Aiyaah! After a month of grinding and notching up solid if unspectacular wins I hit a rough spot once again. AA met KK, allin preflop. No big deal. I flop top two with AQ in a reraised pot and lose to a set. Another reraised pot where my flopped trips loses to a set and down goes another buy-in. Another set meets a flopped flush and I fail to improve.
With a downturn like that eroding weeks of solid play it is hard not to tilt. Tilt itself is strange beast and its sometimes pretty hard to recognise. Calling a turn bet with KK on Axx flop. Not that you don't believe they do have an Ace just that you believe they really don't deserve to have outflopped you.
I had should have done is taken a break, even for a couple of days and get back to steady winning. What I shouldn't have done is step up to 50NL. Not so much that I shouldn't play 50NL. I probably should be. But not with the attitude of wanting to win money back. Trying to win money back is a recipe for disaster. Play is more aggressive and I stumbled into some pretty aggro tables. Clearly moves were being made often. I called an 8.50 pot sized bet with one opponent with AQ and caught him on a bluff but also got allin preflop with TT against AA. I was bleeding money. A mixture of good play and awful play but my bad play seemed to be more expensive.
My losses were starting to mount and I was just on my last orbit when up popped my biggest online hand to date..and who should happen to be at the table but Lamma's very own Moocher.
Fresh from a tournament with Joe Hachem. He had position on Joe and had him outchipped. Down to the last 6 with prize money for 5th $200 and increasing thereafter. Top pair weak kicker lost to a straight and bubble boy decided to join me at the 50NL cash games.
Seat 1: Phillberto01 ($63.65 in chips)
Seat 2: LorenFGV ($121.65 in chips)
Seat 3: Ks4ndr ($52.30 in chips)
Seat 4: Moocher666 ($62.70 in chips)
Seat 5: Ensyfer ($75.25 in chips)
Seat 6: SwissCantMis ($50 in chips)
Ensyfer: posts small blind $0.25
SwissCantMis: posts big blind $0.50
*** HOLE CARDS ***Dealt to Phillberto01 [Ks Kh]
Phillberto01: raises $1 to $1.50
LorenFGV: calls $1.50
Ks4ndr: folds
Moocher666: calls $1.50
Ensyfer: folds
SwissCantMis: folds
*** FLOP *** [Kd 3c Ah]
Phillberto01: bets $3.50
LorenFGV: calls $3.50
Moocher666: calls $3.50
*** TURN *** [Kd 3c Ah] [2c]
Phillberto01: bets $11.50
LorenFGV: calls $11.50
Moocher666: calls $11.50
*** RIVER *** [Kd 3c Ah 2c] [Th]
Phillberto01: bets $47.15 and is all-in
LorenFGV: calls $47.15
Moocher666: calls $46.20 and is all-in
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Phillberto01: shows [Ks Kh] (three of a kind, Kings)
LorenFGV: mucks hand
Phillberto01 collected $1.90 from side pot
Moocher666: shows [Ad Td] (two pair, Aces and Tens)
Phillberto01 collected $185.85 from main pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $190.75 Main pot $185.85. Side pot $1.90. Rake $3 Board [Kd 3c Ah 2c Th]Seat 1: Phillberto01 showed [Ks Kh] and won ($187.75) with three of a kind,
KingsSeat 2: LorenFGV mucked [3s Ac]
Seat 4: Moocher666 (button) showed [Ad Td] and lost with two pair, Aces and Tens
I suspect my previous loose/bad play was a factor in getting paid off but this pot was enough to make up for my 50NL losses and draw a line under a bad weekend. Still $200 to recover to reach the high water mark but I plan to do that at 25NL for the time being.
I'll move back to 50NL soon I think though.
Monday, 6 April 2009
Tuesday, 24 March 2009
The Grind
With a week to go in March I managed to rack up a few extra dollars last night. No big hands at all just picking my spots and gaining one buy-in for a couple of hours of 4/5 tabling.
I'll post my winnings graph from Poker Tracker 3 which shows the horrendous down-swing I had with it's slightly smaller brother in amongst generally winning play.
I also got around to watching one Deuces Cracked video, something I should try and make some more time for.
So who is around for a live game the week-end after next? Does an afternoon session suit. Maybe 3pm or 4pm start this time?
I'll post my winnings graph from Poker Tracker 3 which shows the horrendous down-swing I had with it's slightly smaller brother in amongst generally winning play.
I also got around to watching one Deuces Cracked video, something I should try and make some more time for.
So who is around for a live game the week-end after next? Does an afternoon session suit. Maybe 3pm or 4pm start this time?
