I've been neglecting this blog for a while, but I'm preparing a longer posting (a.k.a. an "uber") where I mostly will whine about bad beats and suckouts, something I'm sure you are very eager to hear about from a low-stakes player. OK, there will be some poker philosophizing and rambling as well.
What else has been up? Started playing at a new site in March, where the rakeback (of sorts) is that you get shares according to your rake and bonus level. Shares are also added to the prize pool in some tournaments. At the moment I own 0.0008% of the company. The first/next shareholder meeting, if there is one, will be interesting. Since we're a group (and not "the public"), it's perfectly legal for us to play live poker, something that is otherwise a gray area in Swedish gambling law.
Playing above your comfort level makes you sharpen up. I played in a $25 Deep Stack tournament (I mostly play $5 to $10 SnG and multitable tournaments with the occasional foray into $20 if I'm "up") and whaddya know, I won it! Nervous at the start because... Very first hand dealt to me was AA. In a Deep Stack tournament, starting with 5000. You'll either win a small pot or lose a big one. And I don't want to go out in the first hand in a Deep Stack. I played it somewhat carefully and won it, up 1000, although it was a troublesome board. Not any obvious draws, but since it was DS, there was always the possibility of "any two". "Jack Six off suit? Sure, I'll look at a flop, I've got plenty of chips".
And I played in a live tournament also above my comfort level. About $140 buy-in to a freezeout, usually it's $30 rebuy. Twenty participants, five paid and I wasn't worried at the final table. I know some shortstacks will knock themselves out, out of necessity. Yup, third place and a small win at the post-tournament cash game meant I left with three times as much cash as I arrived with. A good day. It goes into my "poker kitty", where I'll get cash for the next time I'll play live. A nice feeling, having (thin) wads of cash lying around the apartment. I also have a (very) small bundle of dollar bills left over from my trip to the US and Vegas and the WSOP last summer. Some day, somehow, I just know I'll go around at home gathering it all up for That Big Score, like in Rounders.
I coulda been a contender. I wrote earlier about trying to satellite into the monthly $750.000 Guaranteed at Full Tilt but not making it. I got to the satellite by way of a 54-seater SnG that I won. Now I'm gunning for the FTOPS IV Main Event with $1.5 million Guaranteed.
Yesterday I played four supersatellites, 54 players and the winner goes on to the satellite with the standings yesterday at 45 seats guaranteed to go on to Main Event and 1900 participants. My results: Fourth, fourth, twentyninth (bad beat, AQ vs JT all in preflop and him hitting trip Jacks) and third. Three final tables and good results. At the times I made it that far, the blinds were so high (it was Turbo tournaments) it was mostly "all in or fold" and all knockout situations were classic coin flips; two overcards (AQ) versus a pair (99) or face cards against face cards with shared cards (KQ vs QJ) and someone hitting or outkickering.
But I feel confident. Three final tables out of four. The satellites I've played have been bought in for with frequent player points, there are also $ buy-in satellites. I've got a good "bankroll" of points, so I'll keep trying Friday night, making a push towards the Saturday satellite for the Sunday final. I really would like to strike gold again.
Also trying WSOP freerolls. And I'm doing well in another grind at the site where you get shares, they have Ranking tournaments where the top 15 in each of the 17 Ranking tournaments get ranking points and the top 10 points rankers meet in a SnG at the end of the month. Winner gets on the team which will go to Barcelona in September to play in the EPT, in a live satellite to the main event, and team members splitting possible winnings 50/50. 50% to the player, 50% to the team. I'm in the top 10 and will probably make it to the SnG if I don't mess up. Like if I play in more ranking tournaments and don't get enough points, or someone lower in points makes a big rush and passes me. Ya gotta play to win!
Friday, May 18, 2007
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Not this time either
Nope, it didn't work out in the satellite I wrote about earlier. It was a Turbo tournament, with 408 participants and 9 prizes (entry into a $750.000 prize money Guaranteed tournament). I really only made two plays.
First one was TJ on the button. Just call it unraised and no raises. Hit a T on the flop, mini-bet, the blinds fold and one caller. Check on the turn. The river is a king, I just make a mini-bet again. He (just) calls and has KT.
Nothing playable after that. Changing tables, pay the blinds, flat call and don't hit any flops. I'm down to about 1000, starting with 1500 and the blinds are now 60/120. Middle position, one raiser in early position to about 3 times big blind. I have AKo... Ace of clubs and King of diamonds. I might as well make a move now if I'm going to have a shot at a better position. All in. All fold except for the raiser who calls and has 77. Such situations (AK vs pair) are about 50/50, which is shown by what the board became.
