I travelled south to where I grew up last Friday to go to a kind of high school reunion. My sister and her family were going to be out of town so I would stay at their house but didn't have any particular scheduled time to be there.
So, I made a detour and left my bags in a locker at the train station and went to the casino in Malmö (one of the four legal casinos in Sweden) to play poker.
I've been there quite a few times especially this last year now and know how it works and the style of play. 20/20 (Swedish crowns, say US$2.5) blinds on NL Texas and recently they changed it so you can buy in max 200 big blinds instead of 100.
I get seated right away at a newly started table and recognize a few regulars in the room. At my table, a loose Danish "semi-pro". Several bought in short, 1100, and I don't want to risk too much, I buy in for 1500.
I'm not going to stay all night, I have to take a late connecting train onwards. I play conservatively but hope to hit my draws. The chips in play are 20, 100 and 1000 so a raise is often to 120 or above instead of 4 BB to 80 and such, like you would see online. Twenties are scarcer than hundreds, like at the Vegas $1/$2 tables where the $5s are what you play and the ones are change.
Fold, limp, fold, limp, raise, fold to big reraise. I get 44 and call a small raise, hoping to get a set. And yes, a 4 on the flop, no immediate draws. A shortstack goes all in with a bit more than 300 and I'm the only one still in, I call. I crack his KK.
QK spades, call a raise preflop and the flop is QKx, all clubs. Hmm. Guy to the right goes all in with 3000+. I decide that this is where I double up or bust in this loose-passive room. I call with my remaining 800 with the assumption that the guy to the left will fold his flush draw, which he does. Flip the cards, he has Q4, no clubs. 4 on the turn. Here, live, there must be fewer suckouts than online because there is NO 4 on the river and I get a nice pot. I leave one orbit later, up 500 gross (I had two beers, but the beer money is in another money clip).
I later see in a Swedish poker forum that one guy was there Friday and switch tables because at his table there were "six tight players and two fishes". I wonder if he was the guy to my right with Q4, he seems like the type. I also wonder if I was classed as a tight one or a fish. :-)
When I get home Sunday evening, I haven't played online for four whole days (jonesing!) so I open a €0.25/0.5 and intend to leave if and when I am up, no matter how much. €1 is enough.
KK, flop Q and I call opponent's irregular (but large) bets down all the way to the river all in. They hold up to his AQo, there was no funny business with a weird two pair Q7 or a set of rags. Out up €36.
Maybe I will repeat my casino visit next Friday, I'm going southwards again. And this summer I will repeat what I did last summer, stay in town at hotel or hostel and play several nights.
Sidenote: WSOP has started. A play money Holdem client in Facebook, Zynga, have a promotion. Win a tournament of certain ones run June 8-22 and you get entered into a draw where 18 randomly selected tournament winners will play a final tournament June 30. Up for grabs is two WSOP Main Event packages. Here's the weird part: It's open to the whole world, just meet the age limit (21 to play in USA). The winners are announced July 1. Main Event starts July 3. A bit of a tight squeeze... Also, in addition to the buyin you get travel (good luck arranging that with two days' notice) and three hotel nights at Rio. But, but, but, what if you're still in after day 2? Are you on your own then? Oh, and you get VIP Lounge and backstage passes. Uh-huh, just you and a few thousand other online qualifiers will get that same exclusive treatment. Having once won a WSOP Main Event package and having been in Vegas I can just say; YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG!
The reunion
I showed up at the auditorum of my old high school and was greeted by a woman I then realized was the current principal. I introduced myself with name and graduation year, 1989. "Oh, great that you youngsters come too." Uh oh.
Inside, I see name lists of those who accepted the invitation, which this year was those who graduated in a year ending with 4 or 9 (i.e. it's a multiple-of-five anniversary). I knew that, that was what the invitation said. What it didn't say was that the invitation went out to only "20 years and up". Some ceremonies and stuff and at one time those from each year stood up. Quite a few 50 years anniversarians stood up. There were a handful of 1979 and 1984. I was the only one there from 1989... Toootally the wrong intended audience. I thought this was going to be more of a class reunion opportunity, not a historical society.