Monday, 23 March 2009
High Stakes Poker - Season 5
Hopefully everyone has had a chance by now to watch the opening episodes from the new season on Poker-tube. If not go and watch them now. With the next episode out today I'm looking forward to seeing Dwan and Brunson clash in a big pot.
Most of the internet discussion has focussed on the hand between Peter Eastgate, Barry Greenstein and the man that looks likely to be awarded poker demi-god status for his audacious turn bluff.
Having read the various takes of internet hind-sighters it seems that there were a number of mistakes made by all three of those involved, in my opinion of course...or should I say someone elses who I happen to agree with.
Eastgate's first mistake was his pre-flop call with 42o. Made worse by the fact that he laughed seemingly amused by the fact an under the gun raise from a tight player could become a family pot and thus flagging up the fact he was playing trash to an observant player.
Dwan's flop bet was questionable it seems. It seems very unlikely he was setting up his turn play with that bet and as a value bet it was pretty misjudged.
Eastgate gets himself into trouble here by calling the flop raise. After facing the turn bet he is a tricky position as both Dwan and him have 500K stacks. He could easily be outkicked and out of position the rest of the money will likely only go in if he is behind. There is an argument for a flop-reraise but if he faces a shove he then loses somewhere between 200-300K. I can't fault his fold at all.
Greenstein has received a lot of flack as well for folding his pocket Aces. There is actually a strong case for folding to Dwan's flop bet after Eastgate called as he was unlikely to be ahead then. He has since said he considered it but thought Eastgate may have called with a Ten. He has also said that he would have got it all-in with Dwan had Eastgate not been involved.
It has certainly give everyone the impression that Eastgate can be moved off of big hand though. If he is smart enough to recognise that possibility he could pick off some big bluffs.
Credit to Dwan for the turn bet though - done with not only a very good read on his opponents hands were but a very good read on what way they would err in a tough situation.
If these guys had stock market prices I think Dwan would be flying high and Negreanu would be dragging the index down to new lows.
Most of the internet discussion has focussed on the hand between Peter Eastgate, Barry Greenstein and the man that looks likely to be awarded poker demi-god status for his audacious turn bluff.
Having read the various takes of internet hind-sighters it seems that there were a number of mistakes made by all three of those involved, in my opinion of course...or should I say someone elses who I happen to agree with.
Eastgate's first mistake was his pre-flop call with 42o. Made worse by the fact that he laughed seemingly amused by the fact an under the gun raise from a tight player could become a family pot and thus flagging up the fact he was playing trash to an observant player.
Dwan's flop bet was questionable it seems. It seems very unlikely he was setting up his turn play with that bet and as a value bet it was pretty misjudged.
Eastgate gets himself into trouble here by calling the flop raise. After facing the turn bet he is a tricky position as both Dwan and him have 500K stacks. He could easily be outkicked and out of position the rest of the money will likely only go in if he is behind. There is an argument for a flop-reraise but if he faces a shove he then loses somewhere between 200-300K. I can't fault his fold at all.
Greenstein has received a lot of flack as well for folding his pocket Aces. There is actually a strong case for folding to Dwan's flop bet after Eastgate called as he was unlikely to be ahead then. He has since said he considered it but thought Eastgate may have called with a Ten. He has also said that he would have got it all-in with Dwan had Eastgate not been involved.
It has certainly give everyone the impression that Eastgate can be moved off of big hand though. If he is smart enough to recognise that possibility he could pick off some big bluffs.
Credit to Dwan for the turn bet though - done with not only a very good read on his opponents hands were but a very good read on what way they would err in a tough situation.
If these guys had stock market prices I think Dwan would be flying high and Negreanu would be dragging the index down to new lows.
Lots of hands - Not so much money
Well I've been trying to make amends for the big losing streak I suffered at the end of Feb and beginning of March. My progress has been a bit like a game of snakes and ladders of late and I've been hitting some pretty long Anaconda's it seems. I've clocked up enough hands to get back to profit for the month but in doing so have run up enough hand to leave my win-rate as a pretty unspectacular one.
I've ordered a new book to continue the learning process and will complement this by watching some poker training vids as I've realised I still need to do a lot of improving.
Looking forward to hitting a new high water mark in hopefully this coming week if the poker god's allow.
I've ordered a new book to continue the learning process and will complement this by watching some poker training vids as I've realised I still need to do a lot of improving.
Looking forward to hitting a new high water mark in hopefully this coming week if the poker god's allow.
Live a little
It’s been a while since the sharply honed poker minds of Lamma saw fit to get together to rumble in the flesh. After a slightly delayed start the game rumbled on for nearly 11 hours of play in the end.
