Friday I went to my friend Jimmy's house to play in a .25/.50 game that is filled with fish. Maybe 1 or 2 players knew even what hands to play. Most people played anything and called any raise with anything, even when the raise was huge, they called.
I started playing tight, and didn't play many hands for a long time. After about an hour, I got to check from the BB and see a flop. 57J came with me holding 57. The SB checks, and I check hoping that someone has a J and bets. No one bets and a 9 turns. This makes me nervous, and after the SB checks, I bet the size of the pot. Everyone folds to the SB who raises the minimum. I make a stupid move and reraise allin. The SB calls and says she has the nuts, showing 68. I knew that wasn't the nuts but I was not about to correct her as I fealt bad for making such a bad move. The rivier didn't help and I had to rebuy.
About an hour later, I get dealt QQ and am second to act. The UTG raises 24x ($12) the BB, a rather large raise even for this game. To get a read on what she has, I reraise her to $24. If she repops me, she probably has KK or AA, and possibly AK. She plays anything, but doesn't reraise unless she has a good hand. She thinks about it, and asks me if I have a hand. I said I do, and it is a good hand. She calls and the flop comes 239. The only hand I am worried about is 99. Anything else, I want to extract as much money from her as I can. I bet $24 again, and she goes into the tank. I told her I have her, and she says that she can't lay down this hand, and she calls the $24, then checks in the dark. The turn brought a J. This card scares me. She checked in the dark, so I could not get a read on her based on her betting, and JJ explains a lot of her actions. I say ok, I'll check it down with you, and I check. The river came an A. She immediately moved allin for $100. At first the river scared me, but then I thought that she could not have an ace. She is one of the few players at the table that could lay down AK, so I thought I was ok. I no longer put her on 99, but thought that JJ was the only hand she could beat me with. There was over $200 in the put, so I was getting better than 2 to 1. I could only put her on TT or JJ. Since I was getting a little better than 50-50 pot odds, I called. She immediately announced trip jacks and showed her proud hand. She apologized and told me I outplayed her and didn't deserve the beat. I took it like a Pro (not Phil or Mike), and said "No problem, it happens." I had no more money, so that was my night.
Yesterday was different story. I started out playing in a HORSE tournament online at Bugsys Club. It was a freeroll with 38 players. Since I had not deposited any money to this site, I was unable to rebuy or addon, but it was free and the winner won an entry into a $500 guaranteed HORSE tourament. I started playing loose and lost a lot of chips early. After 25 minutes, another freeroll I entered had started. This one was a NLHE tournament with 71 players and the top 3 places won an entry into a $100 guaranteed tournament later that night. I had to wake up at 4:30am to drive up to Boulder to take care of a friends cat, and get back before 6:30am when I start my morning stock news analysis, so I wasn't going to make it a late night. But it was all free, so what the hell.
The NLHE tournament was a deep stack touranment, with an amzingly slow structure, which suits my play perfectly. The less luck and less chances I am forced to take, the better I do. Now, I have not played online poker in a while, and playing two at a time was a little too much. Since I am used to watching 200 stocks at the same time, I adjusted quickly. After 2 hours, both tournaments were down to the final table. I soon took a bad beat, and was crippled. With only 8 players left, this is how the chip stacks stood:
Seat 1 : cara_too starts with 19,600
Seat 2 : rocknut starts with 18,500
Seat 3 : AKP99 starts with 14,700
Seat 4 : Berglar starts with 7,700
Seat 6 : Rudster starts with 12,000
Seat 7 : Pharoah starts with 26,600
Seat 8 : mothman61 starts with 54,000
Seat 9 : msbell starts with 13,400
I needed 5 players to go out before me, but so did everyone else, so I switched my game up, and started stealing a lot. Unfortunately, it didn't always worked and soon I was even more short-stacked.
Seat 1 : cara_too starts with 15,200
Seat 2 : rocknut starts with 15,100
Seat 3 : AKP99 starts with 11,300
Seat 4 : Berglar starts with 6,300
Seat 6 : Rudster starts with 12,200
Seat 7 : Pharoah starts with 36,400
Seat 8 : mothman61 starts with 60,600
Seat 9 : msbell starts with 9,400
At this point, I am down to three players left in the HORSE tournament, with top stack.
