Please, don't tap the glass

No flooding last night...

2004-08-20T16:45:00.000-07:00

PokerStars.com (AP) The flood waters that have recently been rushing through the tables at PokerStars were no where to be found last night. We spoke to pdxDavid about what he witnessed just after midnight PST. "I really can't say for sure what happened. There were several times late last night where I found myself waist deep just knowing that the river would flood me out and it just didn't. It was incredible! There were at least 5 times I knew everything was on the line. I thought for sure it would all get washed away like a house of cards, but in the end I came out on top. There is no better feeling than that!

Okay enough of that. Last night I played in one Sit n Go. I must say that it was one of the best tables I have ever been at. It was a fairly tight game after the one maniac busted out. Early on he went all-in 3 or 4 times in one orbit and the last time he got called. He showed T8o! WTF!!! He was called by A6s. Wow, great hands!?! Alas the A6 took the pot and things settled down. Funny thing is if I ever tried calling against that hand I know the flop would come 888, turn would be a T and another T on the river just to put me in my place. We are down to 8.

Another guy played every hand for the first 2 orbits. He had only built up to about 1700 in chips, but he sat out the rest of the way. Not all the way. He actually played his last hand with 40 chips left. I don't know what happened, I just wish I would have been directly to his right.

This was a very long $5 SnG. We made it all the way to 300/600 blinds. It was entertaining and quite a battle all the way since I really never had more than 2800 in chips the entire way.

The best part was the other people at the table. I don't usually chat it up much but there were 3 others that were just really nice. Dan T in CA, MacTX22 and I cannot remember the other guys name had something to do with Pharlap or Chairflap, anyway, his avatar was a pic of Bobby Knight. Insane college basketball coach for Texas Tech, formerly of Indiana. Not sure how that guy ever got another coaching job, but that is another topic. Another topic along the lines, but not quite as bad as a parent that lets there kid stay at Neverland Ranch. Whatever?

As I have posted before Poker Stars has not been very kind to me on the river card lately. I know it all averages out in the end, but does the end have to always be at my table? Just kidding, I know that the bad beats happen everywhere, even on TV. I don't think I have ever gone Hellmuth on anyone, although some have deserved it. Last night was another story alltogether. There were at least 5 times late in the game that I was allin and the other guy had outs, sometimes many of them and I always came out ahead. I guess it was the law of averages balancing out. I hope I am still owed some, hehe. Otherwise I am in for another bad run.

We got down to 2 players and he had about 11,000 in chips. As is my custom when I am outchipped by this much I like to type in the chat window... "You are in trouble now!, hehe" We both laughed, and I folded the first hand to put me at around 2200. I doubled up on the next hand when he called my allin after the flop with overcards. None hit and I doubled up. I joked that I only needed 4 more and we would be done. We laughed again. Short story long I got my 4 more and took home first place. It was a great feeling to make the right moves and be rewarded for them. It seems like a good share of the time I make the right moved and promptly get punished for it. It is part of the game and I love it.

Either way it was a great table and one hell of a contest.

pdx

Hello there...

2004-08-18T16:50:00.000-07:00

It has been quite a while since my last post. I have no excuse other than I am a loser. I don't mean to say that I am a bad person, I mean to say that my losing streak continued until I was just beating myself up. Not sure exactly what I was doing wrong. I do remember getting rivered for my entire stack a number of times, but as always I remember taking a beat much better than handing someone a bad beat. So, I won't put the entire blame on the river at River Stars. :)

I was up to about $550 before I made my first withdrawl. Since then I have slowly worked my way down to ~$75. I have been doing a bit better lately and up to $120ish. I have really liked the way I have played as of late. I may have made some laydowns that I don't think I would have made previously. For one reason or the other I have the "you will not bluff me out of a big pot" syndrome. I don't know why, maybe it is the few times I have caught someone bluffing me that makes me believe everyone is bluffing with the allin when the flush card hits on the river. I believe this is a leak that I will have to continue to work on. I am doing better and I look to that as a step in the right direction... Baby steps, right?

Not much else to report. It was my birthday on the 14th. I am 32 years old. Seems like I was turning 21 only a short time ago, guess not.

