Took a break from the SNG world and played a cash game. I usually play stupid-low stakes, but I decided to buy in for $50 in the loosest 25-50 cent game I could find.
Turned $50 into $195 in about an hour. Played 60 hands and had aces two times, kings, jacks, tens and nines.
Check out this hand. No idea what the guy was thinking here:
Dealt to Hero:K♣ K♠
Preflop:
3 players fold.
Hero raises to $1.50
1 players fold.
Somedude calls [$1.50]
Villain raises to $97.65, and is all in
Now, I don't know where you're from, but raising from $1.50 to $97.65 is not something I'm used to seeing. And anyone who knows me KNOWS I don't want to risk almost $90 on any one hand. But I have freakin' kings. So ...
1 players fold.
Hero calls [$83.40] [ all-in ]
Villain shows : Q♥ Q♣
Hero shows : K♣ K♠
Flop: 2♦ A♣ J♥
Turn: 8♥
River: 5♦ Villain shows a pair of Queens
Hero shows a pair of Kings
Hero wins the pot ($168.80) with a pair of Kings
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Bad Beat Week
The week of bad beats continues:
Tonight: 45-player SNG, $11, pays six. With eight left, I raise under the gun with kings. Big blind calls. Flop comes queen high. BB bets, I shove, he calls and rolls over Q9. Turn is 9. I'm out two spots short of the money (and would have been third in chips).
Last night: 45-player SNG, $11, pays six. Went out shortstacked shoving from button with A4 (BB had AQ). But lost a huge pot when I got all in with QQ vs. AQ. Rivered with an ace.
A few nights earlier: Put $10 into a mini-stakes cash game. Got it all in on the flop with KK vs. 74 (yes, 74 ... and I didn't slow play) after the guy flopped a four. Turn is harmless. River is a 4. Pot was $31.
There have been more, but I can't find all the hand histories. It all started in that tournament where I finished fifth of 313 after getting it in on the turn against the chip leader as an 87-13 favorite and then getting rivered.
The poker gods hate me. But they always seem to change their minds eventually.
Tonight: 45-player SNG, $11, pays six. With eight left, I raise under the gun with kings. Big blind calls. Flop comes queen high. BB bets, I shove, he calls and rolls over Q9. Turn is 9. I'm out two spots short of the money (and would have been third in chips).
Last night: 45-player SNG, $11, pays six. Went out shortstacked shoving from button with A4 (BB had AQ). But lost a huge pot when I got all in with QQ vs. AQ. Rivered with an ace.
A few nights earlier: Put $10 into a mini-stakes cash game. Got it all in on the flop with KK vs. 74 (yes, 74 ... and I didn't slow play) after the guy flopped a four. Turn is harmless. River is a 4. Pot was $31.
There have been more, but I can't find all the hand histories. It all started in that tournament where I finished fifth of 313 after getting it in on the turn against the chip leader as an 87-13 favorite and then getting rivered.
The poker gods hate me. But they always seem to change their minds eventually.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Sweet poker tracker for Mac
For those of you Mac owners looking to crunch your opponents' numbers while playing online, check out Poker Copilot.
The program can be downloaded at www.pokercopilot.com for $50 — and it's well worth the investment. I used it on a 30-day trial period and plan to get myself a copy in the very near future.
Of course, the program won't win money for you on its own, but it's helpful when you face decisions. It can back up some impressions you have of other players with solid numbers, which can make your decisions easier to make.
If you play for any kind of stakes at all, you'll more than make your $50 back in a short time.
There seems to be a ton of these types of programs for PCs, but this is the only one I've stumbled across for Mac users. Check it out.
The program can be downloaded at www.pokercopilot.com for $50 — and it's well worth the investment. I used it on a 30-day trial period and plan to get myself a copy in the very near future.
Of course, the program won't win money for you on its own, but it's helpful when you face decisions. It can back up some impressions you have of other players with solid numbers, which can make your decisions easier to make.
If you play for any kind of stakes at all, you'll more than make your $50 back in a short time.
There seems to be a ton of these types of programs for PCs, but this is the only one I've stumbled across for Mac users. Check it out.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Miss me?
If anyone is still bothering to log in, I apologize for my recent absence. Not only have I been frustrated with my online poker performance, I've been swamped.
But I jumped back in Saturday night with a $26 and an $11 with huge fields. In the $11, which featured about 320 players, I finished fifth for $219, my biggest online tournament cash.
But it could have been better. This hand would have basically put me in a three-way tie for first with first place paying $800. Made a great call on the turn, and the guy hit a six-outer (87-13 underdog) to knock me out.
Here it is:
Stacks:
BB with 99898
UTG with 113715
MP with 56489
BTN with 48402
SB with 150996
Blinds: 2,000-4,000 with ante (250 each I think)
Site: Full Tilt Poker
Dealt to BTN:9♥ T♣
Preflop:
2 players fold.
