Friday, February 27, 2009

Runnin bad...and playin bad...

Its amazing that those 2 go hand in hand. It is my downfall where I mentally trap myself. I know and understand variance quite well, but I don't have to play bad though when variance catches up to me...very frustrating. I am 100% positive ...well 85% positive that my mistakes have been "Adapting to my situation and Table" as well as "Game Selection". (There is a 15% chance that I am just a total Donkfish HaHaHa)

Was in Baton Rouge this week for the EOM (Thats End of Month) for you non-sales types. Im sure Reid remembers what those days are like ;-)

Poker at the Belle of BR this week on Thursday...I Blew Brains...enough said. I don't want SPR skipping my blog because of boring hand analysis ;-) Continued to see terrible play all around me...but I could not beat the game...not even for a small win. I flop 2 pair with the Ad...oh wait...never mind HaHaHaHa.

I will give you guys some interesting rumors I heard over the felt this week...I don't have the energy to search on google so they might be true...who knows.

#1 I heard a very respectable poker player that actually flew on the same plane with me for the WSOP 05' ...going and returning from vegas...said that in the "Superuser scandal"...not only could Russ "Douchebag" Hamilton see everyone else's cards on UB...he could make certain cards hit on the river in the middle of the hand. Say he needs a As on the river ...he could make that happen.

#2 Same person told me that Durr was on some "Lifestyles of Rich and Famous"...or something like "Cribs for people with no tans"...I don't know...but on the program they featured Durr's dual/triple... huge plasma/lcd TV's that he uses to play on. Durr had them on the wall hung like normal TV's he would just plug into and fire up the mouse to make a few million. Well...this fellow said that after seeing the program...some resourceful poker competitors of Durr's broke into his house and installed a camera/webcam wired up where they could go home...play Durr for huge amounts of cabbage...and see his cards on the big screen via the camera/webcam.

I personally don't believe either one...but if I am wrong...someone enlighten me.

"Life has to be a little nuts sometimes. Otherwise it's just a bunch of Thursdays strung together" Kevin Costner as Beau Burroughs in "Rumor has it"

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Variance rollercoaster is on the decent...

I had been running good and playing good in the cash games the past several months, but it looks like that has tailed off. It kind of pisses me off because I can over analyze hands, and try to find out where my leaks are...and I can find them. The problem is that what some people call "Variance"...I feel is just terrible play. As an example, I am sitting with around $200.00 at Shorty's in a cash game and look down at KK and I raise to $35.00. There is a re-raise to $75.00. I can't see putting almost half my stack in without getting it all in...so I shove...dude calls with AKo and hits an Ace on the turn. Most people would think that the hand "plays itself"...That I got my money in with the best of it...70-30...oh well...it happens. But lets look at what would have happened if I smooth call the $75.00 and open shoved post flop. The AKo can't normally call there. Thats the kind of mistakes I have been making.

Booked a loser at the Amelia Belle on Monday...got the last of my chips in terrible. In fact, I played great poker and self destructed and lost my stack in a matter of 5 min. Theres a pf raise to $15.00 with 5 callers and I held KdJd. Flop comes out 9d10dAh. UTG fires out $25.00 and a caller to me...I shove my last $110.00 in the pot. Dinger calls behind me as does the button...the 2 people betting and calling the $25.00 fold. 3 players in getting almost 3 to1 on my money with a flush and gutterball draws with a straight flush re-draw...only problem was Dinger has Ad4d to kill most of my outs...see ya.

