rainbow. I check to induce a bet... and dealer goes all-in. I snap call and see KK. I lose 2/3 of my stack and ride it out to one more knockout and a 7th place finish in a field of 146.

The 6 knockouts give me $6, and 7th place is worth $5.84. $11.84 is better than 3rd place money.

Finish: $79.26
(-3.94 in ring games, +10.84 in tournaments)

Butter

08-11-2015, 08:05 AM

I feel like I really need to improve on 3 areas:

1. I need to stop snap calling when I have just top pair against either strong raises or scary boards. The stakes I am playing at are not filled with great players (yes, including me), and often they can't contain their glee at a made hand. The several times I lost here, I refused to believe that anyone was beating my reasonably strong hands. In reviewing hand histories, people are rarely betting strongly into me when they don't have it.

2. I need to stop snap raising all-in when someone raises me when I bet out with a strong hand. I feel like those insta-raises really signal high strength and often times can scare people away. A couple of good examples of this are a couple of times in tournaments yesterday when I was the recipient of checking around while in a blind, and the board either gave me 2 pair or trips on my garbage hand. If someone C-bets into me (or maybe even bets some kind of pair), I am often so excited to see them bet that I can't wait to get my over the top raise in. Probably acts as a scare more often than not... see #1 in "not containing glee at a made hand". I could probably make more money/chips this way.

3. Also, playing even tighter when in early position. There were a few times when I would open raise from bad position with something like KJ suited, see a call behind me, and then not be able to play any kind of positional advantage and end up having to give it up when I didn't hit. Position is so ridiculously powerful in poker, I need to play more like it both while in position and out of it.

Butter

08-11-2015, 08:06 AM

August 8-9, 2015
Start: $79.26

Somewhat uneventful weekend, as I didn't have a ton of time to play.

Saturday, lost $1.40 at 2 ring games, lost $2 at a NL table, and won 60 cents at a limit hold 'em table.

Sunday, played 2 ring games briefly... won .31 at 6-handed Pot-limit Omaha Hi-Lo, and lost 15 cents at 9-handed Pot-Limit Omaha high only.

Played a lot of tournaments Sunday, they didn't go great.

I played 2 simultaneous $1 NLHE SNG's. Finished 4th in one, and 2nd in the other where I was behind 3:1 in chips going heads-up, so that wasn't a big deal. $2.70 for second place.

Played a couple more, another $1 NLHE and a $1 PLO. Placed 3rd in the PLO getting $1.80.

In the one I finished 4th in, the final hand was 77 against QQ, so I didn't have the best of it there. Probably overplayed a mid-pair, but when the board went K54 rainbow, thought I was behind only to a large King and decided to make a stand. Didn't have a lot of fold equity, so might've been best to pick a better spot, especially considering I was on the money line.

In the evening, I let my wife play a $2 multi-table tournament. It was a "deep stack" tournament, where all players started with twice as many chips as a normal tourney. Andrea got a couple of hands, but never got paid off, and got moved off any other hands she made. About 90 minutes in, she got AQo in middle position. Once it got raised to 400 behind her, I gave her the only piece of advice I gave for the whole tournament which was "all-in or fold". Since she had about 1400 chips at the time. She re-raised all-in, and got called by JTo. And lost. Can't be too unhappy with that, she was below half her starting chips, and it was time.

I played a $2 multi-table tournament about 30 minutes later with the same rules. I was at 2450 chips with blinds at 30/60, so it was only the 3rd blind level. I raised one caller from middle position to 270 with TT. Two callers to the flop, which was Qh-Th-Ad. Checked to me, I bet pot-size, 900. Pretty much pot-committed at this point. Dealer folds, early position goes all-in. I think for a moment... even if he had KJ and flopped Broadway, I am only 2:1 behind and have outs and am calling about 1300 into a 4800 pot. I call, he shows J9h, he flopped an open ended straight flush draw. I was actually 2:1 ahead, but 8c comes on the river to end my tournament in 151st place.

To end up the night, I sat at a couple more SNGs simultaneously.

$1 NLHE, I go out in 8th when a 4-flush hits the board and I am beaten by the Queen when the King and Ace are on the board and I'm holding the Jack. Alas.

I try a different tournament... a $3 Omaha Turbo "Triple-Up" SNG. In a triple-up, if you finish 1st, 2nd, or 3rd, you triple your starting bet. Or as I explained to Andrea, 9 players put in $3, and in the end, 3 players walk away with $9. The tournament actually ends once 4th place is knocked out.

I do fine in this tournament. There are a lot of callers to every flop, so I stay out of the action unless I have something. I made that something count. It tightened way up when it got 5-handed, then I made it to 4-handed. At 4-handed, it was very tense. I was all-in twice due to my cards, and wasn't called either time. There was a clear chip leader, then 3 other guys fighting for the last 2 spots, of which I was one. Finally, blinds got to 400/800, which is high for a turbo. A guy was all-in on the BB, and me and another guy just checked it down and were able to knock him out to get into the money. I didn't have any big showdown hands in this tourney though. Anytime I was in for a lot of money, I never got to get all the way to the end.

This triple-up made my weekend pretty neutral.

Finish: $78.32
(-1.24 cash games, +.30 tournaments)

Butter

08-11-2015, 08:07 AM

August 10, 2015
Start: $78.32

Sat at 2 standard NLHE SNG's last night.

First one, I got from 1500 to 2000 chips by holding J7 in the BB, being able to see the flop for free and seeing 77J come out. Several hands later, I was dealt KK in middle position. Blinds were 15-30, so this was VERY early, literally 15 minutes in. I raised to 105. Guy behind me raised to 250. Action folds around to me, I raise back to 550. Guy behind me raises all-in. I guess he was pretty much telling me he had AA. And when I called him, he did. That crippled me, and I finished 8th.

Second one, I was holding JJ in the blind. I just checked to the flop, which was all undercards BUT 3 clubs. I bet hard, got called. Next card was a Queen. I check, player ahead of me bets, I raise all-in. He calls and shows Ace-rag, with the Ace of clubs. Final card was the 4th club, and I was out of that one in 5th place.

Two all-ins, one a mistake, and one wasn't. But I probably could've avoided both.

Finish: $76.12
(-2.20 in tournaments)

Butter

08-12-2015, 02:14 PM

August 11, 2015
Start: $76.12

Had a ticket to a scheduled freeroll at 8:30 yesterday, which paid out one $100 seat to a $100K guaranteed tournament, or 9 seats to a semifinal qualifier.

I made a real stupid play in this one, fighting back in the blind with Q-rag on a Qxx board, and lost out when AQo called my all-in push. Welp.

Also played a $2 deep stack tournament around this same time. You would think with deep stacks, I would've been in longer. But what REALLY happened was I lost about 1/3 of my stack on a flop of QJx when I was holding QTo in the blind. I folded to a re-raise when a second J hit the turn. Then this site has "rabbit hunting" which shows what would've hit the next street when there is folding on the flop or turn. In this case, a 3rd Jack hit the board, so I probably should've pushed there.

Instead, I pushed all-in against a clear blind steal from the button when I was holding 44. My read was correct, but he called with 35s, and I lost when a 5 hit the board. Good combo of bad playing and percentages not holding up for me.

Finish: $73.92
(-2.20 in tournaments)

Butter

08-14-2015, 10:23 AM

August 13, 2015
Start: $73.92

Sat at 2 standard $1 NLHE SNG's. Busted out in 5th in both. Played very tight, but also didn't get much to play with. In 107 hands between the 2 tournaments, I saw 66, 44, 22 as pairs that I either folded pre-flop or lost with, I also got AKs once, KQs once (and won small hands with both), AQo once, and KJo once both of which I folded to strong pre-flop raises out of position. I ended up going all-in in both with about 800 chips with 75-150 blinds, I had A5o in one tournament and 22 in a blind in the other tournament. Was called with Q-rag vs. 22 and lost, and K9o vs. A5o and lost. Pretty uneventful overall.

I then sat at 2 PL Omaha 6-max cash game (.02/.05 blind) tables, one was a Hi-Lo table, and the other was a standard Omaha Hi only table. Sat for about 40 minutes.

I won a decent pot at the Hi table with AKKT double-suited, and left there only up 15 cents.

At the Hi/Lo table, I was dealt As-6s-Th-2c... a good drawing hand for Hi/Lo. Not as good as AA23 double suited, but I was in a blind here. It was pot raised to .22 pre-flop, and there were 3 players including me to the flop, which was TT4 rainbow. That's a bingo for me. Pre-flop raiser bets pot (0.71), I re-pot to 1.73 (all-in), he calls and other player folds. Board ends up TT463, so I split the Lo as raiser shows AA2Q double-suited, but take the Hi. Make over a dollar on that hand alone.

I press hard again with AAK2 double-suited, but get no callers of my PF raise from the SB. I win another 50 cents or so with AKK2 on the button when the pot stays small on a board of QTK78.