Seat 3 : Berglar starts with 20,500
Seat 7 : Gertie starts with 16,700
Seat 8 : woohoosue starts with 8,250
But quickly, I lose my way, and get knocked down a little. Only first places pays, so I go for the win.
Seat 3 : Berglar starts with 18,900
Seat 7 : Gertie starts with 22,700
Seat 8 : woohoosue starts with 3,850
In a hand that I sat out, things evened out some in a 7 stud hand.
Seat 3 : Berglar starts with 18,400
Seat 7 : Gertie starts with 18,850
Seat 8 : woohoosue starts with 8,200
In the next hand, I get dealt the best top card and completes the bet, and Gertie calls. Things look like this:
Berglar dealt up 9d
Berglar dealt down 3c Ks
Gertie dealt up 5h
woohoosue dealt up 8s
I get a Q and Gertie gets a J on fourth street. Again I have a better looking visible hand and I keep up the bluff. I bet and Gertie calls. Fifth street brings both of us an ace, Gerties suited to her 5. I continue the bluff into stubborn Gertie and bet, and Gertie calls again. Sixth street gives me a lucky card, a K, while gertie gets a 3. I am showing 9d Qs Ac Kd. My bluff is looking more real, and is only a semi-bluff now with a big pair, and I bet again with Gertie showing 5h Jc Ah 3d. Gertie finally folds and I move into the chip lead.
Seat 3 : Berglar starts with 20,400
Seat 7 : Gertie starts with 13,550
Seat 8 : woohoosue starts with 11,500
The very next hand is a nice one.
Berglar dealt up Th
Berglar dealt down Td Js
Gertie dealt up 2c
woohoosue dealt up Qc
After brings-in low, and woohoosue calls, I complete the bet. Gertie folds and woohoosue calls. I get a 6h on fourth and sue gets a 2d. I can beat sue's exposed pair, but need to know where I stand, so after she checked, I continue my aggressive play and bet. Sue calls. Fifth street brings me a Qh and woohoosue gets a As. She checks again, I bet, and she calls again. She must be on a draw, an expensive draw as the bet is now $1400 each. Sixth street exposes a 5s for me and a 5h for her. She continues her passive play and checks, so I bet again, and again she calls. Now I am worried. I still only have a pair. Te river brings me an 8h, no help. She checks again, and check also, figuring the pot was too big for her to fold. Amazingly, my pair holds up and she shows Jh 9h Tc. I have no idea what she was doing in this hand, but I do not mind, because I have a nice lead.
Seat 3 : Berglar starts with 25,300
Seat 7 : Gertie starts with 13,050
Seat 8 : woohoosue starts with 7,100
Meanwhile, over in the NLHE and still the shortstack, I make a move allin with Ah4h UTG. With 300 ante and the blinds at $1k and $2k, the pot is already sweet. I only could raiase it $4k, which didn't scare Pharoah who calls. HE shows Kc5h and the best hand wins. I now have $17,400 and third in chips. The very next hand I am dealt 88 in the BB. Pharoah calls the BB, and everyone folds to me. I raise 2,900 to 4,900. Kinda a small raise, but I was using the slider and was jumping back and forth between windows. I didn't mind it too much, cause it pumps up the pot, and I most likely have the best hand preflop. Pharoah calls, and the flop comes Tc 6c Kh. TO find out where I am, I bet $3,300, and Pharoah raises 19,800. I know where I am at, and I fold knocking me down to under $10k. Pharoah shows 8h 7c, and I feel stupid. I bet too small on the flop giving away my weakness.
Back over the the HORSE tourney, I get dealt high card again.
Berglar dealt up Ks
Berglar dealt down 3d 2h
Gertie dealt up 7h
woohoosue dealt up 2c
I complete the bet, Gertie calls, and sue folds. Here we go again. Fourth street gives me a 3h, pairing me, which Gertie gets a Ac. She checks, and I bet my exposed pair. This time she folds, and I increase my lead.
The game switches to Stud Hi/Lo, and I continue the aggressive play, stealing a lot of bets.
Unfortunately, I get too aggressive with (As 2s) Kd. I end up losing, buth they both split the Hi and Low pots, so they did not gain as much ground on me as if one of then won both pots.