On Sunday I played the Poker Stars $1 NL tourney. 1329 players and I got 26th for a sweet $5.17 profit. Please do not email me as I have already secured a financial advisor and I am confident we are going to put this new found fortune to good use. My final hand was with T1000/2000 blinds. My stack at around T19000. I am in MP with 66 and it is folded to me. I go all in hoping to pick up the blinds, but find myself called in 2 places. Two of us are allin and they show AKo and ATo. I really didn't want any callers and with 2 I felt I was pretty much screwed. The flop comes and I am still in the lead. The turn is no help to any of us. But, alas there is always the river. The damn river!! It was a King and two of us are sent packing. I was not too upset. It was my best finish at a large multi table tourney in quite a while. Some of that due to the fact that I don't get to play any very many of them due to my work hours.

Anyways, I will try to do a better job of posting.

pdx

Man I hate when this happens...

2004-06-25T23:12:00.000-07:00

Lately it has been time for the variance and cold streaks to catch up to me. Compounded with some bad plays and pure stupidity I am down about $80 since I last posted. Most of it in the past 3 days.

Reading posts by other bloggers lately it seems to be a trend. I cannot hit a draw to save my life. I will admit that I have made some bad calls trying to hit them lately, but even when I am playing correctly and only calling the draws with proper odds, I still cannot hit to save my stack. At least it seems that way. I still have not made the investment in Poker Tracker, so I cannot back this up with actual statistics. I am sure if I was running good I would not remember the last time I didn't hit my draw. As they say, "That is poker". I HATE "they".

On a good note. I did see my favorite band KISS in concert Tuesday. It was a helluva a show as are all KISS shows. If you have not seen them live, and you are any kind of fan. This is a must see show. Ace and Peter are not with them, but you would hardly know it if you didn't know to look for Ace's moonlike face.

Anyways, my shift is over and it is time to go home.

pdx

Weekend update... LIVE!

2004-06-15T22:26:00.000-07:00

There is a live poker tourney in La Center, Washington, 20 miles from where I live every day at noon. I have been there one time and ended 25/35. Not good but it was my first 'live' experience. I did not win one pot. Ended up going out with pocket 9s. Guy called with pocket 7s. 7 came on the flop and I was on the road home.

I went to play Monday. You have to be there around 10AM to get in line and they start signups at 11AM. Only 30 players get in and they also take 5 alternates. Last time I was the 2nd alt. in. The buyin is $20 with no addons or rebuys.

I got there about 10:30 and the line was all the way around the inside of the room. Not good. I have been wanting to see what the limits are at the other card rooms they have there so I went to the New Frontier casino just across the street. They had immediate seating for 4/8. Too big for this little fella. The highest level I have played online is 1/2. I asked and found that the buyin was $30 for the 3/6 game. I bought in for $50. The table was loose. People calling anything down. Playing T2o from any position. I folded for what seemed like an eternity. I finally found AJs and raised pre flop. I hit a J on a Jack high rainbow flop. There were no straight or flush draws so I checked. EP bet I called. Turn is a rag. (CAUTION! Trick play ahead) Check, bet, raise, call. I figure I have my one extra bet so after another rag on the river I bet he calls and shows 3rd pair? I like this game. I pull in a nice pot.

Next hand I get 88. I limp in and hit my set on the flop. There is a flush and straight draw on the board so I bet out. I get called in two places. Turn is innocent. I bet and get one caller. River is nothing. I bet and he calls showing A high. Sweet another good size pot. I tip $3 and appologize for missing her the hand before.

Now for the good laydown of the day:

I get AKo in LP. It is raised in front of me I just call. Flop gives me nothing. EP bets pre flop raiser raises. I start to reach for some chips cause I am 'running good'. Something in my head reminds me that this preflop raiser has not raised before only called. Called with crap but called only. I fold. EP calls all the way down to the river. Preflop shows AA. Good thing I didn't hit on that flop.

Here is the hand I am kicking myself for, and the reason I folded it:

I am dealt A8c in MP. Now online I have really been dropping a lot of bets playing this kind of hand. So, I told myself that I should fold and I did. Another reason that I folded is because the guy to my left had raised every hand since he sat down pre flop and I didn't want to pay $6 to see a flop.

Looking back, these are the reasons that I should have played this hand. 1) Every player at the table limped in. 2) The flop came A high. 3) Flop came with 2 clubs. 4) the turn was the third club that would have given me the nuts. 5) The river was a fourth club making people bet with any club.

I missed out on a huge pot. I was too busy kicking myself to notice exactly how much the final tally was, but suffice to say it was BIG. There were 5 people in till the river. DOH!!!

I stacked up my chips and called it a day when my BB came around.

Overall I think I played very well. At first I was afraid I was going to be run over in this game. I am not sure if live play is different at the 3/6 level or if I just sat down at a unusual table. Either way I doubled my money in 45 minutes and went home happy. Well except for talking to myself about the A8c fold all the way.