Lamma Jim was first to call it a day but was pleased to cash in $260 to the good and demonstrating some improved play and enough flops hit to see him come out ahead. Including Pocket Aces at the right time to send me running for cover with a loose preflop re-raise.
Sham was next to leave and was again able to take some money off the table. He returned later and despite taking down a 3 way all-in pot with KT for the straight he managed to squander his big pot gains but finished a small winner.
I took my one and only felting against Moocher who rather peculiarly chose to call an all-in on the turn for around double the pot with 86 suited.
With Big slick I was banking on being up against a drawing hand, or weak made hand that could find a fold after his small reraise and thought that my gutshot and overcards were likely to be good if called. After Moocher’s call my gutshot disappeared as an out but I was surprised to find myself ahead. With two overcards I was only a 59% favourite and Moocher found one of his many outs. With that being the most favourable circumstances though and 27% equity being the more likely proposition for him I’m not quite sure what his thinking was with the call.
Luck proved to be on Moocher’s side again when his AQ struck against Rummy Coakes pocket Jacks in a pre-flop all-in turned race.
Luck was definitely not on the Rummy Coakes side whose loose-aggressive play generated some additional action to the game. With both Moocher and Bigshot prepared to gamble with him, often very light, Rummy found himself stuck for 5 buy-ins in what seemed very quick succession.
Quads seemed to raise their head far more often than is the norm. Bigshot was the lucky recipient on two occasions who milked the first one up until the turn but didn’t get any takers for his river bet. The second time he over-bet into a pot that would have given any Ace a full-house. If anyone had an Ace they managed to find a fold in what looked like either Quads or a bet to make an obvious split pot one with his name on it.
I managed to catch quads myself and had Bigshot look me up on the river building a pot big enough to get me back on even terms.
With both Moocher and Rummy to my immediate left it was never going to be easy though. I no doubt was forced to lay-down good hands on occasion with draws. I did manage to make one big lay-down with KK against Moocher’s two pair after a flop raise. With any big pre-flop raise likely to get called by Moocher, Rummy and Sham leaving Bigshot reasonable odds to join the party I found myself in a lot of tough spots.
I think it’s a complement to the Lamma Home Game that I would probably have practiced table selection and moved on to an easier table, or at the very least swapped seats had this been online. In the end I made some speculative calls in the last half hour but caught nothing and ended up down $160.
I did manage to take one pot from Sham somewhat unexpectedly with the night’s entertainment substances having taken their toll. Having reached the river with Q9 giving me trips with a Queen kicker I called Sham’s river bet expecting it to be decided by the kicker. When Sham showed Q9 I was about to turn my cards. A moment of horror as I realized that it was indeed Q8 I held was followed by a quick recalculation that Q8 gave me the straight. I opened another beer and took another quick glug to calm the shock. Sorry Sham. Maybe can't be too critical of Moocher really I guess.
Moocher despite being close to 2 buy-ins down deservedly proved the big winner of the night and Bigshot took silver medal. Don deserves plaudits for bringing plenty of action to the game but variance and willingness to get it in light meant his poor record in the Lamma home game continued as he funded the nights two big winners.
With the Moll providing some refreshments and Rummy losing less than a HKPC buy-in it was perhaps better that he hit a losing streak at the lower stakes. With no-shows from all the new prospects it’s looking likely that they will get another opportunity in 2 weeks time as another game is proposed.
Lamma Jim was first to call it a day but was pleased to cash in $260 to the good and demonstrating some improved play and enough flops hit to see him come out ahead. Including Pocket Aces at the right time to send me running for cover with a loose preflop re-raise.
Sham was next to leave and was again able to take some money off the table. He returned later and despite taking down a 3 way all-in pot with KT for the straight he managed to squander his big pot gains but finished a small winner.
I took my one and only felting against Moocher who rather peculiarly chose to call an all-in on the turn for around double the pot with 86 suited.
With Big slick I was banking on being up against a drawing hand, or weak made hand that could find a fold after his small reraise and thought that my gutshot and overcards were likely to be good if called. After Moocher’s call my gutshot disappeared as an out but I was surprised to find myself ahead. With two overcards I was only a 59% favourite and Moocher found one of his many outs. With that being the most favourable circumstances though and 27% equity being the more likely proposition for him I’m not quite sure what his thinking was with the call.
Luck proved to be on Moocher’s side again when his AQ struck against Rummy Coakes pocket Jacks in a pre-flop all-in turned race.
