Once again, a long time has passed since my last post. I figured today would be as good a day as any to update everyone on what's happening. Plus, with Kurt's KNK League game being last night and still fresh in my mind, I'll post a few interesting and at sometimes baffling hands as well.
First off, luckily for me 2007 has been a vast improvement on last year's disappointing season. While I did right the ship so to speak late last year, the fruits of my labor weren't as evident as I would've liked. Now this year is a very different story.
Currently, before entering last nights tournaments, I was in 11th place overall, 1 out of the top 10 and within striking distance of the top 5. Still I am a little disheartened that am I still searching for my first win at KNK since 2005. I really thought I would have won at least one game before now, but even though I've had my chances, it still hasn't come to pass. That win is, in my opinion, the last hurdle I need to climb before moving on to bigger and better things in poker. Just one win will verify for me that all my hard work at improving my game and becoming a student of the game has paid off. I can see how far I've come from being the wreckless, ultra-aggressive, at some times stupid player to where I am now. I am still aggressive, I'm not going to lie, but my play has tightened up considerably. I am now a player to be respected at KNK, not laughed at or made fun of. All that being said, I just want one damn win. If nothing but for my own personal gratification. I've won at Jim's and other places, but it seems that the KNK games are a 500 Lb. gorilla on my back.
Anyways, on to last night. I was out in the middle of the pack in the first game. I really didn't get many chances to play, because I was short stacked early and really couldn't recover. The second game I did make it to the points by finishing I think 7th. More points, that's what I need. Greg who is leading this year by a pretty good margin is making points virtually every night, so in order to combat that, I need to be consistent as well. At times, more consistent, which is hard to do because Greg is as I like to call him, a grinder. I give him credit, his style of play suits him very well as I don't think anyone else has his patience. In Greg's case, patience is really a virtue. God knows I don't have the patience for that, or the discipline.
Now it on to my favorite part of my blog, the hand rewinds. First up was a hand very early on in the first game. It involved Elaine, Ilya and Jack. No one exposed their hands so I can't really repaly the hand, but it did feature some weird play. Pre flop there might have been a raise, although I'm not sure, but there was really no betting except on 5th street. When the board showed two pair, Elaine went all in without hesitation. That was about a $2300 or so bet into a maybe $200 pot and that's being generous. Needless to say both Jack and Ilya folded. I made a comment to Elaine about value betting. Now I'm not saying what she did was horrible, because it wasn't as she won the pot. My point is this, when the board two-paired, it was pretty obvious, at least to me, she filled up with a full house, prompting the all in bet. There are two problems with that bet: First, you're telling everyone at the table exactly what you're hand is, leaving no room for doubt which is a powerful tool in poker. Second, the only hand that will even think about calling that huge bet is probably a hand you don't want calling you, (ex. a higher full house or quads). In my opinion, Elaine would've been better suited to put out a decent sized value bet, maybe the size of the pot or a little more. That way maybe someone who has an ace and figures you're bluffing will call and get crushed by your full house when he sees his ace high is no good. If someone raises that bet trying to bluff and buy the pot, then you can come over the top with a big bet or an all in move. Either way, you get paid off and get more money than what was just in the pot. Once you move all in before any action takes place, you have no more options and you pretty much kill your action.
Another hand from the first game featured Bill and Dave. This hand will show how your bets can price someone in to drawing out on you.
The Hands:
Bill: Kc - 10c
Dave: Ah - Jd
I think there might have been a raise by someone other than Dave and Bill, although again I'm not sure. In any case after the flop it was heads up.
The Flop:
Ad - 4c - 9c
Dave led out and bet $80 which was called by Bill.
The Turn:
5s
Dave once again led out and bet $120 which was called by Bill.
The River:
7c
The Board:
Ad - 4c - 9c - 5s - 7c
Dave led out and bet $240. Bill raised to $600. Dave Called and Bill won the pot with a king-high flush.
Poor betting caused Dave to lose the pot. After talking with Bill, he told me that had Dave bet a larger amount on the flop and turn, Bill would have folded, but since Dave was betting 1/4 the size of the pot, it gave Bill virtually 4 to 1, 6 to 1 with implied odds, to draw to the flush.
Now to a hand I was in. This was early in the second game. Bill was under the gun and short stacked. This was also the second or third decent hand I'd seen in about an hour.
The Hands:
Bill: 7s - 7c
X: Ad - Kd
Dave: 8d - 8h
Pre-flop:
Bill moved all in for $330. X raised to $680 total. Dave called $680.
