Saturday afternoon at 5:00 features an $85 Bounty Tournament at Cherokee Casino. I had never played in it before but, the family being out of town, I drove over to give it a whirl. The bounty was $25 a head, so I figured I could at least lessen the cost of my admission by killing a player or two. We began with 4000 in chips and 25/25 blinds on 20 minute levels. There were 35 players on 4 tables.
My first hour was SLOW. I won a couple hands and scored some good chips and then continuation bluffed to the river on an AK that didn't hit. I got called down with a pair of 10s. Ooops. At the break, I was pretty short stacked already and the blinds were going to 150/300 with a 25 ante. I needed to double up and soon. That's when I met Tim.
Tim is a very nice guy from Rogers, obviously plays a lot and is a very solid player. He moved from another table to the seat beside me. It's become a running joke. Every tournament I play in at Cherokee I wind up in either seat 1 or 10. I was in seat 1. He took seat 2. We chatted and he told me about all of the comps he was getting at the casino. He told me that, while he doesn't play all that often, when he does play he will usually swing $8000-$10,000 through an evening, mostly at the roulette wheel. Wow. My bankroll doesn't look anything like that. $85 buy-in was big for me.
When he came over, I was down to about 1200 chips. Not good at all. He started telling me to be patient. I knew he was right. And I was patient. I looked down on a pair of queens under the gun and raised all-in. He said "Guess you found your spot" and folded. I got two callers. Boom...I tripled up. Not 5 hands later, I tripled again. Suddenly, I was at 11,000 chips and back in the game.
About that time, we went to one table. They passed out seat cards in random order. I got...yeah...seat 1. Tim moved over to about seat 6 and the guy with enough chips to build a house moved in to my left. Great.
We went down to 8, then down to 7. Note, I haven't mentioned anything about any bounties for me yet. I hadn't had any. I was in the top 7 of 35, and I hadn't knocked anyone out yet. Like I said before I drove over to the casino, "Well, bounty doesn't really fit my style of play (tight-aggressive small ball), but it'll be fun." It was fun.
I was on the button with blinds of 400/800 and 100 ante. There was some serious dead money in the pot now (1900 to start). Things limped around to me, with 3 or 4 limpers. I looked down at pocket aces (!), I raised to 2400 to go. Everybody folded to Tim. He raised all in for about 15,000 (he had me covered). I insta-called him, beating him to the pot with my chips. Heads up, aces against... As soon as I called, Tim said "Aw SHIT! I was sure you were making a button move!" I tabled my aces, and he tossed over his Q2 suited. Q2 suited? Really?
I stood up, thinking "A double up puts me very close to the chip lead" since the guy to my left, who had the lead, had bled off some chips since we went to one table. Tim said "No, no, I'm good. Two live cards. I just need at least 2 cards, maybe three, to pull this out." We all laughed. Flop came...10, 4, Q. Damn. Too close for me so far. Turn...a fucking 2. I said, very loudly (and I'm not a loud person) "You have GOT to be... (withholding the "F" word) kidding me!!!" The river was no help and there I was, busted to a Q2. Aces are just no good.
Tim took the chip lead and went on to win the tournament. He bought me a conciliatory drink. Like I said, he is a super nice guy. If I wasn't going to win the tournament, I'm glad he did.
As I was about to leave (seeing no cash games that looked lucrative), a new table opened up. It looked like it might have some promise. So I sat down with $100 bucks. How I got there is another story, but I left a couple hours later having won back my $85 entry fees plus a little. I left for the drive home happy. I survived to fight another day.
Rock on!
Showing posts with label texas hold'em. Show all posts
Showing posts with label texas hold'em. Show all posts
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Bitter Sweet
Tuesday night, I played in my usual Tuesday night home game. It was a small game this week, and pretty unremarkable. A guy we call "Snake Eyes", one of the better tournament players in the bunch, was leaving as I arrived (I was late). He had busted out twice and had had enough. There are a couple of good players in this bunch, and a couple of donks that like to dump off money chasing hands they catch way too often (lucky donks.) The lucky donks got me for $20. Oh well.
Wednesday night I went to Cherokee Casino for the Wednesday Freezeout tournament. The same one I wrote about last week. I don't usually get very deep in this tournament, not because I don't play well, but because I just don't seem to get good cards or have any luck at this casino. I think maybe the curse has been broken. Last week I got bounced from the tourney only to do well in a cash game. This week I got my first cash in the tourney.
At my first table, I sat across from Chuck. Chuck is a shark. Chuck is a very good player who is dangerous all the time. Before the cards were in the air, I told myself "No tangling with Chuck." I didn't mind getting heads up or in a big pot with any of the others at the table, although some of them were regulars, but I was staying away from Chuck.