Booked a loser in Coushatta. I made one of the worst calls I have made in a long time. There is this guy from Texas thats had on his finger a "Replica" Superbowl ring (Thats another story) with about $900.00 in front of him. 3 hours in I limp from the button with 5 other players with As5s. Flop comes out Ac9h4c. Ringwraith fires $20.00 at the pot and I am the only one that calls. Turn...a pretty 5d. Ringwraith again fires a 20 spot and I raise to $60.00...he smooths. Now the dealer peals out the Qc and the dealer hasn't even taken his hand off the card yet and he says "Im all in". I mean it was instant. I went in the tank and talk my way thru the hand, "Sir...Why would you bet so much?"...I can't figure it out. There were so many hands out there that beat me...I was sick. I say, "Sir, you either have the stone cold nuts ...or nothing". I was passing up the "Strong means Weak" tell to fold and I started to make a move with my cards towards the muck...and he jumped and acted relived that I was folding..."I call", I say...he tables KcJc...at least I was right about something ;-). That is a must laydown for me. I know better than to make that call. I didn't have alot invested, and I still would have ample stackage to play with.

Also booked a loser at Shorty's today. Had Kings cracked twice and flopped 2 pair twice with my opponents rivering a straight and flush. I think I played too many hands though.

It was one of those ..."You run bad...so you play bad" scenarios. I am still up in my cash play in 09' but this little run really brought me back to reality...and sent me back to the books.

On a personal note...My 3 week old little niece is in Children's Hospital in New Orleans fighting for her life...please keep my family in your prayers.

"The most important thing in life....is family" The Spanish Detective to Creasy in "Man on Fire"

Monday, February 16, 2009

Making the rounds...

I have been making the rounds this last week starting Monday night at the Amelia Belle tournament...and finishing Saturday with a roadtrip to Coushatta to play in their $220 weekly...stopped at Shorty's on my home...and made another stop at the Belle coming through on my home. I also played at the Belle of Baton Rouge on Wed and Thurs nights. My wife is in Vegas for work, so I figured I would make the best of it.

Amelia Belle on Monday had the tournament, and then a 1-2nl game jumped off after the tournament ended. I had a good time even though I booked a loser. The beuchewacker was there, and playing with Arceaneax is always a good time. Matt B. was the supervisor that night...now we just need to get him as Tournament Director ;-)
In fact...I am heading there again tonight to see what is happening.

I was able to beat the cash game, and I booked a modest winner at The Belle of BR on Wed and Thursday nights. I started with $300 and cashed out on Wed for $580 and Thur for about the same. In one hand I want to discuss is one that I was not even in. I am sitting between these 2 guys with both over 1k stacks. There is a pf raise to $20.00 with several callers from one of them. Flop hits 7h8h10h. The Original raiser on my left c-bets to $20...fold...fold...guy on my right pops it to $60...guy on left shoves...guy on right insta-calls...original raiser on left has AdAc...insta-caller on right...Ah4s. I then had to listen for 25 minutes while they discuss the hand between them and they both agreed that they both had no choice in the matter and that they both had no choice but to make the plays they did..."I had aces dog...Im getting all in no matter what"..."Well shit dog, I had the ace of hearts so you know I ain't going nowhere". It was brutal.
I want to say that this type of play is not typical of the Baton Rouge players at all.

Went to Coushatta and fell down the "Poker tournament rabbit hole"...it seems like I always have weird stuff happen to me there. The hand I busted out of the tourney on I felt I played bad. Blinds are at 500-1000 and I have 11k left. I look down at AKo UTG. 3 hands before this I have AA and only get the blinds with a 3x raise...I decide to bet 3x and if I get action shove post-flop. Flop hits QhJs4c...I shove...sb has Q8o and calls...turn K...river Q.

I head to Shortys and buy in for $275 and cashed out for $750...then stopped at Amelia Belle only because there was a game nine-handed and there was a seat open...I knew I shouldn't have stopped. I spewed 2 hundo's in 22 hands. The 3rd hand I turn a straight and guy rivers a flush for half my stack...and then slowrolls me. The last $95 went in when I shove post flop into a $95 post flop pot...with a board for 4sAd6h with 4c6c...and someguy comes over the top of my $95 for $20 more at $115. What could he have you ask? ...AK...AQ or even AJ or A10...he held 53o and hit a deuce ball on the river...see ya.

