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Lost My Cool

After the performance by the D_R_Y character last week in the big Sunday tournies I was motivated to do something worthwhile yesterday.

I managed to play good poker all day until, in the Sunday Brawl, I got sucked out on for a decent sized pot late, then shoved an A7 or A8s (don't remember exactly) in the BB to an AJ raise in the SB, with about 5 or 6 tables left I believe. But probably more importantly, enough BB's and time to wait for a better spot.

Then I proceeded to bubble the Sunday Million on Stars, this after making it down to 3 tables in the EPT Prague Satellite the day before, only to once again bubble that tournament. Really beginning to despise that site to be perfectly honest.

Oh yeah, and to top off a great Sunday, in the 750k on Tilt, I flopped a set early and had 1 taker on my value bet. The turn would bring a 3rd diamond, and of course I shove into the nuts. Then some Sir Douchebag types in "hahahah" in the chatbox before calling. Some real winners out there...

God I hate Sundays.


Also, quick plug. Tonight is the opening event for the NYRambler Poker Series II on tilt. I think tonight is a $10 NLH event for those interested. 10 ET I believe. Should be a good time with a weak field :)

The Impossible

Has anyone ever heard of the triple double deal that Tilt offers? I didn't know this but apparently if you can somehow run like Jesus Christ himself and win all six double tournies within a calendar month, Full Tilt ponies up a cool million.

This sounds intriguing to me, updates to come...

Why We Plays

In poker, the rush and challenge of going deep in a tournament is unmatched. Not to belittle cash games, but oftentimes 1 brain-fart late can and will be the end of you in tournament poker. The worst part is, it doesn't even have to be your mistake. If your paying attention, something like this has probably happened at almost every table you've sat at.

Person A can play a hand perfectly, make Person B make a horrible call/raise only to suckout and win the hand. And since the only cure for a suckout is one of your own, Person A continues to shove something he or she obviously shouldn't be. In other words, Person A quit.

Of course there's something to be said about the # of BB's you have but all too often defeat is conceded at a tournament table. Amazingly, this sort of thing is even seen on the biggest stage as I'd like to remember some clown pushing every hand at the WSOP ME bubble. European if I recall; which doesn't surprise me in the least bit.

Moral of the story: don't quit I guess.

I bring this up because in my own poker adventures, lately it seems like heading into the 120/240 (25 ante) level Full Tilt won't allow me to have more then 3500 chips. 3 tournies I'd like to bring up specifically being yesterday's afternoon 50k and nighttime 65k, along with the Sunday weekly 750k.

Heading into the 3rd hour of these tournies I was at the stage of waiting for a hand to push. Yesterday, I was fortunately dealt some big hands at this time which allowed to me hang in there and play more poker. I grinded my way to the FT of the 50k but made a quick departure as my AK couldn't hold off an AT that had to call my all in.

I made it to about 4 or 5 tables left in the 65k and eventually pushed my KQo in MP only to be insta-called by what I think was an A3, (I now usually don't watch when I'm allin in a big spot as being sucked out on usually makes me lose more money elsewhere). All I saw was a board of 9 3 T rainbow, with more worthless cards on the turn and river, and that the villain won with a pair of 3's. Sweet dude, nice call.

And for the 750k, I've been holding back a big ol whine for some time now as on the bubble at the 400/800 level, I was in the BB and after everyone folded to the SB who made it 2400 to play, I made it 6200 with my KK, he shoves his stack with 99, and I lose a pot worth about 45 BB's with a 9 on the flop. But my time will come with the big Sunday tournies, I won't allow for it not to.

OK, this was somewhat of a rant but I hope something useful came out of it. Thanks for stopping by and Happy Holidays.

Worth Mentioning

Finally, a run.

After looking through the HH for an interesting one to post it seems like nothing is really worth it. There was, though, one little mini-battle I thankfully won that helped me make it to the final table of the afternoon 50k on Tilt.