I win another .30 or so when I am dealt JTQK UTG, and I keep pot small but get folds to my strong bets when the board comes KQ9J. Was in danger to anything like AT, but had a lot of re-draws to full houses there, and anybody playing the Lo didn't make it.

Finish: $73.57
(-2.20 in tournaments, 1.65 in ring games)

Butter

08-14-2015, 10:28 AM

2 weeks in, how am I doing?

Total bankroll start: $75
Current bankroll: $73.57
-1.43 overall

Well, it breaks down like this:
Ring games
Bought in with $41, left with $36.03
-4.97 in 17 sessions

Limit hold'em ring games
+2.23 in 5 sessions

PL Omaha ring games
+2.01 in 4 sessions

NL Hold 'Em ring games
-9.21 in 8 sessions

Tournaments
Bought in with $30.80, left with $34.34
+3.54 in 22 tournaments

NLHE Sit 'n Go's
-5.80 in 12 tournaments
1 first place, 1 second place, 10 no cashes

Omaha SNG's
+9.80 in 3 tournaments
1 first place, 1 second place, 1 triple up, cashed in all 3

NLHE Multi-Table tournaments
-.26 in 7 tournaments
1 cash in 7 attempts

Probably still too early to tell anything, but I'm starting to suspect that No Limit Hold 'Em just isn't my thing.

My 2 biggest wins though were netting $9.64 on a single NLHE Multi-Table tournament (the "Super Knockout" one), and netting $5.70 on a Pot Limit Omaha Hi Sit 'n Go. My worst losses have been losing $2.20 on three $2 multi-table tournaments and not cashing in them, losing $2.69 the one day I tried "Zone Poker" which is essentially like playing 4x as many hands an hour as a regular player, and the 3 times I have sat at a no limit cash game and busted out with $2.

Still too early to get an actual read, but I may start playing some more limit and cash games and saving NLHE for tournaments, as that was my biggest source of losses so far.

Butter

08-17-2015, 10:21 AM

August 14-16
Start: $73.57

I played a lot this weekend. A lot. Didn't hurt that I wrenched my back on Sunday cleaning up some large tree waste in the back yard.

Some interesting stuff happened. I earned enough points to gain another $10 bonus. So now I have to play A LOT more by the beginning of October to earn a final $15. May or may not be doable, if I keep hammering the Omaha cash tables it is definitely doable.

Played 6 multi-table no-limit hold 'em tournaments, and didn't cash in a single one. Andrea played 2 of them. We both continue to fail to win anything resembling a coin flip, it's actually getting comical at this point. Last night in the $1,000 Guaranteed tournament, I had TT in the BB... it was raised then re-raised ahead of me. I considered for a good long while, then decided to fold. Flop came 66T. I literally said out loud "Fuck you, game." Luckily the kids were in bed. That tilted me, I think. I proceeded to go all-in later to an aggressive stealer who called my AQd with KTo, and I lost when the board came with only 2 diamonds and no pair, something like KJ632. Thanks for nothing.

Also played 4 sit 'n go's. 1 NLHE, and 3 Omaha. Did not cash in either, finished 7th in NLHE, 5th in the 2 regular Omaha's. The 3rd Omaha tourney, I tried the $3 Triple-Up again, where the top 3 all get $9 instead of a standard 1st, 2nd, 3rd structure. I would've made the final 2 had it been a standard tourney, as the big stack knocked out 2 players on the final hand. So, I won $9 for my lone cash out of 11 tournaments played (including a freeroll).

For ring play, I played a single limit hold 'em table, but other than that, played a TON of Pot-Limit Omaha and Omaha Hi/Lo. At the limit table, I lost .88 in that single session. At the Omaha tables (varied between 6 and 9 players depending on what was available), I ended up $2.77. At the Hi/Lo tables, I ended up $3.15 thanks to two monster hands on Sunday.

In the first, I was already up $1.72 when I was dealt JJ32, 2 clubs on the button. I called for .05, SB raised to .25 and one other player called including me. 3 to the flop which was 94J rainbow. Couldn't get much better for me. Figure the only thing that I had to worry about was some kind of wrap with QTxx in another hand. I bet the pot, which was .80 and both players called me. Turn was an Ace of spades. That gives me the nut-low also if it were to complete with anything above a 4... as I now had 4-3-2-A. Action checks to me, I go all-in for my final $2.67. Neither player covered me, but they both called me.

SB and original raiser turns up 6TQT with 2 spades... he had the hand I had to worry about. Other guy was pretty much just praying for a Lo to complete, showing 7A72 with 3 diamonds.

River was a 4th Jack, so the Low hand didn't complete, and I scoop the whole thing, over $8.

The other hand I dominated was me in the SB. A hand I wouldn't normally play, I get 7493 with 2 spades in the SB. I call, then the BB min-raises to .10. We have 5 players of 8 to the flop for .10. Flop is A62, 2 hearts. That's a GREAT low hand for me. I go for the check raise. BB bets .50, 2 of the other 3 players call. I raise all-in for my last $2.34 at the table. All 3 call. Only 2 players left have money, and they check it down.

Turn is a 5c, which completes my wheel for the Low. River is an 8 of clubs, for which my wrap fits perfectly, giving me the nut high straight 5 through 9.

Board: 26A58 with no flush possibilities
Me: 7493
BB: Q5Q4 rainbow
UTG: 7JKJ 2 hearts
Dealer: 67A3 2 diamonds

Best they had was two pair. So they all had a tenuous reason to be in the pot, but none of their draws hit and I was winning at least half the pot anyway with my Low. I netted nearly $6 with that hand alone. I wasn't having a great Omaha weekend until those last couple of hands.

Finish: $78.91
(-9.70 in tournaments, +5.04 ring games, +10 in bonus)

Butter

08-21-2015, 07:51 AM

August 19-20
Start: $78.91

Not a great week for me. Lost a couple of big hands of PLO H/L.

In one, I was starting with AA24 double suited, which is literally the 2nd best starting hand. I pushed all in pre-flop, the other guy turned over AA67 rainbow, and I lost. It happens.

Other than that, it was just a slow grinding down in most cases. I lost more big hands that I showed down than I won. When I was pushing with big draws, they wouldn't make. I also stopped re-raising pre-flop in cash games, as that was losing me a lot of money as well. I was playing almost ALL Omaha Hi/Lo. I prefer playing at 9-handed tables, but none were available the last couple of days, so I played at 6-ers. I don't know if that made a difference or not. You are certainly supposed to loosen up your starting hand restrictions, and I felt like I was doing that, I just wasn't making anything almost ever. Or when I was, it wouldn't hold up.

I realize not raising is a recipe for disaster the more I think about it, so I gotta stop that line of thinking. It was maybe limiting my losses, but it was also neutering my wins as I was playing SO TIGHT that no one would call my bets.

On the plus side, I had my first cash in a NLHE sit 'n go in like FOREVER. The table was playing so tight, I started just raising with literally about half my hands, and taking a lot of pots. I ended up losing heads-up, but did make it to 2nd.

I made another "hero" fold as well... this time in the $3 PLO Triple-Up that I played that ended up costing me the money, as I would've won the hand, tripled-up in chips, and likely coasted to the money. I had a draw to both the nut flush and the nut low with one card to come, but laid it down with a raise and re-raise all-in in front of me... and it completed. I gotta stop playing so tight in tournaments, I guess. Tournament play and cash game play are not the same, and I can't treat them the same.

Finish: $67.65
(-2.80 in tournaments, -8.46 in ring games)

I had another site that I signed up with for just freerolls just give me $5 in real money to play with, so I may take a couple of stabs there and see if I can build that this weekend.

Butter

08-25-2015, 02:19 PM

August 22-23
Start: $67.65

A decent weekend. Started out strongly by winning nearly $5 at 2 PLO tables.

Big hand of the session which nearly won $3 on its own was:
I had AKTQ with 2 hearts in the SB... I just completed the BB and it was just me and him to the flop:

J7T with one heart.
I bet .10 and got called.

Turn was an 8 of hearts.
I now had an absolute ton of outs to win the hand, any heart (9 more), and any Ace, King, Queen, or 9 (12 of those, 4 of which were hearts also) would make the nut straight. I would probably lose on any blank.
I bet .15 and the BB raised it pot size, to .75. I called.

River was the straight making King of diamonds.
I bet pot-size, which was 1.80 and was called. He mucked, but on later review showed his hand to be Q494 with 2 hearts. He was drawing to a worse flush and straight. He actually made his straight on the turn while I got mine on the river. Tough luck.

A sample hand I lost on would be one where I made trips on the flop, but lost to a hidden full house (player had a pocket pair of 6's on a board of 6JJ which I bet hard holding a Jack, but lost).

I then placed 5th in a top-3 get paid Triple Up Omaha tournament. But I did place 2nd in a $1 PLO SNG, which netted me 1.60 and got me over $71.

