Sometimes you just have to laugh at yourself

I will NEVER forgive myself for this.


PokerStars Game #11219151067: Tournament #56905786, $4.00+$0.40 Hold'em No Limit - Level XI (500/1000) - 2007/07/30 - 14:44:29 (ET)
Table '56905786 11' 9-max Seat #3 is the button
Seat 1: crushmastac (26141 in chips)
Seat 2: jimmy813 (55488 in chips)
Seat 3: break007 (45565 in chips)
Seat 4: Rich09024 (21992 in chips)
Seat 5: npgdan (31333 in chips)
Seat 6: Bird1982 (45367 in chips)
Seat 7: bafoon_58 (15770 in chips)
Seat 8: billybilly71 (17059 in chips)
Seat 9: morgss (11285 in chips)
crushmastac: posts the ante 100
jimmy813: posts the ante 100
break007: posts the ante 100
Rich09024: posts the ante 100
npgdan: posts the ante 100
Bird1982: posts the ante 100
bafoon_58: posts the ante 100
billybilly71: posts the ante 100
morgss: posts the ante 100
Rich09024: posts small blind 500
npgdan: posts big blind 1000
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to crushmastac [Td Ts]
Bird1982: folds
bafoon_58: folds
billybilly71: calls 1000
morgss: folds
crushmastac: raises 4000 to 5000
jimmy813: folds
break007: folds
Rich09024: folds
npgdan: calls 4000
billybilly71: raises 11959 to 16959 and is all-in
crushmastac: calls 11959
If you listen closely, you can actually here the *click* of my brain shutting off. This should have been an insta-jam. Only player left to act is npgdan, who has been playing questionable cards very aggressively.
npgdan: raises 11959 to 28918
I should have thought about it a little more than I did. ..Or a little less. I overthought it, and pulled one of those "well I might as well hold on to what chips I can" since I was sure I was against two bigger pairs, especially since billy limp-jammed. So I managed to talk myself out of it even though I'm getting 3000:1 pot odds...
crushmastac: folds
*** FLOP *** [Tc 2c 3h]
billybilly71 said, "lol"
*** TURN *** [Tc 2c 3h] [Qh]
*** RIVER *** [Tc 2c 3h Qh] [7h]
billybilly71 said, "v good"
*** SHOW DOWN ***
npgdan: shows [Th Jd] (a pair of Tens)
billybilly71: shows [Kh As] (high card Ace)
crushmastac said, "F F F F F F F F F"


I almost cried. I would have been dominating chip leader at the final table with cards rolling in my favor. I was running so good in this tournament I don't know what the hell came over me.

Never again...

What's going on with Limit?

Ending Bankroll: 327$ [ Up 24$ ]

So I tried playing some more tournaments. Busted early in most, late in two. My AA streak ended. It held up, but for a very mediocre pot. To hell with it, I'll take it!

So after busting out of ~8 tournies I decided to give something else a try. Cash NL hasn't been my thing, but I used to play limit live and I thought it would be neat to check how it plays online. So I sat down to a few tables of .5/1$ limit, and before I know it I've turned 40$ into 80$ and recovered all my loses on the day. I went on to pick up a bit more, but I was surprised at how easy it was to make money.

That said, it certainly doesn't have the profit potential of tournaments - at least at the limit I'd be comfortable playing. We'll see. I want to try some more tournies now that I've had something positive happen for the first time in about a week. See if I can turn this nasty SNG slump around.

One thing I just have to share, I was sitting at 4 tables and at one point I had AA on one table, and KK on two other tables, all at the same time. All three held up. That's a miracle for me .. nonetheless in a fixed limit game. So I'm feeling better about my luck again.

AA breaks again, Top set cracked

Ending Bankroll: 303$ [ Down 8$ ]

6 in a row now. This time I had a chance to lay them down.

