Bracelet race

Sadly, we did not get the needed number of players to send a blogger to the World Series, but 58 showed up to play.

I didn't like my draw at first. Having the Luckbox on your right is never good. Having Pokerstage, Lucko, and Lightning there wasn't good either. But I could do anything about it but play.

Not much happened early as people settled in. Pokerstage was raising it up and chipping up. I was just hoping for a chance to hit it big. I would do that the first time against him. With A Qs UTG, I popped it up. But Pokerstage came back with a re-raise. Hmmm...let's see a flop. Flop was Q 3 3. Guess I will be seeing more cards here. If the flop didn't hit, then I would be gone. I checked knowing he would bet. Did I want to raise right away or not? I just called. Turn was a 3. Now I have a full house. Nice. Or so it seems. He goes all in. He has me covered as well. Does he have aces or kings? Can I fold a full house? No and no. I made the call and was relieved to see 9 9.

That vaulted me to the top of the pack. I would really only play one more big hand just before the break. Because I hadn't been playing many hands, I called a 3xs raise in the BB with 10 7s. Glad I did as the flop came 8 9 J, a straight. I checked and just called the bet though I maybe should have raised as there was a flush draw there. The turn was nothing and all the chips went in. He had flopped a set of 8s. Wow! I felt bad as the board didn't pair up on the river and I was over 10k.

I was able to drop the Hammer before I got a set of 5s would take out Maudie. Then the cards went cold for a bit. I got some chips with preflop re-raises with some pairs. The 5s were good to me again as they took out the Hammer. I am shocked I didn't lose the hand as I know better than to mess with such a powerful hand.

I took out another opponent when they pushed with J 9 to my Big Slick. Then started to pick off pots now that the antes would included. I took a small hit when my 7s ran into As. It knocked me out of first place.

But then aces started running wild at the table. Thankfully, I was a recipient and they weren't cracked. That popped me back into first with just 20 left. From there, I had to deal with F-Train and then Bobby Bracelet being on my left. But flopping some sets doesn't hurt. But when they don't give any action, it does. Going into the second break, I was sitting just over 20k and in 2nd place. At least I can watch the Sopranos for a couple of minutes.

Not much happened when play started back up. I dumped some chips to Bob with second pair. I try to steal with K Q but run into Aces. Just can't get much going.

I had fallen to 7th by the time we hit the final table. And friggin F-Train is there on my left again. Great. It doesn't matter much as I keep on folding. Cards are colder than cold for me. Can't even play the Hammer at this point.

I do get a double up with A Ko. Pops me back over 20k. Leader is only at 25k so there is a lot of play left. But more folding ensues. I try to steal with Q 10s, but the flops is bad and I can't continue bet it. My opponent could have pretty much anything w5ith the way he has played. I get the blinds with 5s and then thwart a steal with Q Js. I knew he had the steal and would not call.

But all good things come to an end. I make a re-raise with 8 8 and get called by 10 10. No suckout for me and I was done in 7th.

I can't complain. I was happy with my play. Could have been a bit more aggressive in some spots but played well.

Highlight of the Mookie

My play in the Mookie wasn't much. Finished 25 out of 73 when my A Ko didn't hit against Mookie (J J) and another (99).

But I got to see the hand of the night. From the SB, Waffles just calls. Al checks in the BB. Flop goes check check. Turn check check. Appears Al is using a quick check strategy. River, check check.

Waffles mucks and the pot goes to Al.

Oh, Al wasn't even online.

Hellmuth and his blow ups

No not blow up dolls.

Like others, I am enjoying Pauly's recaps of the WPT Championship event. Great reporting as always.

So it seems that Hellmuth is not only leading, but came close to ripping a guy a new one. Berated a dude for 3o minutes. Here is how Pauly called it:

Here's what happened. Hellmuth raised under the gun to 20K and Buchanon reraised to more than 50K at the CO. Hellmuth called as the flop was 10d-6d-3h. Hellmuth check-called a 120K bet. The turn was 7d and both players checked. The river was the 9c and both players checked again."I got a pair of sixes," announced
Hellmuth as he tabled As-6s. Buchanon flipped over K-7 for a pair of sevens.

And boom goes the dynamite!

Think about it for a moment. You make a read and decide that maybe Hellmuth is not that strong. For all we know, he is playing a lot of pots and Buchanon is folding a lot. He may have been working hard to cultivate a rock hard image. Buchanon may want to mix it up, change gears. So he re-raises Phil hoping to take it down now. Instead, Phil calls. A continuation bet is made that is just called. Both turn and river are checked.

So if Phil's read is that good, why didn't he bet one of the final streets?

