Friday, March 30, 2007
Your Wife is Your Best Friend Except at Poker
Well last night was Thursday Night Poker at the Hart's. Our first game we had 12 players and little Billy picked me for the Bounty for the 3th time in a row. I made the final table but I would end up losing to my wife. First off she takes most of my chips when it's folded around to me and I have Jack Queen suited I raise and she goes all in with ace 7. The ace holds up. Next hand I have ace 7 and it's folded to me again so I raise again and she goes all in which puts me all in now. She has Jack Queen, she hits the Queen and and I'm out.
The next game I make it to the final table and she takes me out again. This time it's folded to me and I raise with King Queen and she goes all in, we both have the same amount of chips. She has pocket jacks and ends up with a straight. Just not me night, at least not against my wife.
As for online play I've had a good week at the cash games but in tourney's I haven't any wins and only a couple of money finishes, so I'm about even for the week online. It's going to rain all weekend so I should get some good online play in this weekend, let's hope.
The next game I make it to the final table and she takes me out again. This time it's folded to me and I raise with King Queen and she goes all in, we both have the same amount of chips. She has pocket jacks and ends up with a straight. Just not me night, at least not against my wife.
As for online play I've had a good week at the cash games but in tourney's I haven't any wins and only a couple of money finishes, so I'm about even for the week online. It's going to rain all weekend so I should get some good online play in this weekend, let's hope.
Friday, March 23, 2007
Finally Got off the Losing Sessions at Home
Well last night was Poker Night at the Hart's. I had been wanting to play in my home game for a week since my last bad performance. The first game I was one of the first people out however I knew I was on my game, just ran into bigger hands and was able to get away from them. When I did have to move all-in it was with Ace Queen in the big blind. After my wife called and was all-in the button was getting the right money to call with 8 9 and hit his 9's on the flop but he had to dance around both low and high straights to take us both out and he did. Scott has been running hot lately and he ended up winning the game.
The second game I had the Bounty on me for the third time in a row. Maybe three times a charm, at least that's what they say. At my table I was on fire taking down pot after pot. When we made the final table I was looking good but Scott and Markin were looking better. Between the 2 of them they had knocked out 3 players at their table when we combined tables to make the final 8. Our whole table of 5 players joined their remaining 3. Everyone was pretty much after Scott, he should have had the Bounty on his head. Markin was gathering chips and I was running cold on cards so I just sat back and waited for the game to come back to me. Soon Scott was out and now we all attacked Markin. Markin is a great Omaha cash player, makes a lot of money at that game, but he seems pretty loose aggressive at poker and a lot of guys at my game are tight players. I'm tight aggressive myself, but very aggressive when I'm in the pot so players back down with marginal hands against me, which works in my favor. We end up grabbing chips off of Markin, Joel, Wayne, Heshima, and myself all take turns grabbing chips from him. In the end he busts out in fourth with no money to show for his big stack early on, and I mean it was huge, he had us out gunned big time. Wayne ended up in 3rd when I knocked him out, he was just too short stacked with the blinds at $200/$400 and he only had another $75 on top of his big blind.
So Heshima and myself were heads up. Heshima and myself have been in more heads up matches than anyone else in our home game. Heshima's game has really improved back in December and him and I had some good battles back in December and Early January. However, niether of us had been doing that well this year so it was nice to see him heads up. Hopefully this will continue some more this spring and summer. Heshima had the chip lead but that changed, and we went back and fourth changing chip leads a couple of times, neither of us giving way. I finally had him all in and I had a good chip lead but he river'd the flush on me. I still can't believe he called my raise with Jack two offsuit, but now I know for next time he is calling any raise with a face card and will raise with any face. Paid a little more attention than our last heads up matches, really because I usually won or they were over quickly. This was a battle of going back and fourth. Heshima did win the game in the end. But I was very happy with my performance, I made a couple of grat lay downs pre-flop which got me in the spot to win. And if Heshima didn't get lucky with the flush I would have won the game, that's poker. But I'm back to my old self now and can't wait until next week.