PokerStars Game #11135678655: Tournament #56481984, $4.00+$0.40 Holdem No Limit - Level II (15/30) - 2007/07/25 - 21:20:26 (ET)
Table 56481984 7 9-max Seat #3 is the button
Seat 1: RobWagsf (1415 in chips)
Seat 2: Kwame Hart (670 in chips)
Seat 3: bilew222 (1985 in chips)
Seat 4: plumberium (605 in chips)
Seat 5: USLawStinks (2685 in chips)
Seat 6: gakins (1200 in chips)
Seat 7: crushmastac (1500 in chips)
Seat 9: sarspec (4230 in chips)
plumberium: posts small blind 15
USLawStinks: posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
I'd been pretty dead the first 20 or so hands. This was the first hand I really played.
Dealt to crushmastac [Ah Ad]
gakins: raises 90 to 120
This guy has seen 80% of the flops. He's pretty aggressive.
crushmastac: raises 180 to 300
sarspec: folds
RobWagsf: calls 300
This worried me. This guy had played only 2 more hands than me (4/20) and he was very tight. I had his range on TT-KK here.
Kwame Hart: folds
bilew222: folds
bilew222 is sitting out
plumberium: folds
USLawStinks: folds
gakins: calls 180
*** FLOP *** [Ks Qd Tc]
My heart sank when I saw this flop. For one, 3 of the 4 holdings I put Rob on has just made a set. Secondly, gakins likes hands like KQ, QT, KT, so I'm fearing both a set and two pair.
gakins: checks
crushmastac: bets 270
I want to know where I stand
RobWagsf: calls 270
gakins: raises 630 to 900 and is all-in
Here I actually put gakins on KQ. Rob's call wasnt comforting either.
bilew222 has returned
2*crazyace is connected
crushmastac: folds
That's probably the easiest AA fold I've ever had to make.
RobWagsf: calls 630
*** TURN *** [Ks Qd Tc] [3d]
*** RIVER *** [Ks Qd Tc 3d] [3c]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
gakins: shows [Kh As] (two pair, Kings and Threes)
RobWagsf: shows [Kd Kc] (a full house, Kings full of Threes)
Turns out I was crushed on the flop as expected (except I was a little surprised to see AK in gakins' hand) and saved myself 800 chips, only to go out 10 hands later when 77 set, but TT set too.
RobWagsf collected 3015 from pot



This was actually earlier. Only about the 6th hand. It just boggles my mind how badly some people overplay flush draws. It almost boggles my mind as much as how often the FD gets there when I hold a monster.


PokerStars Game #11135164684: Tournament #56480484, $4.00+$0.40 Holdem No Limit - Level I (10/20) - 2007/07/25 - 20:50:50 (ET)
Table 56480484 11 9-max Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: bonagur (2280 in chips)
Seat 2: fenceman10 (1580 in chips)
Seat 3: Kakaio (1500 in chips)
Seat 4: lakers1137 (1550 in chips)
Seat 5: Texasman44 (1460 in chips)
Seat 6: GolferLS (1580 in chips)
Seat 7: bluedodger1 (1350 in chips)
Seat 8: crushmastac (1480 in chips)
Seat 9: ms.lucky34 (1620 in chips)
crushmastac: posts small blind 10
ms.lucky34: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to crushmastac [Jh Jd]
bonagur: folds
fenceman10: calls 20
Kakaio: calls 20
lakers1137: folds
Texasman44: calls 20
GolferLS: calls 20
bluedodger1: calls 20
crushmastac: raises 120 to 140
ms.lucky34: folds
fenceman10: calls 120
Kakaio: folds
Texasman44: folds
GolferLS: folds
bluedodger1: calls 120
*** FLOP *** [Js 7s 8d]
crushmastac: checks
fenceman10: bets 300
bluedodger1: folds
crushmastac: raises 600 to 900
Get out of my kitchen
fenceman10: raises 540 to 1440 and is all-in
Ok, raise me with ur 2nd nut draw and ur 2-1 dog odds
crushmastac: calls 440 and is all-in
*** TURN *** [Js 7s 8d] [6s]
Ugh. Pair the board?? He hit his 9 outter, now I wanna hit mine.
*** RIVER *** [Js 7s 8d 6s] [Tc]
Ugh.
*** SHOW DOWN ***
crushmastac: shows [Jh Jd] (three of a kind, Jacks)
fenceman10: shows [2s Ks] (a flush, King high)
fenceman10 collected 3180 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 3180 Rake 0
Board [Js 7s 8d 6s Tc]


All I could do was smile. I'll try again later and keep playing my game.

The beat goes on

Ending Bankroll: 311$ [ Down 38$ ]

I tell ya, when it rains it pours. AA dumped me again, putting my winning % win AA below 70% (WTF??). AA vs AA and he made the 4 card flush.. *shrug* I actually made a pretty good run in one tournament yesterday (4$/180) and we were down to the final 30-some. I was sitting on about 11k (8k-ish average) and I was in the BB with AK. OTB had 7000 infront of him and made it 1800 to go (600 BB), the SB flat called and I elected to take the flop since SB had smooth called earlier with QQ and I didn't feel like proposing a race yet. This was probably my mistake on the hand. If I'd jammed here it might have ended up differently. Long story short the flop came K-rag-rag with 2 diamonds, to which villain in the SB checked. I fired 3000 in to which he insta-minraised. I know I have him beat so I throw in the rest of my chips and he calls, showing KQ diamonds. I pump my fist knowing I'm ~2-1 to take this [EDIT: Hmm, I learned something today. Without the OTB, I was a very small favorite. With the OTB, I was actually a slight dog. Oh well...]. The turn bricks and the river is the 8 of diamonds. SB was the only player at the table that had me outchipped. Any other player and this hand would have only hurt me a bit.. Certainly not put me out. I couldn't help but steam for a bit as this now puts my losing streak at a 30+ tournament run, with loses (including my loses in my careless ring game ventures) to 100$.