This in my opinion was a mistake on Dave's part, not to pick on him because I like Dave. Being in the position I was in, I raised what I thought to be a sufficient amount to get everybody to fold. If someone raised me, then I knew they had a pocket pair bigger than 9's or two high cards. I should mention Dave was also short on chips having $1200 or a little more. If I was Dave knowing I raised to isolate and being short stacked you really only have two moves in that situation, all in or fold. If you had a decent amount you could call and try to see a flop. The problem with that is now you're giving the people behind you, (the blinds), odds to call to see if they can catch off the flop. Moving all in would've told me I was up against a hand with two high cards or a made hand. Now, if Dave had moved in I would've still called because he didn't have much more money to make me think twice. Truth be told I actually thought he was going to move all in after my raise pre-flop.
The Flop:
10d - 10h - Kc
X moved all in, Dave called which put him all in.
The Turn:
Qc
The River:
Ac
The Board:
1od - 10h - Kc - Qc - Ac
X wins the main pot with two pair, Aces and Kings. X wins the side pot as well.
Again, I wasn't really sure why Dave just flat called the raise pre-flop. If you wanted to see a flop, that flop certainly didn't help you, so why call my all in bet? I was baffled, but I didn't mind as I won the pot.
So that's that for now. I'll try to blog more often. I know I always say that, but I will still try. Until then, see ya' !
X
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Saturday, May 26, 2007
An interesting night...
Last night I decided to make my return to Jim's off-Friday game. I haven't been to Jim's in nearly eight months or so. But seeing how I had some extra cash and no plans last night, I figured I would try my luck. Here is how my night went...
A competative table
In the first game, I was sat next to Mark, Mohamad, Bill and I was two seat down from Henry. At first, the table was very tight. There were a lot pots checked down to the river and not a lot of raising preflop. I'm not exactly sure why our table was so timid because there were rebuys available for the first hour.
Anyways, the first big hand I got dealt was A(s) - K(s) and I raised the normal amount (3 x the BB) and I got called by two people. I didn't really hit the flop and I was in last psoition and it was checked to me. I made a continuation bet and took the pot down. The very next hand I got big slick again, this time it was unsuited. I raised and I got called by Bill. The flop was Q(d) - 10(d) - 5(c). I checked figuring Bill had a queen and maybe an ace or king. Bill checked as well, which led me to believe a few things, he was either slow playing a set or he had a pair lower than the board or he had the flush or straight draw and wanted to see a free card. Now I made a mistake checking there. I probably should have made a bet, but again, I didn't want to bet into the teeth of a monster hand. The turn was the 6(d). Now I had to check because I had no diamond and if I was right about Bill being on a flush draw that would've completed his flush. Instead, Bill checked along with me which led to believe he was afraid of the diamonds as well. The river was the another diamond, I'm not quite sure which one, maybe a deuce or a three. It wasn't a big diamond though. I checked again and Bill turned over pocket 7's with the 7(d) giving him the flush. I kicked myself because if I had made a continuation bet, Bill would've had a hard time calling with just a pair of 7's. No one's fault but my own there.
A little later I picked up pocket A's against Mohamad and took a big pot from him. After the rebuy period ended, I picked up K(s) - Q(s). It was head's up pot with myself and another guy. The flop came up J(c) - 10(h) - 4(s). I had an open ended straight draw and I checked and so did the other guy. The turn came A(s), giving me the nut straight and the nut flush draw. I checked and the other guy bet out about a little less than half the pot. I smooth called the bet feeling no need to force the issue at that point. The river was a blank for me and I wasn't really concerned because in my mind, I was holding the nuts. I checked and again the other guy bet out a little more this time. I immediately pushed all in and I had him covered easily and he called me with two pair jacks and tens and that was it for him. I was now big stacked and I continued to pick up cards. I had big slick two more times, I had ace - queen three times and a bunch of pocket pairs, the best of which being pocket kings. I made a key raise with those kings against Bill who made a good lay down with ace - jack suited. Some more people went bust there after and it was time for the final table.
Final Table woes
The final tabel was a far cry to what was happiening on the outer table. My run of monster hands stopped and the blinds got bigger and bigger. Every time I'd get an ace or face card, my kicker would be a deuce or a three, nothing was suited and I never got a pocket pair higher than 6's. Every time I even flirted with the idea of playing a pot, there would be a least one raise and more often than not there either a re-raise or an all in immediately following. The blinds started eating everybody alive, myself included, and forced people who were short stacked to make a move with weaker than average hands. I don't think I played a hand unless I was forced to in the blinds.
