Poker
I thought you took a break?
I'm up to 900,000 play money chips, but I don't play those games that often.
I did stupidly well over the weekend, with just over a 50bb/100 win rate, which is even high for a heater.
I was stupid last night and lost a lot. I was too tired to play, but didn't quit.
I remember chasing a gut-shot and flush draw. The river was a blank, but I made an over bet to steal because I though the other guy was weak. He called. Doh!
I ended up winning, because I hit that flush I was chasing. That "blank" was actually the club I was looking for. Duh! I didn't even notice. I so deserved to lose that.
On another hand there was a 6/Q/Q flop and I had to over cards (I don't have to name them do I?). The aggressive guy on my right checked, which made me suspicious. I thought he might be slow playing so I went to make a 1.50 probe bet... but I goofed and put in 15.
He responded by shoving all-in for another 10. Doh!
So I had to abandon the pot. <sigh>
That last one put me on tilt. I was up about 13 when I made the blunder, and 10 minutes later I was in the hole close to 20.
I managed to dig myself a bit out of that hole, but I still crashed and burned at several other tables.
Not fun. And I deserved it all.
I'm up to 900,000 play money chips, but I don't play those games that often.
I did stupidly well over the weekend, with just over a 50bb/100 win rate, which is even high for a heater.
I was stupid last night and lost a lot. I was too tired to play, but didn't quit.
I remember chasing a gut-shot and flush draw. The river was a blank, but I made an over bet to steal because I though the other guy was weak. He called. Doh!
I ended up winning, because I hit that flush I was chasing. That "blank" was actually the club I was looking for. Duh! I didn't even notice. I so deserved to lose that.
On another hand there was a 6/Q/Q flop and I had to over cards (I don't have to name them do I?). The aggressive guy on my right checked, which made me suspicious. I thought he might be slow playing so I went to make a 1.50 probe bet... but I goofed and put in 15.
He responded by shoving all-in for another 10. Doh!
So I had to abandon the pot. <sigh>
That last one put me on tilt. I was up about 13 when I made the blunder, and 10 minutes later I was in the hole close to 20.
I managed to dig myself a bit out of that hole, but I still crashed and burned at several other tables.
Not fun. And I deserved it all.
Final table for my poker league tonight. There are 8 of us playing for somewhere between $3400 and $4800 depending on side bets.
“Activism is a way for useless people to feel important, even if the consequences of their activism are counterproductive for those they claim to be helping and damaging to the fabric of society as a whole.” - Dr Thomas Sowell
Meanwhile, I've been in limbo.
I can't seem to break $600 profit. Well, I do, getting up to $630, but then I $60. I keep hoovering just below that mark. It's my own fault. I just haven't been playing as serious.
I may start just playing Heads Up S&G's. Because I'm active in every hand I pay more attention and have a nice win rate. I've played 10 tables so far, winning 9 of them. The one loss was after I flopped a set of 4's, got the other guy all-in when he had an over pair (J/J), and he rivered the J to give him a bigger set.
Oh yeah... played a couple ring games with friends at a local bar. Lost $7 or $8 the first night, an $20 the last night. Keep getting sucked out on. IE, guy made runner-runner (two sixes) to beat me, and on the final hand last time my A/2 had a 345 flop and someone chased his 7, getting a 6 on the river.
Stupid river sixes!
Played a live tournament too. Three of us drove up. One of us won it all the first time. The other guy won it all the last time. I got down to two tables, but have yet to cash. At least, of the three of us, I've averaged the best finish.
Edited By Paul on 1205166738
I can't seem to break $600 profit. Well, I do, getting up to $630, but then I $60. I keep hoovering just below that mark. It's my own fault. I just haven't been playing as serious.
I may start just playing Heads Up S&G's. Because I'm active in every hand I pay more attention and have a nice win rate. I've played 10 tables so far, winning 9 of them. The one loss was after I flopped a set of 4's, got the other guy all-in when he had an over pair (J/J), and he rivered the J to give him a bigger set.
Oh yeah... played a couple ring games with friends at a local bar. Lost $7 or $8 the first night, an $20 the last night. Keep getting sucked out on. IE, guy made runner-runner (two sixes) to beat me, and on the final hand last time my A/2 had a 345 flop and someone chased his 7, getting a 6 on the river.
Stupid river sixes!
Played a live tournament too. Three of us drove up. One of us won it all the first time. The other guy won it all the last time. I got down to two tables, but have yet to cash. At least, of the three of us, I've averaged the best finish.
Edited By Paul on 1205166738
20 weeks to make it to the final table and I finished second. I was chip leader for a minute when we were down to three, but the blinds at that point were ridiculously high (500-1000 with our starting stacks ranging from 1500-2200 depending on points from the season).
I got killed by a few blinds, watched one of the others get knocked out and faced a massive disadvantage in chip count heads up. I didn't wait around and went all in with J-10 suited to his 5-7 off. He hit trip 5s.
Oh well. The bracelet eludes me, but I'm only 1 of 2 people who have made the final table every year.
I got killed by a few blinds, watched one of the others get knocked out and faced a massive disadvantage in chip count heads up. I didn't wait around and went all in with J-10 suited to his 5-7 off. He hit trip 5s.