I think I went on tilt a little bit in the middle. The tournaments I lost yesterday were all places where I got my chips in a favorite and lost.

If I'd won that had I would have been the absolutely dominating chip leader for the entire tournament. And the last 4 times that's happened at that point of the tournament, I run to the final 3.

Next time...

I really hate flushes. I never seem to make them (since I'm never foolish enough to draw to one without the odds) and they break me far too often.

This is getting a little old

At least it didn't break me this time...


PokerStars Game #11077611908: Tournament #55434437, $2.50+$0.25 Holdem No Limit - Level I (10/20) - 2007/07/22 - 17:04:51 (ET)
Table 55434437 203 9-max Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: mothermayeye (1500 in chips)
Seat 2: crushmastac (1390 in chips)
Seat 3: Eagles045 (3030 in chips)
Seat 4: 26Money (1470 in chips)
Seat 5: Djemps (1470 in chips)
Seat 6: DyersEve88 (1470 in chips)
Seat 7: The Leaf (1480 in chips)
Seat 8: B1rdm@n86 (1500 in chips)
Seat 9: SublimeO (4660 in chips)
The Leaf: posts small blind 10
B1rdm@n86: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to crushmastac [As Ad]
SublimeO: calls 20
mothermayeye: folds
crushmastac: raises 120 to 140
Eagles045: folds
26Money: folds
Djemps: calls 140
DyersEve88: folds
The Leaf: folds
B1rdm@n86: folds
SublimeO: calls 120
*** FLOP *** [Qd Ac Kc]
SublimeO: checks
crushmastac: bets 300
Djemps: folds
SublimeO: calls 300
*** TURN *** [Qd Ac Kc] [Tc]
SublimeO: checks
crushmastac: checks
*** RIVER *** [Qd Ac Kc Tc] [Jh]
SublimeO: bets 1100
crushmastac: calls 950 and is all-in
*** SHOW DOWN ***
SublimeO: shows [Th Qc] (a straight, Ten to Ace)
crushmastac: shows [As Ad] (a straight, Ten to Ace)
SublimeO collected 1475 from pot
crushmastac collected 1475 from pot
crushmastac said, "robbery"
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2950 | Rake 0
Board [Qd Ac Kc Tc Jh]


This one was good too...


PokerStars Game #11077588244: Tournament #56184436, $4.00+$0.40 Holdem No Limit - Level I (10/20) - 2007/07/22 - 17:03:32 (ET)
Table 56184436 8 9-max Seat #8 is the button
Seat 1: hollynmikey (1760 in chips)
Seat 2: Trikkier (2370 in chips)
Seat 3: dugg69 (1370 in chips)
Seat 4: crushmastac (1390 in chips)
Seat 5: APHAWKS25 (3370 in chips)
Seat 6: pp2wins (1470 in chips)
Seat 7: TheSchoe (2930 in chips)
Seat 8: Dudicus (240 in chips)
hollynmikey: posts small blind 10
Trikkier: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to crushmastac [Kc Ac]
Van Den Selv is connected
dugg69: folds
crushmastac: raises 80 to 100
APHAWKS25: folds
pp2wins: folds
TheSchoe: raises 80 to 180
Dudicus: raises 60 to 240 and is all-in
hollynmikey: folds
Trikkier: folds
crushmastac: raises 1150 to 1390 and is all-in
TheSchoe: calls 1210
*** FLOP *** [Qh Qd 5d]
*** TURN *** [Qh Qd 5d] [6s]
*** RIVER *** [Qh Qd 5d 6s] [Qs]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
crushmastac: shows [Kc Ac] (three of a kind, Queens)
TheSchoe: shows [Qc Ah] (four of a kind, Queens)
TheSchoe collected 2300 from side pot
Dudicus: shows [Kh Ts] (three of a kind, Queens)
TheSchoe collected 750 from main pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 3050 Main pot 750. Side pot 2300. | Rake 0
Board [Qh Qd 5d 6s Qs]


Quads. Nice.

Running Cold

Ending Bankroll: 349$ [ Down 30$ ]