In the evening there was a dinner, and there two girls from my class showed up (the meeting in the auditorium wasn't "mandatory"), and one's parents were there (graduated in 1959 from the same school, and were high school sweethearts). From my year in total, seven had accepted the invitation but I don't think all showed up. Some gossip, some eating and drinking and an early exit. Sure, let's do this again in twenty years.
Showing posts with label poker. Show all posts
Showing posts with label poker. Show all posts
Monday, June 01, 2009
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Well, at least it's winning
I played a LOT at Full Tilt in May, earning me a seat in the Iron Man freeroll at the Silver level. Also, I played every day in May and got a seat in the One-A-Day Freeroll
.
The one-a-day started one hour before the Silver freeroll and had a $2000 prize pool. After more than two hours, I finished in the money, there was 927 participants and 360 places paid. A bit much, a third "getting paid" instead of the usual 10%. A whopping $4 was my prize for 87th place there!
In the Iron Man $15000 freeroll (Silver), there were 809 participants and 180 places paid. I finished in the money there as well. 25th and $60.
The trick is: Don't bust!
But here's my peeve: The payoff is so little. You could play for hours in a tournament and finish in the money, but in the lower parts of the payout structure, and you get 2 to 5 times the buyin when the winner or last three get 100 to 200 times the buyin. It almost doesn't seem "worth it". I put in a lot of effort to get to these freerolls. Well, at least in the Iron Man, there's more put into it by Full Tilt, since the winner of each of the four Iron Man freerolls plays for $5000 more, and the winner there plays for up to $100.000 more but couldn't they add more? A lottery for T-shirts, or random bonuses if you really play the freeroll. Bubble prizes?
On unique thing (I think) for Full Tilt that I've tried is the CAP cash games. I'm mainly a Texas No Limit player, but I'm a bit apprehensive about playing the higher levels. No fear, at the CAP games, which are still No Limit, the maximum you can put in the pot is thirty (30) Big Blinds, so you might not go busto to a suckout or a miracle flop (AK vs 88 on a AK8 flop for example). You can still wield the weapon of a big raise or trying the waters with check-calling/raising and sometimes get paid off, which is trickier to do in Fixed Limit. I railbirded a rare $500/$1000 6-seat CAP game. That was just sick. $30.000 is the maximum bet and there were preflop shoves and stacks of $60.000 shuffling back and forth.
Another somewhat lucrative type is the Token tournaments. $8 for a 18-seat Turbo Sit'n'Go, where five players win a $26 tournament token which can get you into any $24+2 tournament or Sit'n'Go and 6th place get $14. One third of the players get paid, not too hard to reach.
Some time this summer, I'll try the Sunday Brawl. I crave a Big Win.
.
The one-a-day started one hour before the Silver freeroll and had a $2000 prize pool. After more than two hours, I finished in the money, there was 927 participants and 360 places paid. A bit much, a third "getting paid" instead of the usual 10%. A whopping $4 was my prize for 87th place there!
In the Iron Man $15000 freeroll (Silver), there were 809 participants and 180 places paid. I finished in the money there as well. 25th and $60.
The trick is: Don't bust!
But here's my peeve: The payoff is so little. You could play for hours in a tournament and finish in the money, but in the lower parts of the payout structure, and you get 2 to 5 times the buyin when the winner or last three get 100 to 200 times the buyin. It almost doesn't seem "worth it". I put in a lot of effort to get to these freerolls. Well, at least in the Iron Man, there's more put into it by Full Tilt, since the winner of each of the four Iron Man freerolls plays for $5000 more, and the winner there plays for up to $100.000 more but couldn't they add more? A lottery for T-shirts, or random bonuses if you really play the freeroll. Bubble prizes?
On unique thing (I think) for Full Tilt that I've tried is the CAP cash games. I'm mainly a Texas No Limit player, but I'm a bit apprehensive about playing the higher levels. No fear, at the CAP games, which are still No Limit, the maximum you can put in the pot is thirty (30) Big Blinds, so you might not go busto to a suckout or a miracle flop (AK vs 88 on a AK8 flop for example). You can still wield the weapon of a big raise or trying the waters with check-calling/raising and sometimes get paid off, which is trickier to do in Fixed Limit. I railbirded a rare $500/$1000 6-seat CAP game. That was just sick. $30.000 is the maximum bet and there were preflop shoves and stacks of $60.000 shuffling back and forth.
