Win lose and draw

I had some fun playing poker last night. Some success, some failure, some razzing.

The evening started with two mistakes. I thought I had signed up for a 2 table turbo token game. Instead it was regular levels. Not something I couldn't handle, or so I thought as I bubbled the tokens and got a small payout. I had been doing well all game but went totally card dead at the end. Literally got nothing or could not battle the large stacks. They were content to play every hand.

Just before the token game started, I tried to sign up for a regular one table NL SnG. Found one and got in. Then sat slack jawed when I was dealt 4 cards. I look up and see PLO8. Great! Just tossed this buy-in away. Instead of donking my way through, I tightened up and played very conservatively. Until I noticed how timid everyone was. I kicked it up a gear and started taking down uncontested pots. I chipped up nicely and cruised into the money. Soon it would be heads up,with me just behind by about 1000. I made a terrible read on a river bet and lost a chunk. I then proceeded to get overly aggressive with bottom two pair, potting it to get me all in on the flop. My opponent called showing top two pair. I cursed the screen and was ready to raise the white flap until I hit my two outer on the river. I was suddenly back in the game.

It got uglier for my opponent. On the next hand, I flopped a full house. The board ended up giving me exactly what I needed to ensure my opponent would get felted by making both flush and straight possibilities available with no low. Cha-ching and the PLO8 1st prize is mine.

I tried to continue the luck into Razz- a game of luck- but that didn't go as well. I played loose at first and then tightened up. Got a number of good starting hands that continually bricked me up on 5 and 6. I then slid into awfukkit mode and gave the rest of my stack to Zeem.

I did have some fun with resident Razz expect Waffles. He criticized my play of the very first hand. I brought in with a K. Behind it I had A 2. It folded around to Zeem on my right who completed. Being on the first level and two good cards, I was going to play. I made my hand on 6, with an 8 or 9 (not something I was too keen on but it was early). With the way Zeem kept betting and with what he was showing, I put him on a bully bluff. I wasn't that far off as he claims he made it on 7.

But Waffles went off. He said playing a K doorcard was stupid, that I would have to wait until 6 to possibly make a hand. A couple hands later, he would do something similar. With a 6 showing, he got a K on 4th and bet out against a stronger Zeem, who had a 9 showing. He claimed it was a good move because he had the better draw. K vs 9 is better? It seemed to be the same principle. He would have to make his hand on 6. Is there that much of a difference between the K in the door or on 4th? I don't think so.

I would argue that I have more shots to catch up. I can either catch cards or have my opponent brick. If neither happens, I can fold. If my opponent is fixed on the K, they may try to bully me with any 7 or 8 that hits me. It also may give the table a soft image. That I will play any hand with just two good cards to start. Hey, it may not be the optimal play, but I don't think it is such a bad play especially with it being the start of the tournament.

So I found it amusing that Waffles would rip on me for playing the K, but would play it on 4 and claim he made a better play. They are both equally donktastic or not bad. At the very least, there is an element of hypocrisy on Waffles part. And by the way, on his hand he had A 6 behind. Not as good as I did.

I don't claim to be a great Razz player. I like the game and think I can hang with most people. You just won't hear me criticizing other people's play. You have no idea what someone may be trying to accomplish, especially early in a tournament.