But the worst part of the story is after someone going off on him for some time, his best comeback is "learn to take a beat".

WTF?

Does this Buchanon have no balls?

You have a perfect spot to tell someone off. To put him in their place. You just outplayed a top pro and can tell him exactly that. But the best you have is "learn to take a beat"?

Pansy.

Flunked MATH

I flunked out of the MATH tourney last night, lasting a whopping 30 minutes.

It was the hand immediately after a table change that sent me packing. 10 10 in the BB. After everyone and their mother limped in, the SB popped it up. I figured he was going for a squeeze play, a move I would have made. So I re-popped it to just under a grand. Only the SB called.

The flop was J high. He checked and I bet just over half the pot. That was a mistake as it committed me with just 600 behind. He waited and waited and pushed all in. I called to see his set of Jacks. Goodnight and good luck.

On my way out I accused him of slow rolling and called him an a-hole. I apologize for that as it was not a slow roll, but a way to make me think he was stealing it back.

I knew I probably shouldn't have played to begin with. Mondays don't work well for me. After being out at a ballgame on Sunday, drinking the day away, I usually use Monday to catch up on sleep. The last thing I should be doing is playing a tournament- double stack nonetheless!- when I am beat.

If I could remember, I would tell you

I was comfortably boozed up by the time the Riverchasers tournament started. Makers Mark was flowing through my veins, soothing my spirit. I needed that after a hellacious day at work.

Bottom line is I don't have a clue how I went out in the tournament last night. I know I finished 13th. I think I pushed with K 9s on a short stack. A pathetic steal attempt.

My main drunken focus was on the token frenzy. I needed to get the bad taste out of my mouth from the night before. I am happy to report that I was in 2nd place when I earned the toke. Now I can get the memory of the assmunch pushing every hand out of my head. For the record, I did not mimic the ass when I had my huge stack.

I do recall finishing the token frenzy and realizing I was seriously short stacked in the RC game. That is it.

I think if I had a drink right now, I would catch my buzz back. It was that good of a night.

Drinking and Mooking

, After the grocery shopping was done, I headed next door to the liquor store to get some drinking material for the Mookie. I knew I was better off driving down the road to a proper liquor store if I wanted to find some really interesting beer to drink. But being lazy, I figured I would at least go in for a look.

When I saw the Maker's Mark on sale, I knew I wouldn't be going to a different store. With a bottle in my hand, I headed over to the beer to make due with what they had. As I pondered over the beer in the cooler, I noticed one on the shelves outside the cooler. Lakefront Cherry Lager. Below it, was the Sam Adam's Cherry Wheat.

I hadn't had the Sam Adam's Cherry Wheat is a long time and recalled not being too impressed. But I couldn't recall drinking the Lakefront. As I drove home, I was pretty sure I had. Sure enough, I had some last year and enjoyed it. I looked forward to enjoying it during the Mook.

Two beers are down when the table shows up. Al is on my right with GCox next to him. Jeciimd, willwonka, and crazdgamer are the only other names I recognize. Hopefully I don't donk out right away. Or confuse the Mookie with the token frenzy I am in.

Typical start. Not much is happening. I get some good hands to start in the SB. J J and A K in the first two orbits and get nothing out of it. I raise with A K and A Q and just get the blinds. You know how exciting that is.

Al takes chips off of me when he flops trip 9s. Of course my K in out there as well and I give him some coin. Meanwhile in the token frenzy, I continue to fold.

Things get interesting when I raise it up with the Hammer. Get two callers. Hmmm....flop is J 10 3, all diamonds. I bet 500 into a 650 pot. Crazdgamer folds but Al is thinking. Can't be good. But can't be too bad either if he has to think. He finally folds and I can display the Hammer.

But the glory would be short. With A Qs, I raise it up again and crazdgamer seems determine to play hands with me. Flop is 10 K 10. He checks. I check behind as well. Usually I will pop the continuation bet but something doesn't seem right. Turn is a rag and now he is betting out. I fold and he shows A 10. Ah, the dreaded A 10 tried to suck me in.

I catch a bit of luck at Al's expense. With A Q, I just call his raise. Flop is 10 K 4. He checks as do I. I hit the J on the turn. Now Al bets out. I decide a min-raise is in order. It may show strength but look like a steal. Afterwards I realize it was a bad bet as it left only 350 behind. Al doesn't call and take down a nice pot.

Table seems pretty tight suddenly. Not sure why. Over on the frenzy, I keep folding away. I get a timely double up just before the break when a huge stack decides to play his A 3 against my J J. He doesn't hit any of his 3 outs and I am just over 5k with 37 left. Puts me at 18 with 24 getting $75 tokens. I then notice Drizz is just behind me. Hopefully we can both hang on for the token.