The second game I had the Bounty on me for the third time in a row. Maybe three times a charm, at least that's what they say. At my table I was on fire taking down pot after pot. When we made the final table I was looking good but Scott and Markin were looking better. Between the 2 of them they had knocked out 3 players at their table when we combined tables to make the final 8. Our whole table of 5 players joined their remaining 3. Everyone was pretty much after Scott, he should have had the Bounty on his head. Markin was gathering chips and I was running cold on cards so I just sat back and waited for the game to come back to me. Soon Scott was out and now we all attacked Markin. Markin is a great Omaha cash player, makes a lot of money at that game, but he seems pretty loose aggressive at poker and a lot of guys at my game are tight players. I'm tight aggressive myself, but very aggressive when I'm in the pot so players back down with marginal hands against me, which works in my favor. We end up grabbing chips off of Markin, Joel, Wayne, Heshima, and myself all take turns grabbing chips from him. In the end he busts out in fourth with no money to show for his big stack early on, and I mean it was huge, he had us out gunned big time. Wayne ended up in 3rd when I knocked him out, he was just too short stacked with the blinds at $200/$400 and he only had another $75 on top of his big blind.
So Heshima and myself were heads up. Heshima and myself have been in more heads up matches than anyone else in our home game. Heshima's game has really improved back in December and him and I had some good battles back in December and Early January. However, niether of us had been doing that well this year so it was nice to see him heads up. Hopefully this will continue some more this spring and summer. Heshima had the chip lead but that changed, and we went back and fourth changing chip leads a couple of times, neither of us giving way. I finally had him all in and I had a good chip lead but he river'd the flush on me. I still can't believe he called my raise with Jack two offsuit, but now I know for next time he is calling any raise with a face card and will raise with any face. Paid a little more attention than our last heads up matches, really because I usually won or they were over quickly. This was a battle of going back and fourth. Heshima did win the game in the end. But I was very happy with my performance, I made a couple of grat lay downs pre-flop which got me in the spot to win. And if Heshima didn't get lucky with the flush I would have won the game, that's poker. But I'm back to my old self now and can't wait until next week.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
My Home Game is Killing Me
Thursday night was probably my worst performance in my young poker career. I was felted both games. I hate being felted. The first game I played a little too tight, made the final table but took 5th when I should have probably made 3rd. The second game was worse I was out in 9th place I played way too loosy goosy, not my style and it wasn't loose aggressive, it was here take my chips loose. I sat there in disgust with myself the rest of the night and didn't sleep well.
I have been playing well online though. Even this morning before work I played some no-limit cash and made some money. My bankroll is up online and I have made more than I've lost in my home game. For my Tournament of Champions and Player of the Year Board I'm 6th. Last year I was in first and second all year for the Player of the Year. Next week I'm going to win my home game and get back to being on top of the leader board.
I have been playing well online though. Even this morning before work I played some no-limit cash and made some money. My bankroll is up online and I have made more than I've lost in my home game. For my Tournament of Champions and Player of the Year Board I'm 6th. Last year I was in first and second all year for the Player of the Year. Next week I'm going to win my home game and get back to being on top of the leader board.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Slid into 3rd being Patient
Well last night on my quest to turn $50 into $10k I decided to play a $4.40 180 player tournament on Pokerstars last night. I had built my Pokerstars account up to $63 playing $.01/.02 no-limit cash so I thought I could risk it and play a tournament. This tournament only pays the final 2 tables so I knew it would be tough getting down to the final 18 players. I figure I would at least need $15k in chips to make it there.