Hero raises to 10,000
SB calls [8,000]
1 players folded.
Total folds this street: 3
Potsize: 18006
Just trying to steal. Had played extra tight for a while, so I thought I'd get away with it. Looking at his hand, the SB should have either shoved or folded. Don't like the flat call at all.
Flop: 6♠ 3♣ 3♦
SB checks Hero bets [10,000]
1 players fold.
SB calls [10,000]
Potsize: 28016
Now I'm in deep, and I start to fear he has a hand. Again, in hindsight, he made the worst move possible. If he bets, I likely fold. If he's going to call, he should just shove since my bet looks like what it was, a continuation bet.
Turn: 9♠
SB bets [130,496, and is all in] Hero calls [27,902] [ all-in ]
I hate calling with top pair, crappy kicker, but I'm in deep. And his bet looked like a massive bluff. It's all the same if he bets 130,000 instead of 28,000, but the fact that he put all of his chips in, and the fact that he snap-shoved as soon as it was his turn to act, smelled weak. And it was. I made a great call, I think.
SB shows : J♠ K♣ Hero shows : 9♥ 10♣
Uncalled bet of 102,594 returned to SB
Potsize: 102,304
He has six outs, three jacks and three kings. And:
River: J♥
But I jumped back in Saturday night with a $26 and an $11 with huge fields. In the $11, which featured about 320 players, I finished fifth for $219, my biggest online tournament cash.
But it could have been better. This hand would have basically put me in a three-way tie for first with first place paying $800. Made a great call on the turn, and the guy hit a six-outer (87-13 underdog) to knock me out.
Here it is:
Stacks:
BB with 99898
UTG with 113715
MP with 56489
BTN with 48402
SB with 150996
Blinds: 2,000-4,000 with ante (250 each I think)
Site: Full Tilt Poker
Dealt to BTN:9♥ T♣
Preflop:
2 players fold.
Hero raises to 10,000
SB calls [8,000]
1 players folded.
Total folds this street: 3
Potsize: 18006
Just trying to steal. Had played extra tight for a while, so I thought I'd get away with it. Looking at his hand, the SB should have either shoved or folded. Don't like the flat call at all.
Flop: 6♠ 3♣ 3♦
SB checks Hero bets [10,000]
1 players fold.
SB calls [10,000]
Potsize: 28016
Now I'm in deep, and I start to fear he has a hand. Again, in hindsight, he made the worst move possible. If he bets, I likely fold. If he's going to call, he should just shove since my bet looks like what it was, a continuation bet.
Turn: 9♠
SB bets [130,496, and is all in] Hero calls [27,902] [ all-in ]
I hate calling with top pair, crappy kicker, but I'm in deep. And his bet looked like a massive bluff. It's all the same if he bets 130,000 instead of 28,000, but the fact that he put all of his chips in, and the fact that he snap-shoved as soon as it was his turn to act, smelled weak. And it was. I made a great call, I think.
SB shows : J♠ K♣ Hero shows : 9♥ 10♣
Uncalled bet of 102,594 returned to SB
Potsize: 102,304
He has six outs, three jacks and three kings. And:
River: J♥
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
A waste of time or time for a change?
Clearly my original plan is not working. Doubling my bankroll and then doubling my buy-ins worked well when I made the jump from $2 SNGs to $5 SNGs, and it worked even better when I made a quick leap from $5s to $10s and beyond. But I've pretty much flat-lined, and I think I might be wasting my time.
Should I quit? Or just change?
An analysis of the numbers shows something interesting. When I play massive tournaments, I last a long time. The slower structure and the deeper chip stacks play to my strengths and reduce the luck factor. In 18 tournaments of 181-plus players — with an average field size thus far of 851 — I've cashed seven times.
To go a step further, I'm finishing in the top 30 percent of those tournaments 67 percent of the time and the top 10 percent an astounding 39 percent of the time.
So instead of grinding out a bunch of SNGs on a nightly basis, maybe I just need to reduce the number of nights I play and just play longer tournaments with better structures. My bankroll would probably not increase that much more on a weekly basis, but if I can finish in the top 10 percent 39 percent of the time, that means I'm going to score big at some point. Many of those tournaments pay thousands for first place.
Thoughts?
Should I quit? Or just change?
An analysis of the numbers shows something interesting. When I play massive tournaments, I last a long time. The slower structure and the deeper chip stacks play to my strengths and reduce the luck factor. In 18 tournaments of 181-plus players — with an average field size thus far of 851 — I've cashed seven times.
To go a step further, I'm finishing in the top 30 percent of those tournaments 67 percent of the time and the top 10 percent an astounding 39 percent of the time.