Nothing much is happening now. I can steal a blind here and there, but it is still pretty tight. So I try to loosen things up by raising with A 7s. Oops, get a caller. Try the continuation bet but it gets raised. That didn't work. To make things worse, I accidentally hit the call button on the next hand as I am UTG. Crap! I finish the first session at 1800, dropping 800 just before the break.

Right off of the break, I get A Ks. Not bad. A player in EP pushes. Gotta call. He shows 10s. Flop is no help but the turn and river are both Aces and I am over 3k. Over on the token frenzy, some dickhead has been moved over with a huge stack. And all he does is push. We are at the bubble and he pushes every hand. There are no tiny stacks at the table. His actions are meaningless. Really pisses me off when I have to fold 9 9. I know he ain't got jack but still, I don't want to be the doofus again.

Because it is hand for hand and the jackass to my right keeps raising, the blinds zoom around to me. I get A Q. Same hand I busted on the bubble a couple weeks ago. Thanks to the asshole, I am out in 25th and miss the token. #$&#%&*$^%^#$@!!!!!

Now I just dumped my chips in the Mook by calling a reraise to my reraise. I just have 10 10. My opponent had K K. Hits a K on the flop and I am basically done. Yep, done in 35th.

Still mad at the ass in the frenzy. No need to be pushing for 20 hands straight.

Move along

Nothing to really talk about today. I went out early in a frenzy tournament when my K Qs was beat by A 6s. The BB called my 4xs bet. Flop was very friendly, J 10, 8. I had the flush draw, the OESD. My opponent pushed. The best was more than the pot. That alone seemed fishy, but I had the outs.

Or so I thought.

Well, that sucked was the only thing I could think of. I wasn't mad. I don't think his play was exemplary. Something I wouldn't do necessarily. Calling the big bet when you are behind, praying for a flop, and then pushing a draw isn't necessarily a bright idea. The only hands that will call you are going to be ahead or have big draws.

I then went on to make a bad call in the Wheatie. I had been muddling around most of the game. Played the Hammer hard to just about triple up and got myself into contention.

People should be smarter. If a 7 hits the flop after someone had raised it preflop in a blogger tournament, you do not re-raise. Betting into the Hammer just about always certain doom for you. Sure enough, my second pair became trips on the turn, and a boat on the river. Cha-ching!

But I would soon screw it up. With K Q on the button, I went for the steal. Not only did the SB call, but the BB, Budohorseman, as well. Flop was Q high. SB bet and then Budo raised all in. At this point, my mind stopped and I made a rather quick WTF call. I didn't take the time to analyze the situation. Q high flop. A bet and a raise. I wasn't afraid of the SB betting out. He was pretty loose. But a quick raise all in? That should have set off major alarms and told me to slam on the brakes and watch. Especially because it was Budo.

But no, I made the call and was sent packing. SB had KK, Budo A Q. Why SB didn't re-raise is beyond me. Sure you can attempt to slow play it for a huge pot, but you also can lose it all just like he did.

That is the kind of hand that aggravates me. I had a reason to go for the steal, but every reason to fold the flop. Making the bad play pisses me off.

I should be around for the Mookie tonight. Just need to make sure I hit the liquor store first so I can get revved up for the game.

Any suggestions on the brew for the night?

No money

One hand. It was one steal attempt gone bad that took me out. The hand was at a critical point of the tournament. That hand led to my own Matusow blow up and I was bounced somewhere in the 20s.

There was 108 people ponying up $50 to play at the smoker last night. Biggest crowd yet I believe.

As I have stated before, this crowd is full of bad poker players. I have a good understanding of how most of them play. That is probably why I was upset with my own implosion at the end.

I had made it through the early rounds with nothing significant going on. Stole some blinds, got caught trying to steal, and maybe overplayed pockets kings (was going for the bounty on a loose guy and was sure he would call with his A high). Got lucky when I pushed on the short end with A 2 and was called by A 6. The deuce on the flop kept me alive. I would chip up some more taking out a player but of course the bounty money was gone.

It was when I was moved to table 1 that it got ugly. With blinds at 500/1000, the table seemed tight. That was mistake 1. I made a quick judgement on how the table appeared to be with just 4 hands being played. I had posted my blinds and seen them go so I figured I would get them back by stealing. With K 5 I went for it. Problem was the SB woke up with A Q. That was mistake 2.