Another somewhat lucrative type is the Token tournaments. $8 for a 18-seat Turbo Sit'n'Go, where five players win a $26 tournament token which can get you into any $24+2 tournament or Sit'n'Go and 6th place get $14. One third of the players get paid, not too hard to reach.
Some time this summer, I'll try the Sunday Brawl. I crave a Big Win.
Friday, June 13, 2008
RoundersBuzz
I recently came across a new site that is interesting both for poker bloggers and card players, RoundersBuzz.com. It is a recently launched social voting website just for poker content. If you are a publisher looking to drive traffic to your site, you can submit poker articles, stories or news at RoundersBuzz. If you are a poker player looking to improve your game, you can quickly sift through the best poker content voted up to the main page by the community.
Besides the main page, there are five Category pages for specific stories. The most popular categories are the two strategy categories; Tournament Strategy and Ring Game Strategy. They also have categories on General Poker, Online Poker Tools and Poker News.
Besides the main page, there are five Category pages for specific stories. The most popular categories are the two strategy categories; Tournament Strategy and Ring Game Strategy. They also have categories on General Poker, Online Poker Tools and Poker News.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
A drim comm troo
For a while, I've been addicted to the sites I Can Has Cheezburger? and I has a hotdog!, where there are funny pictures of cats and dogs and a witty caption or dialogue, most often it and the comments are written in LOLspeak. The Bible is available in LOLspeak...
In some earlier posts in this blog, I've found and linked some poker related lolcats and loldogs, as you can see.
Now they're having a poker cats contest. I can't wait to see what madness ensues. "We r sending a lucky winnar (+ friend) to Vegas baby!"
kthxbai, nom nom nom. moar plz, mai hed splort.
In some earlier posts in this blog, I've found and linked some poker related lolcats and loldogs, as you can see.
Now they're having a poker cats contest. I can't wait to see what madness ensues. "We r sending a lucky winnar (+ friend) to Vegas baby!"
kthxbai, nom nom nom. moar plz, mai hed splort.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
A family pot
After one or two missed attempts, my and my dad finally went to the nearest (legal) brick&mortar casino together, to play poker.
One time before, we had booked a "Poker Night" package, where you get a dinner and then the dinner guests with the weekly Poker Night package play a tournament with a trophy prize. That night, us two were the only ones booked, we found out... We got "comped" some branded gifts.
Another night we went there just for dinner and some light lottery (slots and low-stakes table games) with a friend of dad. We didn't rule out the possibility of poker as well, but first they had a poker tournament filling up all the tables and dealers, then when tables opened up it was only high stakes.
But now, finally. I was going south (literally) anyway, to welcome my sister and her family back from a three week vacation in Thailand, and dad suggested we make another attempt. At the casino, they've relocated the poker room (more and better tables) and have more (and lower) blinds and buy-ins. Earlier the lowest was usually the rough equivalent of $6/12. 50/100 crowns. Now they have kinda-sorta $4/4. 20/20 crowns. Yes, small and big blind are the same. No flop, no drop, eh?
I get there, he's already waiting and has put us on the waiting list. The poker room doesn't open in an hour. We get dinner. Fish&chips!
I coach him a little, he has never played (that I know of, hmmm) poker at a casino. "The dealer is there to help you, don't make any rookie mistakes as acting out of turn, tabling your cards too early or misbetting" and such. On our way up to the poker room I also suggest that if there's few or no other players, we should hang back a while. It's no good idea to just shuffle the pot back and forth between us, taking money from each other.
No problem, when we get there, it's already full or filling up. We get seats at each end of the table, seat 3 and 8. I buy in for half the maximum buy-in, dad for a quarter of it (he later fills up to the same as me, when he understands that you have to have a buffer to absorb the normal swings in the stack).
My classification of the other players: To the right of me a good deep-stack, who plays the player and the flop. One-or two rocks, one or two maniacs, one or two willing to slug it out with huge bets and reloading. A good mix.
I hit nearly nothing. But daddy needs a new pair of shoes! Is that how the expression goes? *Google* *Google*. Uhm, no, "baby needs a new pair of shoes. He runs good, and has more than doubled up, with at least a nine for the straight (must be so, even if it didn't go to a showdown after the river) and big bets on all streets with two queens and two kings on the table. His opponent mutters something about "No, not this time, sir" and folds. So he didn't have a king. Aces maybe? Dad must've had the boat.