2TJ9, out of which three are clubs. I still have a shot. But the river is not an Ace, King, Queen or club. It's an eight of hearts, giving him a straight to really rub it in and I'm out at 233rd place.
But I will not stop trying.
First one was TJ on the button. Just call it unraised and no raises. Hit a T on the flop, mini-bet, the blinds fold and one caller. Check on the turn. The river is a king, I just make a mini-bet again. He (just) calls and has KT.
Nothing playable after that. Changing tables, pay the blinds, flat call and don't hit any flops. I'm down to about 1000, starting with 1500 and the blinds are now 60/120. Middle position, one raiser in early position to about 3 times big blind. I have AKo... Ace of clubs and King of diamonds. I might as well make a move now if I'm going to have a shot at a better position. All in. All fold except for the raiser who calls and has 77. Such situations (AK vs pair) are about 50/50, which is shown by what the board became.
2TJ9, out of which three are clubs. I still have a shot. But the river is not an Ace, King, Queen or club. It's an eight of hearts, giving him a straight to really rub it in and I'm out at 233rd place.
But I will not stop trying.
Could work, could work...
I've made more attempts at the WSOP freerolls at Full Tilt Poker, as I've written about earlier.
Then I laid my eyes on another opportunity. From my January attempt at the Iron Man Challenge (where I in the end ended up in the money (a pittance) but did not win it going on to lots of money) I had a healthy supply of Full Tilt Points.
There's the Sunday $750000 Guarantee tournament. I made several attempts this weekend at satellite tournaments costing Full Tilt Points and...
Well, it's going well, but not well enough. Second place is best loser, especially when there's only one prize.
Yes, finally went on! Practice makes perfect. IMHO, I must be doing something right.
On to what? Well, another satellite, but/and I like the odds. In the satellite (which you can buy in to directly for 2500 points), the final table, 9 players, go on to the big game. At least that what it looks like now, could be more places "paid" if more qualify for the satellite. Since I've gone far (but, alas, not far enough apparently) in other tournaments recently, I feel I have a shot. I don't have to win, just place high. Anyhoo, the big game I'm talking about is the $750000 Guarantee tournament (which you can buy in to directly for $500), and I like the numbers there as well. Last time I checked, 430 were already registered and 216 places were paid.
It's doable. Finishing "in the money" twice more today, and I have a shot at six figures. Or three. Last time I checked, first prize was $141000 and last ITM was $750. Anything is a plus for me, the low stakes dreamer.
Just don't play like a total donkey.
Then I laid my eyes on another opportunity. From my January attempt at the Iron Man Challenge (where I in the end ended up in the money (a pittance) but did not win it going on to lots of money) I had a healthy supply of Full Tilt Points.
There's the Sunday $750000 Guarantee tournament. I made several attempts this weekend at satellite tournaments costing Full Tilt Points and...
- Attempt 1: A 54-player Sit&Go tournament costing 50 points, with 1 prize. Eighth place.
- Attempt 2: Same thing, 54 players, 50 points, 1 prize. Second place! But only one prize.
- Attempt 3: 9 players, 300 points, 1 prize. Fourth place.
- Attempt 4: 9 players, 300 points, 1 prize. Second place again.
Well, it's going well, but not well enough. Second place is best loser, especially when there's only one prize.
- Attempt 5: 54 players, 50 points, 1 prize. First place, winner, da man, qualifier, entry gained.
Yes, finally went on! Practice makes perfect. IMHO, I must be doing something right.
On to what? Well, another satellite, but/and I like the odds. In the satellite (which you can buy in to directly for 2500 points), the final table, 9 players, go on to the big game. At least that what it looks like now, could be more places "paid" if more qualify for the satellite. Since I've gone far (but, alas, not far enough apparently) in other tournaments recently, I feel I have a shot. I don't have to win, just place high. Anyhoo, the big game I'm talking about is the $750000 Guarantee tournament (which you can buy in to directly for $500), and I like the numbers there as well. Last time I checked, 430 were already registered and 216 places were paid.
It's doable. Finishing "in the money" twice more today, and I have a shot at six figures. Or three. Last time I checked, first prize was $141000 and last ITM was $750. Anything is a plus for me, the low stakes dreamer.
Just don't play like a total donkey.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Shameless panhandling
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You get a 100% (up to $600) bonus on your first deposit. Paid out incrementally as you meet the requirements.
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You get a 100% (up to $600) bonus on your first deposit. Paid out incrementally as you meet the requirements.
