I will preface this post by saying I left up today, but I want to focus this post on a few things I observed about my play, my decisions and my play.
1. I believe I am a better tournament player than cash game player. I believe this to be due to my patience and ability to represent hands, even when I may not have them.
2. I do not come off arrogant or cocky (despite people knowing I do pretty well in tournaments at the club), in fact, I do my best to be respectful and nice. I have a good rapport with the other players and I do believe, at least in the beginning rounds, this can work in your favor as people may not want to mix it up with you.
3. In tonight's $50 tournament I started out well. Tripling up in the first half hour and then hitting pocket As twice for another couple of wins and suddenly I am on about 2200 in chips (500 to start) and feeling comfortable.
4. I hit a few more good hands and when we go from 7 to 5 tables, I am sitting on about 3600.
5. I think at this point, I should play a little looser, but I do not raise on random hands, I like to have potential AND position and probably could be a little more aggressive.
6. 83 players to start. I take a big hit with 2 tables left in a hand I did not need to get involved with - pocket 7s in early position. 7 players, short stack pushes, I call. He shows AQ and AAQ hit on the flop. on a coin flip type hand, when near the bubble, I should just call, not push.
7. We get down to 10 players and start talking chop. I have 8k in chips. Chip leader as 19k. 2 people with 1000 and 1500 respectfully and the blinds are 500-1000. We start talking and top place wants 1200. Bottom 2 places will take 300 and the rest get somewhere between 400 and 900 depending on stack. I agree to the chopm but here is my thought later. There was a very good chance that 2 players would be down in a few hands. That would mean, assuming that happened that the min I would get was 200 (the original prize breakdown went from 2500 down to 100 for 10th). So by agreeing to the deal I was basically going from $200 at the worst to $500 with the deal. Yet, I am really 1-1.5 hands away from chip lead should the cards come and the $2500 that it brings. In retrospect I feel I should have asked for more or not chopped and played it out, playing for the payout. If I get busted, so what, the potential was there.
I then made my second mistake. I told myself that I would play a little 1-2 for an hour or so. The problems with this are such- I do often have a hard time transitioning from the speed and strategy in a tournament to the slower pace of the 1-2 game. And it is a different style of play and I notice that I do not play well when I jump in after a tourny. Second mistake, thinking I would sit down for an hour and then leave. If I have just played 2.5-3 hours, then either commit to stay for awhile or leave. To sit down non-committed is not good play. Finally, after all those tournament hands, I stopped reading the cards and players. I bought in for 200 and about 20 minutes in see pocket Qs. I throw out 15 (an underbet now that i think of it), get 2 callers. Flop comes out 3h-4c-5c. I throw a continuation bet of $30 out, other player calls, button makes it a hundred. Instead of analyzing, I go all in thinking maybe he is on a draw or top pair or an overpair, but not as big as mine. Player to the left goes all in over the top. Button calls. next card is an 8d and a js. I turn my hand, player to the left mucks his unfulfilled flush draw and the button shows 6s7s for the straight (which he flopped of course). With that flop and such an overbet, I should have just felt that I lost the $45 and given in on the straight draw on the board, but I was tired and ready to leave and it cost me another $155.
Hopefully I will learn to stay with my post tournament promise.
$50 +10 buy in, $500 chop, $50 in tips, $200 at the table
+190
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Monday, August 27, 2007
Monday $300 +30
After the horrible play that I performed this past Saturday (and no, I am not talking about the musical version of Tuesday's With Morrie at community theater), I was hoping to re-focus and play solid poker at the clubs' Monday $300+30. Not sure if it is the summer or just because of a recent police visit, but there were only 17 players in tonight's game. It started out well.
It was 25-50 I was on the button with Qh7h and called the bet (started with 6k in chips). SB calls and BB makes it 225 to go. One of the regulars had whispered to me earlier that this guy was loose and not very good so I call. SB folds. Flop comes out Qd+10h+4h. BB throws out 400 chips. I take a minute, see top pair with the flush draw and throw out 1200. Loose guy throws out 3000 on what I think is a bluff and I go all-in. He calls for the last of his chips and shows A-10 offsuit. So he has a pair of 10s. He does not improve and I double up. With only 17 in, doubling up early is a good place to be.