The tournament started off bad for me early when I got pocket kings, I raised pre-flop and the big blind called, I bet every stage and he called all the way down and he hits his straight on the river. He called 3 times the big blind raise with a six and a three in his hand and held on to the river to hit his one card. So I'm down to my last $300 or so in chips, I'm mad but I cool down quick and wait patient for a hand I can go all-in on now. I hit it and double up. Now I think if I can do it again I'll be back to normal and I do it. Now I'm not doing this with crazy hands but solid play, that's my game.
We get down to about the last 30 or so players and I'm still in it the problem is I really haven't increased my chips I've been surviving staying at about $1,500 chips this whole time. I won some small pots to stay in but no big pots at all. I really haven't had any cards to push. I'm thinking I need to start getting some cards or I'm not making the 18. Well sure enough as time goes by I start winning some bigger hands and now I'm in the top 10 in chips and I never even had to risk the all-in move. So now we are down to the wire but I'm confident I will make the final 2 tables and be in the money. After a long and slow process we get down to the final 18, however I've slipped out of the top 10 and really in the bottom of the pool. And now the problem is 11 through 18 pay the same. Can I slip into the final table where the real money is?
I play the short stack and win some hands, hang around and now we are down to the final 12 players. Now playing 6 player no-limit poker for the last month comes into play and helps me out and I make the FINAL TABLE! Yes, I'm the short stack at the table but I make it, I'm happy. I'll find my hand and go with it. The chip leader is to my right 1 seat away, he now has 3 times the amount of chips anyone has at the table. Earlier when we were at a table he had more than double so it was looking good for him. Before I know it 2 guys are all-in and mr. chip leader calls them. One guy has Ace King, the other pocket Kings, and the chip leader pocket Queens. I'm thinking I'll at least move up another spot. but the leader hits trip Queens, they are both out and now I'm up to 7th.
I actually take down a couple of pots and I've put myself 5th in chips. The chip leader has more chips than all of us combined and players start thinking they are playing for second place, which I think is wrong because no one player even has enough chips to challenge for second. The chip leader takes out another player and then another. I'm in the top 5, man if I could do cartwheels I would have. Now the chip leader did get lucky a couple of times by hitting the river card, some loose play on his part. I decide to take advantage of this and start hitting some hands and I start taking down some pots. And before I now it I'm in the final three with a good shot to take second place.
The three of us go back and fourth for a while and the blinds even get up to $1,000/$2,000. The key hand that changes the game is when the big stack battles the other guy when the flop hits jack jack two. They go all the way to the river betting back and fourth and on the river the other guy is all-in, I hope mr. big stack has the jack, but no it's the other guy. Mr. big stack called bets all the way to the river with pocket 8's, he didn't believe he had a jack, and expensive not believe. Now the other guy had a little under $100k. We play some more but now I'm really out gunned playing against 2 big stacks. I do end up taking 3rd place but I'm very happy because I could have really been out at 18 or at 9 when I did make the final table, but patience really paid off this game. I took down $85, not bad for a $4 dollar investment. I've almost trippled my bankroll on Pokerstars, not a bad night.
The tournament started off bad for me early when I got pocket kings, I raised pre-flop and the big blind called, I bet every stage and he called all the way down and he hits his straight on the river. He called 3 times the big blind raise with a six and a three in his hand and held on to the river to hit his one card. So I'm down to my last $300 or so in chips, I'm mad but I cool down quick and wait patient for a hand I can go all-in on now. I hit it and double up. Now I think if I can do it again I'll be back to normal and I do it. Now I'm not doing this with crazy hands but solid play, that's my game.
We get down to about the last 30 or so players and I'm still in it the problem is I really haven't increased my chips I've been surviving staying at about $1,500 chips this whole time. I won some small pots to stay in but no big pots at all. I really haven't had any cards to push. I'm thinking I need to start getting some cards or I'm not making the 18. Well sure enough as time goes by I start winning some bigger hands and now I'm in the top 10 in chips and I never even had to risk the all-in move. So now we are down to the wire but I'm confident I will make the final 2 tables and be in the money. After a long and slow process we get down to the final 18, however I've slipped out of the top 10 and really in the bottom of the pool. And now the problem is 11 through 18 pay the same. Can I slip into the final table where the real money is?