I usually an card dead at this tournament for the first couple of rounds, which is fine. I play a very tight game in the early goings and loosen up a little as the blinds get up, turning it up a little more when there are antes (dead money) in the pot. First hand, I looked down at AJ suited. I hate playing the first hand. But what could I do. I was in the cut off seat, and raised to 5 times the big blind (which seems to be about what it takes to chase off the mediocre hands with the better players, and keep the fish in). I got a couple of calls. The board was ugly, ugly, ugly. Straight draw, flush draw (not my suit, spades) and a king and queen. I folded at the river to a big bet. Damn, down 450 chips right away.
Action was pretty good for most of the first 3 levels and I chipped up to about 8000 (we start at 4000) by the first break. The last hand before the break, I looked down at pocket 10s. I was in the big blind and raised to 5 times the blind. Chuck called. One other guy called. Everybody else folded. The flop came A-Q-A. Not a great flop for me. I led out with a half pot bet. Chuck called and the other guy folded. Shit...heads up with Chuck...just what I wanted to avoid. The turn was a rag and I bet again, about a third of the pot. "Call" said Chuck. The river was another rag. I didn't put Chuck on an Ace, and I really didn't think he was playing a Queen. Other than that, I was having trouble reading him (he's tough.) I checked the river, not sure why, maybe because I thought I was pissing away chips to a better hand. Chuck bet 2000, overbetting the pot by about 1000. Damn. I went into the tank. I picked up my cards, looked at them, started to much them. Put them down. Looked at my stack, although I knew about what I had. Counted out the necessary 2000. Put them down. Picked up my cards. I was lost for an answer. Everybody else had gone on break, and it was just Chuck and me. I finally said "Oh hell. I call." Chuck said "good call" and mucked. The dealer made me show him the winner (not sure why). Chuck was a little taken aback. I said "I hope that's the worst call I make all night." Chuck's response was "it was a pretty nutzy call...but it worked." At the break, Chuck walked up, patted me on the shoulder and asked, "Ok, so you made that call after nearly mucking your cards twice. What made the decision for you? What was the difference between calling and folding?" I said "I had seen you, at least twice, bet the river and muck when you got called. They were smaller pots, but that stuck in my mind." I was just wondering if there was a tell, something I did that gave me away?" "No, other than your previous play, you were pretty stone faced and solid." So, a good player asked me for some advice to better his game. Nice. I probably shouldn't have helped him, because that will inevitably come back to bite me, but it was an interesting experience.
Of the 10 people at the final table, I had played and knew from other places 4 of them. One of them had ridden up there with me, one had worked with me at the liquor store at which I work some, Snake Eyes was there, and there was me. Not a bad showing from the people I play home games with. I finished 8th, in the money. Snake eyes came in 6th, Boz and Brook were part of the final four chop and each got paid off well.
I left the tourney final table and, with Boz still playing, went to the cash table for "just a couple hands." This was about 10:45. At 1:00, they were going to move me another table and I just decided to call it quits. I had started with $100 and was up to $275. Not a bad night at all.
Best of luck!
Wednesday night I went to Cherokee Casino for the Wednesday Freezeout tournament. The same one I wrote about last week. I don't usually get very deep in this tournament, not because I don't play well, but because I just don't seem to get good cards or have any luck at this casino. I think maybe the curse has been broken. Last week I got bounced from the tourney only to do well in a cash game. This week I got my first cash in the tourney.
At my first table, I sat across from Chuck. Chuck is a shark. Chuck is a very good player who is dangerous all the time. Before the cards were in the air, I told myself "No tangling with Chuck." I didn't mind getting heads up or in a big pot with any of the others at the table, although some of them were regulars, but I was staying away from Chuck.
I usually an card dead at this tournament for the first couple of rounds, which is fine. I play a very tight game in the early goings and loosen up a little as the blinds get up, turning it up a little more when there are antes (dead money) in the pot. First hand, I looked down at AJ suited. I hate playing the first hand. But what could I do. I was in the cut off seat, and raised to 5 times the big blind (which seems to be about what it takes to chase off the mediocre hands with the better players, and keep the fish in). I got a couple of calls. The board was ugly, ugly, ugly. Straight draw, flush draw (not my suit, spades) and a king and queen. I folded at the river to a big bet. Damn, down 450 chips right away.
