Still Gripping… (See previous post, Final Table Blowup)

Truth be told, at the time, I couldn’t care about the 3^rd-7^th pay scale. While it’s nice money, I wanted to ship this thing.  Here’s my thoughts on the AA/JJ/TT hand.

I have played extensively with Missy (AA) over the years. The blinds are 2000/4000/1000a. I have 215,000. She has 55,000.  She understands tourney play and I estimate her shove range to be any pairs, any Broadway, and any ace.  My TT has her range crushed 64:36 (PokerStove).

I have been at the same table with Dolce Gabanna glasses (JJ) for over 7 hours.  My reads on him are that he never 2bets preflop. He limps with a lot of pairs, and Broadway cards.  I’ve seen him limp with as bad as QTo OOP.  He has 120,000 behind and from MP just flats Missy’s UTG shove.  My thoughts are this assmonkey has to jam the pot with JJ+. He just flats.

In my egoistic thinking, I think my TT is in the lead here.  The question is by how much?  I am really hoping I am up against AT-AK from both players.  PokerStove TT 45% Missy’s Range 27.5% DG Glasses Range 27.5%

I didn’t snap shove with TT. I actually took my time to think this through.  I guess the problem with hand –ranging is that AA and JJ are also in their ranges and they happened to get those cards.

The very next hand, Russian Frankie opens from UTG to 17K leaving 90K behind.  The fact that I called him “Russian” Frankie tells you everything you need to know.  His range is top 50% of cards. Either I  3bet him to 51,000 or I shove.  Either way, I think Frankie is putting his chips in the middle this hand.  PokerStove shows AQo is a 2:1 favorite over his range. So I shove and he wakes up with AK.

Q1:  Do I really fold TT here?

Q2:  Am I analyzing my hands wrong here?  Do I really play against their ranges, or do I have to take into account other factors here?

Final Table Blowup

1/2NL Seat 1 I am splashing pots and down $200 to $110 in 5 hands.  I was messing around in a raised pot from the button with Jh7c. Flop was Jc3cJs. Action is checked to me. I bet $15 and get one caller, the small blind with the tennis racket card protector.  The turn is Jc3cJs Kc.  We check/check.  River is Jc3cJs Kc Tc.  Dude pushes in a chunk of chips but fumbles them. He says, “all-in” after they cross the line.  The dealer says he can only bet what crossed the line.  It hardly matters as he has about $85 across and that has me covered.  I am very confused.  When faced with an overbet on the river, I tend to think it’s a bluff bet.  This hand happened at 11:50am. The tournament started at noon. I asked him, “Are you playing the tournament?”  My thought was that if he says yes, he’s not bluffing because he wouldn’t want to lose all his chips right before the tourney.  He said, “no.”  For some reason, I went with my gut and called. Dude tables KK.  Damn, I’m an idiot. Cash out: -$200.$275 buy-in tourney + $10 add-on for 20,000 chips. Bounty’s were $50 each, and the levels lasted 30 minutes.  71 runners started, the top 8 get paid. First was $4,900. 8th paid $489.  This structure gave me a lot of opportunity to play early. I was in seat 25-8 for 6.5 hours.  As usual, I played most of my hands from position. I was card dead for the first 2 hours, and when I did get cards, I was outflopped a majority of the time. I was getting pisssed watching clueless idiots, like seat 3, (old guy with DG glasses) limp in pots, never raising, then overbetting rivers with a baby straight on flush and paired boards and still dragging pots. I also had to deal with seat 7, (Ben Rothlisberger) who played 75% of pots and when he did raise it was usually a min raise. He too would raise people on a straighty river with a pair of aces and get away with it. I was dying to get involved with these two, but it wasn’t happening.Somehow, I dipped to 11K early in the tourney. I was able to grind my way back to 20Kish and stay there for a while.  Seat 9 went busto, and in came Corky. Corky is a 50yo-ish bull, who only has one speed. He’s always raising, and he’s always barelling through a scary board.  Corky has never heard of small ball.  At the 300/600/50a level, I had about 22K and Corky had 9Kish.  I open from CO to 1,800 with AQo. He flats.  The flop is AKQr. I check knowing full well Corky will bet this flop.  The pot is 5,000. Corky shoves for 7,500. I snap call. He has KQ and my hand holds up.  I am up to 31K, and I drag my first of seven $50 bounties.