My hit finally comes. AQ and I raise somewhat substantially, get one caller and... nooo, dad also calls. We aren't going to softplay each other, so butt out.
An ace on the flop, good. I bet and they call again. Another ace on the turn, I bet even more and the other player calls, dad raises.
I go all in. With this board, the other player could be on a straight or flush draw, but probably not holding AK/anything better than AQ. What dad has, I don't know, but it's second best.
He calls?! The river is inconsequential, I show my trip aces and he has... two jacks?
So the only big pot I won, was from my own father. I hope he doesn't change his will. :-)
A while later, he's had enough, and I wait for the button to pass me. I'm up about 375 crowns, he's up 450. $1 is about 6.5 crowns. Good for two amateurs and an hour and a half of play. We have to do it again some time. I think we matched each other well. He had a beige suit and tan shirt on, I had black pants, black jacket and black shirt on. Sunglasses and headwear (also hoodies) are not allowed.
A pity that the only really big pot I won was against him. But he can blame noone but himself. At least there's no reason to suspect collusion or softplaying (and the brush knew that we are family).
We go downstairs to the main casino for some slots before we go home. I get a drink (Rusty Nail) and put a hundred in some machine, baffled by the several people I see playing two machines simultaneously. I semi-randomly select a play. 5 Lines, Bet 1, Spin. It bleeps and beeps and then the screen says something about "11 free games", meaning that it will repeat my first play (5 lines) eleven times. I hit some kind of bonus round, it seems. And there I hit some more wins, and more free games. I let it run its course until it finishes, and by then I'm up 150. And now the big question, where the house wins it back: "Do you want do Gamble?" This I've seen before. Double or Nothing on a coin toss, black or red. Heck no! I press Cash Out, after only one play and the coins start rattling out. Dang, another time I won some at a machine here, an attendant came with the winnings, and some machines give you a ticket, but not this one. I jump up and get a cup and gather it up. Maybe I sneer, smirk and scoff at the full-time slot zombies a little. I go back to where dad is, half a Rusty Nail in one hand, a cup full of coins in the other and a shit-eating grin inbetween them.
And I found another coin left in the coin changing machine. Can't lose, baby!
One time before, we had booked a "Poker Night" package, where you get a dinner and then the dinner guests with the weekly Poker Night package play a tournament with a trophy prize. That night, us two were the only ones booked, we found out... We got "comped" some branded gifts.
Another night we went there just for dinner and some light lottery (slots and low-stakes table games) with a friend of dad. We didn't rule out the possibility of poker as well, but first they had a poker tournament filling up all the tables and dealers, then when tables opened up it was only high stakes.
But now, finally. I was going south (literally) anyway, to welcome my sister and her family back from a three week vacation in Thailand, and dad suggested we make another attempt. At the casino, they've relocated the poker room (more and better tables) and have more (and lower) blinds and buy-ins. Earlier the lowest was usually the rough equivalent of $6/12. 50/100 crowns. Now they have kinda-sorta $4/4. 20/20 crowns. Yes, small and big blind are the same. No flop, no drop, eh?
I get there, he's already waiting and has put us on the waiting list. The poker room doesn't open in an hour. We get dinner. Fish&chips!
I coach him a little, he has never played (that I know of, hmmm) poker at a casino. "The dealer is there to help you, don't make any rookie mistakes as acting out of turn, tabling your cards too early or misbetting" and such. On our way up to the poker room I also suggest that if there's few or no other players, we should hang back a while. It's no good idea to just shuffle the pot back and forth between us, taking money from each other.
No problem, when we get there, it's already full or filling up. We get seats at each end of the table, seat 3 and 8. I buy in for half the maximum buy-in, dad for a quarter of it (he later fills up to the same as me, when he understands that you have to have a buffer to absorb the normal swings in the stack).
My classification of the other players: To the right of me a good deep-stack, who plays the player and the flop. One-or two rocks, one or two maniacs, one or two willing to slug it out with huge bets and reloading. A good mix.