I then spent a very long time at 4 PLO tables (I vary between Hi/Lo and regular, 6-players and 9 quite a bit), gaining $1.72 and moving up to near $73.

After which I proceeded to bust out of a $1 Multi-Table tournament in 54th of 200+ where only 27 places paid.

And lost in 5th of a $1 NLHE SNG.

Then I took some beats at Omaha to push me back under the $70 mark by end of Saturday night.

Sunday, I pushed back over $75 briefly, thanks to this hand at a straight Omaha table.

I have $1.90 and am dealt A6TJ double suited in middle position. UTG raises, and we get 6(!) callers of 9 to the flop, so the pot is already at $1.02 when this comes:

Q85, 2 clubs

That's my suited Ace. I am on a straight up flush draw with a backdoor straight draw to protect me if a 9 or King were to come.
UTG bets pot, $1.02. I move my remaining $1.45 in... 3 callers remain in the hand.

Turn is 7 of diamonds.
That's not me, but nothing I can do about it at this point. Action is checked around with already $6+ in the pot.

River is 2 of clubs.
That makes my flush. UTG goes all-in, and gets one caller. They all show a flush, but worse ones, and I rake $6.48.

Sadly, I don't do great at much else, and head into 2 multi-table tournaments at $74.

C-Fan plays the $2 NLHE MTT with $500 guaranteed, and I start the one that is the same buy-in but for $1000 guaranteed about 90 minutes later.

I lost out in mine early when my AK lost vs. AQ as per usual.

In C-Fan's, she got QQ in middle position early, and raised to 70 (blinds are 10/20 at this point, with stack size of 3000). Got one caller out of position. Flop was 26T rainbow. Caller bet 130, C-Fan re-raised to 560. He called again. Turn was an Ace. He checked, and Andrea bet about half pot, 645. Caller goes all-in. C-Fan thinks for a moment, but decides to lay it down. Knocked her to about half her stack size... upon later review (after 1 day, you can review all hole cards from all players even if they don't show during the hand), he was playing 44. Basically bluffed us off half her money. At the time, I felt that if she was willing to bet 645 into the pot when a scare card came, she was willing to go all-in. Didn't work out.

C-Fan makes it through the break and early in the 2nd hour with blinds at 125/250, 25 ante she gets 66 UTG. She decides to flat call. Cutoff made it 800 to go, Dealer calls. C-Fan decides to go all in with her last 2800. They both call. Relief comes when the board brings a 6. She triples up off this to nearly 9k in chips.

A bit later, C-Fan completes the small blind with 88 facing 2 other players. Flop comes 84J... she tries the check raise, but no bets. Turn is another 4, giving her a full house. She goes for a min bet of 400 trying to get some callers. MP caller min-raises to 800. C-Fan raises back to 2000. MP goes all-in, C-Fan calls and sees A4o turned over. River is a meaningless Ace (gave MP a worse full house), and C-Fan is now threatening 20k chips.

Sadly, not much else happens. She folds a lot of rag cards and doesn't get anything to flop with her speculative hands or blinds. With only 7 players to the money, blinds at 500/1000 and her stack at 12k, she gets AJh. She calls and gets a raiser behind her who has a monster stack. She decides to go all-in against him. He insta-calls and turns over KK (literally the 3rd time in about 20 hands he has showed down KK). Board comes 95T8...T giving her a whiff and putting her out in 61st place out of just over 200 players. While she probably could've limped to the money (which was about $4 for the lowest tier), she decided to keep playing her game and it popped her bubble.

With the 2 MTT tourney whiffs, that brought my roll back down below $70.

Finish: $69.61
(+10.26 in ring games, -8.30 in tournaments)(with one near miss)

Butter

08-25-2015, 02:21 PM

August 24th
Start: $69.61

I start with a rare $2 PLO Multi-Table tournament. It starts with literally 4 players, but late registrants soon get it up to 20.

Very early, I get AKQQ with AK of spades. Board comes 89Q with 2 spades. I have top set and the nut flush draw. I decide this is good enough to go all-in with vs. heavy betting (someone clearly either has 89 or JT, probably JT to a flopped straight). Sure enough, they do, but board doesn't help me and I'm the first one out. I look it up later, and even with their flopped straight, I was still 65% to win after the flop. Alas.

I make some good progress at the cash tables even with the loss, getting my roll up to $75+ before sitting at another $3 Omaha Triple-Up SNG.

I made it to the Final 4, where it was me and 2 other guys vs. a bully. He was raising almost every pot while we were on the cash bubble. I decide finally that my AK56 double-suited is good enough to fight back with. I win when the board comes 3467K, and that's enough to pretty much coast to a Final 3 win of $9 and get my roll over $80 for the first time.

Then I proceed to sit at a PLO H/L 6 max table and bust out 3 times for $2 each. I also had to add $1 back to one table after getting down to 20 cents. Way to blow the winnings there. I spend $10 at 3 tables and end up with .65 to show for it by the end of that. I decide to try a couple of other tables.

At one of these, I sit at a 9-max table. After 4 or 5 hands, it is clear that there are 2 guys who are just constantly going all-in against each other. Literally every hand. People start grumbling in the chat. I decide that this is my chance. Me and another guy decides to go all-in with them on another hand. He wins the Hi, I win the Lo for $5.54 and promptly exit that shit.

I do fine at the other tables and end with $76+.

As a nightcap, I decide to tackle one final $3 PLO Triple-Up SNG... This follows a familiar formula, we get down to the Final 4, and one bully pushes the others around. I decide to take a stand this time with 9TJQ double-suited. I suck out a win there vs. 9747 as little help comes for either of us... I win the hand with a pair of Queens. I ride that double-up to a cash at this one too, and end the night well over $80 for the first time.

Finish: $82.44
(+3.63 in ring games, +9.20 in tournaments)

Butter

08-25-2015, 02:22 PM

3+ weeks in, how am I doing?

Total bankroll start: $75
Current bankroll: $82.44
+7.44 overall

Well, it breaks down like this:
Ring games
Bought in with $168, left with $173.50
+5.50 in 68 sessions

Limit hold'em ring games
+1.35 in 6 sessions

PL Omaha ring games
+11.21 in 21 sessions

PL Omaha Hi/Lo ring games
+2.15 in 33 sessions

NL Hold 'Em ring games
-9.21 in 8 sessions

Tournaments
Bought in with $74.80, won $66.74
-8.06 in 45 tournaments

NLHE Sit 'n Go's
Bought in with $16.50, won $9.90
-6.60 in 15 tournaments
1 first place, 2 second place, 10 no cashes

Omaha SNG's
Bought in with $6.60, won $9
+2.40 in 6 tournaments
1 first place, 1 second place, 1 third place, 3 no cashes

Omaha Triple-Up SNG's
Bought in with $19.80, won $36
+16.20 in 6 tournaments
Finished in the money in 4 of 6.

NLHE Multi-Table tournaments
Bought in with $34.10, won $11.84
-22.26 in 20 tournaments
1 cash / top-10, 19 no cashes

+$10 in bonus money from the site

Butter

09-21-2015, 10:33 AM

Hit a bad run where I was playing almost all Omaha, and losing A LOT. Was playing way too tight, but the times I was calling I was always calling with 2nd best hands. Not sure if it was a bad run, bad playing, some combo of them both.

But I have been running good in another form of poker, and I finally cashed the last of my bonus.

7 weeks in, how am I doing?

Total bankroll start: $75
Current bankroll: $126.47
+51.47 overall

Well, it breaks down like this:

Ring games
Bought in with $241.63, left with $210.18
-31.45 in 100+ sessions

Tournaments
Bought in with $136.10, won $169.02
+32.92 in 61 tournaments

NLHE Sit 'n Go's
Bought in with $19.80, won $9.90
-9.90 in 16 tournaments
1 first place, 2 second place, 11 no cashes

Omaha SNG's
Bought in with $7.70, won $9
+1.30 in 7 tournaments
1 first place, 1 second place, 1 third place, 4 no cashes

Omaha Triple-Up SNG's
Bought in with $36.30, won $54
+17.70 in 11 tournaments
Finished in the money in 6 of 11.

NLHE Multi-Table tournaments
Bought in with $60.40, won $96.12
+35.72 in 27 tournaments
6 cashes, 3 top-10s, 21 no cashes, cashes in 5 of last 7 tournaments entered

Omaha MTT's
Bought in with $14, won $0
-14.00 in 3 tournaments
0 cashes out of 3

+$50 in bonus money from the site

I ran the math, and these numbers don't QUITE add up, I'm off by like $1 somewhere in here, but you'll just have to deal with it.

You can see that I have a wild swing down in Ring Games, and a wild swing up in Tournament play. And I gathered a bonus.

So, without the bonus, I am literally up $1.47 through all of this. But I feel like I was nailing it in the multi-table tournaments I was in recently. That'll be detailed in the next post.