Online didn't go as well. Won a $10 SnG. Entered another got KK early. Ended up allin after a Jack high flop. He shows AJo, hits his 3rd Jack on the river and I am out of there.

Short story long is I ended up -$4 online. Up $50 live.

One funny note is that after busting out of the SnG with KK I sat down at a .10/20 NL table. First hand is KK. I end up allin for about $10 on a Jack high flop. Sounds familiar don't it? Turn is a rag and the river is another rag. He shows AJo. WILD!

pdx

Why!?!

2004-06-10T20:48:00.000-07:00

I had a nice little run going since we last spoke.

Teusday:

My best night ever.

I entered and won a $10 SnG. +34
Played .10/.25 NL. Did well. +38
Entered my first $20 SnG 2nd. +32

Total for the night: +$104

This was just one of those nights were everything was going my way. Although, I was never the chip leader at either of the Sit N Goes. I played solid and hit some good cards when I needed them. The best thing is, when I hit those good cards they stood up. It was a great feeling. If you have been with me since the beginning of this blog, and I am sure you haven't. You know that I only recently moved up in SnG buyin level. I had been playing the $5 buyin and have now moved up to playing the $10. After winning the $10 and posting a nice profit at the NL ring I decided to try my luck at a $20 SnG. I know it is only 1, but I found it to play exactly like the $5 and $10 tables. Sweet, same game and more money when you win, place and show. One thing that stands out is that I don't remember any hands that I am kicking myself for. I was able to laydown the hand when the flop didn't hit me and I didn't have a strong draw, or I was just folding away like a good little poker soldier. I guess maybe I was storing up the stupidity for Wednesday. Grrr!!!!

Wednesday:

The night started off great. I got home from work. Turned on the new big screen. Grabbed a beer and the left overs out of the fridge. A $10 SnG was just about to start... I am in.

The game played out like most. A couple guys are playing really tight early (me being one of them) one guy is trying to run the table. Another is getting pissed because the guy trying to run the table over is hitting his cards and building a stack. I don't care I just sit back and drink my beer. Taking it all in.

I take a small pot to get me back near the T1500 starting amount. A couple guys bust out. The runover the table guy is still trying to run the table over but he is not hitting his cards anymore. He is no longer building his stack, and soon after he busts out in 4th. Okay, I am going to admit it, I got lucky and hit a Poker Stars ultimate suckout to take out the 3rd place guy. I was SB and I went allin with K5d called by BB with KJo. I hit a 5 on the turn and he got no help on the river. At this point we were even in chips. The heads up portion lasted about 35 minutes. The chips went back and forth. I was down to T2000 at one point and came back to win it when I hit a good run of cards. I called a bluff when I paired the board and the hand held up for the win.

+ $34

If I didn't know the rest of the night was real I would swear it was written by Stephen King.

The bad thing is I was getting really great second best hands. I hit a set of 10s and someone would call my raises to flush me on the river. I am BB with KK. 6 ppl limp to me I raise to $2. 3 callers. Flop is a J high rainbow. I bet $2. 1 caller. Turn is a spade rag. There are now 2 spades on board. I bet out $4. Call. River is another spade. I know I am beat but call his allin bet. He has J4s. Nice.

It happened again later. I had a set on the flop and bet strong all the way only to get rivered by a diamond flush.

I went on a bit of tilt here and through away the rest of my $30.

Then I went to bed.

The night started out so well and then turned out so wrong. I really have to work on just shutting it down if things are not going well. I was playing like the true fish that I am. Calling when I knew I was beat just to make sure I was not getting bluffed off the best hand. It was terrible. I will do better next time.

Thanks for listening,

pdx

Cannot complain...

2004-06-07T02:27:00.000-07:00

Hello, hope both of you are doing well today.

Today went well for me, but I think every day that my bankroll moves in the positive direction is a good day.

I played 1 hour of NL and profited 12.80 for my trouble. There was a lot of folding from me. I scooped a couple of small pots. The one standout hand was when I was dealt 99 in LP. EP raised to $1 and I was the only one that called. Flop was all low cards. PFR went allin for ~$8!?! I thought for a couple seconds and called. No high cards hit the board and my 9s held up for a nice $18 pot. I forgot to grab the hand history so I am not sure what he had. I can only guess that it was Ax?