When it got down to short handed play with 2 tables left, I had an aggro chipleader who mashed the pot button every chance he got on my direct right. Everyone else was pretty nitty so maybe 7/10 times everyone folded down to him in his SB. After having to fold to his raise a couple times, he makes his standard raise to my BB and I pick up 22 in the BB and shove. He requested time which gave me a sweat but he eventually folded.

One orbit later he limps in SB and I shov 12 BB's or so with QJo, he folds. Another orbit, everyone folds, villain bets with pot button, I shove with AKs, he instacalls with J4o and my hand holds.

I also didn't see a lot of action at the FT but I managed to chip up and maintain my average stack, when with 4 left my QQ couldn't hold off Zaig's AK.

Anyways, I'm hopin this can get me goin again as confidence and momentum are slowly making their way back.



Appreciate the visit

Belated Final Table Thoughts

After unsuccessfully avoiding all spoilers, I finally got to watch the November 9 get after it, and like many, I was pretty disappointed.

Actually the first hour kept me pretty entertained as chip stacks fluctuated and the scenery alone was something to behold. But there is one thing that caught my attention the most and it was the play of the amateurs. I don't think it can be disputed that Phillips and the Canadian accountant (Surho or something?) were affected the most by the long layoff - and I'm not talking about in the obvious way of something like Phillips losing his momentum.

Instead, I'm gonna make a bold statement and say that the coaching they received was the biggest mistake they could of made. Of course this is strictly opinion but by being coached (with the limited action we actually see on TV), it surely looked like they both had a plan of attack set in their mind and to be honest I think it that was a huge mistake. As if they were assuming 'Player X' would play a certain way because the TV said so.

For example, I could almost see whomever it was that coached said Canadian say something like, "Demidov knows your conservative so if your in a hand w/ him and make a big move, he can't do anything but fold...." That is unless Demidov is holding the nuts that is. What it comes down to is that I certainly can't see this Canadian guy make a move like that 4 months ago. And if he can't make a move like that without the coaching, he still has a lot of chips to wait and play HIS game that got him this far.

And the hand where Ivan and Dennis played with AQ and AK almost made me puke. It was pretty obvious that Phillips was more concerned with advancing in the money and put to justice the 4 months of concentrating on the chip leader in the media, along with pleasing his contingent in the crowd.

But I suppose similar to baseball, sometimes you just gotta tip your cap to the opponent for being outplayed.


Anyways, I remember hearing Negraneu talk about how this final table would be the most "sophisticated" one ever played. That alone got me giddy to watch it but I think in the future things would be a lot more exciting if ESPN actually showed the FT live and cut out all the personal stories we already knew by there being a layoff. This is what I thought the original plan was.

So in the end it's painfully obvious that I should be running ESPN and the WSOP.

Inch by Inch

Nothing to do with Pacino, though the phrase alone can't do anything but make you think of it:




Rather it has to do with my concept of BR right now. After a serious cold spell in MTT's, I've slowed down in them (meaning I'm playing less) and instead have been trying to build up in both funds and confidence with PLO8 9h SNG's, and the inexplicable $175 super turbo 300 chippers. Lots of fun, especially when on some form of tilt.

Umm, I guess here's a look at my SNG graph, but to be honest I have no idea what this represents. I thought I was killing the plo8's but I guess there's been too much spewing somewhere along the line. I'm not even sure what sharkscope does now that I think about it. Just wanted something new for you all to look at here...





In terms of MTT's and the cold streak, I'm never sure which line to cross about whining because I've been fortunate enough to run very well at times and make some decent cashes. Cashes that should let me just sweat my decision-making and not necessarily the results at this point.* Unfortunately my mind doesn't work like that and I get somewhat frustrated after awhile, as I'm sure almost everyone does.

And that's where I think this blog comes in handy for me, it helps me look at the big picture as opposed to short-term gains. I still have many issues in this area but certainly getting better.

Thanks for stoppin by, hope your havin more luck at the tables than I am. Later.








*line stolen from Raymer I'm pretty sure