One Hand

In every poker tournament there is usually "one hand" that defines your fate, good or bad. The good hand can be getting someone to commit themselves to TPTK when you flopped a set, or when you totally misread your opponent but go runner, runner for the suckout. If it is the bad hand it doesn't have to be the bustout hand and it doesn't have to necessarily be a bad beat, just a hand that eventually lead to your demise.

Yesterday in the FTP 100 WSOP ME, I got off to a good start. I flopped a set within the first 5 hands and played it to perfection with a hyper aggressive player who bet enough to pot commit himself but somehow managed to laydown an allin check raise by me on the turn with the pot laying him 4:1.

I also flopped a boat but couldn't get the same hypo to bite, and got several mid to big pairs. The first hour was pretty good and I was in the top 25% of chip leaders.

Sometime during the second hour my table broke and I was moved to a different table with one of the chipleaders. The average chipstack was may 4.5K this person had almost 30K and was on my left three people away. This guy was limp/calling every hand, calling any bets on the flop and betting enough to put the person all in on the turn. So needless to say I was not getting to see many flops but was still in top 50% of chips. It was about 15 minutes till the 2nd break when the "one hand" that defined my tournament played out. I was in the SB with a 4h6h and $6K in chips, the Monster Stack decided that he would not play in MP and 4 people limped I called and we saw a flop five handed. The flop was 4s8d6d, now I have bottom 2 and I am first to act. With all the possible draws there is no need to get cute, I over bet the pot $1200 into $1000 pot and get smooth called in 2 places. The turn was the ugliest card I could have ever seen.

I am not going to go broke with 2 pair when both a flush draw and straight draw just completed. I have no choice but to check fold and watch 1/3 of my chips get shipped. I didn't tilt necessarily, but I just somehow felt that this was an omen. The next hand I pick up an AJ on the button, I make a 3x raise not realizing "Monster Stack" had limped UTG, he calls and we see XXX flop rainbow and Monster checks, what do you do? Now I have $4.5K which is avg, there is $4K in the pot, If I check I am dead even if an ace comes because I he could have anything, so I decided that I was going to throw out a Cbet bluff that looked like I wanted a call and would pot commit me of 2.5K. I felt like I had to gain information and this was the only way I could. Monster stack goes into the tank and lets his timer run down and then even uses his time extension for a little more theatrics before re raising me just enough to set me in. Now his performance convinced me I was drawing dead to either a set or AA and I laid my hand down getting 4:1, maybe it was a bad lay down but I still had a couple chips. I busted out shortly later when my KQ ran into AK on K high board.

I don't know how I feel about my performance, I am disappointed but not defeated. See ya at the MATH tonight.

O'fer

O'fer 3 this week in the BBT events. I must admit Bayne_S is putting on clinic, I am not conceding yet, but man his performance has been impressive. As for me, Mookie and MATH I was pleased with the way I played but the cards didn't go my way. That's Poker!

As for my performance in the Riverchasers, lets just say it is damn near impossible to play in a live tournament and online at the same but I tried last night. Busto in fifteen minutes in the Rivershasers, took 2nd out of 30 in the live $50 tourney.

Wish me luck I am playing in FullTilt's (Bonus Code OSU) 100 seat ME Give Away this weekend since I qualified for it almost 3 months ago and hopefully can snag my 2nd seat. Lord know my BR could use the $12k.

Have a great weekend and to all the dads out there enjoy your day but mostly enjoy your kids.

That is Just Wrong - Tattoos Gone Wrong

Now don't get me wrong I am not against tattoos. I have one on my leg of my college mascot, but you just got to wonder what some of these people were thinking. WARNING IF YOU ARE EASILY OFFENDED PLEASE DON'T LOOK ANY FURTHER AS SOME OF THESE COULD BE CONSIDERED NSFW EVEN THOUGH NO NUDITY IS SHOWN. FOR NEKIDNESS GO TO THE WICKED CHOPS BOYS AND CLICK ON THEIR LINKS. I present this weeks:




Speaking of Animals

Speaking of Trim


Speaking of pubic areas

Speaking of Rednecks

Speaking of hairy backs


Speaking of Disturbing

Speaking of Butt Holes





Dont forget about the M00K tonight, see ya there.

Would you do it again the same way if you could do it over?

This is the question I ask it to myself when I bust out of a MTT. If I am more inclined to answer yes then I feel I have succeeded. Did I get my money in with the best hand, did I give myself the best chance to win the tourney? Ect.. If the answer is no time to re-evaluate and find the leaks. Why did I push when he had no fold equity, why did I not pick up the warning signs from his betting patterns, ect..?