Been a big of a tough couple days. AA has smoked me three times in a row now


PokerStars Game #10982560242: Tournament #55433590, $2.00+$0.20 Holdem No Limit - Level XIII (800/1600) - 2007/07/17 - 03:31:19 (ET)
Table 55433590 77 9-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: LiL_Bully15 (23612 in chips)
Seat 2: rookie234 (25028 in chips)
Seat 3: ChipsIwant (69724 in chips)
Seat 4: crushmastac (25922 in chips)
Seat 5: QOTSAfan (13121 in chips)
Seat 6: A.J. MINDWAR (28079 in chips)
Seat 7: B-Dog77 (13767 in chips)
Seat 8: Gila Jim (69622 in chips)
Seat 9: JustBenFold (98017 in chips)
LiL_Bully15: posts the ante 150
rookie234: posts the ante 150
ChipsIwant: posts the ante 150
crushmastac: posts the ante 150
QOTSAfan: posts the ante 150
A.J. MINDWAR: posts the ante 150
B-Dog77: posts the ante 150
Gila Jim: posts the ante 150
JustBenFold: posts the ante 150
QOTSAfan: posts small blind 800
A.J. MINDWAR: posts big blind 1600
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to crushmastac [Ah Ac]
JustBenFold said, "nh"
B-Dog77: folds
Gila Jim: folds
ChipsIwant said, "ty"
JustBenFold: raises 6400 to 8000
This guy's been on a tear, winning a lot of hands where he was way behind. He's gotten carried away with it, so I'm pumped to see him want to play again.
LiL_Bully15: folds
rookie234: folds
ChipsIwant: folds
crushmastac: raises 12000 to 20000
Gotta pay to play
QOTSAfan: folds
JustBenFold said, "AQ good here"
A.J. MINDWAR: folds
ChipsIwant said, "yep"
JustBenFold: raises 12000 to 32000
He maaaybe has a high PP. I'm gonna give him a middle-ish ace judging by his play
crushmastac: calls 5772 and is all-in
*** FLOP *** [7d 7s Ts]
ChipsIwant said, "aa no good"
JustBenFold said, "nh"
*** TURN *** [7d 7s Ts] [Ks]
JustBenFold said, "J"
*** RIVER *** [7d 7s Ts Ks] [Js]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
JustBenFold: shows [Ad Qc] (a straight, Ten to Ace)
crushmastac: shows [Ah Ac] (two pair, Aces and Sevens)
QOTSAfan said, "wow"
Wow indeed.
JustBenFold collected 55294 from pot
JustBenFold said, "lol"


And then this...5 hands into a 4$ tourny..


PokerStars Game #11010868717: Tournament #55835973, $4.00+$0.40 Holdem No Limit - Level I (10/20) - 2007/07/18 - 21:05:23 (ET)
Table 55835973 19 9-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: crushmastac (1500 in chips)
Seat 2: briggsk6 (1590 in chips)
Seat 3: scottyg66 (1450 in chips)
Seat 4: Sopi World (1160 in chips)
Seat 5: Woz16 (1420 in chips)
Seat 6: tupadre2192 (1500 in chips)
Seat 7: emnop (1480 in chips)
Seat 8: AcidAces (3400 in chips)
Woz16: posts small blind 10
tupadre2192: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to crushmastac [Ah As]
emnop: folds
AcidAces: folds
crushmastac: raises 60 to 80
briggsk6: raises 1510 to 1590 and is all-in
Sweet music to my ears.
scottyg66: folds
Sopi World: folds
Woz16: folds
tupadre2192: folds
crushmastac: calls 1420 and is all-in
*** FLOP *** [4c 8d 7d]
Nice flop for him...
*** TURN *** [4c 8d 7d] [Td]
Ugh, didnt even wait for the river...
*** RIVER *** [4c 8d 7d Td] [6s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
crushmastac: shows [Ah As] (a pair of Aces)
briggsk6: shows [Ad Kd] (a flush, Ace high)
briggsk6 collected 3030 from pot
thefatboy71 is connected



And then this... Again, early


PokerStars Game #11048956798: Tournament #55434204, $5.00+$0.50 Holdem No Limit - Level I (10/20) - 2007/07/21 - 00:19:43 (ET)
Table 55434204 11 9-max Seat #5 is the button
Seat 1: Grumpywon (1500 in chips)
Seat 2: appraise22 (1490 in chips)
Seat 3: FunkThat67 (1690 in chips)
Seat 4: razorbak1 (1470 in chips)
Seat 5: monteh (1460 in chips)
Seat 6: crushmastac (1480 in chips)
Seat 7: Rikstr (1300 in chips)
Seat 8: King_Cthulhu (1460 in chips)
Seat 9: imadreamer74 (1650 in chips)
crushmastac: posts small blind 10
Rikstr: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to crushmastac [Ad Ah]
King_Cthulhu: calls 20
imadreamer74: folds
Grumpywon: calls 20
appraise22: calls 20
FunkThat67: calls 20
razorbak1: folds
monteh: calls 20
crushmastac: raises 140 to 160
Rikstr: folds
King_Cthulhu: folds
Grumpywon: calls 140
appraise22: calls 140
FunkThat67: calls 140
monteh: calls 140
*** FLOP *** [6d Jd Qc]
crushmastac: bets 620
Grumpywon: folds
appraise22: folds
FunkThat67: raises 800 to 1420
I didn't take much time to think about this. The whole "dont make a big laydown" mentality. I figure I might be against AQ, KQ, QJ, KK, JJ, QQ, AJ, two diamonds, a dumb straight draw .. I beat enough to call, so here we go.
monteh: folds
crushmastac: calls 700 and is all-in
*** TURN *** [6d Jd Qc] [4s]
*** RIVER *** [6d Jd Qc 4s] [Th]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
crushmastac: shows [Ad Ah] (a pair of Aces)
FunkThat67: shows [6c 6s] (three of a kind, Sixes)
Okay, folding AA preflop now. He didn't have set-mining odds to be here .. good for him.
FunkThat67 collected 3480 from pot


So I've busted out about 7 or 8 more, blowing out early every time. Might try again tonight. We'll see. Hopefully I start running better.