I play the short stack and win some hands, hang around and now we are down to the final 12 players. Now playing 6 player no-limit poker for the last month comes into play and helps me out and I make the FINAL TABLE! Yes, I'm the short stack at the table but I make it, I'm happy. I'll find my hand and go with it. The chip leader is to my right 1 seat away, he now has 3 times the amount of chips anyone has at the table. Earlier when we were at a table he had more than double so it was looking good for him. Before I know it 2 guys are all-in and mr. chip leader calls them. One guy has Ace King, the other pocket Kings, and the chip leader pocket Queens. I'm thinking I'll at least move up another spot. but the leader hits trip Queens, they are both out and now I'm up to 7th.
I actually take down a couple of pots and I've put myself 5th in chips. The chip leader has more chips than all of us combined and players start thinking they are playing for second place, which I think is wrong because no one player even has enough chips to challenge for second. The chip leader takes out another player and then another. I'm in the top 5, man if I could do cartwheels I would have. Now the chip leader did get lucky a couple of times by hitting the river card, some loose play on his part. I decide to take advantage of this and start hitting some hands and I start taking down some pots. And before I now it I'm in the final three with a good shot to take second place.
The three of us go back and fourth for a while and the blinds even get up to $1,000/$2,000. The key hand that changes the game is when the big stack battles the other guy when the flop hits jack jack two. They go all the way to the river betting back and fourth and on the river the other guy is all-in, I hope mr. big stack has the jack, but no it's the other guy. Mr. big stack called bets all the way to the river with pocket 8's, he didn't believe he had a jack, and expensive not believe. Now the other guy had a little under $100k. We play some more but now I'm really out gunned playing against 2 big stacks. I do end up taking 3rd place but I'm very happy because I could have really been out at 18 or at 9 when I did make the final table, but patience really paid off this game. I took down $85, not bad for a $4 dollar investment. I've almost trippled my bankroll on Pokerstars, not a bad night.
The $10k Challenge
10k Challenge
Well I just went back to Pokerstars with $50. At the same time a guy on Cardplayer posted a challenge starting with $50 to make it to $10k. So I have taken him up on the challenge as others have as well. Of course I don't put the time he does but I'm going to use some of his methods and see how I do.
I'm going to try to do it on 5 sites: Ultimatebet(My Favorite Site), Fulltilt(I just went back to them since they support U.S. Players and I joined the PPA because of them. If you don't belong I suggest you join, it's the only way we will be heard.), PokerStars(Where I took up the Challenge), Bodog(Not my favorite site but I have money there too), & Absolute(Not a favorite but they give me money to play there plus I do like their sit-n-go's). So can I do it? Turn $50 into $10k on each site.
See I like variety so I can't just play on one site. Plus if I have a bad run on a site I can take a breack from it and play on another.
Well I just went back to Pokerstars with $50. At the same time a guy on Cardplayer posted a challenge starting with $50 to make it to $10k. So I have taken him up on the challenge as others have as well. Of course I don't put the time he does but I'm going to use some of his methods and see how I do.
I'm going to try to do it on 5 sites: Ultimatebet(My Favorite Site), Fulltilt(I just went back to them since they support U.S. Players and I joined the PPA because of them. If you don't belong I suggest you join, it's the only way we will be heard.), PokerStars(Where I took up the Challenge), Bodog(Not my favorite site but I have money there too), & Absolute(Not a favorite but they give me money to play there plus I do like their sit-n-go's). So can I do it? Turn $50 into $10k on each site.
See I like variety so I can't just play on one site. Plus if I have a bad run on a site I can take a breack from it and play on another.
I'm Back
Afer a long absence from here, I've been blogging on myspace plus I've had a busy winter I've decided to start here agains. Especially because I'm going to try and turn $50 on PokerStars into $10K.