Butter

09-28-2015, 07:49 AM

Aug. 25 - Sept. 17

Started this stretch with $82.44. Ran it down to just over $35 with mostly Omaha ring play. I decided one week that I was going to make that second bonus before the early October deadline, and I did. That was an additional $40, so that got me back to near $80.

It was about this time I started playing a few more NLHE multi-table tournaments. Because that and Omaha are my 2 favorite things to play, and Omaha was starting to piss me off.

So, I found myself playing a couple of multi-table Omaha tournaments and not doing all that great in them. Didn't make the money in any of them, and was certainly not being blessed with any big hands in them either. Found myself getting money in against people with AAxx and losing more often than not. Similar to cash games.

I decided to enter the 6:45 PM daily $500 guaranteed $2.20 tournament. This is one that I have crapped out in a few times before. You start with 3k chips in this one, as opposed to the normal 1500 chips in other tournaments.

Here are a couple of key hands:

I have about 5k chips with blinds 75/150 and get AJc in 3rd position. I smooth call, and 4 to the flop which comes T8K with 2 clubs. I bet pot size of 600, and the dealer raises me all in for his last 1700. With such a strong draw and a gutshot possibility, I figure to go ahead and put it in.

He shows Q3c, and he is dominated. I just have to dodge a Q or a 3 and I win. Turn is 9h, and river is Qh, which actually makes my straight. I get up to 7200 chips with this.

3 hands later in the BB, I call a 300 chip raise from the SB with K9h. Flop is T5K, 2 diamonds. SB bets 600. I raise enough to put him all-in, which is about 2200 more. He calls, and shows ATo. Top pair holds up, and I improve to over 10k in chips.

A bit later, I am up to 14k in chips, blinds at 500/1000 with 100 antes. I get 55 in the small blind and raise to 3800. BB decides to raise all-in. It is another 4600 to call, and I am hoping for a coin flip as I make the call.

It is not, as he shows 77. Board comes Q9536, and I get up to 24k in chips with the trips.

About 7 hands later, I get TT in the BB. Cutoff min-raises to 2400. I re-raise him all in, which is about 8200 more. He calls inexplicably with 78c. Board comes T2KJQ, and I get to over 36k in chips, knocking him out in 47th place.

I later get to 50k in chips, and the tournament lead with A2o in the BB when the board comes 223 and I raise the dealer's C-bet.

With blinds at 2500/5000 and me down to 40k in chips, I get AJd in the BB. UTG raises to 15k. I decide this is good enough and shove. He turns up KQo, but luck is not on my side this time, as the board comes with 2 Queens, and ends my tournament.

I finish 17th in a 200+ person field where 36 pay. The pay only really got above $5 in the final 18, so this was a decent cash at $8.37.

I didn't make a lot of great plays in this, but got good hands in the blinds and was able to disguise the strength of my holdings and made that work to maximum effect.

The next day, I cashed for $5 in a $2 tournament, and $3.30 in a $1 multi-tabler to make 3 in a row.

The next couple don't go great, but I am holding steady at around $80.

Butter

09-28-2015, 07:50 AM

Sept. 18-20

On Friday night after we get back from our trip to Louisville for the Clemson-Louisville game, I settle down for that same $2 6:45 PM multi-table tournament.

I get up to about 4300 before this hand, where I get AA on the button with blinds at 100/200. I get the dream scenario, where I have a raise and a caller before it gets to me. I re-raise to 1800. I get 2 callers to the flop, which is K99. A little scary, but I press on. One bettor goes all in with their last 300. I re-raise enough to put other guy all-in, and HE calls also.

Turns out I'm up against JTh and 66. 66 was REAL optimistic. JT has at least a gutshot, but the final 2 cards are a 2 and a 3, so I bust the 11k chip mark.

Then, I start stealing. A lot. The table is tight, so I make the most of it. I end up doubling my stack with a lot of small wins, up to 22k.

I straight up take a pot from someone, as cutoff raises to 800 with blinds at 200/400. I had 39d in the small blind. Board comes with a bunch of scare cards, I bet out on it and win.

With 29k in chips, I get QQ UTG. I raise to 2200 with blinds at 250/500. SB calls me. Flop is Q6J, 2 spades. I hope to check raise, but nothing doing. Turn is an Ace of spades, SB bets 1k, and I call. SB bets 1k on the river, which is a 4h, a blank. I raise to 5k. He calls and mucks 2 of a kind, A6o.

That puts me into the tournament chip lead at nearly 39k.

Unfortunately, I gave 7k of it back overplaying A5o against a K44 board vs. someone who has a pocket pair. I end up all in because of math, but lose.

With blinds at 1000/2000, and us just into the money (45 places pay), I get J5c in the BB. One caller around to me. Cutoff bets 4k on the flop of A9K, with the AK being of clubs. I have the 2nd nut flush draw, and call. Turn is a Jack of diamonds. I call another 4k bet. River is a 2c, making my flush. I put Cutoff in position to call for his tournament life, another 7300 chips. He calls, I win with the flush, and he mucks a single pair. He's out in 33rd place, and I double up to over 43k chips.

I lose half my stack with AQo vs. 9Ts when the board comes QJ8 on the flop and flops him a straight. Back to 23k with under 18 players left. I claw gradually back up over 40k.

Big stack is to my left, and he tries to steal my blind a bit later. I decide to call his shove with my KJd, and win when a K comes on the board vs. his T7o. I get to over 92k chips.

I make it to the final table with 89k chips, and am the 5th largest stack. I hang around, and survive another couple of places. With a stack of 69k and blinds at 3500/7000, and the table at 5-handed, I decide to try to steal the blinds with a shove with K9d. I am called by KTs, and the board is no help to either of us, so I lose out-kicked to KTs. I probably could've survived another spot, which would've been another $20.

But as it is, I finish 5th, and make $43.23 my best showing by far in one of these tournaments.

Butter

09-28-2015, 07:50 AM

The next night, I end up in a $4 late night "Beginner" hold 'em tournament, and I was the chip leader in this tournament as well, pulling off one triple barrel bluff late on, but ultimately finishing 4th in a field of 71 to win $24.14 and bump myself up over $125.

Then I hit a run of bad luck at cash tables and tournaments to drop back below $90.

Actually, I was making a ton of stupid calls at a step up from my normal Omaha tables, .05/.10 pot limit. I lost like $7-8 in a couple of evenings work, then missed cashing in a couple of $5 tourneys to get it back below $100, then back below $90.

Sept. 23
Start: $88.10

In my most recent tournament, it was an $11 buy-in, deep stack style tourney with $4,000 prize pool guaranteed. Everyone started with 10,000 chips and the levels go up every 10 minutes, making it a very slow going tournament. This is my style.

I was not doing so well early getting down to under 5k in chips around the first break.

I was able to hit a couple of hands a bit later, and work my way up to 20k as the tourney hit the second hour break.

I got up to close to 50k in chips and in the top 10 in the tournament shortly thereafter, as the registration closed and we finalize at 483 entries.

I pull JT on the button and call a small raise with the blinds at 400/800. Flop comes 89T... 2 spades. So I have top pair, middling kicker. This is a super draw heavy board, so I call a 6000 chip bet into a 17k chip pot.

Turn is a K of spades. I call a 10k chip bet again, and river is an Ace. I don't make my draw, and my middle pair on the board is likely no good. Looking back, I wish I had pushed on the flop, I might've gotten some people off their hand. I have to fold to a river bet of nearly all of my stack.

That drops me to 22k with the blinds starting to hurt.

I am able to hang around in the tournament, as I am now something like 75th in chips with 95 left and only 54 spots to pay.

I get moved tables, and then I start picking up hands. I double up off the same guy to my right twice with AQ vs. A9 and KK vs. 99. That gets me back off of just praying to make the bubble.

A few rounds later, with 55 players left I push in a 3x size raise with blinds at 2500/5000 UTG with a pair of 5's. It folds around to the big blind, who is the guy that I've doubled up off of twice. He takes 2 minutes of time, then folds not wanting to lose 1 off the money bubble. He shows AT suited. That would've been a flip, but I don't blame him for not wanting to flip on the bubble.

After the money is made, he raises me from the button, I push my last 60k in with 99... he thinks and calls with A8o. He doesn't get his Ace, and I get up over 100k in chips and he exits shortly after the money bubble.

The table at this point goes berserk, seeming all-ins and knockouts every hand... and we get from 54 down to 24 rather quickly, and I make the 5th hour of the tournament in 22nd of 24 players left with 71k chips.

Blinds are 5k/10k with 1k ante after the break, and I have to pick a hand and go with it, as I only have enough chips for about 3 more orbits.

I pick up A6 in the BB... but 2 players behind me go all in. I decide that this is it. They both show a pocket pair, 88 and 99. Board comes 235...A...J. I triple up to over 160k and get off of life support.