Swearing off Cash Games

Ending Bankroll: $379 [ Down 32$ ]

I don't know what it is lately, but it doesn't matter if I play the perfect patient game and get that one hand that pops up ever 52 hands, (KK) and promptly gets busted up by a poorly played 89o that flops top 2 and turns a boat... Or AK twice, in position, flopping nothing and losing to an OOP donk calling off chips with more offsuit rags.

I just don't run well enough, or have the patience for the variance of cash games.

Therefore, from now on if I dont have time to play a 3.5 hr MTT, I DONT PLAY AT ALL. My skill just doesnt extend to cash yet. Frig. $50 lesson.

Another FT

Ending Bankroll: 411$ [ Up 59$ ]

Just busted out in 3rd at another 4$ FT. KT flopped a T on my KJ. Got unlucky a bunch of times and my stack was all over the place. Still getting used to this whole playing for first thing. Played a bunch of other 4$'s but was running bad in all but the first one (which I FT'd). AA < AK. AK < 44. AQ < AT. Etc.

Out for now.

Holy doodle

Ending Bankroll: 352$ [ Up 148$ ]

So my loving girlfriend, as awesome as she is, let me play some more tonight, and I tell ya, when you're hot, you're hot...

2nd again in another 4$. Would up brutally shortstacked again, but actually made a fight of it.

Also placed high in a 2$, ~1000 plyr MTT. Busted out in 40th with AA when AQ found broadway.

HH's later. Right now, bed.

Saving Grace

Ending Bankroll: 208$ [ Up 144$ ]

Well I guess the poker gods heard my cries of remorse and were merciful. Just drove my way to a final table and managed to get in 2nd. Final 4 the chips were fairly evenly distributed, but the other guy took out #4 and #3 so I was left with 80K to his 200K. Three hands in I get AQ and he looks me up with 8T, flops a T on me, GG. I'll take it.

Maybe HH's later. There were some good ones.

Ugh

Bankroll: 64$ [Down 31$]

Today was going to be a batch 4.40$ tourny day. I've now busted out of 6, setting a personal best for futility in these tournaments, without one decent placing. It figures that the one day I have to devote to tournament play I have the most card-dead day of my life. All 6 I hand no hands aside from AQ and KQ etc. 2nd rate hands, and every time I raised PrF, someone jammed. And these someone's were jams I couldn't call. There was one I might have been in a race, but the rest I was almost certainly dominated.

So I've got one left. I still have 5 hours to play, but I'm done registering new ones. The only reason I'm alive in this table is because after being worn down with no cards, stealing here or there, I finally got short enough to push ATC, and got in with J3 against KQ. Flopped two pair and dodged a straight draw to double to a whopping 2k, which is good for half the average.

Frustrating, but I'll keep plugging on this tourny, and hope next time I try playing, I do better.

Me / Them
QQ < KJ
AK < KJ
AK < QT

J3 > KQ
44 > AQ

Maybe I should fold the premos PrF and start going hard with the trash. Ugh.

My cash game needs work

Ending bankroll: 95$ [Down 15]
(For shits and giggles I'm gonna join the race for the 10K challenge. Cashed out from 360 to 50 a couple weeks ago, so we'll start from there to be fair)


Cash games still have me a bit out of my element I think. Sometimes I make great reads, sometimes I make piss-poor reads.

Here's a good read:

PokerStars Game #10946848251: Holdem No Limit ($0.05/$0.10) - 2007/07/15 - 03:29:40 (ET)
Table Phyleus IV 9-max
Seat #9 is the button
Seat 1: Gillamenace ($9.90 in chips)
Seat 2: shaman77102 ($2 in chips)
Seat 3: lefefeoi ($8.30 in chips)
Seat 4: TuneStricken ($3.65 in chips)
Seat 5: nogamedirty ($11.10 in chips)
Seat 6: crushmastac ($12 in chips)S
eat 8: csx2r ($10.80 in chips)
Seat 9: paytonsghost ($13.55 in chips)
Gillamenace: posts small blind $0.05
shaman77102: posts big blind $0.10
i9nite: sits out
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to crushmastac [Ts Js]
TuneStricken: calls $0.10
nogamedirty: folds
crushmastac: raises $0.30 to $0.40
csx2r: folds
paytonsghost: raises $0.40 to $0.80
I've been at this table for ~20 minutes. Long enough to know that this is the first RR this guy has put in PrF. So I have him on a big pair. I decide I think I can play with him, as my new found aggressiveness works well against players like him.
Gillamenace: folds
shaman77102: folds
TuneStricken: folds
crushmastac: calls $0.40
*** FLOP *** [Qs Ad Qh]
crushmastac: checks
Sexy flop for me. PrF I was thinking KK-JJ, and now I very much doubt QQ, so let's see how this goes...
paytonsghost: bets $0.40
Someone's saying he's scared
crushmastac: raises $1.60 to $2
Ya, that's right, I've got QJ, KQ or Ax in my hand buddy.
paytonsghost said, "laying down kings"
paytonsghost: folds
crushmastac collected $2.55 from pot
crushmastac: shows [Ts Js] (a pair of Queens)
Ya, that was a little mean...