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Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Giveaway
Since last weekend I've been struggling, fighting, kicking and screaming at Full Tilt Poker's WSOP Giveaway.
Yup, they're giving away WSOP Main Event seats, but not without effort. For a while now, they've been having Sit&Go Freerolls continuously, with 315 (named .COM) or 630 (named .NET) participants. One prize, and one prize only, in each of them - the winner gets entry into Round 2 next Saturday, the rest get absolutely nothing.
I see that for Round 2 there's max 5000 participants, but it's still only half full. In Round 2 the whole final table (9 players) get entry into the final on Sunday, the real WSOP Giveaway where there's two (2) WSOP Main Event seats up for grabs.
And there are other ways to get a WSOP seat by way of Full Tilt, check it out.
So how have I done? Well, I've played three dozen or more of these freerolls. One third place, one fourth place, one sixth place, two eleventh, two fourteenth and some more "last three tables" and generally often high placements (if it had been "normal" tournaments where about the top ten percent gets paid, I probably would have made a profit. But here it's only one prize and... second place is best loser.
Anyway, I must be doing something right if you look at how I've placed. It's worth a shot. I could go all the way. I wanna go to Vegas again! And again!
Yup, they're giving away WSOP Main Event seats, but not without effort. For a while now, they've been having Sit&Go Freerolls continuously, with 315 (named .COM) or 630 (named .NET) participants. One prize, and one prize only, in each of them - the winner gets entry into Round 2 next Saturday, the rest get absolutely nothing.
I see that for Round 2 there's max 5000 participants, but it's still only half full. In Round 2 the whole final table (9 players) get entry into the final on Sunday, the real WSOP Giveaway where there's two (2) WSOP Main Event seats up for grabs.
And there are other ways to get a WSOP seat by way of Full Tilt, check it out.
So how have I done? Well, I've played three dozen or more of these freerolls. One third place, one fourth place, one sixth place, two eleventh, two fourteenth and some more "last three tables" and generally often high placements (if it had been "normal" tournaments where about the top ten percent gets paid, I probably would have made a profit. But here it's only one prize and... second place is best loser.
Anyway, I must be doing something right if you look at how I've placed. It's worth a shot. I could go all the way. I wanna go to Vegas again! And again!
Monday, February 26, 2007
For make benefit
More exotic places showing up in my Google Analytics of what visitors I have to this blog and where they come from:
- The Azores. Yep, those islands waaay out there in the Atlantic Ocean.
- Malaysia.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
A small world
Should I worry?
I checked my Google Analytics visitor data and I see that I had had visitors from such places as Dublin (Ireland), Fort Myers, San Francisco and Washington D.C. (U.S.A.).
But also from Bogotá (Colombia) and Rasht (Iran).
So... I believe the scenario is something along the lines of me being checked out by U.S. gubmint officials (the D.C. visitor) for possible airdrop into Iran, bringing poker to the masses there. This is not possible without training and preparation, so station agents in various places have been involved. First, I will be sent to Dublin for physical training, i.e. ingesting copious amounts of Guinness. From there, I will proceed to Fort Myers, Florida. Why? If you look at a map and draw a line between Fort Myers and San Francisco, what point do you cross? Yes, Las Vegas.
Well, you do. If you use a small map, a large marker or pencil and squint a little. I will make a parachute jump into Las Vegas (in standard issue white Elvis jumpsuit).
This will be financed with Colombian drug money.
See? It all fits together.
I checked my Google Analytics visitor data and I see that I had had visitors from such places as Dublin (Ireland), Fort Myers, San Francisco and Washington D.C. (U.S.A.).
But also from Bogotá (Colombia) and Rasht (Iran).
So... I believe the scenario is something along the lines of me being checked out by U.S. gubmint officials (the D.C. visitor) for possible airdrop into Iran, bringing poker to the masses there. This is not possible without training and preparation, so station agents in various places have been involved. First, I will be sent to Dublin for physical training, i.e. ingesting copious amounts of Guinness. From there, I will proceed to Fort Myers, Florida. Why? If you look at a map and draw a line between Fort Myers and San Francisco, what point do you cross? Yes, Las Vegas.
Well, you do. If you use a small map, a large marker or pencil and squint a little. I will make a parachute jump into Las Vegas (in standard issue white Elvis jumpsuit).
This will be financed with Colombian drug money.
See? It all fits together.
Saturday, January 27, 2007
The good old times
Like, yould would believe the time I would have tome to concentrate right now?" I am verily focussing on evey keystoke.