I am chip leader at this point and end up donking off about 3k or my chips on some aggressive play and some big re-raises against me. A little while later, another good hand comes to me. A good player to my right (and on the button) raises to 500 (blinds 50-100), I look down and see A-A. I call. Flop comes 2-5-6 rainbow. I check, for some reason he goes all in. I figure if he had a strong hand, he would draw me in. I think he put me on A-K or A-Q. I call and he shows pocket 7s. He does not improve and now I have about 20k in chips. The two tables combine and we are down to final table. I am in the lead, with 1 or 2 players close to me and a bunch of short stacks. After awhile and not much action we are down to 5. Top 4 get paid. 2 players say they don't want to deal, i figure I can sit back and only play strong hands and wait until the bubble gets broken. It takes awhile, but steve, a solid player gets beaten on 2 bad hands and finally is knocked out when his pocket 8s get beaten by A-J when a J comes on the flop. There are now 4 of us, all in the money, and we briefly talk a deal, but the short stack does not want to deal. Soon after I raise to 3k (blinds 500-1000) with K-Joff and am raised to 6k by the button. I call and watch as the perfect flop comes out 9-10-Q rainbow. I check, button throws in 3k, next card 7 and I throw in 5k. Hoping that he thinks I am trying to steal. He calls. River comes a 3 so I have the nuts as there is no flush draw out. I follow up with 10k and he mucks. A few other strong hands later and a bluff or 2 and I have close to 40k in chips. The other three players all have around 22-28k. We decide to talk and we end up chopping with me winning in 1st and getting $1500 and they all splitting 2nd for $1200. Yes, I could have waited and played it out (first place was $2500) but figured at this point I am guaranteed second and one bad hand and I am short stack. So it was good to take it down and I felt good about my play. All for about 2.5 hours work.
Also, unlike the last few times I have cashed, I did not go right back to a 1-2 table and lose a few hundred. I collected my winnings, tipped the dealers and left.
It was 25-50 I was on the button with Qh7h and called the bet (started with 6k in chips). SB calls and BB makes it 225 to go. One of the regulars had whispered to me earlier that this guy was loose and not very good so I call. SB folds. Flop comes out Qd+10h+4h. BB throws out 400 chips. I take a minute, see top pair with the flush draw and throw out 1200. Loose guy throws out 3000 on what I think is a bluff and I go all-in. He calls for the last of his chips and shows A-10 offsuit. So he has a pair of 10s. He does not improve and I double up. With only 17 in, doubling up early is a good place to be.
I am chip leader at this point and end up donking off about 3k or my chips on some aggressive play and some big re-raises against me. A little while later, another good hand comes to me. A good player to my right (and on the button) raises to 500 (blinds 50-100), I look down and see A-A. I call. Flop comes 2-5-6 rainbow. I check, for some reason he goes all in. I figure if he had a strong hand, he would draw me in. I think he put me on A-K or A-Q. I call and he shows pocket 7s. He does not improve and now I have about 20k in chips. The two tables combine and we are down to final table. I am in the lead, with 1 or 2 players close to me and a bunch of short stacks. After awhile and not much action we are down to 5. Top 4 get paid. 2 players say they don't want to deal, i figure I can sit back and only play strong hands and wait until the bubble gets broken. It takes awhile, but steve, a solid player gets beaten on 2 bad hands and finally is knocked out when his pocket 8s get beaten by A-J when a J comes on the flop. There are now 4 of us, all in the money, and we briefly talk a deal, but the short stack does not want to deal. Soon after I raise to 3k (blinds 500-1000) with K-Joff and am raised to 6k by the button. I call and watch as the perfect flop comes out 9-10-Q rainbow. I check, button throws in 3k, next card 7 and I throw in 5k. Hoping that he thinks I am trying to steal. He calls. River comes a 3 so I have the nuts as there is no flush draw out. I follow up with 10k and he mucks. A few other strong hands later and a bluff or 2 and I have close to 40k in chips. The other three players all have around 22-28k. We decide to talk and we end up chopping with me winning in 1st and getting $1500 and they all splitting 2nd for $1200. Yes, I could have waited and played it out (first place was $2500) but figured at this point I am guaranteed second and one bad hand and I am short stack. So it was good to take it down and I felt good about my play. All for about 2.5 hours work.