But then I end up in a hand like this... I've been at the table ~30 minutes. Villain has been super-aggressive post flop and has shown down some mediocre hands like Ax, QJ, etc.


PokerStars Game #10946732289: Holdem No Limit ($0.05/$0.10) - 2007/07/15 - 03:14:07 (ET)
Table Bianca III 9-max
Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: embermage1 ($10.45 in chips)
Seat 2: Olaven Spire ($6.55 in chips)
Seat 3: MrBriggs99 ($9.60 in chips)
Seat 4: thugi000 ($4.80 in chips)
Seat 5: bapython ($11.80 in chips)
Seat 6: Edugator_9 ($11.50 in chips)
Seat 7: jbjoe88 ($13.25 in chips)
Seat 8: crushmastac ($9.70 in chips)
Seat 9: mhem67 ($10 in chips)
crushmastac: posts small blind $0.05
mhem67: posts big blind $0.10
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to crushmastac [Ad Qs]
Today's one of those days where I get all my cards OOP
embermage1: raises $0.30 to $0.40
Sweet, I get to play a hand against the maniac.
Olaven Spire: folds
MrBriggs99: folds
thugi000: folds
bapython: folds
Edugator_9: folds
jbjoe88: folds
crushmastac: calls $0.35
mhem67: folds
*** FLOP *** [8s Ts Qh]
Nice. I've got his KQ/QJ/Qx/Ax/Kx all wrapped up.
crushmastac: bets $0.40
embermage1: calls $0.40
Drawing? In hind-sight I guess I should have seen something fishy here. I don't think I've seen him raise and flat call once. But as played, I assumed he was on a draw or a weak queen. So okay I'll up the price on the turn
*** TURN *** [8s Ts Qh] [6c]
crushmastac: bets $0.90
embermage1: raises $1.60 to $2.50
Why would he raise the 6c?? I think this guy's full of it again
crushmastac: raises $2.50 to $5
embermage1: raises $4.65 to $9.65 and is all-in
Oh. Maybe I am beat. Oh well, i figure against his range its not worth folding for 4$.
crushmastac: calls $3.90 and is all-in
*** RIVER *** [8s Ts Qh 6c] [8d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
crushmastac: shows [Ad Qs] (two pair, Queens and Eights)
embermage1: shows [Ks Kc] (two pair, Kings and Eights)
I have a nasty habbit of trying to play maniacs the one time they pick up a real hand. Ugh.
embermage1 collected $18.55 from pot


It's frustrating to end a night down, especially when I was card laden at two of my tables, but every time I had a huge hand, nobody would play. And these tables were going nuts! Chips were flying everywhere! But then I get AA UTG, I make my standard raise, it folds all the way. Ugh. KK two hands later and I'm in the SB, it folds around to the button who limps, I make standard raise, BB/OTB both fold quickly. Ugh. TT in MP on my other table. Same raise, all fold. AK three times between the two tables, twice it folded around, once I blanked the flop but c-bet and took it for a mediocre gain.

Ugh. Oh well. CP tourny and probably some more 180 SNG's tomorrow. Cheers.

Started rough, finished OK

Bankroll: $110, UP 50$
[I know it's really small, I recently cashed out 300$. I find I get carried away when my bankroll gets "large" (for me)]

Had a lot of time to play some MTTs. First few were miserable. Out fairly early in all 3 due to flips failing / 60/40 lead losing, and in one case, me making an absolutely bone-headed call.

I don't have the HH, but it went something like this (I am ashamed)

Dealt KQ in MP. Opened for my standard raise. Folds to SB who calls. Board flops rags. 578 if I remember right, with two diamonds. SB checks and I take a shot at the pot. Turn is a T. SB checks again and I fire hard, trying to represent an overpair. He calls again. River comes a blank. For some reason I can see QdJd in my mind and I'm certain that's what he's playing. He's flat called before on draws. He bets, though... So of course I put him on bluffing a missed flush / straight draw. I don't take terribly long and call (I was sort of pot committed but the blinds were still low and WTF .. haha, this call was for almost all my chips). He flips A7 with no diamonds. Surprised, I laugh at my own stupidity and focus on the other tables I'm playing.

