I went to the East Side club this past week and played some solid poker. I was patient and waited for my opportunities and made them work.
In a stupid hand (by the other players), I was dealt pocket 8s and had 5 players in for a $10 raise. Flop was A-5-7, checked all around. Q on the turn and again checked all around, which I found odd that nobody had hit anything, but with that many players, I did not feel like leading out into it. The river was an 8 giving me the set. Player to my right leads out $20, I raise to $40, another player goes all-in for $54, the first raiser goes all-in for about $110 and I call. Initial raiser was slow playing an A, the other player was slow playing A-Q and because neither of them bet until the river, I ended up taking the pot when they probably could have gotten me out on either street with a good bet. Took in almost $350 on that pot.
One hand I did not like how I played. I am on the button with 3-2. It is me, SB and BB. Flop comes 3-4-J. SB checks, BB throws out $10. I fold, SB calls. What I don't like about my play is that if I am going to play more advanced hands, I need to think of a few things here. Another 3 gives me a set. A 2 gives me 2 pair, an A, 5 or 6 gives me at least a straight draw. And the initial raiser could have been playing nothing and stealing or maybe a weak J (which ended up to be what he had). With the SB calling, I was getting the odds, but more so, it was cheap and I was up. The turn came a 3 and the river was a 2. I would have had a boat and probably would have taken a $100 pot. I need to think more about those types of plays and not be as scared to mix it up.
I ended up leaving up $170 and I was happy.
But then there was the Internet. Ugh. My on-line play has been SO BAD. Not to mention the cards are simply not connecting at all. I am usually a pretty solid player, but I have been having a terrible run. I was up about 250% for awhile and now I am down to where I need to reload. It is really frustrating. It is as if every play I make fails, every good hand I get does not connect or gets bested. This evening I had AK probably 5 times and lost every one. 3 times I did not connect at all and when I pushed with the continuation, either I got caught or re-raised and had to much. 1 time I hit an A on the flop (A-Q-8) in a sit-n-go and my opponent had A-Q. The final time I hit the K on the flop (K-2-7) and the other player had a set of 2s. Other hands have been fairing just as bad. Looked at KK in a 90 person tournament in the SB. The button pushes a small raise, I figure he is trying to steal, I call. Flop comes Q-7-2. He bets 300, I push to 600, he goes all-in, I call figuring A-Q and he turns over AA. In a 1-2NL game I go from up 40% to busted in 30 minutes as virtually no flop hits me with good starting cards or the other players draw out. Lost $163 tonight alone. That is too much for casual wasting time on a Friday.
Not sure what to do with this. I think I am gonna lay off the on-line play for a while. Re-read some of the strategy books and get my head back in it. In the live games I can focus and enjoy it, but I do not think I am enjoying playing on-line and I am doing it out of habit, doing it while distracted and I am losing consistently right now. Time to break.
Going to Chicago next week, if I can I may take a night at a casino near there as I have had some luck at the casino tables in the last few outings.
Showing posts with label full tilt poker. Show all posts
Showing posts with label full tilt poker. Show all posts
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Friday, September 21, 2007
Losing Patience
I have started to lose patience with the game and that means it is time to re-focus or take a break. I have mainly been playing on-line these days as I am taking a break from the club due to other obligations. It has mainly been sit-n-go's and here is the basic gist. I continually have been losing the high percentage plays.
After awhile it gets truly annoying and what I notice is that it makes me lose patience which in turn makes me play more hands I shouldn't or play more mediocre strength catches.
For example, night I was playing a $20 SNG as well as the Fifty-Fifty on FullTilt. In the $20, there were 7 of 9 left. Blinds were 50/100 and I had about 1800 (started with 1500). An aggressive player pops to bet to 250, I am in BB with A-7suited. I call the bet. Flop comes Ad-8h-5h. Aggro bets 400, I figure him on a draw or maybe pocket pair so I go all-in. He ends up calling with Kh-Jh. So at this time I am about 65% to win. But of course, the next card to come out is the Qh, giving him the flush and I am busted out of the SNG.
In the 50-50, we stared with about 940 players. We are down to 450 or so and I have AcKc on the BB. I have a mid-stack of about 3800 (about average) and the button minus one pushes all in for about 1900. Figuring he is short stacked I make the call. I am way ahead (about 4 to 1) at this point. The flop comes out rags, the turn is no help and the River hits a Q, giving him the hand. I do my best not to go on tilt, but I can tell it affects virtually every hand I play after as I just get sick of getting sucked out on constantly. I end up going broke at 276th with AJ against AK. The issue I have is that after a beat like that, where I should have been in the top 20% of chipstacks, I then get into the bottom 30% which changes my style of play and frankly, is a place I need to work on. I usually am very patient with this game, but the sheer amount of low percentage plays that are hitting against me is staggering.