Soon after the final table began, people started dropping. It took less than 45 minutes to go from ten people down to six. There was a big hand between Bill, Jim and Moe in which Moe took Bill out and crippled Jim with Big Slick. Jim went in the next hand and was promptly busted by Moe which put us in the money. Surprisingly, I was second in chips to Moe who was huge stacked with only playing three of four hands. Jack and Greg were the two shorter stacks. I ended up in a three way all in with Jack and Greg shortly after it became four handed. I had A(d) - 9(c), Greg had Q(s) - 8(h) and Jack had A(h) - J(h). The flop came and my 9 hit. Both the turn and river were blanks and I ended up taking both Greg and Jack out.
Heads up with Moe didn't last very long, I think it lasted maybe ten hands or so. I either got really good cards our really crappy ones. There was a lot chips being exchanged as the blinds were ridiculously high. The final hand was Moe with pocket 6's versus me with queen - ten offsuit. Moe flopped his 3rd six and I was toast. I ended up with $140 which I was more than happy with.
Game 2, more of the same?
I will be perfaectly honest, the 2nd game I got absolutlely nothing when it came to starting hands. The only hand I won at the first table was a suited A(c) - 3(c). I was playing against Ryan and I had a decent read on him which I will not share, but I won the hand and I think it was the first time I outplayed Ryan in a hand ever. That just tells you how good Ryan is. I never really got anything else at that table but we soon merged to the final table.
I again had nothing at that table and I went down to about $1500 at my worst point. I ended up getting pocket J's in the big blind and I moved all in against Greg who called with king - queen suited. He hit his queen but I hit my jack to trip up. A little while later I moved all in over the top of Ryan with 7's. he called with king - queen offsuit and again I hit my set off the flop and doubled up again. The rest of the game went fast and I ended up heads up with Andy as the chip leader. There was only one hand heads up and here's how it went. I was first to act and I get pocket Q's. I limped in hoping Andy came over the top of me. Here is why I had limped; 1.) earlier this year I was heads up with Henry at Kurt's and I raised with pocket Q's and Henry folded. Had I slow played, I might have won the game. 2.) There was no need to push Andy out of the pot, I wanted Andy to play. Anyways, Andy did go over the top for all of his chips and I called. That was it, the board was a blank and I won.
So a 2nd and a 1st, an amazing night to say the least. After I was shocked and I couldn't believe I did so well. It's too bad that it wasn't at Kurt's for points. Hey, I'm not complaining, I'm goiong to take the money I made and use it to fund my trip to Foxwood's on Monday. But my interesting night didn't end there. After the game Bill, Ryan, Henry and I went to breakfast. On our way home Ryan, Bill and I got pulled over on 495 by a Mass State Trooper. It wasn't anything major, I personally think he just wanted to meet his quota for Memorial Day weekend. So that was my night, exciting, exhilarating, and fascinating to say the least. With any luck my weekend is going to get better when Bill, Ryan and I go to Foxwood's this Monday. Wish me luck!
X
A competative table
In the first game, I was sat next to Mark, Mohamad, Bill and I was two seat down from Henry. At first, the table was very tight. There were a lot pots checked down to the river and not a lot of raising preflop. I'm not exactly sure why our table was so timid because there were rebuys available for the first hour.
Anyways, the first big hand I got dealt was A(s) - K(s) and I raised the normal amount (3 x the BB) and I got called by two people. I didn't really hit the flop and I was in last psoition and it was checked to me. I made a continuation bet and took the pot down. The very next hand I got big slick again, this time it was unsuited. I raised and I got called by Bill. The flop was Q(d) - 10(d) - 5(c). I checked figuring Bill had a queen and maybe an ace or king. Bill checked as well, which led me to believe a few things, he was either slow playing a set or he had a pair lower than the board or he had the flush or straight draw and wanted to see a free card. Now I made a mistake checking there. I probably should have made a bet, but again, I didn't want to bet into the teeth of a monster hand. The turn was the 6(d). Now I had to check because I had no diamond and if I was right about Bill being on a flush draw that would've completed his flush. Instead, Bill checked along with me which led to believe he was afraid of the diamonds as well. The river was the another diamond, I'm not quite sure which one, maybe a deuce or a three. It wasn't a big diamond though. I checked again and Bill turned over pocket 7's with the 7(d) giving him the flush. I kicked myself because if I had made a continuation bet, Bill would've had a hard time calling with just a pair of 7's. No one's fault but my own there.