So after 3 busts that cost me 20$-ish, I get to sit down tonight.. I felt like multi-tabling so I fire up 2 4.40$ 180's and 1 10$ 180. Right away I start running really well in the first 4$ and the 10$. #2 stack in the 4$ and #10 stack in the 10$. The 2nd 4$ I bomb out of quite quickly after three big aces blank on the flop and get outplayed from there.

I took a couple hits on the first 4$ tourny taking me down to ~10th in chips. Once I had KQ on a JT6 flop, and I played it aggressively, check-raising a bet frop one of the blinds that had called my PrF raise. He shoved and I snap-called, but the board bricked on my big draw and his 9T was good.

Had another hand where I held QQ in the BB. UTG+1 limped, a couple other players called, and I raised. UTG+1 quickly pushed, I snap called, putting him on 77-TT and he showed me KK. I don't see people play 2nd hand low very often... I didn't get a miracle, but I still had a lot of chips.

In the meantime I go dead in the 10$ tourny, stay alive a few times only to get outplayed in the BB. I held J9 in the BB and the button open raised 3x. He'd been raising a lot of flops and I put him on a mediocre hand and push for 6k, making it ~4000 for him to call. He takes a long time, and finally calls, showing A8. The board rolls 88958. Ouch. GG me, nice call by him. (AGAIN I finish in 27th...haha)

Long story short, I final tabled, and its a final table experience I'd probably rather forget. I arrived with 74K, good for best stack. I had absolutely bowled over my table when we were in the final 14, thanks to some well timed cards / bluffs.

At the FT, the only player close to my stack immediately went hot, knocking off 4 players and accumulating 150K in chips. I've gone dead again and have dwindled to 50K. Every time I try to make a play he comes over the top of me and I fold every time... Embarassing, letting someone roll over you like that... There were 5 of us left, and I still had 40K, the other 3 stacks were all under 20K, so I was essentially holding on for 2nd. I know, terrible. But I just couldn't get the nads to make a move with all the garbage the dealer kept throwing at me. Needless to say, one of the smaller stacks started to run hot too, picking up AA, AQ to double up twice. I make my move with K9 (best hand in the last 30) and get busted up by the AQ referred to above. GG to me, done in third, with an 85$ consolation prize.

I wanted first, I tasted it. I probably should have. I just really don't know what to do when I'm running so dead. There were two spans of 10~ hands where I was 9 high. All my hands were 92, 82, 52, Q3, A4, etc. (The A4 got moved in on post flop and I had no pair no draw, so I let it go)

Just too bad my run at the 2nd last table couldn't carry over. Oh well. Next time. My game seems to improve every time.

It was just a wierd experience for me to be in the top 10 for chips the whole tourny. Normally I run dead early and hang around the middle of the pack until the final 40 when I usually chip up to a competitive level (or go bust) and the cards start coming. Previously, I've gotten too lose when I hold lots of chips midway through a tournament, so I'm glad I held my game together today.

I might go play another before bed .. its the weekend and F, I'm not tired yet.

10$ x 180 players

One of my favorite tournaments to play is the 4.40$ 180 sng that PS offers. I've placed 1st, 3rd twice, and have numerous other FT appearances. It is by far in a way my most profitable tourny. So tonight, armed with a lot of the things I've learned following the Card Player forums, I'm going to take a stab at the 10$ equivalent.

2nd hand of the tourny and we've already got our first all in. Hijack raises 6x (120), SB re-pops for 300, hijack moves in, SB calls. Hijack shows AcQc and Hijack shows K4s. I blink a few times to make sure I'm not seeing things. AQ holds. Maybe I can beat this tourny.

I get AQ and call our K4 player's all in. This time he's got K5 and the board bricks out. Hopefully he learned something tonight, but somehow I doubt it.

Suited connectors are still a little strange to me. I want to learn how to play them. Just lost ~400 chips leading at a T66 flop with 9Ts in my hand and getting min-raised. I think I probably had the best hand, but for some reason I let it go. Oh well. My 99 flops 8 high and I knock out 67 on an OESD to get back up in chips.

KQ clubs. I used to like this hand. It's gotten me in a lot of trouble lately. Board runs 62A3, turn was the 3rd spade and I fake it and take it.

I hold 55 and flop J24. I have position and bet 1/2 the pot. 1 caller. Figure I'm in trouble, but he checks the turn, I check behind. River is a Q and he bets 200. Pot is ~600. I figure I have enough to look him up and he shows me 44. It's time for a big hand here....

JJ and KQ play well. Stack is ~2500, slightly below average. Break time and I'm at 3K even, good for 39th of the remaining 77. Got some work to do in hour two.

Just got moved away from a table I had great reads on and was slowly chipping away at (still waiting on really big cards.) This table has the chip leader and every other stack is about my size. Should be fun.