I played in one $10 Sng and took 3rd. I doubled up late with T9c when I hit two pair on the flop. I went allin and was called. He had an inside straight draw and low pair. The chip leader was playing very aggressive. He was also taunting these two Oregon Duck fans. Everytime he was going to raise PF he would type in "quack quack". I am from Oregon as well but not a big fan of the Ducks. He ended up busting both of them. They gave him the normal name calling and then they were off. I survived to finish 3rd. Not great. Got caught trying to steal a pot. Then my ATo was called by TT. No help for me and I was out.

I was supposed to play in a live tourney today. $20 buyin, 30 players, 5 alternates. I bought a bigscreen TV that will be delivered today, so I will have to wait till next week. I have only played poker in a B&M one time. It was the same tourney and I was out 25/35. It sure was fun though.

Todays Total: + $18.50

I hate it when I do that...

2004-06-05T16:46:00.000-07:00

Why the hell does an Ace always flop when I have KK? My first hand last night I get KK. I raise it to $2 after 4 limpers. BB calls and the flop comes Ace high. I throw out a feeler bet of $1 and he raises me to $4. Not sure if he hit a set or had the Ace, but I was pretty sure I was beat so I laid it down.

Here is something that most will find odd. I actually like getting crap hands like 74o, T3o etc... Why you ask? I am not tempted to play this garbage. Last night I got some really nice starting hands that just never improved. When I bet out to try and take it I got caught everytime. When I hung around drawing to nut flushes and open ended straights, I just lost money. It was painful. I would rather have 10 crap hands that I fold knowing that I will get solid cards soon then have a run of good starting hands that don't improve. Usually I am able to lay these mediocre hands down, but last night I was tilting after a couple of early hands that went wrong. I should really just shut it down and find something else to do. My problem is I can see that these tables are beatable. Towards the end I was dealt AKh and this new guy that had raised the two previous hands to like $3+ raised it to $3.50. I am thinking this guy is one of those that just sits down with $10 and tries to double it and run so I went allin for just under $10 thinking he would just fold and settle down a bit. Nope, he called it and I paired my King. He mucked. I requested the hand history and found that he had A2o?!?! I guess it made sense because part of his name was "crazy". Maybe he thought he would crack my Kings with his Ace. Seems to happen fairly often, so maybe he wasn't too crazy.

I also played a 10 SnG.

It went the way that most of my SnG's have gone lately. I get short-stacked early when I stay in too long betting with AQ or AJ. Then I hang out and double up somehow. Then I hang out some more and I am in the money. Next I steal a couple blinds and let the big stack take the other guy out cause when some of them hit the money they really start playing a little too loose. Now in second and feeling pretty good. I get allin with ATo and I am called down with JJ. I don't improve and I take my $17 profit and promptly lose most of it at the .10/.25 NL table. Then I slowly make it all back plus a small profit. Then I go to bed.

Totals:
Last night: +$28
Today: -$22

TAP! TAP!

2004-06-04T17:34:00.000-07:00

Read the sign. Please don't tap the glass!

Sorry about the lack of posts,

Been busy doing nothing.

I have been playing a bit lately. Not doing so well at SnG's, but I have been making up for it at the .10/.25 NL tables.

I was playing at the .25/.50 NL tables and I was holding my own there. Logged on to Poker Stars a couple of nights ago and it was just the regular shark fest, so I thought I would take a look at the next lower limit available.

You have to remember that I am not looking to strike it rich. I am just learning and trying to stay profitable at this point. Okay, I guess it wouldn't be so bad if I did strike it rich... I will hold off on the 100/200 tables for now.

So far I am up about $80 in my last 5 sessions at these tables. I don't really play all that long either. One hour at one sitting would be the max. Not that I do not want to put in more time. I just try to play when the wife and kids are gone or sleeping.

Here is a fish story. I am the fish.

I am pretty ashamed of my last $10 SnG. I played a hand so badly that I just wanted to kick myself. I am UTG and I am dealt QQ. We are at the 25/50 level in blinds. Table has been playing pretty tight. My stack is ~T1300. I raise to 150. Folded around and LP and BB call. Flop comes J high rainbow. I bet out 150 LP folds BB raises to 300. I put him on a J with a possible A kicker. I believe I am ahead so I call. Turn is a rag, but puts the spade flush draw as a possibility. Looking back this is where I am thinking I made the big mistake. I should have pushed it allin here since I believed I was ahead. Instead I bet 150 again. BB calls. River is a 7s putting the possible flush on the board. I again bet 150, he raises me allin. I call. He takes it down with the flush holding KJs. I am out in 8th.