Oh well. The bracelet eludes me, but I'm only 1 of 2 people who have made the final table every year.
“Activism is a way for useless people to feel important, even if the consequences of their activism are counterproductive for those they claim to be helping and damaging to the fabric of society as a whole.” - Dr Thomas Sowell
Sounds like fun. I'll skip the live game this week.
I finally met someone better than me playing a HU tournament last night. I made a couple mistakes which hurt me.
That game put me on tilt so I blew another one as well. I was up against some chick and shoved with 6/6. She called with K/Q and flopped a K. Oh well.
Here's an example of what I was up against when I hit the ring game around midnight. (I only played A/To because the SB & MP were in 60% of the pots, calling with junk, so if an Ace hit I was more likely than no to have the best hand).
PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (5 handed) Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)
SB ($16.70)
BB ($37.65)
Hero ($26.15)
MP ($21.65)
Button ($28.75)
Preflop: Hero is UTG with T
, A
.
Hero raises to $1, MP raises to $1.75, 1 fold, SB calls $1.65, 1 fold, Hero calls $0.75.
Flop: ($5.50) K
, 4
, A (3 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $2.5, MP raises to $5.25, SB raises to $14.95, Hero folds, MP calls $9.70.
Turn: ($37.90) A (2 players)
River: ($37.90) 7 (2 players)
Final Pot: $37.90
Results in white below: SB has Qh 9h (flush, ace high).
MP doesn't show.
Outcome: SB wins $37.90.
I finally met someone better than me playing a HU tournament last night. I made a couple mistakes which hurt me.
That game put me on tilt so I blew another one as well. I was up against some chick and shoved with 6/6. She called with K/Q and flopped a K. Oh well.
Here's an example of what I was up against when I hit the ring game around midnight. (I only played A/To because the SB & MP were in 60% of the pots, calling with junk, so if an Ace hit I was more likely than no to have the best hand).
PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (5 handed) Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)
SB ($16.70)
BB ($37.65)
Hero ($26.15)
MP ($21.65)
Button ($28.75)
Preflop: Hero is UTG with T
, A. Hero raises to $1, MP raises to $1.75, 1 fold, SB calls $1.65, 1 fold, Hero calls $0.75.
Flop: ($5.50) K
, 4, A (3 players)SB checks, Hero bets $2.5, MP raises to $5.25, SB raises to $14.95, Hero folds, MP calls $9.70.
Turn: ($37.90) A
(2 players)River: ($37.90) 7
(2 players)Final Pot: $37.90
Results in white below: SB has Qh 9h (flush, ace high).
MP doesn't show.
Outcome: SB wins $37.90.
Things got better though.
Here's a hand that happened a bit later:
PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (6 handed) Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver Cards)
MP ($38.20)
CO ($24.30)
Button ($30.15)
Hero ($18.75)
BB ($29.95)
UTG ($30.55)
Preflop: Hero is SB with
, 
.
1 fold, MP calls $0.25, 2 folds, Hero raises to $1.25, 1 fold, MP calls $1.
Flop: ($2.75)
, 
, 
(2 players)
Hero bets $1.5, MP calls $1.50.
Turn: ($5.75)
(2 players)
Hero bets $3, MP raises to $8.25, Hero calls $5.25.
River: ($22.25)
(2 players)
Hero bets $7.75 (All-In), MP calls $7.75.
Final Pot: $37.75
Results in white below: Hero has Td Ts (three of a kind, tens).
MP doesn't show. A/J
Outcome: Hero wins $37.75.
Edited By Paul on 1205242608
Here's a hand that happened a bit later:
PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (6 handed) Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver Cards)
MP ($38.20)
CO ($24.30)
Button ($30.15)
Hero ($18.75)
BB ($29.95)
UTG ($30.55)
Preflop: Hero is SB with
, . 1 fold, MP calls $0.25, 2 folds, Hero raises to $1.25, 1 fold, MP calls $1.
Flop: ($2.75)
, , (2 players)Hero bets $1.5, MP calls $1.50.
Turn: ($5.75)
(2 players)Hero bets $3, MP raises to $8.25, Hero calls $5.25.
River: ($22.25)
(2 players)Hero bets $7.75 (All-In), MP calls $7.75.
Final Pot: $37.75
Results in white below: Hero has Td Ts (three of a kind, tens).
MP doesn't show. A/J
Outcome: Hero wins $37.75.
Edited By Paul on 1205242608
The final significant hand of the night (two hands after the previous):
PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (6 handed) Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver Cards)
BB ($15.70)
UTG ($24.30)
MP ($29.90)
Hero ($35.95)
Button ($29.45)
SB ($34.45)
Preflop: Hero is CO with
, 
.
1 fold, MP calls $0.25, Hero raises to $1.25, 2 folds, BB calls $1, MP calls $1.
Flop: ($3.85)
, 
, 
(3 players)
BB checks, MP checks, Hero bets $2, BB calls $2, MP folds.
Turn: ($7.85)
(2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $4, BB raises to $12.45, Hero calls $8.45.