Shortly thereafter, I get involved in three all-in preflop races against short stacks.  I race JJ vs. AK twice and win.  I race TT vs AK and win. Then later, I snap off seat 4, (habitual bluffer guy) when I get in with KQ vs. his A9. He outflops me with a 9, but I have a straight draw that gets there on the river.

For the last hour before the FT, I am sitting on a stack of 60-80bbs.  I don’t have the full-throttle switch on yet, but if I can take out a potential bounty by only risking 10% of my stack. I am going for it.  I put three players to the task preflop.  Two all-ins hold up, one doesn’t.  I took out big stack cigar guy A9dd > KTdd all-in on a 2 diamond flop. Ace high held up.  I have 7 bounties at $350.00, so I am freerolling now.

I am able to stay out of trouble and make the FT.  Owen wants to pay 9 and 10, the 2 bubbles, something.  There are 10 players left, so $500 in bounties are left.  We agree that the 2 bubbles get $250 each. We play 3 minutes into the FT, then go on a 30 minute dinner break. Ron and I grab drink and strategize.  The average stack is 157,000 and I have 215,000. I am either 2nd or 3rd in chips at this FT.  I tell Ron I hope I can survive silly all-ins, especially when I’m in the blinds and priced-in.  Ron says, “At the FT, you’re never priced in.  You’re goal is to survive.  If you’re raised, you’re probably beat.” Those words would come to haunt me as I should have listened harder.

Back to action. 7 left.  Blinds are 2000/4000/1000a. Short stack Missy shoves UTG for 55K. Asshat DG glasses flats, leaving 65K behind.  I am on the button with TT. I figure Missy is shoving with any Ace or Broadway card.   I am hoping DG glasses has AJ-. If he has a pair or AQ+, he’s going to reraise, right?  BAD READ DONKEY – I’ve been sitting with this asshat for 7.5 hours. He never raises pre-flop.  Never. I should have folded my TT here. But I shove to isolate Missy.  It doesn’t work.  Missy has AA, DG glasses has JJ and I lose approximately 50% of my stack. I am down to 116,000.

Next hand, Russian Frankie opens to 17K.  He has 90K behind.  I tank on the button with AQo.  I think I can get him to fold with a shove and at worst race him if he calls. I shove, dude snaps with AK.  I lose the hand. I shove two hands later and am busto.

I am tortured by these 2 hands.  I don’t think I got impatient, but my reads were way off.  I was quite surprised about the quality of hands here. That said, I could have folded TT. I think I had a real shot at going deep, and blew this thing. Cash out: 7th place, $710 + $350 in bounties.

Flopping My Nuts On Tiki Barber

1/2 NL Table 12.  Seat 2 loose passive sees every flop. Seat 3 Tiki Barber doppelgänger. Same dude from last week in seat 2 that hit the high hand jackpot with his quad aces. Seat 4 strong 1/2NL young golf course kid. Seat 5 Curtis the BS artist. Seat 6 Hero. Seat 8 young big stack ($500 behind) Seat 9 Tiger Woods’ dad. Plays straightforward. Not tricky.  Seats 8 + 9 have > $300 behind.  Seats 3 + 4 have < $100 and are playing too many pots.