He said he thought he was behind most of the way. I wonder if he would have called my allin on the turn. I know I played it wrong. Especially the call on the river. I was pretty sure I was beat. But was still holding on to the thought he had AJ and was betting his TPTK. Live and learn I guess. TAP! TAP!

That was the one SnG that stood out. I played 2 other since I last posted. 4th and 7th. The 4th place I am not too unhappy about, but the 7th I can do without. Got a lot carried away with a good starting hand that never improved.

Good luck at the tables, unless it is my table,
pdx

Not good...

2004-05-28T17:29:00.000-07:00

Last night didn't go so well. It could have, but...

Logged in to Poker Stars around midnight my time. Got a seat at a 10+1 1 SnG.

Played very tight early on like I always try too. First hand I folded KQd UTG. Probably shouldn't have... Would have missed the flop and been out of position for the rest of the hand, so looking back it wasn't a bad decision at all.

Took down a small pot to put me ~T1700, and in to 3rd in chips. Folded some more junk hands.

We are down to 7 and I pick up K3o in the BB and there are 2 limpers. I check it and the flop comes 3KK. When this happens I hear Vince VanPatten's voice in my head, "The Star Spangled Banner is going off in his head", "How is he going to play it". I of course try to slowplay it.

Now back to Vince, "He's dug a hole and put the leaves and branches over it, and he is just waiting for his opponent to fall in".

SB bets out 150. I call. MP folds. Turn is J. I check. SB bets 300. I raise it to 600. He reraises to 900. I call. River is a T. I am thinking that he could have a straight and I believe there was even a 3 flush on the board. I bet out he has me covered and goes allin. I call.

He turns over KT for a rivered Full House. I say nh and close the window.

I don't think I played it too poorly. He could have been on a flush draw. I was ahead most of the way.

I cannot blame him for sticking around either, I know I would find it very hard to fold KT with 2 Kings on the flop.

Total: -$11

Nothing else is filling up so I end up sitting down at a .25/.50 NL. I buyin for my normal $20. (Would not mind some feedback on this buyin. To small? $50 is the limit at this level.)

I wait for the BB. End up folding a couple of hands.

3rd hand I get QQ. I am in MP. 2 limpers to me. I raise to $2. SB, BB, and EP call, MP folds. Flop comes A high. Checked to me so I bet $3. SB calls others fold. Turn is a K. I bet out $2 and he goes over the top enough to put me allin. I think for a bit and fold. I hate that.

These kind of hands have been getting me in trouble lately so I folded. Not sure it was the best play, but I really thought I was beat at this point. Although, it could have been that I showed weekness and he put me to the test. I will never know for sure.

So I am down about $12. I limp a few times, but have to fold when nothing hits and there is a bet or two in front of me, and I am down to around $8. I pick up a couple small pots to put me at $10.

I think by this time I should have just called it a night because this is when I start to overplay pairs and high cards.

Another short story long. I end up giving the rest of my 20 to the same guy that took the first half of it. I don't even remember the hand. I know he called a $5 bet with 3rd pair. I did not improve.

Total: -$31

pdx

Ended last night on the + side

2004-05-26T20:20:00.000-07:00

Since I only have time to play around an hour at the .25/.50 NL ring and 1 or 2 $10+1 SnGs my good days will not sound as good as other bloggers that win or lose $500 - $1000 a day. Of course I want to win as much money as I can... I just don't have enough time without distractions in the day to play more than I do.

That being said, here are last nights results:

I usually get home around midnight here on the west coast (Portland, OR). I get something to eat and log in to Poker Stars. I check to see if any SnGs are close to filling and if not I see if I can find one of the NL tables without the regular sharks sitting at them. You know, the ones playing on 5 tables and usually up on most of them. So far that is my table selection criteria.

So, I log in and the SnG is not close to being filled so I check on the NL ring. Sweet, 1 seat open and none of the usual sharks. I sit down, buying for $20, and fold for the first 3 orbits and I am down to around $17. I get A6s one off the button and limp in with the blinds completing and checking. The flop comes with an A and nothing else. SB checks, BB bets .50 and I raise to $1. SB folds. BB calls. Turn is a 6. BB bets out $5 I rereaise to $10. He puts me allin and I call. River is a 6 and I take down a nice $36 pot.

I requested the hand history to see if I had rivered him. Nope he had A2o. Not even 2 pair, yummy.

Couple more orbits went by and I was just blinding away my winnings. $10+1 was filling up so I took my $15 profit and left.