After last night's MATH I pondered this question over and over, but before we get to my conclusion lets set up the problem. We had 36 runners and my table was you typical Blonkament Table with LAGs to super LAGs. During the first 13 hands I picked up KK early but no action so my stack was just were I started 3K.

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Yesterday I skipped lunch and decided to read a little more of the Full Tilt Tournament Guide, after all it is one of my goals this week. I read the interesting chapter that Quiet Lion wrote about online MTTs and one of the key points he drove home was that in the early stages of MTTs are all about implied odds. In other words the first few levels (specifically the first 3 levels in a deepstack)you can make some questionable calls if you feel that implied odds justify them. Hmmm very interesting stuff.

After Lunch I perused Hoy's archive of the Anatomy of the slowplay 1-3, Hoy states his goal when he slowplays a monster is to get every chip period, and he went into great lengths to explains the various methods how he gets his opponent to commit all their chips to a play where he is the favorite. Hmmm very interesting stuff.
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Hand number 14 started off very interesting, I am in the BB with KdJd and UTG makes it 70 to go, now believe it or not more time than not I will let this hand go, especially in a HU situation with the original UTG raiser. Most time if I am going to play KJ suited I would like a multiway pot. But I read something early today about implied odds... hmmmm....... I think I might just call and see a flop.

Well the flop slapped me right in the face Kc8dJd, top pair decent kicker, 9 outs to the second nut flush and backdoor straight. This a monster, but how can I get all of his chips ....... hmmm... I think I read something earlier today about slowplaying a monster ...... I think I will check and see how much he likes his hand. So cefredmd fires out a little over 1/2 pot, standard Cbet and then re-raise him 2.5 his bet just to keep him interested, when ...................... wham he shoves all in. So should I be happy or mad, happy that I got what I wanted which is an opportunity to stack him or mad that I am probably behind to either AA, KK or AK. My action was made as soon as I saw the flop but lets look at the odds of the 3 hands before we get to the results, for simplicity we will assume that my opponent doesn't have a diamond.

Against AA, I am favorite 51%

Against AK I am 47.27%
And against KK I am 30.91%
So all in all I am not that bad shape and pots odds compel me to call my last $2K for a $6K even if against a set. So we get in and I am somewhat please to see that I am against AhAd but I am disappointed to see he has the Ad

Here a the odds now that I know I am against the AhAd - 45.96%

And here is the board offering no help!


And the Gigli goes to:

Now to answer the question would I do again? Yes, because of few circumstances. It is BBT tourney and I wanted and needed to win the tourney not just slide into the points in order to have a shot at Bayne_s on the leaderboard. I need to book a win or decent showing because of the motivational factor I need going into the WSOP. I actually felt really good about this decision because I made the plan and stuck with it even thought it didn't have the desired outcome.

Weekend Update for 6-9-07/Goals for the Week

Played a little this weekend with no good results. Here are the lowlights.

In $15K Silver Iron Man Freeroll I lost to TPTK, we he open shoved 7x the pot on Jd8c6d flop with 2 diamonds, I had Ad8d and called with what I thought was 14 outs twice but realized I only had 11 outs. Hindsight bad call by me but I stuck with my read and went with it.

Won a MTT satellite into the $50 Super for the $400K. I really like this tourney since it offers a 1 in 4 shot into the $400K. Well no excuses, I blew it. I finished about 100 short of the payday when I probably could have folded my way into. I didn't play for the prize and I should know better then to try to play big stack poker in these push monkey type tourneys. So no $400K for me.

As for my Goals for Last week let recap

• Apologize to Waffles for the Riverchasers Tirade -- CHECK
• Make the Points in Both BBT Tournaments this Week -- CHECK
• Final Table on the BBT Tourney -- CLOSE BUT NOT REALLY SEE MATH RECAP
• Win a BBT Tourney -- HAHA
• Finish Reading FullTilt Tournament Guide -- DIDN'T GET TO READ MUCH THIS WEEK SO 1/2 WAY THERE
• Walk with the Family in the Evenings -- SOME BUT NOT ENOUGH

I give myself about a C on the goals report card. I will try to finish up the uncompleted goals and add a few more.

• Make the Points in all three BBT Tournaments this Week
• Final Table a BBT Tourney
• Win a BBT Tourney
• Finish Reading FullTilt Tournament Guide
• Walk with the Family in the Evening
• Win 2nd Seat on FullTilt in the 100 WSOP ME Giveaway on Sunday

In the words of Curley -- "If at first you don't succeed, keep on sucking till you do suck seeds"

See ya tonight at the MATH

M00K recap 6-7-07

I cant say much except made the points and made the best of the hands that I was dealt. With only 1500 starting chips you have to start out early with a bang and that is something I didn't do. I lost over half my chips early when my top pair and pot sized bet (25% of my stack) was called by a gutterball draw that made a bigger top pair on the river.