I think about it like this. If you knew that all the things that have a low chance of happening, getting in a car accident, losing your job, having a child with defect, getting robbed, whatever they may be, if those started happening more frequently to you specifically, while still working within the odds of them happening in life, it would change how you lived every day. I feel that that is an extreme example, but if I am consistently making high percentage plays, and they end up getting busted, it makes me feel that there is little I can do to beat this game, despite getting my chips in the middle as the favorite. I know in the long run it should work to my advantage but almost 35% of my online bankroll has evaporated because of these beats and admittedly, how they make me play after.
Hopefully, I can re-focus and get back on track as I do not want to give up the game and yet want to enjoy it as well.
After awhile it gets truly annoying and what I notice is that it makes me lose patience which in turn makes me play more hands I shouldn't or play more mediocre strength catches.
For example, night I was playing a $20 SNG as well as the Fifty-Fifty on FullTilt. In the $20, there were 7 of 9 left. Blinds were 50/100 and I had about 1800 (started with 1500). An aggressive player pops to bet to 250, I am in BB with A-7suited. I call the bet. Flop comes Ad-8h-5h. Aggro bets 400, I figure him on a draw or maybe pocket pair so I go all-in. He ends up calling with Kh-Jh. So at this time I am about 65% to win. But of course, the next card to come out is the Qh, giving him the flush and I am busted out of the SNG.
In the 50-50, we stared with about 940 players. We are down to 450 or so and I have AcKc on the BB. I have a mid-stack of about 3800 (about average) and the button minus one pushes all in for about 1900. Figuring he is short stacked I make the call. I am way ahead (about 4 to 1) at this point. The flop comes out rags, the turn is no help and the River hits a Q, giving him the hand. I do my best not to go on tilt, but I can tell it affects virtually every hand I play after as I just get sick of getting sucked out on constantly. I end up going broke at 276th with AJ against AK. The issue I have is that after a beat like that, where I should have been in the top 20% of chipstacks, I then get into the bottom 30% which changes my style of play and frankly, is a place I need to work on. I usually am very patient with this game, but the sheer amount of low percentage plays that are hitting against me is staggering.
I think about it like this. If you knew that all the things that have a low chance of happening, getting in a car accident, losing your job, having a child with defect, getting robbed, whatever they may be, if those started happening more frequently to you specifically, while still working within the odds of them happening in life, it would change how you lived every day. I feel that that is an extreme example, but if I am consistently making high percentage plays, and they end up getting busted, it makes me feel that there is little I can do to beat this game, despite getting my chips in the middle as the favorite. I know in the long run it should work to my advantage but almost 35% of my online bankroll has evaporated because of these beats and admittedly, how they make me play after.
Hopefully, I can re-focus and get back on track as I do not want to give up the game and yet want to enjoy it as well.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Flip Flop On-line/Live
Well last week I wrote about how I had been shut down in live play, but was running well in on-line play. That seems to have switched for me of late.
Not to say that I have not been running pretty card dead in general but at least I left up. I bought in for $140, brought it up to about 275 on a flush and 2 pair against a particularly aggressive player and then the cards started to abandon me. I was getting some good cards, but nothing was hitting as usual, so I just tried to tighten up. I lost the rest of the stack when I had A-Ksuited and pushed a bluff on a few streets against someone with pocket 6s. I re-bought for 200 and that too went up and down for awhile and I ended up getting chopped away when I look down and and I have about $105 of the $340 left. I also am meeting some folks in about 40 minutes so I decide that if I am going to play, might as well get aggressive.
I straddle for $5 at one point and get 3 callers and look down on A-7off. I raise to $20, all go out except one player. a 7 comes on the flop and I pop it $50 and she goes out. A few hands later I look down on a pair of nines. I raise to $20, the same player calls. She is generally a somewhat tight player and when an A hits the board, I think I am done. I test the waters and throw another $20, she calls. a K comes on the turn, we both check, making me think that either I am good or she is trapping. A nine comes on the river to give me a set. I throw $50, get a call and win the pot. It is about time for me to leave. I am taking the last few hands and I see AA. There are a few players in and I raise to $20 to keep consistent. The same player calls again. Flop comes 7-6-3. I throw another $20 and she calls. Turn comes a Jack, I throw another $20 and she calls. The river comes a 2 and I bet $60, she folds, I show her the hand as I am leaving and as a courtesy, I pay her 'time' (the $5 per half hour that we pay to rent the seat) and leave with $370. So all in all, I only won $30 (not including the $40 in time i have payed over the course of the day) but it felt good to leave up rather than down.