Seat 3 : Berglar starts with 17,850
Seat 7 : Gertie starts with 15,300
Seat 8 : woohoosue starts with 12,300
I soon win a decent pot against woohoosue with a pair of kings. I am still low on chips in the NLHE tournament, but am not out. I get dealt A5o, and move in UTG with my small stack. I get one caller, the BB with K9o. I flop a 5 and win the hand, knocking out the only person with less chips than me. With all of the antes and the SB, I am up to 15,000, and am forth in chips.
Seat 1 : cara_too starts with 9,500
Seat 2 : rocknut starts with 8,500
Seat 4 : Berglar starts with 15,000
Seat 6 : Rudster starts with 28,000
Seat 7 : Pharoah starts with 25,500
Seat 8 : mothman61 starts with 77,500
Seat 9 : msbell starts with 4,000
Back over at the HORSE, I get a decent low starting hand.
Berglar dealt up 4d
Berglar dealt down 7s Ac
Gertie dealt up 5s
woohoosue dealt up Kd
I bet UTG, and sue calls with her high card. Fourth gives me a 9d, and she gets a 4h. She bets and I call, hoping for a low card on the fifth street. I get my prayers with the 8c, while sue gets 5d. Sue bets again, and I call with my draw, even though she now has a chance of taking both pots. I get my low on sixth with the 5h while sue gets a Qd. She checks this time, but just in case she gets lucky on the river, I check as well. The river gives me a better low with a 2s. We both check and I take the low while sue wins high with a pair of jacks.
Over in the NLHE, I get 78o in the SB and get to limp. With $500 antes and $1500/$3000 blinds, the pot is getting big with no action. The BB checks and the two of us see a flop of 6c 2d Ts. I bet $3k to steal, and it works. I am up to 24k and tied for third in chips right behind second. Things are looking better to make the top 3.
I take a bad loss in the HORSE tourney, and am knocked down to second, but I am not giving up. HORSE is my event, and I will win it.
Seat 3 : Berglar starts with 13,250
Seat 7 : Gertie starts with 26,400
Seat 8 : woohoosue starts with 5,800
Everyone tightens up, when the games moved to Holdem. I get dealt a beautiful hand, KK, in the BB. Gertie folds and sue raises from the SB and is allin. I call and her 77 doesn't hold up. We are down to two players but I half as many chips as Gertie.
Seat 3 : Berglar starts with 15,300
Seat 7 : Gertie starts with 30,150
In the NLHE, we are down to 6 players when I get 9Jo in the SB. One limper, I call, BB checks. The flop comes 369 rainbow, and everyone folds to my 4500 bet. I am second in chips.
Seat 1 : cara_too starts with 19,000
Seat 2 : rocknut starts with 19,000
Seat 4 : Berglar starts with 26,500
Seat 6 : Rudster starts with 24,000
Seat 7 : Pharoah starts with 24,000
Seat 8 : mothman61 starts with 55,500
Back over at HORSE, I get 23o in the SB. Gertie lets me see the the flop for cheap, and with the As 8h Kh, my bets scares her away, moving me closer to the lead.
Seat 3 : Berglar starts with 18,300
Seat 7 : Gertie starts with 27,150
The very next hand, I get rockets, first time of the night, and a perfect time. Gertie calls, I raise, she calls. With a low flop (8s Tc 3c), I bet and she folds. We are very close now.
Seat 3 : Berglar starts with 21,300
Seat 7 : Gertie starts with 24,150
With the poker gods still watching over me, they deal me QQ. I raise from the SB and Gertie folds. I now have the chip lead.
Seat 3 : Berglar starts with 22,800
Seat 7 : Gertie starts with 22,650
Gertie starts folding and only betting made hands. I steal some more chips. Meanwhile, I make a nice raise with AJs in the NLHE and take down another pot.
A few hands later is when I make another big move in the HORSE event. The poker gods must have only gone to the bathroom, because they were back, and they dealt me KK. Switching up my play, I decide to slow play them. The flop came 7h Jh 4s, andI check as well as Gertie. The turn brought a 5c and she falls into the trap by betting. I raies her and she calls. Another J on the river is followed by my bet and Gerties call. She mucks her hand and I take down a 21,000 pot, giving me a big lead.