"Fear causes hesitation, and hesitation will cause your worst fears to come true" Patrick Swayze as Bodi in "Point Break"

Sunday, February 08, 2009

Day 3...Ceasers Palace Maega Stack

We went to Ceasers Palace on Wednesday to check out the Mega Stack series they had going on over there, and made the decision to play there based on the biggest factor...flight times. Based on the 2 previous days at the Venetian, we decided that one of us would have to get the final table with close to the chip lead in order to miss our flight on Thur. 10 thru 7 would put us probably break even on changing flights...etc.

I think they had close to 90 people, and the structure was very different in that there were no green antes ($25). The antes started with the black chips ($100)...and they didn't start until the 7th or 8th level. I hovered around 20-25 BB's until the dinner break when we were down to 2 tables. I busted out in 14th place, and they were only paying 9. I was really upset with myself as the hand I was crippled on... I felt I played terriable. The blinds were at 200/800/1600 and I had right below 30k. I was in mid-late position and I made a move at the blinds and antes with AJc. I open shoved, and he SB woke up with QQ. We were the 2 short stacks at the table, and I barely had him covered...I was on fumes and doubled up twice...to no avail. The only bustout in the trip I got my chips in bad. I could not get that …as Monk says, “Courtesy Double-up”

I have been listening to pokerroad and heard Dan Kelly/Gobboboys comments about open it being +EV shoving from the sb as light as K-8. Reading BarryG's post on the forums (Must read for players) made me sick to my stomach ...again …as that is how I felt. There were so many other ways to play that hand where I don't lose my stack. Why not 3x there and fold when the SB shoves over the top of me??? Why risk my tournament life there?...I don’t know but the sickest thing was I knew the sec I pushed my stack out there…I was in trouble. That sixth sense/instinct/Gut feeling went haywire. I am a little bummed that the guy staking me didn’t win any money, but I felt from an overall trip…I played well…In fact…I don’t know how I could have played any better on the first 2 days, but I have to dig in. I still have holes that need to be plugged. I have to identify my mistakes and think higher.

I did beat the cash games and so did the guy I went with, so that was a big positive.

Overall Trip observations:
-I hope to never see another Ed Hardy shirt or hat…ever ;-)
-Those people standing on the sidewalk giving out the flyers to the strip clubs…they were 2-3 feet apart…I shit you not. I could stand between them and reach out and touch 2 of them. Every 3rd or 4th step someone was trying to hand me a flyer to go to the same club. I felt like saying, “What happened in the 2-3 seconds/3-4 steps ago when I turned your buddy down that would make me now think…Yea…I want to take YOUR flier and go look at naked women dancing”
-The most encouraging part of the trip was to see the donks were out in force. I witnessed some of the most bizarre plays, and this was not tourist…people who really thought they were the shit. Case in point, the kid that called me a donkey. Let me set the stage here. I sit down at my table and on the 8-9th hand this kid bluffs off ¾ of his stack at 25/50 when he bet out 7100 to try to steal a 2600 pot on the river…obvious over bet. The person called him and he had air (Really???). 8-9 hands later I am in LP with 8h6h and there are 4 limpers to me...I Limp. The kid raises 4x to $200 with around 3k left, and all the limpers call…Uh…yea…I call. I hit my hand and stack the kid when the board was 9 high and he held JJ. At this point I get berated for calling a raise with 86h and I sit and listen to him wanting to be like the Poker Brat soooo bad. His buddy walks up and he says, “I can’t beat these Donkeys man…calling a raise with 86h…but they were suited”…He pointed to me when his buddy asked which one and I could not stop myself. I bust out laughing at the kid and the dealer freezes. I say, “Dude…You really have no idea how bad you play do you…you really don’t”…”You are out of a Mega Stack tournament and we haven’t even made 2 revolutions of the button…were on the 17th or 18th hand….You can’t grasp that can you?” …oh well.
-The airport...People…if you don’t need to charge your phones…need power for your laptop…if you don’t need “Power” at all…and there are plenty of open seats…Don’t F*&#’in take up all the seats around the power outlets!!!! I walked up with my laptop in hand and stared at the laptop…and at the people sitting around it…nothing. Whatever…I sat on the floor.
Oh well…enough of that…what else? Pro’s…Jimmy Fricke was at the table next to me…J.J Liu was there also. Not a bunch with the LA Poker Classic going on. I did get to talk to Fish for awhile and he said him and Matt G. were going to head to LA.