I hit nearly nothing. But daddy needs a new pair of shoes! Is that how the expression goes? *Google* *Google*. Uhm, no, "baby needs a new pair of shoes. He runs good, and has more than doubled up, with at least a nine for the straight (must be so, even if it didn't go to a showdown after the river) and big bets on all streets with two queens and two kings on the table. His opponent mutters something about "No, not this time, sir" and folds. So he didn't have a king. Aces maybe? Dad must've had the boat.
My hit finally comes. AQ and I raise somewhat substantially, get one caller and... nooo, dad also calls. We aren't going to softplay each other, so butt out.
An ace on the flop, good. I bet and they call again. Another ace on the turn, I bet even more and the other player calls, dad raises.
I go all in. With this board, the other player could be on a straight or flush draw, but probably not holding AK/anything better than AQ. What dad has, I don't know, but it's second best.
He calls?! The river is inconsequential, I show my trip aces and he has... two jacks?
So the only big pot I won, was from my own father. I hope he doesn't change his will. :-)
A while later, he's had enough, and I wait for the button to pass me. I'm up about 375 crowns, he's up 450. $1 is about 6.5 crowns. Good for two amateurs and an hour and a half of play. We have to do it again some time. I think we matched each other well. He had a beige suit and tan shirt on, I had black pants, black jacket and black shirt on. Sunglasses and headwear (also hoodies) are not allowed.
A pity that the only really big pot I won was against him. But he can blame noone but himself. At least there's no reason to suspect collusion or softplaying (and the brush knew that we are family).
We go downstairs to the main casino for some slots before we go home. I get a drink (Rusty Nail) and put a hundred in some machine, baffled by the several people I see playing two machines simultaneously. I semi-randomly select a play. 5 Lines, Bet 1, Spin. It bleeps and beeps and then the screen says something about "11 free games", meaning that it will repeat my first play (5 lines) eleven times. I hit some kind of bonus round, it seems. And there I hit some more wins, and more free games. I let it run its course until it finishes, and by then I'm up 150. And now the big question, where the house wins it back: "Do you want do Gamble?" This I've seen before. Double or Nothing on a coin toss, black or red. Heck no! I press Cash Out, after only one play and the coins start rattling out. Dang, another time I won some at a machine here, an attendant came with the winnings, and some machines give you a ticket, but not this one. I jump up and get a cup and gather it up. Maybe I sneer, smirk and scoff at the full-time slot zombies a little. I go back to where dad is, half a Rusty Nail in one hand, a cup full of coins in the other and a shit-eating grin inbetween them.
And I found another coin left in the coin changing machine. Can't lose, baby!
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...
Monday, November 20, 2006
The tilted fish
I had a good run at the poker tables this weekend, following a crash&burn during the week where I squandered my winnings from the weekend before but now I'm back on track. Bankroll increase: 30%.
My strategy is to play either Sit´n´Gos (two or three at the same time) or three to four cash games but not mix them up (too much). Sometimes you hit a good streak and just pocket away the winnings (if my stack has increased by 25% or so at NL, leave the table to "secure" the profit and pick a new one).
I´m halfway to a Ferrari! Explanation: My goal is to win enough to buy an Acer Ferrari high performance laptop computer.
This weekend I poured and drank a Guinness Canned Draught for the poker blog of poker blogs, which is going into hiatus. No, I did NOT pour out some on the ground (or floor) for our dead homie. This is Guinness, my good man, I´ll have you know, and It Is Simply Not Done.
As I wrote in an earlier post from my stay in Las Vegas, one fine thing about playing there against "real people" was when you got praise, respect or a nod of approval. When someone said "nice hand" or "well played" and you were 85-95% certain they were sincere. It´s different from "nh wp KTHXBYE" online.
Another thing happened yesterday (online) along those lines but completely different. I played a cash game (one of four) where I spiked a (gutshot, I prefer open-ended) straight on... Was it the turn or the river? Don´t remember. However, the turn was a third Heart and that was what I was fearing, a flush. Nope, my remaining opponent had flopped a set. Of fours. I scoop the pot, not huge but not minimal either.
He went ballistic and simian feces (that´s a finer word for apeshit) in the chat window, bellyaching for a few hands about fishiness, OF COURSE IN ALL CAPS. And here´s the good part: He wrote "I already had five notes on him as someone who chases straights."