7 hands and we've yet to see a flop. (The blinds are only 75/150, average M is 10-30). I feel like Im at a FT.

A desperately short stack just limped with AA in the SB. Didn't get any action and showed them when everyone folded. Hilarious.

Since I showed up at this table 14 hands ago I've seen 4 rag queens and no other paint. Can't wait to get cards because the action has really intensified now.

Desperate shorty just found AA again. Called it down. (Won, fortunately for him) I don't get some people.

KQ decides to test my AJ (finally, a hand) and I pick up 2k. Getting more cards now. Chipped up to 6200 which is about average. 33 gets a friendly 545 flop and I steal my way to 7200.

Now I've gone card dead again and my M has dropped to 8. Action is really hot so I'm probably not getting away with many steals. Damn. It's desperate time. I hate it when this happens. At this rate I'll be moving with T5o.

Sometimes it even amazes ME how bad I run. In the BB with KJ. SB has been making some rash plays as he gets shorter. It folds around and he shoves for 2.5k. I'm down to 5500 myself and its a snap call. My KJ has his J7 dominated, but the board runs out 85264. Now things are really desperate.

We're at the 2nd break, but that level was ROUGH. With 4,660, Im slightly over half the average. The board straight was a real killer. Still card dead. People stacking off everywhere. Can't move with T3, 92, etc.. AA finally comes knocking. MP raises PrF and I jam, he thinks and folds much to my dismay. Oh well, I'm alive again. I've been stealing a lot. Only a matter of time till I get caught. Worked my way up to ~8500, slightly below avg.

KQ OTB, MP raises, I call, BB raises to 8k. MP folds and I think, put him on a pair like TT or JJ, and call, knowing this may be the best spot I can find. Sure enough, he's got TT, spikes a T on the flop, and its GG to me. 27th. A little upset, but I doubt I could have done much differently. Aside from the one AA and a couple KQs, I think I got dealt 2 top ten hands out of 174 hands. 4 or 5 11-20 hands. I don't know how to win tournaments without getting around10% playable hands. Without exaggerating, I'd say I held 7 truly playable hands. Thats 4.6%. No good.

See you next time.

Shoot-outs

It may be beginners luck, but I've found that I have great success in shoot out tournaments. I've played 4 shoot outs. Twice. Once 1st, once 3rd. Considering my 1st and 3rd were good for 300$, my ROI at these things is ~900%.

So I'm digging deep tonight and taking a stab at the 2$, triple shoot-out turbo on PStars that gives two tickets to the Sunday Million. I've decided I very badly want to take a crack at the 6000 player field of the Sunday Mill. If anything to see how badly I get run over, being a completely low limit player.

First hand of the tourny AQ pushes pre and gets called by A4 (???). AQ holds.

2nd hand of tournament the player that just doubled up plays aggressively again, this time his KQ top pairs and gets destroyed by AQ. Pots are small since. Take one down on the flop with A9... Three players are LAG, one is loose passive. I'm card dead and have only played the one hand.

Haha. Well that ended fast. Decide to play 67s in the CO. My raise gets called by SB and BB. Flop is 6 high with two hearts. I protect my baby top pair and bet 1.5x the pot. BB calls. Turn comes a 4 (3rd heart) and I've made a 7-high straight. I bet, BB thinks and thinks and shoves, I call (whoops?) and he shows me T2 hearts. GG. Thats officially my swiftest exit.... Jynxed myself? *shrug* More to come.

I wish I could play more

Just played the most exhausting STT I think I've ever played. 5$, 9 players.. Built up a nice chip lead with a good run big A's and PP's that held, took 4 of the first 6 out myself and was sitting in the final three with 8,000 chips against two shorties. I'm figuring this is going to be a piece of cake.

Once it gets to three-handed, I start firing all over the place. These guys were perfectly content to fold to any raise, fold any unfavorable flop, and so on. So while I'm urging the blinds to go up faster (100/200, no ante yet) I get myself into a little pickle.

I've played against some pretty tight players but I've never seen anyone call down AA on a harmless board. I had A8 in the SB and raised, BB called. I lead at a blank flop, BB calls. I lead at an 8 on the turn, having made top pair. Again he calls. The river blanks and I put him all in. He calls and flips A's. I mean come on. Oh well, power to him, I guess it worked on me.

So this play continues for 20-30 minutes, I get caught by KK with AJ in my hand and all of a sudden I'm the short stack. Being the incredibly patient person that I am (laugh), I kept my aggressive play up, doubled up, and immediately found two nice hands to knock out both opponents. 78 makes a straight to beat T4 that allowed me to hit. And a few hands later 55 holds off A3. GG.

I can't stand playing against super-tight players in the final two. I got a little lucky to pull it off tonight, so next time I might ease up a bit while I hold the 9000-2000 chip lead and not insta-call all ins with AJ... Against super-passives anywho.