Overall it was a great trip. I think my backer may be ready to fire a couple of more bullets…we will see.


"You went halfway around the world. You spent a fortune. You did terrible things. Really terrible things Robert. And all for nothing." Christian Bale as Borden in "The Prestige"

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Venetian Deep Stack Day 2

Well...I was hoping to have some better news but it looks like it was "Wash...Rinse...Repeat" for Day2. We were down to 7 tables and they were only paying 27 as they did not have as many players...although I think they had over 400. I am sitting on 32.5k with the blinds at 300/1000/2000...16-17 BBs. I look down at AKh FTB and all of a sudden some guy in MP raises to 16k and has me covered ...WTF???? I felt that he did not want any resistance so I had him on A-Q or AJ. I cannot call here. Its either ship it or fold. I jam...he turns over 10-10...you know the drill. I would really like some feedback here as I think I probably should have sniffed out 10-10 or J-J...some mid-pair. I really did not want to flip for my tournament life here, but I felt I had to make a stand somewhere and needed to double up. Also, I had played with this player all tournament and really felt he was one of the weaker players at our table. With that being said...There were some really good players at my table all day. Thoughts...comments?? Should I have folded?

What else? ...Came down early yesterday and played 1-2nl next to Jermaine Williams...you'll may remember him from LSU/Buccaneers/Cowboys...really cool guy. It was funny as he is from Donaldsonville...and we happen to be sitting next to each other.

Got to hang out with Lusky and Virge last night as they came pick me up after the tourney. Their house is really nice. We went to the Wynn looking for their other poker playing roommate...and had some dinner. I really enjoyed seeing those guys again.

I think we may do a change of scenery today and go play the Ceasers event...I don't know

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Venetian Deep Stack Day 1

I thought I would type up a quick update to let everyone know how things are going here...Good...but could be better. We played the first event yesterday, and it was a long day. We were up at 3:30am Cent time to catch our flight, and the day didn't end until 1:30am Pac time. We are staying at the Venetian, and the suite is really nice.

I feel like I played well, but I did not get in the money. Their were around 450 people who came out for the tourney, and the structure was good. We started with 12k in chips and I was able to chip up fairly early, and then I got spewey once I thought I was going to run over the table. I calmed down around 19k, and then cruised for a few levels. I made it to the dinner break with 47k and their were 7-8 tables left. After the Dinner break, the blinds were 500/1500/3000...10k out your stack every revolution. I was able to open shove a few times to steal the blinds/antes...but that would only last so long. I needed to double up...and went card the last 20 min of the round. I was down to 27.5k UTG and looked down at AQo. I ship it, and the sb woke up with 99...and the board bricked for me. I went out mid-50ish and they were paying 36.

The thing that sucked was I went to the cash game and got run over by deck...could do no wrong. I got in for $200.00 and cashed out at $585.00. If I would have got that run of cards in the tourney I would have been dangerous. The guy im with also had a decent night at the cash game.

I will try to give more updates a little later...and no quote today ;-)

The sickest hand I seen...the noon DeepStack event was down to 3 tables, and a young kid that was on fumes earlier in the day at my table was able to get some chips and had a nice stack. He gets the chip lead when he stacks 2 people at his table...AA vs KK vs the kids JJ...He hit a set of jacks. On the very next hand he stacked another big stack post flop when he nailed a set of 3's against QQ....when you running good...your running good