Seat 3 : Berglar starts with 32,550
Seat 7 : Gertie starts with 12,900
It couldn'r get easier as I am dealt K9 and a flop came K39. Another win, and Gertie is left to gamble with only 8400 chips.
Meanwhile, Pharoah has been picking on everyone, building a big lead. I like it because it helps me get to the top 3 spots since I am staying out of his way.
Seat 1 : cara_too starts with 17,000
Seat 2 : rocknut starts with 13,500
Seat 4 : Berglar starts with 26,000
Seat 6 : Rudster starts with 14,000
Seat 7 : Pharoah starts with 90,000
Seat 8 : mothman61 starts with 7,500
With Pharaoh in the BB and me one off the button, I call with KsJs. Rudster raises allin and I decide he is desparate and I take a chance by calling for 9500 more. He shows the same hand except not suited. Whe chop the blinds and antes moving up some.
Seat 1 : cara_too starts with 16,500
Seat 2 : rocknut starts with 13,000
Seat 4 : Berglar starts with 29,000
Seat 6 : Rudster starts with 17,000
Seat 7 : Pharoah starts with 85,500
Seat 8 : mothman61 starts with 7,000
The final hand of the HORSE tournament was still Holdem. I get dealt As 2s and raise from the BB. Gertie calls and the flop brings Ts Tc Ks. I bet my nut draw, and Gertie calls. The turn brings another T, improving my hand a little. I bet and she calls. The river brings my 3s, and with a final bet, she calls, mucks, and hands me the victory. (Actually she had 150 left, but that didn't last very long)
After almost 3 hours, I had won the HORSE tournament.
Now I was down to just one tournament.
We were soon down to 5 players but was tied for second now.
Seat 1 : cara_too starts with 9,000
Seat 2 : rocknut starts with 27,500
Seat 4 : Berglar starts with 27,500
Seat 6 : Rudster starts with 15,500
Seat 7 : Pharoah starts with 88,500
I lose a hand to rocknut, and am quickly knocked down to third in chips.
Seat 1 : cara_too starts with 8,500
Seat 2 : rocknut starts with 33,500
Seat 4 : Berglar starts with 23,000
Seat 6 : Rudster starts with 15,000
Seat 7 : Pharoah starts with 88,000
Then I lose another hand and am down to fourth in chips.
Seat 1 : cara_too starts with 24,500
Seat 2 : rocknut starts with 33,000
Seat 4 : Berglar starts with 20,500
Seat 6 : Rudster starts with 10,500
Seat 7 : Pharoah starts with 79,500
Rocknut knocks out Rudster, and we are on the bubble, me tied for third.
Seat 1 : cara_too starts with 19,500
Seat 2 : rocknut starts with 48,000
Seat 4 : Berglar starts with 19,500
Seat 7 : Pharoah starts with 81,000
I predict that everyone miht tighten up, so I lososen up and steal some pots where I can.
Then, with a real hand of A9s, I raise, get a call by Pharoah, and get a flop of AKQ. I move up to third.
Seat 1 : cara_too starts with 16,000
Seat 2 : rocknut starts with 40,500
Seat 4 : Berglar starts with 32,000
Seat 7 : Pharoah starts with 79,500
The next hand Pharoha takes out cara_too and I am in.
Less then an hour after my previous tournament win, and I made the top 3 of the NLHE tournament. At this point, I just kept going allin until I was out.
The $100 guaranteed tournament was starting in two hours, so I made some dinner, ate, and relaxed.
Again, I started playing loose, but since this tournament was a deep stack, I didn't mind, but after loosing more than half of my 5000 stack, I got nervous. This tournament had such a friendly blind structure, I became patient and made my moves when appropriate. There were a few bounties, and I took out one of them, and lifted my bankroll. I started stealing alot of blinds, and made a few hands, and made the final table with the second biggest chip stack.
Since the top 3 places paid cash, I decided to keep playing smart. When we were down to 5 players and only 3 spots paying, I soon got crushed with QQ against AA and AK, but since I had more chips than both of them, I was not out, but way hurting. I made the it in the money, it was late (after midnight and I was getting up at 4:30am), so I called an allin raise with 22. The QQ beat me and I took third, and went to bed.
If anyone is still reading this, I am truely amazed.
Later