Also, unlike the last few times I have cashed, I did not go right back to a 1-2 table and lose a few hundred. I collected my winnings, tipped the dealers and left.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Various games
It has been an up and down week with alternating wins and losses. Some games I have been completely in the zone and reading players and potential very well, other times I have been playing complete donky poker and literally handing other players my money.
In one session I had quads and 2 players went all in against me on the turn and it only got better. Finished that session up about $400. The next session I had some early successes and made some great strategic plays that paid off and I was up about 200 in less than an hour. Only to then have just about every draw I played not connect. I think I subtly went on tilt and did not have the forethought to either leave or take a time out. That session I ended up losing $500. I played 2 sit n go's and won both for about 225. I am going to focus on being more consistent and tightening up when I see myself playing too many draws or losing on bad plays.
Tomorrow is the Monday $300+30, so let's see how that works out and if I can work my plan. I want to cash high of course, but mainly I want to focus on simply playing solid game.
In one session I had quads and 2 players went all in against me on the turn and it only got better. Finished that session up about $400. The next session I had some early successes and made some great strategic plays that paid off and I was up about 200 in less than an hour. Only to then have just about every draw I played not connect. I think I subtly went on tilt and did not have the forethought to either leave or take a time out. That session I ended up losing $500. I played 2 sit n go's and won both for about 225. I am going to focus on being more consistent and tightening up when I see myself playing too many draws or losing on bad plays.
Tomorrow is the Monday $300+30, so let's see how that works out and if I can work my plan. I want to cash high of course, but mainly I want to focus on simply playing solid game.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
A chip and a chair
Inevitably, at some point in any live tournament, someone gets a bad beat and is down to a few chips and makes the point "All ya need is a chip and a chair!"
Most of the time, those people are out in one of the next few hands as they play anything they can to catch a lucky break. Well, occasionally, the adage comes true.
I was playing a $50+5 sit-n-go on Sunday on FTP, starting chipstack was 1500 and blinds were 15-30. I was in mid position and looked at pocket Js. I raised to 120. The person behind me called and the button raised to 400. I put the button on AK and the player behind me on a pocket pair. Figuring I would take a chance, I raised All-In (which I hate doing with Jacks pre-flop), but thought I might get them out this early in the tournament. Unfortunately, they both make the call and I feel like I am probably the underdog. Player behind me shows A-Q (I am surprised by this call) and the button shows A-K. At least I figure that they have one of each others outs, so I am barely ahead. Flop comes A-Q-8 and the rest of the board does not help me improve. I am left with 30 in chips after the hand. After an All-in on a 5 player family pot I get up to 150. About 4 hands later I catch pocket 10s and make it to 400. A few hands later I am at 890 and at least I feel I can get back on my game with some chips to use.
Cue the music, ignite the fireworks, and yes, I end up taking down the tournament for a $250 win when I bust out the last player with a medium straight. This is an interesting game. I love how position, luck and strategy can turn the tables one way so quickly and then back the other way in the blink of an eye.
+250 (less the $50-5)
Most of the time, those people are out in one of the next few hands as they play anything they can to catch a lucky break. Well, occasionally, the adage comes true.
I was playing a $50+5 sit-n-go on Sunday on FTP, starting chipstack was 1500 and blinds were 15-30. I was in mid position and looked at pocket Js. I raised to 120. The person behind me called and the button raised to 400. I put the button on AK and the player behind me on a pocket pair. Figuring I would take a chance, I raised All-In (which I hate doing with Jacks pre-flop), but thought I might get them out this early in the tournament. Unfortunately, they both make the call and I feel like I am probably the underdog. Player behind me shows A-Q (I am surprised by this call) and the button shows A-K. At least I figure that they have one of each others outs, so I am barely ahead. Flop comes A-Q-8 and the rest of the board does not help me improve. I am left with 30 in chips after the hand. After an All-in on a 5 player family pot I get up to 150. About 4 hands later I catch pocket 10s and make it to 400. A few hands later I am at 890 and at least I feel I can get back on my game with some chips to use.
Cue the music, ignite the fireworks, and yes, I end up taking down the tournament for a $250 win when I bust out the last player with a medium straight. This is an interesting game. I love how position, luck and strategy can turn the tables one way so quickly and then back the other way in the blink of an eye.