I bought in for $200, somehow dipped to $150 and was hovering at $180 when I flopped the nut straight with 98o.  I can’t remember the details other than I was in LP and let the seat 2 bet into Tiki and I on every street.  I think I strung Seat 2 and Tiki along on the flop by just calling. Called seat 2s turn lead bet. Then hammered both of them on the river when Seat 2 bet, Tiki called, I raised to $50, Seat 2 folded, and Tiki shoved for 90.  I had about $320 behind after the hand was done.

Later, MP seat 2 limped, Tiki limped, Curtis made it 12. I called from the button with 65ss.  BB, seat 2, and Tiki called. Pot = $63.

Flop is 3c4s2h.  Curtis opens for 45. I flat. BB, Seat 2 and Tiki call. Pot = $288. I have approx. $220 behind.

Turn is 3c4s2h  Ac.  I’m drooling.  Action is checked to Curtis who fires a huge (sarcasm obv) bet of $45.  I tank for 30 secs debating whether to flat here and let the pot grow or take it down right now.  I end up shoving. BB and Seat 2 fold and Tiki ships in his remaining 90.  Curtis folds AK. He would later say, I was only worried about you, not the other boobs. Lulz. Pot = $468

I show my 65. The river is a 3c4s2h  Ac 7s   Tiki shows me 76 no clubs and takes the walk of shame.

Dumb NASCAR ogre with eyes that point in different directions sits in Seat 3 with $80.  I go on a tear and 3 bet him 3 times.  I have $600+ behind and he says to me, “Okay, keep playing that big stack poker. But remember, you can lose that big stack playing that way.”  I just smile.  The 3 hands I raised him off of, I had TT, QQ and AKs. I never showed the hands though.  I guess I’m just a big stack bully.

 

 

I left the table with about $629  and played the MTT. I was fairly active the first hour and was particularly proud of my bluff catcher.  I limped from the CO with 53s and aggro 20 something guy on the button raised to 15.  I assumed it was a pure position raise so we saw a flop of A43. He bet every street. I c/c every street.

On the river he bet 2,000 into a 1,900 pot.  It just didn’t smell right. I called. He sheepishly showed King high and I sheepishly showed my pair of 3s. The dude was gone 2 hands later.

Made it down to 4 tables and shipped it in with 11bbs preflop with AQ. Actually, I opened to 3600. Donk behind me shoved for 20K. I ranged him for an underpair since his all in was so big. I was right. AQ < JJ. Busto.

Take a piss and lose your seat?!

1/2NL $200 buy in. Table 1, seat 1. Dude in seat 2 had quad Aces earlier and collected $1,000 high hand jackpot. He also had $400 behind so he wanted to gamble.  I asked for the first seat change as I can’t be to the right of this guy.  After a few hands, I have $180 behind.  Darren in seat 8 open 2bets to $15. I call from CO with T9dd. Seat 2 calls. Pot is $48. Darren is not a strong player, but very likeable.

Flop is 5d8d7s  I decide I’m going all the way with this flop.  Darren bets $35. I raise to $85. I want to lose seat 2, but not both. I’m okay if seat 2 stays though.  Seat 2 is pained but makes the call, as does Darren. Pot = $303. Both guys have me covered.

Turn is 5d8d7s Qh  Darren checks. I shove for $80. Both call. Pot = $543.

River is 5d8d7s Qh 2c  Both check.  My read on Darren is accurate. A8o, no diamonds. He hit a piece and decided to keep calling. Seat 2 turns over 68o, no diamonds. He flopped an OESD w/ no diamonds but still continued.  I knew I had to hit and it didn’t come through. Oh well, reload.

20 minutes later, the guy in seat 7 got stacked, got up and left.  I asked for a seat change, and 3 hands later after the button passed, I moved.  I move my chips to seat 7 and take off to the bathroom. When I get back, the guy that left is back in seat 7 in front of my chips.  I walk up and say, whoa player, that’s my seat and my chips.  The 50yo-something guy apologizes, gets up and said he made a mistake and that he was confused. WHAT THE FUCK DUDE?  I counted my chips and they were all there, but c’mon dude. You lose your stack, come back to find $200 in your old seat and proceed to sit down as if to play?  I can’t write better fiction.