Total +$15

I folded a couple marginal hands like KTs and Q9s, and wasn't really getting anything better. I was down around T1200 or so, and my PF raises were getting respect as they should have folding away for so long. I took advantage of it to steal a couple blinds here and there. Nothing over aggressive just staying alive.

Later I doubled up when my KK held up against AQo. We got down to 4 and I was short stacked as usual. I really think I play some of my best poker short stacked. I stole a couple blinds moving allin. Oddly enough there was another player there that was being 'coached' while we were playing. The 'coach' kept on telling this guy to "drop the hammer, NOW". It was irritating, but he ended up knocking out the bubble guy, so I was happy.

I went up to 2nd in chips and then quickly back down to last. Just hanging in stealing with decent hands and trying to weather the storm. The chip leader was playing pretty aggressive (as he should). The other guy was getting really irritated with the 'coach' and so was I. I doubled up off the chip leader when he called my allin A9o with A3o. The 'coach' said they would talk about that later, hehe.

It was like a rollercoaster up and down. I doubled up agaisnt the chip leader again. Okay so I drew out on him. He had an Ace I had QJo and I hit the J. The 'coach' told him everything was alright that I drew out on him. Blah, blah, blah.

Chip leader knocked the other guy out when he drew out on him. I don't remember the cards, but they were both allin PF.

We went back and forth with the 'coach' telling him to drop the hammer on me every couple hands. I ended up taking the chip lead from him for a while.

I got AKo and checked it. He called and the flop came K high all hearts. I did not have any hearts, but thought my pair was good. I bet he raised and I called. He had been doing this reraise pretty often on the orders from his 'coach'. I was still feeling pretty good about my top pair. Turn was a rag. I bet he raised and I reraised enough to put him allin. He went in to the think tank. The whole time his 'coach' was telling him to "drop the hammer, NOW!". He folded. Wish I knew what he had.

Short story long, as usual, I ended up out in 2nd. He was raising PF everyhand and I was just not getting any cards. I finally took a stand and busted out.

Overall I was pretty happy with my play. Hung in with the short stack, and gave him a run for the money at the end.

The coach offered his services for a 'small fee'. I said no thanks.

Total +$17

Night total +32

pdx

Getting late here...

2004-05-24T00:29:00.000-07:00

What can I say, I've had better days, and I have had worse. So goes my poker life.

I really need to stop attempting to play when the wife and kids are around, or even awake, or even if the baby might wake up.

I have just recently moved from the $5+.50 to the $10+1 Sit and Goes. It took me a while to make the move. Maybe a bit longer than it should. I would dabble at the higher level here and there, but would scamper back to the lower level like a whipped dog after getting beat. I really need to start reviewing my hand histories, and should probably take the plunge and get Poker Tracker. It really seems like a valuable tool. Especially since I have started playing the .25/.50 NL ring games. Would be nice to have some stats on the other players. My note taking still needs much improvement. Plus, most of my notes were on the laptop, and now that there is no networking with the laptop, that is where they have to stay.

I don't really play a lot. Well, let me take that back. I do play a lot, but not compared to other bloggers. I usually will play around an hour a day at the NL ring, and 1 or 2 SnGs.

Today I played just that, I dropped my $20 buyin at the NL ring. It was really poorly played on my part. There was this one over aggressive guy that would call any raise and raise 5-6xBB with as low as 3rd pair. This was happening over and over again. I saw him showdown and win with more junk than I care to remember. It was just plain sick.

This is the kind of play I don't really like. It is hard for me to put them on a hand, and I either give them my buyin or double up off them. It's good it's bad, that is poker at the low limits.

Here is how this one breaks down. I have 77 in MP. Folded to me so I make it $1.50 and would have been happy to take the blinds. I usually play very tight and I had been there for maybe 3 rounds of blinds at the time. I had raise PF one time and everyone folded. I get 2 callers and the flop is J64 rainbow. Here is where I should have bet to see where I was, but I checked. He bet $2 and I called. Turn was no help. I lead out with $1.50 and he raised my to $5. I reraised for the rest of my stack and he called. He showed QJo and took the pot. I really hate when I do this because I feel really stupid. He showed aggression and I just let him work me over and take my money.

I didn't rebuy so I am down $20.

I entered a $10+1 SnG.

Nothing major happened here. I ended up out on the bubble. Didn't get many playable hands and when I did either I didn't hit the flop with my draws or there were just too many overcards to my low pair.

Out another $11. Total -$31.