+250 (less the $50-5)
Friday, August 10, 2007
Online Poker Is The Worst!
It really is the worst. Mainly because you just get such poor play. Granted, I am playing low stake sit-n-go's to pass the time here and there and considering my live game stakes, I should raise it, but if I want to kill an hour, while waiting for a call or meeting, I do not want to commit any real money unless I have the time to dedicate. But oh god, there is such bad play out there.
And of course, I am here to complain about it.
I jumped into a quick 1 table $20 SNG with a bit of time to spare today. Figure, I will play tight, wait a bit and then jump on good hands. On the 4th or 5th hand I see QQ in the SB. Villain #1,who had just won a large pot doubles the BB to 60. Instead of pushing, I call, figuring if the flop comes low, I will push against him. Flop A-5-2, all hearts. My queens are D and S. Villain bets and I fold, figuring better to lose a small one if he is holding an A or hearts. Just a few hands later, after I realize that Villain #1 has been in every hand and being aggressive, I look down and AA on the button. He limps in, it is folded to me and I make it 135 to go. Folds to him and he calls. Flop comes 7d-3h-8c. V checks, I make it 280 to go. He calls. Next comes Jh. He checks, I go all-in for the rest of my chips, roughly 800 or so. He calls and shows 10-4 of hearts. So basically on the flop, he had nothing, a 10% max shot at winning if I have any real hand. On the turn he has a gutshot and a flush draw, but with one card to go, he still has only a 27% chance of hitting and yet he called both of these bets! Of course, as you may expect, the 9c comes on the river and he makes a straight.
I got to say, it is frustrating to play against people who just dont get the game. How could anyone who understands the game make those calls, even if was hoping to bluff me on the river, I went all-in on the turn, clearly indicating that I had something that I was willing to risk my whole stack for. I honestly do not see this type of totally reckless play when I go live, I feel like it resides more online. Either way, it sure is frustrating.
And of course, I am here to complain about it.
I jumped into a quick 1 table $20 SNG with a bit of time to spare today. Figure, I will play tight, wait a bit and then jump on good hands. On the 4th or 5th hand I see QQ in the SB. Villain #1,who had just won a large pot doubles the BB to 60. Instead of pushing, I call, figuring if the flop comes low, I will push against him. Flop A-5-2, all hearts. My queens are D and S. Villain bets and I fold, figuring better to lose a small one if he is holding an A or hearts. Just a few hands later, after I realize that Villain #1 has been in every hand and being aggressive, I look down and AA on the button. He limps in, it is folded to me and I make it 135 to go. Folds to him and he calls. Flop comes 7d-3h-8c. V checks, I make it 280 to go. He calls. Next comes Jh. He checks, I go all-in for the rest of my chips, roughly 800 or so. He calls and shows 10-4 of hearts. So basically on the flop, he had nothing, a 10% max shot at winning if I have any real hand. On the turn he has a gutshot and a flush draw, but with one card to go, he still has only a 27% chance of hitting and yet he called both of these bets! Of course, as you may expect, the 9c comes on the river and he makes a straight.
I got to say, it is frustrating to play against people who just dont get the game. How could anyone who understands the game make those calls, even if was hoping to bluff me on the river, I went all-in on the turn, clearly indicating that I had something that I was willing to risk my whole stack for. I honestly do not see this type of totally reckless play when I go live, I feel like it resides more online. Either way, it sure is frustrating.
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Poker fiending
Hoping to hit the club tomorrow. If I don't it will be more than a week before I can play a live game and I still am not loving the online play right now. Been running good live, don't want to break it although a vacation is important.
What does one do when poker is also a means of relaxation and yet I am going away where there is no poker?
Wow I sound lame.
Sent wirelessly via the Interference Information Network
Monday, August 6, 2007
$30 +3 Sit N Go - FTP and $300+30
Been running pretty good recently which I am happy about. Mainly focusing on not making mistakes and taking opportunities when they come.