A couple of hands later, I get AK on the button. I go all in against the big stack. He's got 66... flop includes a K, and I double to over 300k in chips, 3rd in the tournament.

Better yet, I make another money level, making the final 2 tables.

Some guy beats AQ and AA with 99 when a 9 hits the board, and we're down to 16. Next money level is at the final table.

QQ beats AT and we're down to 15.

I hold K9o in the BB, I call a min-raise and win with a flop bet when the board comes 952 rainbow.

AQ beats A3 in a blind battle when an Ace hits the board, and we're down to 14.

Blinds are up to 6k/12k with 1200 ante. I am hanging out around 300k chips. I have tightened it way down, as everyone seems to be finding every hand good enough to shove at this point.

Someone from the other table is out, and we're down to 13 players.

Short stack on my table goes all-in, big stack calls him with J6 vs. 99... Jack hits the board and we're down to 12, I am in 7th chip position with 285k.

Meanwhile, I am getting no cards of note, and am folding pretty much every hand.

Small stack goes all-in, gets called by 2 players. 99 beats JQ, and we're down to 11 players as blinds go up to 8k/16k with 1600 ante.

I am at a 5 person table where the other players besides me are all the top 4 players. The other 6 person table has a lot of people in the 100k range, but no one is taking any chances there. They're trying to wait us out so they can all make the final table.

Meanwhile, our table is playing at a good pace. So I take it upon myself to start playing everything very slowly. I use all 30 seconds on every decision.

I get ground down with no cards to under 3 big blinds as it gets up to 12.5k/25k with 2500 antes.

On other table, someone gets caught trying to steal with rags, and they lose. We're down to 10 players. But I'm not going to make it to the final table without winning another hand.

The tournament starts going hand by hand as it goes from 10 to 9, meaning each table has to wait for the other to finish a hand.

I double up with an Ace, but still have less than 5 BB.

On the other table, a small stack shoves with J9, and is called with J2. A 2 hits the board, and I make the final table!

First hand at the final table, I get QJh on the button. I push vs. a raise. It is re-raised behind me, and I figure I am screwed. I am right, as they both show KK and JJ. Board comes QJ289 with 4 diamonds, so KK with K of diamonds wins and I am out in 9th.

Biggest cash to date as I finish 9th out of 483, good for $73.89. First place is just over $1,000, but I had no shot at that sadly without doubling up like 6 times.

My roll breaks the $150 barrier for the first time, as with the buy-in, it had dipped to $77.

Finish: $150.99
+62.89 for tournaments

Butter

09-28-2015, 09:18 AM

Looking back over the past few weeks, here are my actual results in tournaments since the beginning of the month.

$3 PLO MTT w/rebuys - Invested $6.30, did not cash
$2 NLHE MTT Super Knockout - $2.20 buy-in, cashed for $8.37
$2 NLHE MTT - $2.20 buy-in, did not cash
$2 NLHE MTT Super Knockout - $2.20 buy-in, cashed for $5.27
$1 NLHE MTT - $1.10 buy-in, cashed for $3.27
$5 PLO MTT - $5.50 buy-in, did not cash
$3 PLO Triple-Up SNG - $3.30 buy-in, did not cash
$3 NLHE SNG - $3.30 buy-in, did not cash
$2 NLHE MTT - $2.20 buy-in, cashed for $43.23
$10 NLHE MTT Deep Stack - $11 buy-in, did not cash
$4 NLHE MTT "Beginner" - $4.40 buy-in, cashed for $24.14
$2 NLHE MTT $500 Guaranteed - $2.20 buy-in, did not cash
$2 NLHE MTT $1k GTD - $2.20 buy-in, did not cash
$2 PLO MTT - $2.20 buy-in, did not cash
$7 NLHE MTT $1k GTD - $7.70 buy-in, did not cash
$2 NLHE MTT Super Knockout - $2.20 buy-in, cashed for $1
$10 NLHE MTT Deep Stack - $11 buy-in, cashed for $73.89
$10 PLO MTT - $11 buy-in, did not cash
$1 NLHE MTT - $1.1 buy-in, did not cash

That's a cash in 7 out of 19 tournaments, with top-10 finishes in 3 of them. If we eliminate SNG's, that cuts it to 7/17. If we eliminate the misses in all 4 of the PLO MTT's I played, that means I cashed in 7 of 13 No Limit Hold 'Em multi-table tournaments. Though the single dollar in the Super Knockout is a bit of a cheat, but even excluding that my cash rate for September in NLHE MTT's is about 50%.

Including all tournaments, my win amount for the month in tournaments is $78.97 ($159.17 in winnings minus the $80.20 in buy-ins). For just NLHE, it is $107.57 ($51.60 in buy-ins).

Granted, I have taken the "bankroll rules" and thrown them out the window a bit, as you can see with playing some $7 and $10 MTT's. But this is a pretty good return, about 100% profit on tournaments in total, and nearly 200% on just NLHE alone.

Looking online at some expectations, 15% ROI is considered a good win rate, and 30% is considered elite. So I don't have a big enough sample size, and that is telling me I can expect some downswings if I continue playing a lot of MTT's. Not surprising that 200% would not be considered sustainable, but I did enjoy them while they lasted. Also makes me think that I wasn't playing as bad as I thought when I went through a streak of like 12 MTTs without a cash.

But for now, I think I am settling into playing NLHE MTTs and PLO table games. This seems to do well for me when I am not playing stupid at Omaha.

I really feel like I am playing well at the MTTs right now, and I am avoiding getting beat by worse hands. So yes, I am running good. At some point, I will run bad. Variance can be somewhat demoralizing if you let it. I will try hard not to let it, and we'll see what happens.

Sept. 27th
Start: $150.99

After football and before bed, The Mrs. decided she wanted to stay up and see the eclipse some. I said sure, but I'm not going to be out there the whole time. We can go out and check occasionally. And in the meantime, I'll play some poker.

So I fired up 2 Omaha tables, $2 buy-in each, .02/.05 limits, the usual.

On Table 1 which is 9 players, on the 3rd hand I get dealt 93TJ on the button. I call a raise to .15, and there are 5 players to the flop, which is 82T. I have an open ender and call a small .09 bet. 4 players to the turn, which is another T. Checked around, and river is a 7. I have a straight and trips, and decide to call the .29 bet of the original raiser hoping for not a full house, but not expecting one with no turn bet. I am right, and win $1.20.

I win another small hand with AKQ6 double-suited with strong betting, and leave the table after 15 hands up $1.39.

On Table 2, that was pretty wacky. A 6-hander where the player to my right was raising nearly every pot. I've found at these tables that you need to call a couple of raises to keep them honest and then really punish them with your good hands. Sometimes the board cooperates and sometimes it doesn't.

Hand 7, I get AK52 double-suited. I call a pre-flop re-raise to $1, which is frankly somewhat reckless with this hand. 3 callers to the flop which is AK6, 2 clubs which is not my suit. But I have 2 pair. Re-raiser pre-flop goes all-in, and I call. He shows QJ98 with 2 clubs, so he's really betting the flush draw and a straight. Board ends with 5K, and I make a full house and add $3+ to my stack.

I call another raise with AK23 double-suited, but end up folding on the turn when the board pairs and I'm holding nothing but a one-sided straight draw.

I call another raise with AJJQ, but fold when the board shows 3 diamonds and no high cards.

I re-raise the maniac with AA23, and take it down when the flop shows 44A and he folds to my flop bet.

Last big hand, which is still only like the 20th hand I've played, I get AKJ6 and call a .20 raise from the BB. 3 callers to the flop of JQ5, 2 clubs. I actually bet on this hand after the maniac checks, I bet .40, maniac calls. Turn is a 3rd club, an 8. He checks to me, and I check for the river expecting a check-raise. River is a T of spades, completing my broadway draw, but I'm not clamoring to bet big with the flush draw out there. He bets .80 and I make the crying call. Turns out he made a straight with the 8, as he was holding AT9T. I win another $1.59.

At this point, he says "2 outer on the river, gotta love Bovada". I respond with "idiots raising every hand, gotta love Bovada".

That sets him off, he says "learn poker". I respond with "I did, that's why I just won $5 off you in 30 minutes, moron. Have a great night." And I sign off. Leave that table up $5.31. I don't usually respond to table talk, but my macho side got the best of me in this case.

Finish: $157.69
+6.70 in ring games

Butter

10-02-2015, 09:23 AM

Oct. 1
Start: $157.69

Fired up a $3 Omaha Triple-Up SNG... never got anything going there. Won a couple of small pots but not the couple of big ones that knocked me out far from the money in 6th.

Then I sat at some cash tables for a bit. PL Omaha Hi/Lo... a 6 person and 9 person table.

At the 9 person table, I ended up all-in for my $2 eventually with QTTK on a board that had an Ace and a Jack on it. This was not a good move, as I made a big pile of nothing and lost.

At the 6 person table, when I sat with my $2, there was a guy with over $25 at the table.