A little later I picked up pocket A's against Mohamad and took a big pot from him. After the rebuy period ended, I picked up K(s) - Q(s). It was head's up pot with myself and another guy. The flop came up J(c) - 10(h) - 4(s). I had an open ended straight draw and I checked and so did the other guy. The turn came A(s), giving me the nut straight and the nut flush draw. I checked and the other guy bet out about a little less than half the pot. I smooth called the bet feeling no need to force the issue at that point. The river was a blank for me and I wasn't really concerned because in my mind, I was holding the nuts. I checked and again the other guy bet out a little more this time. I immediately pushed all in and I had him covered easily and he called me with two pair jacks and tens and that was it for him. I was now big stacked and I continued to pick up cards. I had big slick two more times, I had ace - queen three times and a bunch of pocket pairs, the best of which being pocket kings. I made a key raise with those kings against Bill who made a good lay down with ace - jack suited. Some more people went bust there after and it was time for the final table.
Final Table woes
The final tabel was a far cry to what was happiening on the outer table. My run of monster hands stopped and the blinds got bigger and bigger. Every time I'd get an ace or face card, my kicker would be a deuce or a three, nothing was suited and I never got a pocket pair higher than 6's. Every time I even flirted with the idea of playing a pot, there would be a least one raise and more often than not there either a re-raise or an all in immediately following. The blinds started eating everybody alive, myself included, and forced people who were short stacked to make a move with weaker than average hands. I don't think I played a hand unless I was forced to in the blinds.
Soon after the final table began, people started dropping. It took less than 45 minutes to go from ten people down to six. There was a big hand between Bill, Jim and Moe in which Moe took Bill out and crippled Jim with Big Slick. Jim went in the next hand and was promptly busted by Moe which put us in the money. Surprisingly, I was second in chips to Moe who was huge stacked with only playing three of four hands. Jack and Greg were the two shorter stacks. I ended up in a three way all in with Jack and Greg shortly after it became four handed. I had A(d) - 9(c), Greg had Q(s) - 8(h) and Jack had A(h) - J(h). The flop came and my 9 hit. Both the turn and river were blanks and I ended up taking both Greg and Jack out.
Heads up with Moe didn't last very long, I think it lasted maybe ten hands or so. I either got really good cards our really crappy ones. There was a lot chips being exchanged as the blinds were ridiculously high. The final hand was Moe with pocket 6's versus me with queen - ten offsuit. Moe flopped his 3rd six and I was toast. I ended up with $140 which I was more than happy with.
Game 2, more of the same?
I will be perfaectly honest, the 2nd game I got absolutlely nothing when it came to starting hands. The only hand I won at the first table was a suited A(c) - 3(c). I was playing against Ryan and I had a decent read on him which I will not share, but I won the hand and I think it was the first time I outplayed Ryan in a hand ever. That just tells you how good Ryan is. I never really got anything else at that table but we soon merged to the final table.
I again had nothing at that table and I went down to about $1500 at my worst point. I ended up getting pocket J's in the big blind and I moved all in against Greg who called with king - queen suited. He hit his queen but I hit my jack to trip up. A little while later I moved all in over the top of Ryan with 7's. he called with king - queen offsuit and again I hit my set off the flop and doubled up again. The rest of the game went fast and I ended up heads up with Andy as the chip leader. There was only one hand heads up and here's how it went. I was first to act and I get pocket Q's. I limped in hoping Andy came over the top of me. Here is why I had limped; 1.) earlier this year I was heads up with Henry at Kurt's and I raised with pocket Q's and Henry folded. Had I slow played, I might have won the game. 2.) There was no need to push Andy out of the pot, I wanted Andy to play. Anyways, Andy did go over the top for all of his chips and I called. That was it, the board was a blank and I won.
So a 2nd and a 1st, an amazing night to say the least. After I was shocked and I couldn't believe I did so well. It's too bad that it wasn't at Kurt's for points. Hey, I'm not complaining, I'm goiong to take the money I made and use it to fund my trip to Foxwood's on Monday. But my interesting night didn't end there. After the game Bill, Ryan, Henry and I went to breakfast. On our way home Ryan, Bill and I got pulled over on 495 by a Mass State Trooper. It wasn't anything major, I personally think he just wanted to meet his quota for Memorial Day weekend. So that was my night, exciting, exhilarating, and fascinating to say the least. With any luck my weekend is going to get better when Bill, Ryan and I go to Foxwood's this Monday. Wish me luck!
X
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Not bad, grasshopper...
Hey all, I haven't posted in a while so I figured what the heck, might as well bring everybody up to date on what's happening with me and poker. So here goes..