I dropped another $100 and reloaded to $200.  The high hand jackpot from 5-7pm was $1,000 for quad aces or better, and $100 for all else.  I ended flopping a boat with my 77 and then turning quads. I didn’t rake a big pot, but the high hand held up until 7pm.  I left the cash game down $120ish.

Walked over to the MTT which had already started.  I missed the first 3 hands or so.  My first hand I looked at KTo from EP.  Yeah, idiot me limped in for $50. Donkey move.  CO limps and BB checks.  Pot = $175

Flop is 2dQdJh.  BB bets 300, I call, CO calls.  Pot = $1075

Turn is 2dQdJh  Tc.  Everyone checks.

River is 2dQdJh  Tc  Tx.  BB checks.  I check hoping to induce a bluff from CO. He bets $1,500. BB calls. I’m sure I have BB beat.  I tank and say, “I should raise here.”  Asshat in SB says, “You have to call first.”  I say, shut up, buffoon. (I say that in my head, not out loud.)

I raise to 4,000.  CO beats me in the pot and BB folds. I say, OOOPS!.  CO shows AK, no diamonds.  The fucker limps from position, then slow plays the nuts on the turn w/ 2 diamonds on board. Here’s a hand where I overthought myself too much against an idiot.  Oh, and my read was turrrrrible.   I had CO covered by 450.  Next hand I shove UTG w. KQdd.  77 < KQ and I am busto.

Tuesday Night Lights 11/22/11

1/2 NL. Bought in for $200 at Table 1-8. Played too many hands out of shear boredom. Late in the 2.5hr session I have about $112 behind and 70yo something old fart in seat 3 raises to $8 UTG.  Seat 7 calls and I call. We see the flop. I have K8ss

Flop is QcJs7h  Seat 3 bets 10. This was his 3^rd hand and I’ve never played with him before. Later in the night, I would learn he bets rather small compared to the pot sizes.  Seat 7 folds and I call. I probably float too much.

Turn is QcJs7h 4s. He bets 10. I call knowing I’m gonna backdoor this baby.  Pot is $47.

River is QcJs7h 4s 3s  UTG bets $20. BOOM! I raise to $40. He shoves for his remaining $43.  I call and show my frush. He pauses about 5-6 seconds and then slams his AJss winner on the table.

I calmly say, “classy move.”  He has no reaction.  I never get my revenge as I leave for the MTT after 20 minutes.  I left with $32. Net loss = $168.

Over at the MTT, I get AK 3x in the first 20 hands or so. I win the first two hands then dump most chips then I get it in preF AKhh < Seat 3’s AA. I grind my way to the 300/600 level where I have 3,100.  Action goes limp limp to me on the button at seat 10. Seat 8 is the asshat from Saturday that didn’t want to chop at the FT when it was 9handed.  He did not cash.

I look at A5o.  I was fairly certain all those limps meant the table was weak. I shove for 3,100.  Action got back to seat 8 who, in his typical fashion, tanked for 45 seconds.  I wanted his call as I was sure I was ahead, even if it was 60/40.  He called with KQo.

Flop was AJT and I was out the door.

900 > 560

Saturday 11/19/11

Played the $115 MTT Deep Stack. $125 gets 20K stack. Tourney ran 5.5 hrs. 37 runners. 4 paid. When we got to three, Stacks were:

Seat 1 Unknown final table first timer:  420,000. Seat 2 Hero 55,000. Seat 3 Bowl haircut, shit teeth, extra short shorts 265,000.  My stack was 7.43% of the chips in play. Blind were 6000/12000/3000a. Seat 3 said lets chop 3-way evenly. (The pool was 3,100). Seat 1 didn’t like that, but had to fold the four prior hands preF.  I think he was understanding that this may me a crap shoot.  The TD did not stop the clock, and I was UTG/Button.  I blindly shoved and took the dead money.  I turned to Seat 1 and said, I’m on shove mode. Be careful not to double me up.  He was thinking. I said,  give me 900 and you 2 can split. (3rd place money was $560). They agreed. LOL #Suckers. Here’s the pic. Seat 3 had 2 stacks of grey (5,000) that are behind his pumpkins.