The family and I were out most of the day. We saw Shrek 2. If you liked the first one you will most likely enjoy this one as well. Good stuff.

After the wife and kids were tucked in bed for the night I logged on to PS and checked the ring games. Mostly the usual sharks so I didn't dip my feet in that water.

I entered another $10+1.

I took a couple small pots early by hitting a straight in the BB and when my AQs hit a Q on the flop to put me around T1800. Then it was fold, fold, fold followed closely by more folding. Every time I would get a marginal hand there was a raise in front of me to make it look like junk. LUCKILY! I love it when they make the decision easy for me. The chip leader was taking people out left and right. It was great. He was hitting everything. If he needed a King to win it, he hit it on the river. He hit a straight to bust a guys poket Aces. We were down to 4 and the blinds were at 50/100. I was short stacked after being blinded down and not really having many chances to steal blinds. The chip leader was playing very aggressive and was raising most pots. He eventually knocked out the guy that was 2nd in chips. If there is one thing I had learned early in this game it was not to mess with this guy. He would hit what he needed to knock you out. Hell, I think he knocked everyone out.

I was in the money, weee. I love making it to the money. Especially when I have had to scrape buy on the short stack most of the way there. I was at ~T800 and the blinds were 75/150, so I was in the allin or fold with anything good. I stole a couple blinds and made it up around T1000, then that chip leader doubled up the other guy to about T2600, and I thought for sure I was destined for a 3rd place finish. Shortly after I doubled up off the chip leader with A6s when a 6 hit the flop and the river. I was still on the short stack, but was in the hunt again. I got blinded back down to around T800 again.

The guy in second could have folded every hand and taken the 2nd place money. Instead he decided to make a move with A7o. I folded whatever crap hand I had and the chip leader moved in enough to put him allin. He called and the soon after was out in 3rd. Unbelievable! I have done it myself, but have really tried to limit doing something like that lately. I was going to be gone within 3 rounds.

Short story long...

I made it interesting turning my T800 in to T4000 but eventually he picked me off when I got too aggressive with a flopped pair of 8s to his flopped pair of Ks.

+ $17.

Total for the day. -$14

pdx

Beginning continued...

2004-05-22T20:25:00.000-07:00

Let's see, where did I leave off...

Oh yea, I just got a $10 bankroll. If memory serves, and it usually doesn't, I entered a couple $1 multis. I believe I even made the money on one of them. Seems it was about an $0.82 profit. I went on to finally bust out of that first $10, but I kept on hanging out with my new poker friend, and for reasons still unknown to me, when he would win he would transfer me some dough. We talked poker quite a bit and he pointed me to the 2+2 forum.

I entered more micro buyin multis and made some very micro profits. One time when talking to my poker friend he suggested that I try out the head to head NL SnG, and he transfered me $11 to try a couple of the $5.25 buyin tables.

I turned that $11 into $50 before eventually busting out again. I would still play the Midnight my time NL freeroll on most nights. I took 2nd out of a 3800 player field which qualified me to play in the Sunday 2nd rounder for real money. The upcoming Sunday was a game that I was not used to playing so I emailed Poker Stars and asked them if they would move my entry to the following week so I could play limit Holdem. They did, and even though I got to the table about 1/2 hour late I ended up taking 2nd for a $50 win. What an unbelievable feeling that was. My bankroll was sitting at about $65 and I was feeling great about it.

After peaking at about $110 I ended up giving it all back. Looking back it was stupid things like playing well above my level at the $1/2 limit ring games instead of sticking with the NL SnG's and low buyin tourneys. Again I was busted.

This must have been around Christmas time. I asked Santa for a poker book that was recommended by the good people over at the 2+2 forums, and since I had been a good boy I received "Winning Low Limit Holdem" by Lee Jones . I also had read "Theory of Poker" by David Sklansky, but at the time it was a bit advanced. I didn't have enough of the basic strategies down, and the more advanced thinking just was over my head at the time. Maybe I will buy it and read it again. The first time I checked it out from the library.

After my first read of WLLH I really tightened up my game, even a bit more than what is suggested in the book. I found, like most new players, I was playing far too many hands in the wrong position. On a side note, I think I am playing a bit too tight at present.

Whenever I would talk to my poker friend he would ask how the bankroll was doing. I have always been totally honest with him. I really don't want to take advantage of his generosity. He has helped me so much, and I feel kind of guilty for accepting the money that I have. I would love to win a decent size chunk of change so I could pay him back. Maybe someday I will. He shipped me one last $20. I still do a find player whenever I log in to the tables and chat with him for a while. With me going back to work I don't get to talk to him much anymore. I miss that quite a bit. He still asks me how the roll is diong everytime we talk.