A few days ago, to kill time, I played a single table $30+3 sit-n-go on FTP. I think this is a good amount game for me to play. The lower $ tables have too much randomness with players making ridiculous moves (granted I have about a 40% in the money percentage) and while I play some higher tables, I feel like the $30 is a perfect time killer for me. I also play 1 or 2 a day when I have the free time, so if I run on a bad streak, it wont break me. Anyway, this was a good game. The think I liked best about it was my patience. I had one hand towards the beginning where I trapped with a set and got the player to my right to commit all his chips, but he ended up catching runner runner to make a straight. This left me with 560 chips from about 2000. The main thing I said to myself was to avoid tilt as the blinds were still low enough that I could see a lot of hands and take opportunities. I did get lucky when I went all in with K-10 suited on the button and was called by the SB with pocket Queens. 2 10s came on the flop giving me trips and they held up. Other than that hand, I just played solid and made moves when I could and started to get a workable stack and I used it. 30 minutes later I have over 9k in chips and put the final player to bed with my 8s-4s against his 10c-Jd when he pushed on the flop and I had hit the 4 and a flush draw. I am learning how much patience and position have helped me recently.
I played the $300+30 last night. I cashed for 2nd last week and was looking forward to a good game. I was card dead for a long time, only chopping one pot in the first hour and not winning any. I saw my starting stack start at 6k and finish at 5k after those first 2 rounds. Finally the cards started coming and with about 18 players left (30 to start), I started getting chips. Back to back pocket Js helped. Pocket Ks a little later on added to the stack and got me to about 17k in chips. 1 hand that annoyed me happened with about 14 players left. John, who is a solid player limped in (blinds 300-600) and something told me that he had as strong hand. I looked down with Ad-Jd and instead of limping in mid-position, I raised to 1800. Everyone folds to John, who calls (btw/he is shortstacked with about 7k). Flop Kh-9s-4d, he checks and I put in 2200 for a continuation bet. He goes all-in, over the top and I just could not call. I gave about 25% of my stack on that one, and I had the sense he had something and should have limped in or checked on the flop. I need to pay attention to my instincts more.
I was patient, picking up a pot here and there. 10 of us got to the final table, but I was down to about 9k in chips after a run of bad cards and I was not feeling too good about my chances. There were a few guys with about 40k in chips. Joe, who made about 70k playing in vegas during the WSOP was to my right with a big stack, Ray, with the chip lead to my left. But I told myself to wait and see if I could pick up some cards. Finally, I come all-in with Jacks on the button and Ray folds, but another player ends up calling with K-9. He does not improve and I have about 19k. 9 players left.
The next crucial moment is with 7 players left. One all-in already and Joe calls. It would have cost me the rest of my chips. I already have 2k in for the big blind and I am thinking on this one. I have Ad-Jd again. I put them both on pairs and think that if the A hits, I may be good. Joe looks at me and says, "you know how I play". I take the hint and go out. Player one turns Kings, Joe turns Queens. I joke with him if the A comes, I will be pissed and it does not, so I am still in it. I get caught in those dilemmas where if I were to hit I would triple up, and it is a decent hand, but i remind myself with an all-in and a call behind me, I have to be the underdog. We chip away here and there and it gets down to five. I am the small stack with 14k, Ray is the big stack with 60k. $9000 in the prize pool, top 4 places paid, I am fifth. We end up chopping and I take $700. I guess, I could have played to move up into bigger money, and I was 2 double up's from the lead, but with blinds about to be 2k-4k, it would not have allowed for much room and I have played with most of these guys before and would do the same with them. It ends up a winning session and I did place in the money 2 weeks in a row, so I am glad with that.
Sit-n-go
+130 (less buy-in)
Tournament
+700 (less buy-in/tips)
A few days ago, to kill time, I played a single table $30+3 sit-n-go on FTP. I think this is a good amount game for me to play. The lower $ tables have too much randomness with players making ridiculous moves (granted I have about a 40% in the money percentage) and while I play some higher tables, I feel like the $30 is a perfect time killer for me. I also play 1 or 2 a day when I have the free time, so if I run on a bad streak, it wont break me. Anyway, this was a good game. The think I liked best about it was my patience. I had one hand towards the beginning where I trapped with a set and got the player to my right to commit all his chips, but he ended up catching runner runner to make a straight. This left me with 560 chips from about 2000. The main thing I said to myself was to avoid tilt as the blinds were still low enough that I could see a lot of hands and take opportunities. I did get lucky when I went all in with K-10 suited on the button and was called by the SB with pocket Queens. 2 10s came on the flop giving me trips and they held up. Other than that hand, I just played solid and made moves when I could and started to get a workable stack and I used it. 30 minutes later I have over 9k in chips and put the final player to bed with my 8s-4s against his 10c-Jd when he pushed on the flop and I had hit the 4 and a flush draw. I am learning how much patience and position have helped me recently.