Hand 2, I get Q524 UTG... I speculate here, as if an Ace comes this is a strong Low hand, especially 6-handed. Big stack raises on the button to .26. 3 players to the flop, which is A9Q, 2 clubs. I have Q5 of clubs. This is not a great flop for a low, but it is for the 2nd nut flush.

Check to the big stack who bets $.76. Player to my right calls, I re-raise all-in, my last $1.69. Both players call, putting player to my right all-in as well.

Turn/River are Kc, 2d. Completing my now nut flush.

Player to my right shows AQ5J, so he flopped 2 pair... but with the strong betting around, he probably should've folded.

Big stack shows JT78, so he was really speculating. Bumps me up to over $5.

Next hand, I win another .70 with AQQJ.

Next, I win another .50 with AQ75 on a board with 2 Aces.

5th hand at the table on the button, I get AKQT, with 3 diamonds. 3 players to the flop, which is J79, 2 diamonds. I have an open ender here, and a nut flush draw. I bet the pot, .25. SB raises to .97. I call. Turn is 8h, making my straight. I bet $1.09 and get called. River is Ac, pretty much a blank as far as this board goes. I bet $1.56 and get called. SB had 7892, so he had the dreaded 3-pair.

I am up to nearly $10 with that win.

A bit later, I'm back down to $9. I get TKJ6 unsuited in the BB. Big stack raises to .21, and we get 4 callers to the flop.

KK5. I check, and UTG bets out for .84. I just call and there are only 2 players left.

Turn is the full-house making 6d. I bet the pot, $2.52. I get called. River is Qc. I am slightly afraid of KQ here, but 6 handed I am less afraid of it. I push all-in hoping this guy is married to his hand. He is not. I take it down, pushing up to $12.58.

Nothing else of note happens at this table, and I leave it holding $11.66, profit of $9.66 at this table.

Sadly, 2 other 6-max tables I open up I go broke at. At one, I hold A2T5, with T5 of clubs. I bet strong with a flop of 6J8, 2 clubs. I lose my $2 when the low doesn't make, and the flush does but the caller has a Queen-high one.

At another table, I re-raise pre-flop with AA96, double suited. End up all-in, and lose to KJT8 when the board comes Q54TK, 2 pair.

At another able, I end up leaving with just $1.12 of my original $2. So all of those eat into my $9.66 in profit from the crazy table.

I decide to take another stab at Zone Poker for some reason, because the football game I'm watching isn't quite over yet, but I'm tired of going broke at Omaha.

Zone Poker if you recall, is a 6-handed NLHE cash game where once you fold a hand, it immediately places you at another table with other players to play another hand. It's like Turbo on steroids.

Blinds are .02/.05, and you can literally play several hands a minute.

Minimum to start at these stakes is $2.50. I'm in.

3rd hand, I get KQs in the SB. I call a small bet when the flop is A2T with 2 spades. I net .70 when I bet a spade on the river and it goes uncalled.

9th hand, I get AJ in the BB. I call a 10 cent raise. Flop is J3Q... checked around. Turn is Ah. I bet .25, 2 callers. River is Ks. I fear a Ten, but I win the showdown for another 80 cents.

Starting with Hand 12, I win like 6 of 9 hands by just raising pre-flop. One hand I get called, but bet holding JTc when the flop is 966 and take down .30.

So, I'm up to over $4.50 when this last hand takes place... I am feeling my oats with being the bully. I raise UTG with QTh... 3 callers to the flop of T33. I've got top pair here. I bet out .68. I get 2 callers, and at this point I should've put the brakes on.

But I don't, as the turn is a Q. I now have 2 pair and decide to bet again, another .71. 2 players call... and at this point I do too for another .96. BB goes all-in on the river blank of a 5. I call like a moron, and see him turn over TT for a flopped full house. Mistake here was not putting on the brakes when there were 2 callers on that board. Other player who also was all in had K3, so he beat me too.

Well, shit. Now I'm down for the evening after having won nearly $10 at a single cash table.

Stupidly, I decide to go back to Zone Poker but at HIGHER STAKES. .05/.10 blinds, minimum $5 at the table.

3rd hand, I get KK UTG. I raise to .35 and get 2 callers. Flop is K53, 2 diamonds. I slow-play. UTG+1 bets out for .10, 2 callers. Turn is a 9h. I bet .75. One caller to the river with is 5s, making me a full house. I bet $1.02, which goes uncalled. Up $1.25 already.

I lose .70 when some guy rivers trips to my middle-pair.

7th hand, I get Q9s on the button. I call a raise to 30 cents in position. Flop is A79, 2 diamonds. I get a piece here. I call a .57 bet, hoping to take it away later. Turn is another 9, and now I'm in the driver's seat. I let UTG continue to lead here, he bets 1.50. I just call.

River is 2h. He bets enough to put me all in, and I'm glad to oblige. He shows AKo, and I take down the $10.88 pot.

A few more hands, and I get out while the getting is good and I can be up for the night.

Finish: $160.12
-3.30 in tournaments, +2.78 in Omaha ring games, +2.95 in NLHE Zone Poker

Really feel like I am playing better at NLHE now. I'm not just waiting for the board to hit me to get money in. I am taking small pots with raises in position, sometimes with nothing. I just need to be better at recognizing when I am beaten and minimize my losses, at all levels. I now need to get better at post-flop play, including figuring out when to bluff and when not to.

Butter

10-30-2015, 02:04 PM

So, I will have an update soon... suffice it to say that I haven't done great lately, I'm back down below $100.

However, something interesting happened this week that I thought I'd share.

My wife was out of town all week, so I was playing poker at night a bit more than usual. Tuesday night, I had a "ticket" entry as a new player to play in a freeroll tournament that offered as 1st place an entry into a $100k guaranteed tournament on Sunday. Then for 2nd through 10th, you got an entry to a satellite whose prize is to gain entry to that same tournament.

I played this tourney on Tuesday, and played very well. In a field of 44, I made the final table, then finally got to the final 2. Since the starting stacks were 1,500 chips, that meant there were 66,000 chips in play. Going to heads-up, I was down 55k to 11k. Then soon was down 61k to 5k.

Then I made a comeback, and flipped it around. I took the lead and was up like 38k to 28k. That's when this hand happened:

I got AQo with blinds at 500/1000 and a 100 ante. I just completed out of the SB, and the flop went QK5 rainbow. I bet out 1000 and got called. Turn was an Ace of diamonds giving me 2 pair and 2 diamonds on the board. I bet 3k and he called. River was a 3rd diamond. I bet 5k, and he re-raised all-in. With 3 diamonds on the board and this player playing me pretty passively up to this point, I folded assuming the flush but went back down in chips 39k to 27k. I used up all my time on that decision, which is about 2 minutes. And you can't see the opponents' hole cards unless they show which he didn't.

However, 2 days later, you can see everyone's hole cards on the web site's history screen. So just now I went back to investigate and see that yes indeed he made a flush... he was holding Q2d. So his call on the flop with a pair and turn with a pair and flush draw were more than reasonable.

Sadly, I was not able to make it out of the hole a second time, and ended up losing. I was pretty pissed that I lost a chance at a direct entry to the major tournament and had to go through one of these tourneys yet again.

So, the next night I signed up for the satellite. This one costs $16 and promises one entry for every 10 players, as the straight buy-in to this big tournament is worth $162. There were 19 entries, which meant there would be one entry to the tournament, and a cash prize of $144 for second place.

I played decent in this one, making the final table pretty easily and then getting to the final 4. I made the final 3 when a guy tried to steal with 23s, and I called from the BB with JTo. Board was all blanks, so I won with Jack high, making the final 3.

To start the final 3, chip stacks were me with 8300, P1 with 15k, P2 with 3700.

I moved to the chip lead when I had A9o on the button, and raised to 1200 with blinds of 200/400. Flop was A62 all diamonds. Chip leader bet 1200, I called. Turn was a 7h, he bet 1200 again and I called. He failed to triple-barrel it, and we checked the river... he showed K3h and was trying to represent a flush. I got up to 12k with 27k total in play.

I lost the lead when I tried to make a play 3-handed with KTo out of the SB on a Q73 flop. BB had called a pre-flop raise of mine, and that board seemed pretty empty. He didn't buy my betting and showed a Q down to win and drop me back to 7k chips.

Finally, as the SB, Player 1 raised 1800 with blinds at 300/600... BB went all-in and SB called. We had SB with J6s, and BB with 4's. Turn brought a Jack, and I make the final 2 with 5700 chips vs. 21.3k.

I had thoughts as I made the Final 2 that maybe I should just throw this tournament and collect my $144. It would be by far my biggest payday in a tourney on this site. But once we started playing heads-up, I decided that no, I would try to win because if I get an entry and were to somehow place

I double up on the second hand of heads-up, when I call an all-in holding 68 on a flop of 6K2. He showed 36, and I dominate that matchup and win up to 10k.