On the on-line front it has been the opposite. After playing well last week, I have lost about 6 sit-n-go's and also gotten hit at the cash games. Now the stakes are not the same but still, I am down about $160 in the last few days. Additionally, my percentages usually run about %40 for cashing in the sit-n-go's so it is just off. In 2 of them I got run over by sets. In another, I took a big blow to my stack when my two-pair got beaten by a flush. I am not playing crazy, in fact, I have been playing tighter, but it just seems like everyone I play is hitting their cards. I guess it happens, but damn if it is not frustrating.
Live - $30
On-line - $160
Not to say that I have not been running pretty card dead in general but at least I left up. I bought in for $140, brought it up to about 275 on a flush and 2 pair against a particularly aggressive player and then the cards started to abandon me. I was getting some good cards, but nothing was hitting as usual, so I just tried to tighten up. I lost the rest of the stack when I had A-Ksuited and pushed a bluff on a few streets against someone with pocket 6s. I re-bought for 200 and that too went up and down for awhile and I ended up getting chopped away when I look down and and I have about $105 of the $340 left. I also am meeting some folks in about 40 minutes so I decide that if I am going to play, might as well get aggressive.
I straddle for $5 at one point and get 3 callers and look down on A-7off. I raise to $20, all go out except one player. a 7 comes on the flop and I pop it $50 and she goes out. A few hands later I look down on a pair of nines. I raise to $20, the same player calls. She is generally a somewhat tight player and when an A hits the board, I think I am done. I test the waters and throw another $20, she calls. a K comes on the turn, we both check, making me think that either I am good or she is trapping. A nine comes on the river to give me a set. I throw $50, get a call and win the pot. It is about time for me to leave. I am taking the last few hands and I see AA. There are a few players in and I raise to $20 to keep consistent. The same player calls again. Flop comes 7-6-3. I throw another $20 and she calls. Turn comes a Jack, I throw another $20 and she calls. The river comes a 2 and I bet $60, she folds, I show her the hand as I am leaving and as a courtesy, I pay her 'time' (the $5 per half hour that we pay to rent the seat) and leave with $370. So all in all, I only won $30 (not including the $40 in time i have payed over the course of the day) but it felt good to leave up rather than down.
On the on-line front it has been the opposite. After playing well last week, I have lost about 6 sit-n-go's and also gotten hit at the cash games. Now the stakes are not the same but still, I am down about $160 in the last few days. Additionally, my percentages usually run about %40 for cashing in the sit-n-go's so it is just off. In 2 of them I got run over by sets. In another, I took a big blow to my stack when my two-pair got beaten by a flush. I am not playing crazy, in fact, I have been playing tighter, but it just seems like everyone I play is hitting their cards. I guess it happens, but damn if it is not frustrating.
Live - $30
On-line - $160
Friday, September 14, 2007
Absolute Insanity and Recent Online MT
The last few times i have gone to the club (the other club, not the one shut down by the POlice) have been wild. Not sure why, but the tables I have been at have been totally wild. People playing really random hands and calling and catching miracle cards over and over. I am probably down about $500 from the trips as I have not been able to make the adjustment to this wild style of play. I will admit, it is a weakness in my game that I can get thrown off by what seem to be very low percentage calls that end up catching. But - I have a new theory after doing some thinking and reading on the 2+2. I am going to go with more money, be patient, tighten up a bit, but hit hard when my opponents either are on a draw or when I hit mine. Mainly make them pay for making low percentage plays and exploit when I hit mine.
The online has been treating me pretty well. New style, do 2-3 simultaneous Sit-N-Go's ($20 or $30) and play high percentage until I get in the money and then get more aggressive. Seems to be working in my favor. That and a good run at .50-1NL on FTP has my bankroll up about $400.
The online has been treating me pretty well. New style, do 2-3 simultaneous Sit-N-Go's ($20 or $30) and play high percentage until I get in the money and then get more aggressive. Seems to be working in my favor. That and a good run at .50-1NL on FTP has my bankroll up about $400.
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.
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.
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)
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