River: ($32.75)
(2 players)
Final Pot: $32.75
Results in white below: BB has 8c Jd (one pair, jacks).
Hero has Kh Js (one pair, jacks).
Outcome: Hero wins $32.75.
PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (6 handed) Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver Cards)
BB ($15.70)
UTG ($24.30)
MP ($29.90)
Hero ($35.95)
Button ($29.45)
SB ($34.45)
Preflop: Hero is CO with
, . 1 fold, MP calls $0.25, Hero raises to $1.25, 2 folds, BB calls $1, MP calls $1.
Flop: ($3.85)
, , (3 players)BB checks, MP checks, Hero bets $2, BB calls $2, MP folds.
Turn: ($7.85)
(2 players)BB checks, Hero bets $4, BB raises to $12.45, Hero calls $8.45.
River: ($32.75)
(2 players)Final Pot: $32.75
Results in white below: BB has 8c Jd (one pair, jacks).
Hero has Kh Js (one pair, jacks).
Outcome: Hero wins $32.75.
When I started playing poker online I figured I'd be a tournament player, but the suck outs/variance killed me. I mean, you make several all-in calls when you're a 2/1 favorite and you're going to get burned a lot. When all your good decisions eventually hold up you get a big win, but there are a lot of losses in-between, even when you play well.
Since my profit slipped to a crawl in rings, I experimented with HU tournaments (which I am apparently very good at... or more accurately, where other people are very bad).
That success gave me confidence to hit a tournament again. I played a $1+$.20 45 player tournament and won it, which pretty much put tournaments back on the menu.
I still hate losing to bad beats, but I'm winning more than I'm losing.
You can see my Sit & Go stats on SharkScope.com (only Sit & Go's are listed, and not all of them make it). If you look at the graph you can see my decline. I quit tournaments at the bottom, and the upswing started when I tried out HU S&G's.
Since my profit slipped to a crawl in rings, I experimented with HU tournaments (which I am apparently very good at... or more accurately, where other people are very bad).
That success gave me confidence to hit a tournament again. I played a $1+$.20 45 player tournament and won it, which pretty much put tournaments back on the menu.
I still hate losing to bad beats, but I'm winning more than I'm losing.
You can see my Sit & Go stats on SharkScope.com (only Sit & Go's are listed, and not all of them make it). If you look at the graph you can see my decline. I quit tournaments at the bottom, and the upswing started when I tried out HU S&G's.
I was in a $2000 (play money) tournament two nights ago and finished 2nd out of 45. When we were heads up, the other guy hit runner-runner to beat me or I'd have crippled his stack. Oh well.
Hey Paul, do me a favor and send me those links again to those forums and such. I've been a lot more often lately, literally every night for the past week. I've boosted my play money stack from 9k to 38k.
In the big tournaments on Pokerstars, I've been finishing anywhere from 300th-84th out of 12,000 or 5,000 people depending on the tournament. Not too bad.
I'd like to get into some real money freerolls again and Pokerstars dropped all of their nightly ones.
Hey Paul, do me a favor and send me those links again to those forums and such. I've been a lot more often lately, literally every night for the past week. I've boosted my play money stack from 9k to 38k.
In the big tournaments on Pokerstars, I've been finishing anywhere from 300th-84th out of 12,000 or 5,000 people depending on the tournament. Not too bad.
I'd like to get into some real money freerolls again and Pokerstars dropped all of their nightly ones.
“Activism is a way for useless people to feel important, even if the consequences of their activism are counterproductive for those they claim to be helping and damaging to the fabric of society as a whole.” - Dr Thomas Sowell
I played that same tournament, and did worse this week.
I also played two S&G's this week. I lost one early, and got 2nd in the other.
Leisher, and anybody else who wants to play with some free money:
1) Go here to get the Poker Royale software.
2) When you sign up, put in the bonus code: free10
3) Login to the gaming software.
4) Click on the cashier.
5) Click on "Bonus Account"
6) You have to log out and log back in to see the money, but $10 will be deposited in your account.
The catch is that you must earn 120 poker points before they let you cash out. I played some yesterday, making $4 and 20-something poker points. I don't like the software and expect that if I do finally cash out that there may be headaches, but we'll see.
I also played two S&G's this week. I lost one early, and got 2nd in the other.
Leisher, and anybody else who wants to play with some free money:
1) Go here to get the Poker Royale software.
2) When you sign up, put in the bonus code: free10
3) Login to the gaming software.
4) Click on the cashier.
5) Click on "Bonus Account"
6) You have to log out and log back in to see the money, but $10 will be deposited in your account.
The catch is that you must earn 120 poker points before they let you cash out. I played some yesterday, making $4 and 20-something poker points. I don't like the software and expect that if I do finally cash out that there may be headaches, but we'll see.
If you're interested in playing freerolls, CardsChat and RailBirds are good. If you sign up, please use SavagePenguin as the referrer.Leisher wrote:Hey Paul, do me a favor and send me those links again to those forums and such.
Railbirds has the most freerolls, but the quality of content on CardsChat is superior.
The biggest/best forums are 2+2 and PocketFives. I don't spend much time there though, as I prefer the CardsChat community.