OK, here we go.
Remember when you hit that flow? I am far from it.
Blargh. I just have to tell you.
OK, department party where I:
fuck it
I will exp... env... all...
Talk more later.
Fuck, I'm incapacitted, yet I´d put it in more whatchamacallit. words.
bye.
Twelve hours later.
Note to self: Don't blog drunk. Who, in their right mind, stagger home and then start up a computer and ramble in a semicoherent way?
At least I enjoyed myself.
OK, here we go.
Remember when you hit that flow? I am far from it.
Blargh. I just have to tell you.
OK, department party where I:
- Danced
- sang
- bought drinks
fuck it
I will exp... env... all...
Talk more later.
Fuck, I'm incapacitted, yet I´d put it in more whatchamacallit. words.
bye.
Twelve hours later.
Note to self: Don't blog drunk. Who, in their right mind, stagger home and then start up a computer and ramble in a semicoherent way?
At least I enjoyed myself.
Friday, January 05, 2007
December gloom
In December I had a hefty decline in my bankroll, but I'm still "up". Nevertheless, it feels like I wasted the profit. The cause: Second best and suckouts. The usual; KK vs AA, set vs higher set, AA vs miracle. Flop two pair (for example KQ) to be sucked out by set on the turn.
Before Christmas I had a good run at a live cash game, doubling up twice with JQs flop TKA and 88 flop A8X where opponent hit a pair of Aces. At the live game after Christmas those profits went away. First, an expensive tournament where I chickened out with KK allowing the opponent to draw to a river Full House with 22. Then in the cash game I lost one buy-in with AA, flop A but a third Club on the turn and indeed he had the Flush (29!) "but I had outs". Then another buy-in where I don't hit anything and donk away the rest around closing time.
When will I learn?
In the two days before Christmas Eve (when we celebrate Christmas in Sweden, while some celebrate on Christmas Day) I just played around online and also played my father heads-up (he's had a good run online on low-stakes short-handed and heads-up) where I won the majority of the matchups.
Online, the days after Christmas, I tried to recoup my losses but was just treading water. Made a few attempts at satellites for a big-buy-in tournament on New Year's Day but the best I did was second place in a five-person Sit'n'Go where the winner got a seat.
Plans for January: Drop down one level in online cash games, try to place well in cheap multi-table tournaments. And make an attempt at the Full Tilt Iron Man Challenge.
Plans for 2007: Win a seat online to a major live tournament in WPT, EPT, WSOP or some Open/Million(s) or big tournament and get In The Money this time.
And/or win five figures or more in a Guaranteed/Megasatellite/Tiered kind of thing online.
Things not to do, or be reluctant to do: Play in a team or get staked. Well, I wouldn't mind being sponsored, but I don't want to share profits at a flat rate, and in a way it feels as if I would be playing with scared money.
-"Congratulations Martin, you won $100,000!"
-"But I have to split 50/50 with the backer..." *mumble mumble* *gripe gripe*
-"But that still leaves you the nice amount of $50,000!?"
-"Yeah, but those 50 could have been 100, all mine."
Before Christmas I had a good run at a live cash game, doubling up twice with JQs flop TKA and 88 flop A8X where opponent hit a pair of Aces. At the live game after Christmas those profits went away. First, an expensive tournament where I chickened out with KK allowing the opponent to draw to a river Full House with 22. Then in the cash game I lost one buy-in with AA, flop A but a third Club on the turn and indeed he had the Flush (29!) "but I had outs". Then another buy-in where I don't hit anything and donk away the rest around closing time.
When will I learn?
In the two days before Christmas Eve (when we celebrate Christmas in Sweden, while some celebrate on Christmas Day) I just played around online and also played my father heads-up (he's had a good run online on low-stakes short-handed and heads-up) where I won the majority of the matchups.
Online, the days after Christmas, I tried to recoup my losses but was just treading water. Made a few attempts at satellites for a big-buy-in tournament on New Year's Day but the best I did was second place in a five-person Sit'n'Go where the winner got a seat.
Plans for January: Drop down one level in online cash games, try to place well in cheap multi-table tournaments. And make an attempt at the Full Tilt Iron Man Challenge.
Plans for 2007: Win a seat online to a major live tournament in WPT, EPT, WSOP or some Open/Million(s) or big tournament and get In The Money this time.
And/or win five figures or more in a Guaranteed/Megasatellite/Tiered kind of thing online.
Things not to do, or be reluctant to do: Play in a team or get staked. Well, I wouldn't mind being sponsored, but I don't want to share profits at a flat rate, and in a way it feels as if I would be playing with scared money.