Luck was definitely not on the Rummy Coakes side whose loose-aggressive play generated some additional action to the game. With both Moocher and Bigshot prepared to gamble with him, often very light, Rummy found himself stuck for 5 buy-ins in what seemed very quick succession.
Quads seemed to raise their head far more often than is the norm. Bigshot was the lucky recipient on two occasions who milked the first one up until the turn but didn’t get any takers for his river bet. The second time he over-bet into a pot that would have given any Ace a full-house. If anyone had an Ace they managed to find a fold in what looked like either Quads or a bet to make an obvious split pot one with his name on it.
I managed to catch quads myself and had Bigshot look me up on the river building a pot big enough to get me back on even terms.
With both Moocher and Rummy to my immediate left it was never going to be easy though. I no doubt was forced to lay-down good hands on occasion with draws. I did manage to make one big lay-down with KK against Moocher’s two pair after a flop raise. With any big pre-flop raise likely to get called by Moocher, Rummy and Sham leaving Bigshot reasonable odds to join the party I found myself in a lot of tough spots.
I think it’s a complement to the Lamma Home Game that I would probably have practiced table selection and moved on to an easier table, or at the very least swapped seats had this been online. In the end I made some speculative calls in the last half hour but caught nothing and ended up down $160.
I did manage to take one pot from Sham somewhat unexpectedly with the night’s entertainment substances having taken their toll. Having reached the river with Q9 giving me trips with a Queen kicker I called Sham’s river bet expecting it to be decided by the kicker. When Sham showed Q9 I was about to turn my cards. A moment of horror as I realized that it was indeed Q8 I held was followed by a quick recalculation that Q8 gave me the straight. I opened another beer and took another quick glug to calm the shock. Sorry Sham. Maybe can't be too critical of Moocher really I guess.
Moocher despite being close to 2 buy-ins down deservedly proved the big winner of the night and Bigshot took silver medal. Don deserves plaudits for bringing plenty of action to the game but variance and willingness to get it in light meant his poor record in the Lamma home game continued as he funded the nights two big winners.
With the Moll providing some refreshments and Rummy losing less than a HKPC buy-in it was perhaps better that he hit a losing streak at the lower stakes. With no-shows from all the new prospects it’s looking likely that they will get another opportunity in 2 weeks time as another game is proposed.
Friday, 6 March 2009
Red Dragon
Not wanting the blog to consist of bad beat bleating I though a quick mention for Moocher was in order. Having taken down an online tournament he has now secured himself a seat in the Macau Red Dragon tourney where a normal buy-in is a hefty HK$10K.
He also has the opportunity to make a name for himself as the Television cameras will be there at the event.
Will the cameras showcase Moocher's talents or see a pro pick off a Moocher stone cold bluff.?
Or more likely of all just ignore him completely. Time will tell. And I'm sure Moocher will as well if there is any prize money to boast of.
He also has the opportunity to make a name for himself as the Television cameras will be there at the event.
Will the cameras showcase Moocher's talents or see a pro pick off a Moocher stone cold bluff.?
Or more likely of all just ignore him completely. Time will tell. And I'm sure Moocher will as well if there is any prize money to boast of.
Bull Market
After managing a steady February my results took a plunge on the final weekend. A pretty steep decline that continued into the start of March and had eroded half of the months winnings.
The downswing, assuming it is over, ran up a total of 16 buy-ins.
That included KK v AA, 3 set against set situation. Trip Aces with the case Ace against a flopped nut flush. A busted flush draw where I tried to represent a straight on the river. And 33 making a flopped full house losing to 73 which flopped a bigger full house.
Add that to being fairly cold decked and the losses just stacked up. It got pretty frustrating and I was beginning to leak money by not playing my A game after four days of horrendous cards.
I decided to switch to 2 then 3 tabling 50NL to force me to concentrate and play properly. I took down $30 in a half hour session which hopefully signals a return to winning poker.
It's certainly shattered my winning rate and not helped my bank-roll one bit.
The downswing, assuming it is over, ran up a total of 16 buy-ins.
That included KK v AA, 3 set against set situation. Trip Aces with the case Ace against a flopped nut flush. A busted flush draw where I tried to represent a straight on the river. And 33 making a flopped full house losing to 73 which flopped a bigger full house.
Add that to being fairly cold decked and the losses just stacked up. It got pretty frustrating and I was beginning to leak money by not playing my A game after four days of horrendous cards.
I decided to switch to 2 then 3 tabling 50NL to force me to concentrate and play properly. I took down $30 in a half hour session which hopefully signals a return to winning poker.
It's certainly shattered my winning rate and not helped my bank-roll one bit.
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