That fills me with such pride and joy. Firstly; I have been noticed! Someone deemed me important enough to take notes about me earlier. Maybe even fear me? Secondly; Now I know that he knows. If I´m ever at the same table as him and hopefully in the same pot I can bully and goad him. Hey, buddy, I won the pot at the showdown, you only had the best hand for a while. What should I do, give you a percentage?
I´m someone who can fold even if I´ve put money in the pot if things look suspicious, when the cards fall as such that you can be outdrawn. It´s not only the cards you have, it´s what the opponents have or might have. "If he has a Jack, he has a straight but he didn´t bet much and now the river came eight of hearts which gives me the flush but ooops, it paired and if that guy over there has 99 pocket he has a full house but he checked and doesn´t seem like the slowplaying type." The constant inner monologue.
My strategy is to play either Sit´n´Gos (two or three at the same time) or three to four cash games but not mix them up (too much). Sometimes you hit a good streak and just pocket away the winnings (if my stack has increased by 25% or so at NL, leave the table to "secure" the profit and pick a new one).
I´m halfway to a Ferrari! Explanation: My goal is to win enough to buy an Acer Ferrari high performance laptop computer.
This weekend I poured and drank a Guinness Canned Draught for the poker blog of poker blogs, which is going into hiatus. No, I did NOT pour out some on the ground (or floor) for our dead homie. This is Guinness, my good man, I´ll have you know, and It Is Simply Not Done.
As I wrote in an earlier post from my stay in Las Vegas, one fine thing about playing there against "real people" was when you got praise, respect or a nod of approval. When someone said "nice hand" or "well played" and you were 85-95% certain they were sincere. It´s different from "nh wp KTHXBYE" online.
Another thing happened yesterday (online) along those lines but completely different. I played a cash game (one of four) where I spiked a (gutshot, I prefer open-ended) straight on... Was it the turn or the river? Don´t remember. However, the turn was a third Heart and that was what I was fearing, a flush. Nope, my remaining opponent had flopped a set. Of fours. I scoop the pot, not huge but not minimal either.
He went ballistic and simian feces (that´s a finer word for apeshit) in the chat window, bellyaching for a few hands about fishiness, OF COURSE IN ALL CAPS. And here´s the good part: He wrote "I already had five notes on him as someone who chases straights."
That fills me with such pride and joy. Firstly; I have been noticed! Someone deemed me important enough to take notes about me earlier. Maybe even fear me? Secondly; Now I know that he knows. If I´m ever at the same table as him and hopefully in the same pot I can bully and goad him. Hey, buddy, I won the pot at the showdown, you only had the best hand for a while. What should I do, give you a percentage?
I´m someone who can fold even if I´ve put money in the pot if things look suspicious, when the cards fall as such that you can be outdrawn. It´s not only the cards you have, it´s what the opponents have or might have. "If he has a Jack, he has a straight but he didn´t bet much and now the river came eight of hearts which gives me the flush but ooops, it paired and if that guy over there has 99 pocket he has a full house but he checked and doesn´t seem like the slowplaying type." The constant inner monologue.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Back to school
I mentioned in the beginning of my überpost about my week in Vegas that I'm taking a university course - Applied English. It's nearing its end and after that there's the following course. Way back when I was a full time student I took the two first courses in that series. When I'm done (and have passed) these two I'm taking this semester I will have the equivalent of a whole semester of only university English.
Just some self-improvement. My thinking was the same as some years ago when I took a law course, two computer science courses and an economics course - since I work at a university (but not in an academic role, I'm a systems administrator), why not benefit from the opportunity and add to your competencies?
So the other day I sent in the application for two more courses next semester. "Web 2.0 in theory and practice" and a short law course "IT law".
As I'm writing this, I'm also playing poker at the Swedish state-run poker site. lol :) nh ty. Whereas the USian online poker players are in trouble from puritan political trickery.
Just some self-improvement. My thinking was the same as some years ago when I took a law course, two computer science courses and an economics course - since I work at a university (but not in an academic role, I'm a systems administrator), why not benefit from the opportunity and add to your competencies?
So the other day I sent in the application for two more courses next semester. "Web 2.0 in theory and practice" and a short law course "IT law".
As I'm writing this, I'm also playing poker at the Swedish state-run poker site. lol :) nh ty. Whereas the USian online poker players are in trouble from puritan political trickery.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
It can be done
Just some shameless self-promoting bragging to show that any two cards can win. The infamous Hammer for example.