When this tournament gets down to less than 30 players, most of the field is on the short end. Ms of less than 2. Most of these players will fold their blinds to raises even if it leaves them micro-stacked. I have seen people with 2000 post the blinds, pay the 1500, and try to last out the next orbit to squeak into the money. Knowing this, stealing with K 5 was a bad move. I could have lasted another orbit, found a much better place to steal, and made my way to the final table.

I knew that one double up would get me there. That was my focus. But I got untracked by trying to steal a blind. It was the wrong move at the wrong time of the tournament and I paid for it.

I spent some time talking with some people that had been playing in Badger Poker a couple years ago. A number of these people have migrated into this game. One of them even used to read this blog. When she told me that she didn't anymore, I promised her I would make fun of her here, but I will not. She is a cute little blond who kept filling up my cup as she brought the pitcher around. Give me beer and you get a pass. If she does read this and they get a home game going, you can reach me at stb31@hotmail.com. I am up for playing.

Smoker time

There really wasn't much to talk about from the Mookie. I played like crap and made an early exit. Not Hoyazo early, but early. Just kidding Hoy.

This was right after busting out early in the token frenzy. Yep, I was taken out by A 10 after he called my pre-flop raise and half pot bet, chasing his 3 outer for the straight. Damn A 10. The most overrated hand in online poker.

So tonight I will be playing in a live game. Going to church to play in the smoker. As I have said before, these fields are pretty poor. Any good player that can avoid the brutal beat will make money. Hopefully I can collect some bounties and make that money at the final table.

No cash, but still a winner at the Wheatie

As the WWdN went on last night, I began to realize something. It had been a long time since I had dropped the Hammer on someone. I hadn't felt the rush of winning with the glorious 7 2o. Sure I was doing well, having chipped up in the first period to around 3500. My reads were on and better yet, I was playing back strongly at people.

Sometimes when I play the Wheatie, I don't take it as seriously as I should. I may try some different strategies or play more aggressive than normal. You know, do something different to see if I can improve as a player. Yesterday it was defending my blinds. Going in I was determined to defend my blinds with any cards that would work. So if they were suited or connected, I was going to play them.

It worked well. I had a frisky player on my right who continually tried to raise me out. Only problem was, I was connecting. My read was he was raising with an A or maybe some face cards. Boards were coming in low. So I would either hit a pair or an OESD. I usually would check/call, sometimes raise, or bet out the turn. If anything, I believe it may have confused my opponent, because he did a lot of folding.

It was somewhere in the beginning of the second session when I made a play I am quite proud of. The Hammer had finally come home. I don't know if anyone had been noticing but I had tightened up quite a bit. I wasn't playing many hands, especially in EP. With blinds at 75/150, I made my raise to 500 in EP. It folded around quickly to Wil in the BB. He didn't act right away.

Uh oh, he caught a hand. This can't be good.

Then he spoke: "i have to do some math. I think i'm jamming at you, stb"

I think I then make a classic mistake.

I talked back. "Bring it!"

I instantly gave myself a Homer Simpson. DOH! The old strong means weak tell. As Wil thought about his play, I began to put him on a range of hands. My gut was telling me low pair (6s or less) or A Q or A J. But as I was putting him on a hand, I could tell he was putting me on a hand. Thus, my talking was just what he wanted to hear.

He quickly said "okay" followed by a "good luck" and went all in. Well, he wasn't lying about jamming. I made a quick call. I had to. If I had any other mediocre hand I would have folded. But not this one. It was the Hammer. Though it would cost me another 1279, I was feeling good about my play and knew I could make it up if somehow, some imbalance in the universe would occur and the Hammer would go down.

Plus, call it stupid, but I just knew it would win.

Wil showed his A Q and quickly yelled "HAMMER!". I wouldn't be surprised if he had me on this particular hand. Play with bloggers long enough and you develop the sense.

What Wil didn't see right away was the 7 on the flop. When the J hit the turn, his jubilance of making the right play was fading. I believe his words were "oh dear". The 10 on the river sealed it.

The Hammer had claimed another victim.

Wil was the best of sports after taking the beat. With all the morons on the rail yapping away in the chat about what an idiot play I had made (ha, non-believers), Wil took it as a pro will and told me to go on and take it all down.

Well, I didn't take it all down. I ran into my own beat later on. With 9 9, I had raised it up and was facing an all in from a player that I was not too familiar with. I sensed weakness and made the call. I was right; he had 6 6. But he spiked his 6 on the river to cripple me. I doubled up once but made a bad push against A A, giving me a finish in 13th.

So I didn't win the WWdN last night, but I still collected a prize:



Now congratulate Pauly on his ESPN gig.