I played the $300+30 last night. I cashed for 2nd last week and was looking forward to a good game. I was card dead for a long time, only chopping one pot in the first hour and not winning any. I saw my starting stack start at 6k and finish at 5k after those first 2 rounds. Finally the cards started coming and with about 18 players left (30 to start), I started getting chips. Back to back pocket Js helped. Pocket Ks a little later on added to the stack and got me to about 17k in chips. 1 hand that annoyed me happened with about 14 players left. John, who is a solid player limped in (blinds 300-600) and something told me that he had as strong hand. I looked down with Ad-Jd and instead of limping in mid-position, I raised to 1800. Everyone folds to John, who calls (btw/he is shortstacked with about 7k). Flop Kh-9s-4d, he checks and I put in 2200 for a continuation bet. He goes all-in, over the top and I just could not call. I gave about 25% of my stack on that one, and I had the sense he had something and should have limped in or checked on the flop. I need to pay attention to my instincts more.
I was patient, picking up a pot here and there. 10 of us got to the final table, but I was down to about 9k in chips after a run of bad cards and I was not feeling too good about my chances. There were a few guys with about 40k in chips. Joe, who made about 70k playing in vegas during the WSOP was to my right with a big stack, Ray, with the chip lead to my left. But I told myself to wait and see if I could pick up some cards. Finally, I come all-in with Jacks on the button and Ray folds, but another player ends up calling with K-9. He does not improve and I have about 19k. 9 players left.
The next crucial moment is with 7 players left. One all-in already and Joe calls. It would have cost me the rest of my chips. I already have 2k in for the big blind and I am thinking on this one. I have Ad-Jd again. I put them both on pairs and think that if the A hits, I may be good. Joe looks at me and says, "you know how I play". I take the hint and go out. Player one turns Kings, Joe turns Queens. I joke with him if the A comes, I will be pissed and it does not, so I am still in it. I get caught in those dilemmas where if I were to hit I would triple up, and it is a decent hand, but i remind myself with an all-in and a call behind me, I have to be the underdog. We chip away here and there and it gets down to five. I am the small stack with 14k, Ray is the big stack with 60k. $9000 in the prize pool, top 4 places paid, I am fifth. We end up chopping and I take $700. I guess, I could have played to move up into bigger money, and I was 2 double up's from the lead, but with blinds about to be 2k-4k, it would not have allowed for much room and I have played with most of these guys before and would do the same with them. It ends up a winning session and I did place in the money 2 weeks in a row, so I am glad with that.
Sit-n-go
+130 (less buy-in)
Tournament
+700 (less buy-in/tips)
Friday, August 3, 2007
$50+10 Wednesday Tourney
Fresh off the 2nd place win on Monday, I venture back to the club for the small stakes Wednesday tourn. About 70 people, bring my friend C, I think this is her first multi-table tournament. About 7 tables. Here is the big difference with this one, while the monday has a starting stack of 6,000 and 25-50 blinds, this is starting with 500 and 5-10 blinds. So the stack to blind ratio is much lower. Each chip is worth more and you have less to play with. @ a $60 buy-in, with no rebuys, I think I need to get looser with this one. I waited, was down to about 400 and UTG puts out 60, I call with A-Qoff and the BB raises all-in for about 300. UTG calls. I wait and muck. A-Q has gotten me in trouble so many times and I have to put them on hands. BB turns over Jacks, UTG turns Kings. Next five cards come 7-A-10-8-4 rainbow. I would have taken it with the Ace. Normally, I would not care, but as I as thinking about it, for a tournament with so few chips and such a low buy-in, I feel maybe I should have gambled more. If I hit, I suddenly have a stack I can work with, if not, no big deal. Just something to think about for the next one. I went about about 15 minutes laters with pocket 6s vs pocket As, we both hit a set on the flop for extra pain.
In better news, C made the final table and while she went out 10th, she still doubled her money and got great experience. Way to go C!
In better news, C made the final table and while she went out 10th, she still doubled her money and got great experience. Way to go C!
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