Final Tables are Alright with Me
The past few weeks I have been making final tables consistently and getting pretty deep in most of them. I have been playing really well over the past few weeks and actually catching cards when I need to. I haven't won yet, but I've gotten real close with two 2nd's, a 3rd, a 5th, a couple of 6th's and so on. Not bad considering this time last year I couldn't buy a break to save my life. I'm somewhere near the top ten in points which is another boost to my ego. Last year I couldn't break out of the cellar.
I Found My Aces
I have finally found my aces after a near 3 month search. I got them this past week as well and I hope I get them with more regularity. Both times I have gotten them recently I have made a standard raise (3 x the big blind) and have gotten everyone to fold to me each time. I can't really complain. I guess I get greedy when I get bullets.
Miscellaneous Info
Bill and I are in the midst of planning a couple of trips at the moment. The closest is the one Memorial Day weekend we are going to Foxwood's with Ryan. There's also trips to Foxwood's and Atlantic City in the works as well so I'll let everybody know what's up with those. Well that's it for now, everybody take care and have a good Memorial day. Later peeps!
X
Final Tables are Alright with Me
The past few weeks I have been making final tables consistently and getting pretty deep in most of them. I have been playing really well over the past few weeks and actually catching cards when I need to. I haven't won yet, but I've gotten real close with two 2nd's, a 3rd, a 5th, a couple of 6th's and so on. Not bad considering this time last year I couldn't buy a break to save my life. I'm somewhere near the top ten in points which is another boost to my ego. Last year I couldn't break out of the cellar.
I Found My Aces
I have finally found my aces after a near 3 month search. I got them this past week as well and I hope I get them with more regularity. Both times I have gotten them recently I have made a standard raise (3 x the big blind) and have gotten everyone to fold to me each time. I can't really complain. I guess I get greedy when I get bullets.
Miscellaneous Info
Bill and I are in the midst of planning a couple of trips at the moment. The closest is the one Memorial Day weekend we are going to Foxwood's with Ryan. There's also trips to Foxwood's and Atlantic City in the works as well so I'll let everybody know what's up with those. Well that's it for now, everybody take care and have a good Memorial day. Later peeps!
X
Thursday, April 12, 2007
como se dice ... the nuts?
Hey ya'll. So far 2007 (with a few bright spots) has started much like 2006 ended. Not that I'm bitching about bad beats, though a few bad ones come to mind, or poorly played hands. I've just basically been on the losing end of coin flips. I've played a couple hands to perfection, but for the most part, there really hasn't been much to write home about.
Aces? Can anbody find my aces?
Its been about two and a half months since I've seen bullets, and I'm starting to become concerned. Is it possible I scared them away? Or maybe their angry at me for not getting more money the last time I played them. If I get them I'm not sure I'll be able to remember how to play them. One thing's for sure, I really do miss them. So if you find my aces anywhere, help a brother out and give back to me.
The Wonder of it All
Patriots' Day is rapidly appraoching and you know what that means. No, not the Red Sox v. Angels with the early 10:05 am start. Not even the Boston Marathon, a Patriots' Day tradition. No I'm talking about the impending Foxwood's trip. Bill, Ryan and I are going to make the semi-annual pilgrimage to the 'Wood's. I plan on playing in the 10:00 am tournament and maybe some cash game action after. Last time there, I ended the night up about $400. A very lucrative trip indeed. Hopefully my luck won't change and I'll walk out with my pocket full 'o' cash again. We'll have to wait and see.
That's about it. Hope y'all enjoy the rest of the week and beyond. Later
X
Aces? Can anbody find my aces?
Its been about two and a half months since I've seen bullets, and I'm starting to become concerned. Is it possible I scared them away? Or maybe their angry at me for not getting more money the last time I played them. If I get them I'm not sure I'll be able to remember how to play them. One thing's for sure, I really do miss them. So if you find my aces anywhere, help a brother out and give back to me.
The Wonder of it All
Patriots' Day is rapidly appraoching and you know what that means. No, not the Red Sox v. Angels with the early 10:05 am start. Not even the Boston Marathon, a Patriots' Day tradition. No I'm talking about the impending Foxwood's trip. Bill, Ryan and I are going to make the semi-annual pilgrimage to the 'Wood's. I plan on playing in the 10:00 am tournament and maybe some cash game action after. Last time there, I ended the night up about $400. A very lucrative trip indeed. Hopefully my luck won't change and I'll walk out with my pocket full 'o' cash again. We'll have to wait and see.
That's about it. Hope y'all enjoy the rest of the week and beyond. Later
X
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