Action was pretty good for most of the first 3 levels and I chipped up to about 8000 (we start at 4000) by the first break. The last hand before the break, I looked down at pocket 10s. I was in the big blind and raised to 5 times the blind. Chuck called. One other guy called. Everybody else folded. The flop came A-Q-A. Not a great flop for me. I led out with a half pot bet. Chuck called and the other guy folded. Shit...heads up with Chuck...just what I wanted to avoid. The turn was a rag and I bet again, about a third of the pot. "Call" said Chuck. The river was another rag. I didn't put Chuck on an Ace, and I really didn't think he was playing a Queen. Other than that, I was having trouble reading him (he's tough.) I checked the river, not sure why, maybe because I thought I was pissing away chips to a better hand. Chuck bet 2000, overbetting the pot by about 1000. Damn. I went into the tank. I picked up my cards, looked at them, started to much them. Put them down. Looked at my stack, although I knew about what I had. Counted out the necessary 2000. Put them down. Picked up my cards. I was lost for an answer. Everybody else had gone on break, and it was just Chuck and me. I finally said "Oh hell. I call." Chuck said "good call" and mucked. The dealer made me show him the winner (not sure why). Chuck was a little taken aback. I said "I hope that's the worst call I make all night." Chuck's response was "it was a pretty nutzy call...but it worked." At the break, Chuck walked up, patted me on the shoulder and asked, "Ok, so you made that call after nearly mucking your cards twice. What made the decision for you? What was the difference between calling and folding?" I said "I had seen you, at least twice, bet the river and muck when you got called. They were smaller pots, but that stuck in my mind." I was just wondering if there was a tell, something I did that gave me away?" "No, other than your previous play, you were pretty stone faced and solid." So, a good player asked me for some advice to better his game. Nice. I probably shouldn't have helped him, because that will inevitably come back to bite me, but it was an interesting experience.
Of the 10 people at the final table, I had played and knew from other places 4 of them. One of them had ridden up there with me, one had worked with me at the liquor store at which I work some, Snake Eyes was there, and there was me. Not a bad showing from the people I play home games with. I finished 8th, in the money. Snake eyes came in 6th, Boz and Brook were part of the final four chop and each got paid off well.
I left the tourney final table and, with Boz still playing, went to the cash table for "just a couple hands." This was about 10:45. At 1:00, they were going to move me another table and I just decided to call it quits. I had started with $100 and was up to $275. Not a bad night at all.
Best of luck!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
A day without poker is like a day...
without poker. Or, like a day canoeing in the beautiful Buffalo River canyons of Arkansas. Yeah, this will be a short post, and one not about poker, necessarily. But I did have a chance to do some reflecting about poker while enjoying nature.
It's summer in Arkansas. That means 95+ degree heat and 75% humidity. In short, it's hot and miserable. So, the family and I took a day to go canoeing. It was close to 100 degrees, but being on the water helps a lot.
Thursday, I had one of those moments when I said "Fuck it, I'm done with poker, I hate this game..." TILT TILT TILT!!! I had missed every flop, come in second several times in a row, and had donked off quite a bit of my bankroll during the day and evening online, and I was pissed. Not all of it was bad luck. Some of it was me chasing those dollars I had lost. K7 off suit in position...I'll play it. UGH!
Friday we canoed. During the day, as we paddled along a beautiful river (if you've never floated the Buffalo, do it. It's gorgeous and a very inexpensive was to spend a day), I realized that I didn't hate the game. What I hated was losing. Losing at anything. I'm not a good loser, and, like everyone, you don't like what you aren't good at. Nobody likes to lose at poker or anything. But some people are better at it than others. Some people are just better losers than others.
Anyway...As we canoed, I got a new perspective on poker and life. Sometimes, you're just going to lose. Those that can take the loss, turn it into a learning lesson and not lose for the same reason again are ultimately likely to be winners. The ones that lose and blame something or someone else...they'll just be losers.
Best of luck.
It's summer in Arkansas. That means 95+ degree heat and 75% humidity. In short, it's hot and miserable. So, the family and I took a day to go canoeing. It was close to 100 degrees, but being on the water helps a lot.
Thursday, I had one of those moments when I said "Fuck it, I'm done with poker, I hate this game..." TILT TILT TILT!!! I had missed every flop, come in second several times in a row, and had donked off quite a bit of my bankroll during the day and evening online, and I was pissed. Not all of it was bad luck. Some of it was me chasing those dollars I had lost. K7 off suit in position...I'll play it. UGH!
Friday we canoed. During the day, as we paddled along a beautiful river (if you've never floated the Buffalo, do it. It's gorgeous and a very inexpensive was to spend a day), I realized that I didn't hate the game. What I hated was losing. Losing at anything. I'm not a good loser, and, like everyone, you don't like what you aren't good at. Nobody likes to lose at poker or anything. But some people are better at it than others. Some people are just better losers than others.
Anyway...As we canoed, I got a new perspective on poker and life. Sometimes, you're just going to lose. Those that can take the loss, turn it into a learning lesson and not lose for the same reason again are ultimately likely to be winners. The ones that lose and blame something or someone else...they'll just be losers.