I was able to chip back up to about average stack when I was dealt my 1st pair rockets and was able to get a shorter stack to commit to his pair after the flop.

So at the end of the first break I was just about par, but unlike the trends of past BBT events the bustouts were happening quickly which meant there were some very big stacks starting to appear around me. Shortly into hour number 2 we hit the points bubble. Now since Bayne_S had busted out early I knew that I was going to gain some ground on the BBT but if I wanted to make the most ground up I was going to need to go really deep so I put on my GAMBOOLin hat. First gamboolin hand was this hand. My 88 against a limped 1010.

That took a big chunk of my chips but shortly after that I picked up the Hammer but I chickened out and oh how Fulltilt mocked my decision.

For my lack of Hammer Faith I was only awarded the blinds with my rockets deux.

With the blinds climbing to 100/200/25, A9 sooted was good enough to make my stand with my last 1300 chips against Elf's allin push preflop, her range was huge and I honestly liked my called given that fact. She was able to hit her set on the turn after I jumped the lead with an Ace in the door and then just for the added humiliation Fulltilt (Bonus Code OSU) slapped with two pair on the river. GG me out in 20th.

The Dookie was just wild. First of all it was a $25 freeroll and secondly it wasn't a Turbo. Jeez it took for ever (1:00 AM) because there were several Ghost playing that just wouldn't die. Schaubs was ghost that survived 2 or 3 allins in the blinds, then Schaubs signed into FTP and got to play one hand before he was eliminated. Lucko even made the final table as Ghost. I had a big chipstack at the final table so did Bayne_s but to be honest with you with on 3 places getting paid and only $12.50 going to the winner it was hard to get excited about although it was fun because the railbirds were going crazy and RadioDank was shooting out some crazy chiat. I double up a couple people with AQ vs AK and Bayne_s deliver the death blow with AK vs my Ax 5 handed.

Overall I cant complain about my performance this week in the BBT, I made the points in both events had the chips to make a final table on the MATH but donkey barfed them away. This weekend I am playing in the IronMan Silver Freeroll were 1/4 the field will get a payday and I want to play a few of the MTTs. Hopefully I can satellite into the 400K and make a score.

Good luck to all the Bloggers in Vegas this weekend I will hoist a shot facing westward your way. Be safe this weekend and my you have many success on the felt.

Ode To Waffles / Thats Just Wrong Wednesday

Since I didn't play any poker last night I thought it would be a great opportunity to take a shot at everyones favorite target. I present to you an ode to Waffles.

Oh an I think I know why Wafles computer crapped out on him. I think it is time for an upgrade.
Speaking of Upgrades I present to you this weeks That is Just Wrong.

Worlds Worst Album Covers. Enjoy!

Don't forget about the M00K tonight see ya then.

I suck, therefore I blog! MATH Recap!

My state of the poker address in one paragraph. I am good player with definite dumb azz donkey tendencies. I make some good laydowns and some horrendous calls. I make great bluffs and leave money on the table when I have made hands. At times I feel invincible at times and sometimes I am afriad to play in $5 sng.

That is the range of my emotions right now. I am having a hard time controlling my inner donkey

MATH Recap: I double up withing the first 23 hands of the tournament at the end of the first break I was sitting pretty:

Shortly after the break I was moved to a new table and hit my high water mark of 11,790. But it was there the wheels came off the proverbial buss. At my new table I didn't adjust my play, I hadn't earned the respect of this table and I tried to run over them with my big stack. Now mind you I wasn't raising aimlessly but I was trying to dictate the flow, however several smaller stacks decided that anytime I raised they were willing to gamble. I would raise 2.5 to 3x and get pushed in on for 7-10 times my raise. Frustrating to say the least.

I lost 4K in back to back hands and neither of us played them wrong. First hand I am dealt AK in MP blinds 100/200 I make 600 and cutoff goes all in for about 900 more with QQ and wins his race. Next hand I have Ac10c decide to limp after an EP limper. Flop is 10 high with 2 hearts. Checked to me and with about 1K in the pot I lead out to protect my TPTK one of the blinds pushes for an additional 800 with Kh10h and filled his flush on the river.