We played for probably a half hour heads-up. 58 hands total. It went back and forth a bit. I took the lead in there when I rivered a straight with J8 vs. A7. I then put pressure on all the way to the end. On the final hand, I had KJh and he finally just went all-in with T2c. He rivered a straight, but I rivered a flush to win the whole thing.

-------------

So, now I have an entry ticket into a $250,000 prize pool tournament that is only being played twice... this Sunday and next at 4 PM. Seeing as I'm out of town next weekend, I have to play this thing on Sunday. The prize pool has been bumped from it's normal $100k to $250k for some reason.

If I did manage to place, the least I would win would be $150 since that is the cash buy-in... and usually the lowest cash prize is somewhere around the buy-in. The tournament notes that this tourney has a "modified payout structure" that will pay 15% of the entrants. So that means if we have 1000 people in, I would have to get up to 150th at least.

I have no idea what to expect. I also know that if I were to somehow WIN this thing, it would probably be worth in the neighborhood of $50,000. Very unlikely sure, but not impossible. I could just get hit in the face with cards. I could also get AA on hand 1 and lose to 2 pair or some kind of flush. I will have to combat any kind of fear of not cashing though and just play like I normally would and hope for my hands to hold up. When I have been losing lately, I have mostly been getting my money in good and it just hasn't worked out. It's poker... Even the very best hand at the start of a hand heads-up is like an 8-1 favorite which means you will lose some. The key will be building some kind of stack to where if I am put to the test I can survive it. If not, I won't make it long.

I haven't really played at these kind of stakes before, so no idea what to expect on that front.

Expect some kind of report on Monday. I fully expect it to be anti-climactic, like "I was out in 403rd when I had to push 33 with a small stack against somebody who could afford to call with JTo, and I lost". But we'll see. You never know.

Butter

11-16-2015, 12:58 PM

I was not close to doing anything in that Sunday tournament. Finished something like 700th out of 1700+. With a starting stack of 5000, I don't think I ever even got above 6000.

Butter

11-16-2015, 12:58 PM

Mid-November, 2015

After being humbled while trying to step up in pay levels a bit too quickly, I have been back to playing where I should be. No more than $4.40 buy-ins.

I have ditched playing everything except for Sit 'N Go's and Multi-Table tournaments. The Multi-Tablers have not been going so great. The rush I hit around the beginning of October has died off. After cashing in 8/18 tournaments, I have hit a lull. In the last 31 multi-table tournaments I have played in, I have cashed 5 times. That cash rate of like 15% is pretty terrible. I have an ROI of like -80%, buying in for $124 and winning only just over $28.

I did cash in one last night, in a tournament where I was getting short-stacked and just decided I was going all-in with AJ regardless of what happened. The Small Blind re-raised me all-in, and he showed AK. Then he mocked me as a horrible player for shoving my entire stack against a re-raise with AJ. This of course was after 2 Jacks hit the board.

I called a big bluff from a guy later on with AQ v. A3 when the board hit neither of us. A bit later in the tournament, I was in the middle of the standings when I called 400 with 33. 6 players went to the flop on a board of J32. I raised when small bets came to me. UTG player went all-in, and another player to my right also went all-in. UTG showed AA, and player to my right showed 22. I out-flopped them both and tripled to the chip lead.

With 10 players left (as 27 paid, so I was safely in the money), a stack about half of mine pushed all in pre-flop against my raise with QQ. He showed AQ, and I felt great until he hit his Ace on the river. Probably justice after my AJ v. AK suck-out. I proceeded to finish 9th out of 102 and doubled my buy-in to about $9.

--------------------

Here are some hands I have been getting beat with to either knock me out or ALL BUT knock me out of recent tournaments. First hand listed is mine:

KK v. AK with Ace of clubs, 4 clubs hit the board all-in pre-flop
J4 in blind, I check-raised on a board of J64... he raises me all-in which I call... and he shows J6.
KJ v. 22 on board of K72.
QQ v. KTs, KTs makes flush on turn
TT v. 66, 6 hits river
AA v. KJh, board of Q23, opponent turned heart flush
46 in blind v. ??, board went A44, I went all-in, he runner-runner's a flush
TT loses to KK and 99 on short-stack
99 loses to AK short-stack
TT loses to AQ short-stack
33 loses to KJ short-stack

Some bad beats, some races lost, some draws hit against me. Nothing especially cruel. Although yesterday I do remember losing out on a Triple-Up SNG pay thanks to losing AQ v. A8 when an 8 hit the river.

Which leads me to the only way I've consistently been winning... that is through Triple-Up Sit 'N Go's. In doing some analysis, that is the only version of poker that I have won consistently at.

Right now, I have 102.30 invested in 31 Triple Up entries. And I've come away from those with $144, or 16 top-3 places, a better than 50% win rate.

Also, in the 13 Pot Limit Omaha Triple Ups, I have placed in 6. Slightly worse than 50%, but still enough to make over $10 off the $42.90 in entry fees.

Considering that you have to place at about a 37% rate (or OVER 1/3 of the time) just to break even thanks to the 30 cent buy-in fee on top of the $3, I have been doing well, placing in exactly 22 of 44 of these Triple-Ups. Considering that each table pays 33% of players, placing at over 36% on a regular basis is not an easy ask but should be attainable for anyone playing well. I guess I have been playing well.

That's really what I've been playing for the past few weeks, aside from the occasional multi-table tournament.

We'll see how it goes. I got below $70 for a bit, and am back approaching $90 with this strategy, sitting at $89.98 today.

Butter

11-18-2015, 07:48 AM

Which leads me to the only way I've consistently been winning... that is through Triple-Up Sit 'N Go's. In doing some analysis, that is the only version of poker that I have won consistently at.

Right now, I have 102.30 invested in 31 Triple Up entries. And I've come away from those with $144, or 16 top-3 places, a better than 50% win rate.

Also, in the 13 Pot Limit Omaha Triple Ups, I have placed in 6. Slightly worse than 50%, but still enough to make over $10 off the $42.90 in entry fees.

Considering that you have to place at about a 37% rate (or OVER 1/3 of the time) just to break even thanks to the 30 cent buy-in fee on top of the $3, I have been doing well, placing in exactly 22 of 44 of these Triple-Ups. Considering that each table pays 33% of players, placing at over 36% on a regular basis is not an easy ask but should be attainable for anyone playing well. I guess I have been playing well.

That's really what I've been playing for the past few weeks, aside from the occasional multi-table tournament.

We'll see how it goes. I got below $70 for a bit, and am back approaching $90 with this strategy, sitting at $89.98 today.

November 17th
Start: $89.98

So, shortly after this, I hit a nice run. As of today, I have placed in 7 of 8 Triple-Ups including the last 6 in a row, which has boosted me back to near $120.

I took some short notes about a couple of them:

While in 3rd place, lost AK to AJ, but later doubled off chip leader in blinds holding KK v. TT, rode to money

Got down to 4, I was one of 3 with around 2k chips vs. chip leader with half the chips. Eventually was put all-in by button holding TT in big blind. He had A4, and I dodged an Ace to knock him out and place in money.

Knocked first 3 people out by flopping 2 pair each time to take commanding chip lead. Then doubled up 3 people putting pressure on very small stacks with Ace-6 through Ace-Ten, lowering me all the way down to 5th of 5 at one point. Finally won an all-in battle with QJ v. A9 when Jack hit turn. Rode those chips to money

Short-stacked late, but doubled up twice with KK to cruise into 2nd place and easily into money.

Like I said, I won't read too much into this yet but am running real good in the Triple-Ups lately.

Also finished 25th of 92 in an 18 places pay multi-tabler, losing $4.40.

Finish: $119.78

Butter

12-07-2015, 03:21 PM

Dec. 2-4
Start: $114.22

Had a couple of misses in there and some cash game gains.

12/2, I played in 4 Triple-Ups and cashed in 2, which is a net $4.80 gain.

12/3, I played in 2 Triple-Ups and cashed in 1, a net $2.40 gain.

I also lost 10 cents at 2 PLO tables that I played while waiting for the Thursday Night game to end... yes, while the hail mary from Rodgers was landing in someone's arms, I was folding some garbage Omaha hand, and shortly after closed the tables in disbelief of that play.

12/4 - I played 2 Triple-Ups and cashed in neither. In one I was 4th, losing with A5 v. AK after pushing that hand as a short stack, which is where I had been in the Final 4 for a good 20 hands. In the other, I was out early in 9th of 9, losing with AA to 44... I put the guy all in post-flop on a board of Q56... was figuring 55, 66, KQ or AQ, but was surprised to see 44. Sadly a 4 hit the turn and I was out.

I did also play in a $1.10 Multi-Table tournament. By the time registration ended, there were 200 entrants, which made it a $200 prize pool.