-"Congratulations Martin, you won $100,000!"
-"But I have to split 50/50 with the backer..." *mumble mumble* *gripe gripe*
-"But that still leaves you the nice amount of $50,000!?"
-"Yeah, but those 50 could have been 100, all mine."
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Usurper
Mixed emotions, buddy. Like Larry Wildman going off a cliff in my new Maserati. - Gordon Gekko in Wall Street
I got my third Royal Straight Flush in Texas Holdem (online) recently. Woohoo, yay, whee, uhm...
The ultimate nut! I got it on a draw. On the turn I put my opponent all in when I needed a Jack for a nut straight or a Heart for a nut flush and both my wishes came true when a Jack of Hearts fell on the river for a Royal.
But...
I'm not terribly excited about it. My first Royal came early in a multitable tournament with blinds 15/30 and the opponent had only hit two pair, so I just scooped 300 (ten big blinds). My second came in a Sit'n'Go where I ultimately didn't even finish in the money (I think). I wrote about it before and complained about it not coming in a cash game where the opponent also had hit something good or at a jackpot table. Now it finally happened in a cash game and the opponent hit an Ace high straight on the turn. Very good conditions. If not for one little fact. He was very, extremely, laughably shortstacked. It was a 2.5/5 table and he had only 20 left. Boo fricking hoo. And no jackpot.
Oh well, I'm on a winning streak anyway. Not least thanks to "fish" like these:
I get AA in early position on a 2.5/5 table, raise it to 20 to get a feel. Middle position raises minimum to 35. Late position raises minimum to 50. OK, put a stop to this right now, there´s enough/a lot in the pot, with a raise to 250 (thats fifty (50) times the big blind) to get a call or all in from another AA for a split or possibly a KK. Or lure fish. MP goes all in with 550! LP folds of course. I call.
He has AK. Off suit. The way I see it, I´m holding up a big neon sign saying "AA". Not a handwritten PostIt note with QQ or a wooden plaque with KK. So he would need the board to hit kings, TJQ or four to a flush in the suit where I don´t have the Ace. A third Ace comes on the board, even, and he leaves after some muttering. It would have been different in a tournament setting, there he could have called the preflop bet and seeing that there was no miracle or dubious flop folded.
The day after I get in a similar situation; AA, raise, reraise, I bet 250, another goes all in and I call. Yes, he has AA and we split the pot from the other bettors, gaining very little because of the rake, but anyway...
I got my third Royal Straight Flush in Texas Holdem (online) recently. Woohoo, yay, whee, uhm...
The ultimate nut! I got it on a draw. On the turn I put my opponent all in when I needed a Jack for a nut straight or a Heart for a nut flush and both my wishes came true when a Jack of Hearts fell on the river for a Royal.
But...
I'm not terribly excited about it. My first Royal came early in a multitable tournament with blinds 15/30 and the opponent had only hit two pair, so I just scooped 300 (ten big blinds). My second came in a Sit'n'Go where I ultimately didn't even finish in the money (I think). I wrote about it before and complained about it not coming in a cash game where the opponent also had hit something good or at a jackpot table. Now it finally happened in a cash game and the opponent hit an Ace high straight on the turn. Very good conditions. If not for one little fact. He was very, extremely, laughably shortstacked. It was a 2.5/5 table and he had only 20 left. Boo fricking hoo. And no jackpot.
Oh well, I'm on a winning streak anyway. Not least thanks to "fish" like these:
I get AA in early position on a 2.5/5 table, raise it to 20 to get a feel. Middle position raises minimum to 35. Late position raises minimum to 50. OK, put a stop to this right now, there´s enough/a lot in the pot, with a raise to 250 (thats fifty (50) times the big blind) to get a call or all in from another AA for a split or possibly a KK. Or lure fish. MP goes all in with 550! LP folds of course. I call.
He has AK. Off suit. The way I see it, I´m holding up a big neon sign saying "AA". Not a handwritten PostIt note with QQ or a wooden plaque with KK. So he would need the board to hit kings, TJQ or four to a flush in the suit where I don´t have the Ace. A third Ace comes on the board, even, and he leaves after some muttering. It would have been different in a tournament setting, there he could have called the preflop bet and seeing that there was no miracle or dubious flop folded.
The day after I get in a similar situation; AA, raise, reraise, I bet 250, another goes all in and I call. Yes, he has AA and we split the pot from the other bettors, gaining very little because of the rake, but anyway...
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