Learn to speak Dutch to piss off Harrahs

I see that Al received an interesting email from the fine people at Full Tilt Poker concerning the use of the term World Series of Poker. Harrahs is hell bent on protecting the use of the phrase. To an extent, I cannot blame them.

To an extent. The NFL does the same thing in protecting the term Super Bowl. I am sure we could find a number of of instances where someone is acting like you are kicking a baby by using their precious terms.

Thus, I have decided to begin speaking Dutch. Thanks to this handy dandy translator, I now will now refer to anything to do with that card event in Vegas from June to August the World Series van Poker! Go get a trademark on that one Harrahs!

I am checking the schedule here to see when I will hit the tables next. I should be able to play the Wheatie tonight. But the Mookie tomorrow looks to be a no go. I am heading to the Indians/Angels game because, well, it is there. And it is baseball. It is not the first time the Indians will call a Milwaukee stadium home. Only this time, it will not be a movie.

Last longer tilt

I went on some serious tilt last night during the RiverChasers tournament. I had a nice drunken rant going on in the chat all because of it. Now that I think about it the next day, it was rather ridiculous. Even though I came in 3rd last night and helped my meager FTP bankroll, the tilting is still in my mind.

I went on tilt shortly after getting in a last longer bet. The amount was nominal, the buy-in. We were basically even in chips (he had 30 more?) around 3300 or so. Within 5 minutes I would dump half of my stack and look pretty bad. But here is where the tilt comes in. My foe in the last longer bet went on auto-fold.

WTF?

My initial reaction was "He is going to win a last longer by folding and waiting for me to screw up? That is bullshit!" As I raged on like a madman, someone pointed out a simple thought. Maybe something came up and they had to log off. My beer boggled mind skipped over what was probably the obvious answer. So I was able to get an email address and send them a message asking what happened. And told them to pay up! If they had an emergency, I am willing to drop the bet. I don't want to win like that just like I didn't want to lose like that.

I think was set me on tilt was the concept that someone could win a last longer bet by not playing. It feels like an insult. They are saying you will beat yourself. That they can win not by beating your with their skill, but by watching you implode. Kinda like having a Matusow meltdown.

I ask this question. Should someone be able to win a last longer bet by simply not playing? I feel that they shouldn't because the spirit of the bet to play to win. But as the bet implies, who ever last longer win. Doesn't state how you last longer, just that you last longer.

Anyways, I guess that is what happens when you go from work to bar to poker game. The stupidest thing can set your beer soaked brain on tilt.

I am happy with 3rd

Not content, but happy with my 3rd place finish in the RiverChasers tournament tonight. I say the cops outside my house was a distraction.

More tomorrow.

After screwing myself, a final table ain't bad

I made a good run in the Mookie last night. Unlike a token frenzy tournament earlier where I had a brain fart and went out on the bubble (instead of folding A Q and trying to limp into a token I pushed into the all in stack and got outflopped), I made the money going out in 9th.

Not the way I wanted it to end but I cannot complain. I played terrible in the middle of the tournament and shouldn't have been around that long. I was raising with good hands, but folding to re-raises. I might have well just put a target on my face and handed out arrows. I don't know if I was playing a very loose image or not, but I sure didn't make any adjustments. It took a suckout for me to get in a position to make the final table.

Some of the play last night was highly questionable. Or maybe I should say, some of the justification for shitty play was highly questionable. I don't care if you put lipstick on a pig and call it pretty, calling a raise and re-raise with A rag is a stupid play. But doing so will send Al on some major tilt.

Congrats to Miami Don on his back to back wins.

See you at the RiverChasers tonight.

Vegas

I have my flight and room booked for the WPBT Summer Classic. Looking at a long stay of 5 days. I really need to get away from the workplace and relax. I have a room booked at the Rio. The rate I got was cheaper than the Orleans. Even with cabbing it to and fro, I will still be better off. Plus, I am sure I have a much better room than what I would get at the big O.

I didn't play that much poker this weekend. When I did, I got taken down by inferior hands and inferior plays by inferior players. Apparently calling a re-raise with A 3 suited, thus committing all of your chips, is the way to win your tournament.

I don't think I will be playing the Wheatie tonight. I may be going to the Brewers game instead so no title defense.

Don't know how many of the Battle of the Blogger tournaments I will be playing. With them at Full Tilt, it will be tough. My bankroll took a hit last month and it is quite thin. Most of my time there will be playing token games just to get in these events. While the token games are usually easy, being taken down by A 3 suited can dampen one's spirits.

But the plan as of now is to hit the Mookie on Wednesday. I should try to save some face and get my name on the scoreboard.