So at the end of hour 2 I am mid pack with about 29 or so to go. Shortly after we combined to 3 tables and I didn't adjust for the new big stacks at my table. We were safely in the BBT points when for some reason my inner donkey just took over. Here is how my busto hand played out. (Warning the following hand description contains Graphic Stupidity, please be advised)

I am in the BB 500/250/50 with Ac9c and WilWonka is UTG and raises to 1500 leaving about 4.6K behind, folded to HOP who smooth calls from the CO. Flop comes this

Decent flop for me and I feel like I am ahead but not for certain so for some reason I check.(mistake number one why I didn't lead out a 1/2 pot to gain information only my inner donkey knows for certain) WilWonka checks and HOP leads out a pot sized bet, which I somehow interpret as a mid level pair thanks to the Waffles/HOP war that took place a few weeks ago. (Dam you waffles even in your absence you somehow eff with my game) I push, WilWonka folds and HOP insta calls with AQ

The needless Q on the turn and GG all out in 21st. I was very disappointed with my showing last night. I am starting to doubt my sanity since I am doing the same things over and over again expecting different results. I am still 2nd on the BBT Leaderboard and 3rd in overall money won but I am nowhere near the level I was playing a few weeks back. Gotta get the leaks plugged fast I fly out for ME in 32 days.

Goals for the Week 6-4-07

• Apologize to Waffles for the Riverchasers Tirade
• Make the Points in Both BBT Tournaments this Week
• Final Table on the BBT Tourney
• Win a BBT Tourney
• Finish Reading FullTilt Tournament Guide
• Walk with the Family in the Evenings

So there are my Goals for the week. Lets get one of them accomplished right now. I owe Waffles an apology for my tirade during the Riverchasers Horse Event on Sunday. I told him: FU, I called him a classless douche bag, and I may have called him phucktard, dum azz bastard. I hope I didn't forget any. Anyways I do owe him an apology, I understand his taunting and off the cuff remarks are what make Waffles, Waffles. He is like a car wreck or picture of a decapitated body , you don't want to look but you cant help yourself. Waffles I am sorry.

The others are pretty self explanatory. I hope to catch Bayne_S on the BBT Leaderboard but I must say he is making it mighty tough. Very impressive sir.

See ya at the MATH tonight.

One Mistake is all it takes!

I am glad to see May go, it was a baaaaaaaaaaddddddd month. However, it sounds like a few others had a crappy month as well. So I guess it could always be worse.


It seems like every tournament I played was the same thing. Start off decent and then one little mistake would either wipe me out or start me on the road to ruin. So I ask you the question, Have you ever played a totally mistake free tourney?

Sure there have been times when maybe you played mostly mistake free or maybe your mistake didn't get caught but I doubt if anyone can ever say the played a mistake free tourney.

OK so I am cruising along in Al's Rvierchasers event last night, I am catching some cards and then I am dealt AA UTG, So I make a 2.5 BB bet and get called by one of the blinds, flop comes 96x rainbow and the blind fires a 3/4 pot sized bet. HMM .... did this guy hit a set, nah If he hit a set he would check and let me bet so I min raise back to feign a weak steal attempt and please when he calls. The turn is another blank and he checks so here I firmly feel that I am ahead, now here is where I want to set the trap, I check as well to firmly entrench that my weak raise was just that. River is another blank and blind fires about 1/3 pot bet, so I wait just a bit and push hoping that I have sold the AK charade and right on Que I am called by JJ and sitting numero uno.

The very next hand I am moved to a new table and that is where the wheels came off the wagon. Maybe two hands at the new table I dealt A9 suited in the BB and a MP player pushes all in for about 350 chips, the button smooth calls and SB folds and I make the mistake of putting a squeeze on the Button. The Button started the hand with about 2600, I have around 5900 so I push to trap the dead money and low behold the button calls and flips up AK. Very well played sir. I don't know if he planned it that way but it definitely worked out as he doubled I am now at 3200 chips, from there I just ran into one thing after another, my raises were re-raised all in, and then this hand came up. I get AK in the SB was folded to me I smooth call BB checks, the flop comes K7x I lead out BB calls, turn is a blank I check wanting to induce a bluff if he does have the K or even the 7, the BB fires pot sized I check raise enough to put him in and boom he insta calls with K7. NI HAND SIR. I don't think I did anything wrong and don't think there was anything I could do because the BB would have called a raise preflop at least I would have.

Now I am down to about 1100 and a about 9 hands later I am dealt AK yet again UTG I raise to 300, the button re raises and the SB goes All In. So what do you do? I can fold but I am at an M of less than 8 or I can make my stand here and have a chance to triple up. I just don't give either of them credit for either AA or KK and besides if I call it is likely the button might fold. So I call and the button does fold and I am happy to be in a race with 1010 but soon on the rail as I blank out.

All in all I don't feel real bad about the way I played except for the squeeze play. This was my one mistake since I didn't need to play a big pot in that spot. Looking back I don't believe I would have respected a squeeze by a big stack in BB either and I should have either called or even better just folded and let them fight it out and preserved my chips. Guess I didn't use good judgement and it cost me.
Ted Forrest made a profound statement in the Full Tilt Tournament Guide. The statement was it is easy to get a big stack but it is extremely difficult to keep one. Too bad I read that after the tourney.