The best part... Now when he asks, I can tell him that the roll is solid. I have turned that last $20 he sent me in to over $250. I have always told him that if he ever said the word I would ship him the balance of my account... And I really mean it, if he asked it would be all his. I guess that is how I can sleep at night, hehe.

I guess that is enough about the beginning...

pdx

How did I get started you ask?

2004-05-21T20:34:00.000-07:00

Okay, you didn't ask, but I will tell you anyway.

Like a lot of new poker players I got hooked while watching Moneymaker win it all on ESPN. It was not on the original run, but on one of the millions of repeats that ESPN has blessed/cursed us with. Chris had the Poker Stars hat on so that is where I went. This looked like fun so I thought I would see if they had play money games.

I started playing the play money tables and the freeroll tourneys.

The first time I signed up for a freeroll tourney I was away from the computer when it started. When I got back I was down to about T1200, I was looking at AKs, and being the WSOP viewer that I am I went allin... and LOST! WHAT! AK is not supposed to lose. Later I would learn that AK is still a drawing hand. About the best drawing hand you can have, but a drawing hand it is.

So I kept playing the freerolls and the playmoney tables. In my second freeroll I got 188th place, and could not have been happier. I was unaware of things like suckouts, dominated hands, position play, blind stealing and all the other things that a good player puts to use.

I would watch the higher limit tables. I picked a couple of the Leader Board players to watch, and also started watching the end of real money tournies here and there.

I had never played a real money game of Holdem. Ever. One day I was watching the end of a tourney and when it got down to 3 players they decided to chop it. They were having trouble coming up with the amounts each person would get. Round and round it went... what about this? What about that? No, nah. Jokingly I said, "One of you owes me $10 for sitting through this:)" I guess one of them got a kick out of it and he did indeed send me $10 real money.

WOW! I have a bankroll!

More rambling tomorrow.

pdx

Good news. Bad news.

2004-05-19T21:43:00.000-07:00

The bad news first...

My laptop was sitting on the small table minding its own business like it usually does. It wasn’t bothering anyone. It was just sitting there waiting for me to fire up Poker Stars… Then it happened… Some idiot (read Me) knocked the table over and in very slow motion I see the beautiful laptop that only wants to let me sit on the comfortable couch while I play. It wants to save me from sitting in that damn office chair at the desk. It wants me to be able to stretch out or even lay down. That’s all it wants. So there it is falling backwards off the table (AGAIN!) last time I had to replace that proprietary AC adapter Dell uses. But wait the cord is caught on something… It’s turning… It’s going to land on the side… Uh, uh oh, that is where the wireless adapter is… After I picked it up I put it back on the table, plugged it back in and it started up fine?!? Whew, that was a close one. So, I thought, that was pretty lucky maybe I should log in and see if my good fortune will carry over to the tables.

Remember when I said “that is where the wireless adapter is”. Yep, dead, landed right on it and after I popped the laptop open I discovered it had pretty much crushed the card in to the slot and damaged the slot. Now I have to find out if that is repairable, or if I am stuck at the desk. Probably stuck at the desk.

Enough bad news…

On to the good news…

Some how IGGY found my blog and mentioned it on his site. An honor I hope I can live up to. If I can figure out how to put links on the side yours will be the first.

I will be putting up a real poker post telling about my beginnings soon. Would be great to hear from anyone...

pdx

Cards in the air !

2004-05-15T21:01:00.001-07:00

After reading many of the wonderful blogs that are out there currently, I thought it would be fun and educational to create my own. There are several that I read on a regular basis including PokerOdyssey, GuinessandPoker, CardSpeak and PokerWorks among others. There are many others (lots of free time at work), but those are the ones I read each day.

I do hope to make this a regularly updated blog, but it will depend on how much I think I am getting out of it. The main reason for doing this was from a post I read on PokerOdyssey... He said that writing about playing has helped his play a great deal. Now that sounds pretty great. My play can use some help.

Now on to my play. There is plenty to work on, but the top two things right now are table selection and opponent reading. Time and time again I read about the importance of table selection and getting good reads on people. I can usually pick out the maniac at the table or the ultra tight person, but there is so much more that I know I am not picking up.

Well I better get back to work (watching the game).

pdx

Test post

2004-05-15T21:01:00.000-07:00

Testing the posting by email feature.