Best of luck.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Card Dead
That big dry spell. You know, we've all had them. Those times in your poker life when you just don't seem to catch a starting hand for hundreds and hundreds of hands. I'm in one right now. I play mostly small stakes poker on Full Tilt. I'm a SNG player with some cash games mixed in when I don't have time for a SNG. About two weeks ago, I had about 4 times as much money in my bankroll as I do now. I'm employing good (Chris Ferguson) bankroll management rules. I'm not playing any single table SNGs bigger then 5% of my 'roll. I'm not playing any MTT SNGs bigger than 2% of my 'roll. No cash buy-ins bigger then 5%. And still, over two week's time, my bankroll has shrivelled up and died.
I'm used to the ups and downs of poker. You win for a while and catch mad cards, and then you feel like you never win for a while. It's a very bi-polar kind of deal (I, by the way, am Bipolar. Look it up sometime.) But the kind of dry spell I'm talking about doesn't happen very often (thankfully) but lasts seemingly for ever. If you've gotten stuck in one of these card dead deserts, drop a comment and let me know that I'm not alone.
For anyone still learning the game of Texas Hold'em (and if you play hold'em, you are always still learning it), check out Full Tilt's "Academy. It's full of great lessons and challenges that you fulfill while playing at live Full Tilt tables.
I'm used to the ups and downs of poker. You win for a while and catch mad cards, and then you feel like you never win for a while. It's a very bi-polar kind of deal (I, by the way, am Bipolar. Look it up sometime.) But the kind of dry spell I'm talking about doesn't happen very often (thankfully) but lasts seemingly for ever. If you've gotten stuck in one of these card dead deserts, drop a comment and let me know that I'm not alone.
For anyone still learning the game of Texas Hold'em (and if you play hold'em, you are always still learning it), check out Full Tilt's "Academy. It's full of great lessons and challenges that you fulfill while playing at live Full Tilt tables.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Poker from the Beginning
I've been playing poker, in some form, since I was about 13. Clearly I remember getting together with the same bunch of guys (we could never get girls to come) and playing for very small stakes. We had all kinds of crazy games that we played for money (at that time, it was daddy's money, so who cared?) There was Gut, Three Legged Memphis, Seven Card Stud, Five Card Double Draw, Between the Sheets (an especially brutal game which usually cost someone lots of money), Omaha, and, one of my friend's fathers introduced us to Texas Hold'em (which at the time, we thought was a stupid game with too little action.)
I've been playing since then. Not so much in college...we were too busy dong other things (like beer and girls). But After college, in graduate school, in the first part of my professional life, and since. I've always been able to find a group of people to play with. Some of those groups include people that I don't really know or like. Some of the groups I've been invited into by one person who then never shows up again (leaving me playing with people I don't really know.) But WHO you play with doesn't matter much at all. Playing is what matters.
Then came the invent of online poker. "Really!" "I can play poker for money on the computer??" "Is it safe? Is my money safe?" "Is it legal (the answer to which is, of course, 'no')?" I've had many casino experiences, but online poker is the ting for me. I'm not a social person. I mean, I like people ad all. I get along with just about everyone, but the pace and anonymity of online poker is the greatest.
This blog is my tribute to the greatest game of all. Some people call it a sport now (mostly because it's shown on ESPN), but whatever you call it, it's fun to watch, it's fun to talk about, and most of all, it's fun to get in there and mix it up. Whatever your stakes, come back and read often as I lay out my many tales of a lifetime of poker, my road to becoming a good (maybe great someday) poker player. Good luck to all, donkeys and sharks alike.
I've been playing since then. Not so much in college...we were too busy dong other things (like beer and girls). But After college, in graduate school, in the first part of my professional life, and since. I've always been able to find a group of people to play with. Some of those groups include people that I don't really know or like. Some of the groups I've been invited into by one person who then never shows up again (leaving me playing with people I don't really know.) But WHO you play with doesn't matter much at all. Playing is what matters.
Then came the invent of online poker. "Really!" "I can play poker for money on the computer??" "Is it safe? Is my money safe?" "Is it legal (the answer to which is, of course, 'no')?" I've had many casino experiences, but online poker is the ting for me. I'm not a social person. I mean, I like people ad all. I get along with just about everyone, but the pace and anonymity of online poker is the greatest.
This blog is my tribute to the greatest game of all. Some people call it a sport now (mostly because it's shown on ESPN), but whatever you call it, it's fun to watch, it's fun to talk about, and most of all, it's fun to get in there and mix it up. Whatever your stakes, come back and read often as I lay out my many tales of a lifetime of poker, my road to becoming a good (maybe great someday) poker player. Good luck to all, donkeys and sharks alike.
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