I didn't do a whole lot in this one for a while. I was stretching to hold on with about 50 players left, with 27 paid. I got a couple of nice hands, and then made a couple of decent plays with suited connectors.

Even so, after we hit the money I was still struggling to do better than a minimal cash, as 19th-27th paid $2, and 10th-18th paid $3. I did eventually make it to the final table.

There were 300k chips in play, and I had about 15k with the blinds at 1k-2k when in the BB, still 9-handed (the final 9). The button raised me to 6k while I was holding K4. I figured him for a steal based on what I had witnessed a bit earlier at this same table, so I shoved all-in. He thought for a bit, but he was already well-invested and getting odds with almost anything if he figures I am not paired, so he calls. He shows Q3, and I survive that to win, doubling to over 30k.

Shortly after that, the rest of the table goes a bit mental. A lot of all-ins and calls. I do well to get my money in good and stay out when not, and eventually get down to heads-up with this other guy, the same guy who put me at risk with Q3.

We went back and forth for a good 20 minutes. I knew that I was going to have to probably get lucky and trap him with something and not get trapped myself. We swapped the lead a few times. Finally, when we were nearly even, I got 66. I just checked in the BB and saw my dream flop of 652. He bet and I raised some. He called. Turn was a Jack. He bet again, I raised, he went all-in. I called and he showed JT. He was already drawing dead and I had won the tournament. Victory was worth $44 out of the $200 pool, not a bad win for a low-stakes tournament.

Finish: $157.62

Butter

12-22-2015, 02:48 PM

Dec. 5-22
Start: $157.62

Hit a bit of a bad run in the Triple-Ups. During this stretch, I entered 16 of these Triple-Ups, and cashed in just 5. Slightly worse than 33%, for a loss of $7.80. Not terrible, but not the rate I was hitting at.

Here are some brief notes I took on these losses:

Finished 7th, lost 2 hands back-to-back, holding KQ on board of 88K8K, then with 35 on board of 58945 v. K5.

Got a run of strong hands in middle of tournament, cruised to easy 1st place finish.

8th, lost with JJ v. QQ on pre-flop all-in.

5th, lost with KQ v. AQ on Q32 flop.

8th, lost with AQ to J5 to a guy who was trying to get rid of his chips and leave.

6th, crippled by putting small stack allin with AT v. Q8, 2 pair flopped for him.

8th, flopped 2 pair with KJ, lost out to pre-flop raiser who was holding KK.

6th, lost 4 coin flips to smaller stacks after being in dominant 2nd place.

6th, held QJ with J of hearts, flop was KQT all hearts. I bet, was raised, I went all-in with Royal Flush draw and lost to A8d when JK completed the board with no more hearts coming.

4th, lost with J9 to K5 when 3 diamonds flopped, he went all-in with K of diamonds and won on river.

5th, lost an all in with AJ v. J9 on flop of 789.

I placed 3rd in a standard SNG I played for some reason.

I crapped out of 2 additional MTTs, 24th of 87 in a tourney where 18 paid, lost shoving AQ vs. AK in a battle of the blinds.

Lost in the other MTT in 389th out of close to 1000 players, when I pushed with AA post-flop on a board of J9T, other player was holding TT. That was probably not a smart play, considering how many potential hands beat me on that board.

Not a great run... except for one more MTT that I played last Friday. This was another $4.40 "beginner" tournament that pays more places than a normal MTT. Typical enrollment for these is somewhere between 50-100. This was the same tournament I won 2 weeks prior, on 12/4.

Here are some highlights of this latest MTT cash, starting stacks of 1500:

Hand #22: QQ on button, blinds 30/60. I raise to 231. Get one caller, flop is 7T2 rainbow. UTG+2 bets 284. I raise all-in, remaining 1089 chips. He calls and shows 9T. Remainder of board is 45, so I move up to 2700 chips total.

Hand #27: AQd in big blind, UTG+1 raises to 180, SB raises all-in to 520. I call, UTG+1 calls. Flop is Q69 rainbow. I put BB all-in for 800, he folds. SB shows KQ, and I win again and move up to 3700 chips. (UTG+1 was holding KJs).

Hand #32: ATs UTG+1. I raise to 177. Button and BB call. Flop is 382, one spade. Checked around, Ah comes on turn. I decline to bet, checked around. River is Kh, 3 hearts on board. BB bets 240, I call, button folds. I win, as BB was holding A9. Move up to 4300+ chips.

Hand #35: QJo in SB. UTG+1 min-raises, I call, BB calls. Flop is Q44. I bet out 249, UTG calls. Turn is 2s. I bet out 419, UTG+1 calls again. River is 8h, I decide to check call the river... but UTG+1 checks. I fail to get value, as he mucks TT, but I do move up to over 5100 chips and near first place now.

Hand #51: A9o on button, blinds at 50/100. UTG+1 calls, I raise to 340. BB goes all-in for 902 total. I am left to call 562 into a pot of 1392, and do so. He shows TT, and maybe not such a no-brainer now. But I turn an Ace and get up to 6500+ chips.

I hang around that area for a while.

Hand #96: AQd UTG, blinds at 125/250, with 25 ante. I raise to 751, BB calls. Flop is T49, BB checks, I bet 980, BB calls. Turn is Q, BB checks, I bet 1500, BB calls. River is a 7, I decide to check behind on the river, and I win vs. BB's KQ, and move up to 9200+ chips.

Hand #99: AJo on button. Cutoff min-raises to 500, I re-raise to 1470, CO calls. Flop is TQA, 2 clubs. Action checked to me, I bet 1902 and take it down. CO mucks 22.

We are into the money at this point, as 18 pay and sometime around hand 100, the bubble bursts.

Hand #106: J2 in BB, blinds at 150/300, 30 ante. UTG+1 and UTG+2 call. Flop is 9KJ, 2 clubs. No one bets. Turn is 5h. I take a stab holding a pair, and everyone folds. Move to over 11500 chips.

Hand #107: I complete the SB with 69o. Just me and BB in this hand, flop is 83T... I check, BB bets 300, and I call. Turn is another 3, it's checked around. River is a J, and I decide to take another stab and win it. Move up to 12300.

Next hand I raise with K8 on the button, and it goes uncalled, so I steal the blinds. About 10 more hands, and we are down to the final 10, one more out and we go to the final table.

Hand #120: AJ in SB, blinds are 200/400, ante of 40. Button calls to 400, I raise to 1424. He calls. Flop is Q6T, I bet 1500, Button mucks A8o. I break the 15k chip barrier.

Hand #121: QQ on button. UTG raises to 1500, I re-raise to 4825. He mucks 77.
I go a while with no action, as we get down to the final 9, then players are picking each other off. I am hanging around the 12k-15k chip area with 96,000 total chips in play.
Down to 5 players, then 4 before I finally stick my nose in the action again.

Hand #171: A8 in BB, blinds are 400/800 with 80 ante, I have 13k chips. Button raises to 2400, I re-raise all-in figuring a steal. He calls me with AJ, and I am dominated. Board comes 35826, and I suck out and double to nearly 27k chips, while crippling button down to less than 2 big blinds.

Hand #180: QQ in SB. UTG raises to 4k, button raises all-in… he is the chip leader. I, perhaps stupidly, call. Board comes KJ248, UTG has KT and wins the main pot, but I win the side pot vs. the chip leader who was holding A2c. I move up to nearly 39k chips, and the chip lead.

Hand #191: A8o in BB. Button raises for his last 9200 chips. I call, he shows QQ and I lose down to about 28k.

Hand #192: We drop to 3 players, as I stay out of the action.

Hand #193: Blinds are now 500/1000, ante of 100. I have 66 on the button, and raise to 3216. BB calls. Flop is T24, 2 clubs. I bet 5590, BB calls. Turn is 3 of clubs, I bet enough to put BB all-in for his final 10k. He decides to call, and shows A9d. No idea what he is doing there, he basically needs an Ace or a 5. River is a 6, and my set is good enough to get us heads up.

Hand #202: I get A9 heads up in BB, in a slight chip disadvantage, 43k to 53k. He raises to 3k, I re-raise to 9200, he calls. Flop is T75, it is checked around. Turn is 9d. He bets 8k, I raise all-in. He calls and shows K9. I win, and now have the lead 86k to 10k.

I lose a couple of all-ins, and we’re back to even.

Hand #231: I hold AJs with a deficit of 37k vs. 59k. I just try a sneaky call. BB raises me all-in, and I call. He flips over AKo, and I’m going to lose. Except I don’t, as my saving Jack comes on the river and I take another dominant chip lead.

Hand #236: I hold A8o and put him all-in for 20k. He calls and shows A5. Board makes it interesting, flopping 249, but no other help comes, and my 8 kicker holds up for the win.

1st place is worth $78.09. I bust the $200 barrier for the first time.

Finish: $216.51
(+65.99 in 3 multi-table tournaments, +.70 in 1 standard SNG, -7.80 in 16 Triple-Up SNGs)