I am having an excellent last two months.  There was no soul reading hands or spectacular bluff-pick ups. Just standard tournament poker. My one hand of note was a bad one.  At a particularly loose table, at the 1000/2000/300a level, I limped UTG with AA. I rarely limp if ever with AA, but this table was active so I gambled.  Dumb move. Only the blinds come with me and the flop is KQ6. Short stack small blind Art ships all in 12K. Huge stack BB folds and I say, “Damn did I play this badly. I’m not good enough to fold here.”  I call and Art tables J6. Thanks for your chips, Art.

Lesson, no more limping with Aces.

Running Good

1/2 NL Seat 3. $200 buy-in. Don in seat 2 tells me seats 1 and seat 6 (Cowboy Hat) are the live ones.  I post $2 from Hi-jack on the first hand and look at red pocket tens.  There are a few limps ahead of me and I pop to $10.  Cowboy comes along from the SB and we see a flop heads-up.  Pot = $26

Flop is 8d 9d Jh.  Cowboy checks to me.  I bet $15, he calls.  Pot is $56.  Turn is 8d9dJh Kd.  We both check.

River is 2c.  Cowboy shoves for $75.  I snap call.  My 10s > his 97o. Ship it. I am up to $300 after the first hand.  The river shove never makes sense to me on such a dangerous board. If he had a flush, he’s not shoving here. Am I right?

A few orbits later I am in MP w/ 33.  UTG and UTG+1 limp, I raise to 10, button and BB call. Don to my right says he’s priced in and off we go, four to the flop. Pot = $45.  Don is a solid regular who knows my game and I know his.

Flop is 873rainbow.  Don checks, I bet $20 and all call. Pot = $125.

Turn is a 873 4. Don shoves for $77.  I’m pretty sure Don has the nuts here, 65.  I tank. It’s $77 to call a pot of $190.  Don has me beat, but I have the other two guys crushed.  So I should just call here and let the other two come in so I can at least drag the side pot.  For some dumb reason, I shove my $300 stack in.  The button folds but I get real lucky and the BB shoves in his $125.

Don tells me he has 65 and I said, bottom set.  River is 873 4 4 and I river my boat. Woot! Pot is 500ish. Don is not thrilled with my donk shove. I don’t blame him.

A few hands later I add another $125 to my stack courtesy of strange guy in seat 8 who thinks he’s Phil Hellmuth and can soul read you if he talks to you.  (On my pocket 33 hand, he was talking to me. I was talking back and he said, “I got all I needed to know. I fold.”  I asked him later if he had me on bottom set and he said, no I didn’t have you that strong. Fucking douchebag watches too much TV poker.)  Anyway, I 2bet from MP with AKo.  Guy on button called my 2bet.  Strange guy 3bets me from the BB to $55 with $70 behind.  I thought about raising, but I wanted the button to call, so I called instead of 4betting. The button folded and we’re heads up.

Flop is ATX. He checks. I bet 25, he shoves and I call.  Turn is ATX X. River is ATX X K. He says I rivered him as he had AT, but he never showed.  I didn’t believe him.

I dragged another decent 3 way pot after flopping the nuts w/ 53 (from button) on a 246ddh board.  Ended the 2.5 hour session with $721.  I now have about twenty buy-ins for a 1/2 NL game in my BR.  I only play Tuesday nights, for about 2.5 hours at a time. Over 5 weeks I am up $1300.

I have to add that I sent a nice check to my HS Alumni fund last week.  The check cleared last night. The money always seems to come back. #FaithfulTithing