Twice. (In one day).
They (the opponents) didn't really make mistakes, per se. I'm all in with a pair of twos against a pair of Queens and catch the turn in the cash game and catch the gutshot straight on the dang river in the Sit'n'Go. But ain't it extra special fun to win with 27o?
PokerStars Game #6143398561: Hold'em No Limit ($0.10/$0.25)
2006/09/02 - 14:44:23 (ET)
Table 'Ianthe' 9-max Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: YumchipsYum ($4.65 in chips)
Seat 2: lbcpa ($15.45 in chips)
Seat 3: Marthyn ($4.85 in chips)
Seat 4: MrPristine ($25 in chips)
Seat 5: inecita2004 ($21.15 in chips)
Seat 6: Mad Ukie ($9.70 in chips)
Seat 7: uneedaspankn ($17.90 in chips)
Seat 8: kahnman849 ($22.25 in chips)
Seat 9: SamyLony ($28.95 in chips)
Marthyn: posts small blind $0.10
MrPristine: posts big blind $0.25
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Marthyn [2c 7d]
inecita2004: folds
Mad Ukie: folds
uneedaspankn: calls $0.25
kahnman849: folds
SamyLony: folds
YumchipsYum: folds
lbcpa: folds
Marthyn: raises $0.75 to $1
MrPristine: calls $0.75
uneedaspankn: calls $0.75
*** FLOP *** [2s Ts Qs]
Marthyn: bets $3.85 and is all-in
MrPristine: calls $3.85
uneedaspankn: folds
*** TURN *** [2s Ts Qs] [7h]
*** RIVER *** [2s Ts Qs 7h] [Ac]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Marthyn: shows [2c 7d] (two pair, Sevens and Deuces)
MrPristine: mucks hand
Marthyn collected $10.20 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $10.70 | Rake $0.50
Board [2s Ts Qs 7h Ac]
Seat 1: YumchipsYum folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: lbcpa (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Marthyn (small blind) showed [2c 7d] and won ($10.20)
with two pair, Sevens and Deuces
Seat 4: MrPristine (big blind) mucked [Kc Qc]
Seat 5: inecita2004 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: Mad Ukie folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: uneedaspankn folded on the Flop
Seat 8: kahnman849 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: SamyLony folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Twice. (In one day).
PokerStars Game #6144258990: Tournament #31144954,
$5.00+$0.50 Hold'em No Limit - Level V (75/150) -
2006/09/02 - 16:05:25 (ET)
Table '31144954 1' 9-max Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: joshuae411 (3375 in chips)
Seat 4: eldixio (1715 in chips)
Seat 5: lemieux66 (1845 in chips)
Seat 6: M1964S (1845 in chips)
Seat 7: MoButta (2240 in chips)
Seat 8: Marthyn (1380 in chips)
Seat 9: Twisten (1100 in chips)
MoButta: posts small blind 75
Marthyn: posts big blind 150
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Marthyn [7h 2d]
Twisten: folds
joshuae411: folds
eldixio: folds
lemieux66: calls 150
M1964S: folds
MoButta: calls 75
Marthyn: checks
*** FLOP *** [Kh 6c 4d]
MoButta: checks
Marthyn: checks
lemieux66: checks
*** TURN *** [Kh 6c 4d] [5c]
MoButta: checks
Marthyn: bets 150
lemieux66: calls 150
MoButta: folds
*** RIVER *** [Kh 6c 4d 5c] [3d]
Marthyn: bets 300
lemieux66: folds
Marthyn collected 750 from pot
Marthyn: shows [7h 2d] (a straight, Three to Seven)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 750 | Rake 0
Board [Kh 6c 4d 5c 3d]
Seat 1: joshuae411 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: eldixio folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: lemieux66 folded on the River
Seat 6: M1964S (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: MoButta (small blind) folded on the Turn
Seat 8: Marthyn (big blind) collected (750)
Seat 9: Twisten folded before Flop (didn't bet)
They (the opponents) didn't really make mistakes, per se. I'm all in with a pair of twos against a pair of Queens and catch the turn in the cash game and catch the gutshot straight on the dang river in the Sit'n'Go. But ain't it extra special fun to win with 27o?
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