So instead of grinding out a bunch of SNGs on a nightly basis, maybe I just need to reduce the number of nights I play and just play longer tournaments with better structures. My bankroll would probably not increase that much more on a weekly basis, but if I can finish in the top 10 percent 39 percent of the time, that means I'm going to score big at some point. Many of those tournaments pay thousands for first place.
Thoughts?
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
What's that?
First hand of a SNG, and I get dealt AK suited in the big blind.
Under the gun raises to 90. Dude in middle position shoves all-in for 1,500.
I have no idea what to make of this. The dude has the little mark next to his icon that indicates he plays a ton of poker. But that doesn't mean he's any good.
Besides, from my experience, people who know anything about poker don't shove all their chips in in response to a standard raise.
So I call. What the heck else am I supposed to do?
UTG folds, and the shove monkey rolls over AQ offsuit. Before the cards hit the board, some guy types in the chatbox.
"Retards"
Another guy types:
"Some people just can't play postflop"
Not sure, but calling a shove with AK suited might not be an awful play. And the shove didn't leave me much choice but to NOT play postflop.
The great thing is I checked both players on OPR. Both of them are losing money faster than a 5-year-old with a hole in his pocket.
Retards.
Under the gun raises to 90. Dude in middle position shoves all-in for 1,500.
I have no idea what to make of this. The dude has the little mark next to his icon that indicates he plays a ton of poker. But that doesn't mean he's any good.
Besides, from my experience, people who know anything about poker don't shove all their chips in in response to a standard raise.
So I call. What the heck else am I supposed to do?
UTG folds, and the shove monkey rolls over AQ offsuit. Before the cards hit the board, some guy types in the chatbox.
"Retards"
Another guy types:
"Some people just can't play postflop"
Not sure, but calling a shove with AK suited might not be an awful play. And the shove didn't leave me much choice but to NOT play postflop.
The great thing is I checked both players on OPR. Both of them are losing money faster than a 5-year-old with a hole in his pocket.
Retards.
Should have gone broke; ended up winning
This is what probably should have been the last hand in the tournament where I came back from 190 chips to win all 67,500. Let me know what you think of how I played this.
Blinds: 30-60
Site: Full Tilt Poker
Dealt to Hero:8♠ 5♠
1 player folds.
herejohnny calls [60]
lucky60 calls [60]
1 player folds.
killemall808 calls [60]
1 player folds.
There is now 270 in the pot (including 30 of mine) and I have 160 behind. I could wait for a few hands and try to get my last 160 in heads-up, but I think this is a great opportunity to shove.
No one has shown strength. The BB has a random hand and will likely fold. What I'm really hoping for is one caller, which would make the pot 560. That means I would be betting 160 to try to win a pot of 400 — which means I'm getting great odds unless someone has an overpair. And I'm not buying an overpair with three limps.
Hero raises to 190, and is all in
1 player folds.
herejohnny raises to 740, and is all in
2 players fold.
herejohnny shows: A♠ K♥
Hero shows: 8♠ 5♠
Got my wish. I am a 3-2 underdog, but I was getting 2 1/2 to 1 on my bet.
Flop: 8♥ J♠ 4♠
Uh. Wow. Not a bad flop for my trash hand, eh?
Turn: 6♠
River: 9♦ herejohnny shows Ace King high
Hero shows a flush, Jack high
Hero wins the pot (560) with a flush, Jack high
Of course, I still had a ton of work to do from here, but if I lose this hand I never see my first royal flush … or any money.
Current bankroll: $1,524 (first time over $1,500)
OPR ranking: 98.13
Blinds: 30-60
Site: Full Tilt Poker
Dealt to Hero:8♠ 5♠
1 player folds.
herejohnny calls [60]
lucky60 calls [60]
1 player folds.
killemall808 calls [60]
1 player folds.
There is now 270 in the pot (including 30 of mine) and I have 160 behind. I could wait for a few hands and try to get my last 160 in heads-up, but I think this is a great opportunity to shove.
No one has shown strength. The BB has a random hand and will likely fold. What I'm really hoping for is one caller, which would make the pot 560. That means I would be betting 160 to try to win a pot of 400 — which means I'm getting great odds unless someone has an overpair. And I'm not buying an overpair with three limps.
Hero raises to 190, and is all in
1 player folds.
herejohnny raises to 740, and is all in
2 players fold.
herejohnny shows: A♠ K♥
Hero shows: 8♠ 5♠
Got my wish. I am a 3-2 underdog, but I was getting 2 1/2 to 1 on my bet.
Flop: 8♥ J♠ 4♠
Uh. Wow. Not a bad flop for my trash hand, eh?
Turn: 6♠
River: 9♦ herejohnny shows Ace King high
Hero shows a flush, Jack high
Hero wins the pot (560) with a flush, Jack high
Of course, I still had a ton of work to do from here, but if I lose this hand I never see my first royal flush … or any money.
Current bankroll: $1,524 (first time over $1,500)
OPR ranking: 98.13
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