Lamma Poker: September 2008

Monday, 29 September 2008

Live Summary - September

1) (1) Phillberto +2028 (+500)
2) (3) Bigshot +1648(+800)
3) (2) Deadly +1350
4) (5) Spicer +26
5) (6) John -14
6)(9) Les -200
7)(8) Sham -246 (-200)
8) (4) Lamma Jim -300 (-600)
9) (9) Moocher -448
10) (10) Pete -766
11) (11) Don -2870 (-500)

Starting to look like a two-horse race for this year's title but it aint over till the Fat Lady Sings. Perhaps if Deadly can manage to take the slow boat to Lamma he could put himself in with a chance. Jim plunges down the leader-board after his performance and Sham loses his chance to climb back into positive territory after losing a big one in the last ten minutes.

Don continues to fare badly as he continues to get to grips with the game by following through with his untamed aggression. It is paying dividends online though it seems.

Live - Back at Phillberto's

Friday night poker eventually happened after much shenanigans. With Spice opting for a more stress-free night in the pub, Peter letting having a son the day before distract him and Moocher having a tooth removed and pleading sore gums as his match excuse we eventually got under way 4 handed expecting Sham and some fresh blood in Canadian Steve. In the end Steve couldn't make it so 5 handed it was.

Jim got off to an aggressive start betting into an AQx flop in a multi-way and then hitting a trip queens on the river but not getting any action.

I clashed with Don first calling his pre-flop raise with AKs in position. The flop came A9x giving me not only Top pair top kicker but also the nut flush draw. Facing an aggressive bet on the flop I considered just shoving then but decided to give Don some rope to hang himself given my likely lock on the hand. The turn brought a spade to give me the nut flush. Don virtually bet his entire stack then called the remainder of his stack off drawing dead with a 9 and second pair.

Don was also to cross swords with Bigshot in a big pre-flop play. With a lot of money in pre-flop Bigshot let Don make a sizeable bet into a low flop. He then pushed all-in over the top and Don called. It looked like a battle of over-pairs but Big-shot showed AK for a brave bluff. I suspect I would have let my pocket Tens go there but Don called the bet. A solid favourite to recoup his losses Don watched with horror as one of Mark's six outs hit and he lost to Barry Greenstein's favourite 'An Ace on the River'.

With a big stack I checked with A9 on the big-blind and was happy to see a flop of A96. Some money went in on the flop and I just called. Turn brought a K. I then re-raised Jim's bet to $60 expecting to take the pot down or get a call but instead faced a re-raise all-in.. With top and middle pair I was facing a tough decision. I could well have laid the hand down in certain circumstances. It was just over a pot sized bet I had to call so thought I would take my almost even odds. Jim turned over AT and I held up. It was certainly a bet that would fold any hands I beat so was a medium hand turned into a bluff.

For once I managed to build a decent stack early.

Jim managed to lose another couple of stacks but I'll need some reminders on how these happened. I think one was against Sham where Sham's hand held up.

My one clash with Bigshot came in a raised pot pre-flop that was played multi-way. Out of position I opted to take a flop with 79o and connected with Top 2 on the flop. Bigshot bet out and I called planning to reraise on the turn. The turn brought a card that would have made a straight if had been betting an open-ended draw so with big stacks at stake I was no longer comfortable my two pair was good. The river brought I think a Queen and I faced a river bet of around $100.

I now suspected I was up against at least Top-Pair and very possibly trips or a straight. I decided to err on the side of caution and folded my top pair - showing my hand. Bigshot showed Pocket Kings and seemed to be somewhat surprised I had laid it down. I just thought his bet was a tad large for an overpair and thought he would have started to become worried by my two flat-calls. Once again Bigshot gets the edge on me in a crunch hand and ensures he finishes as the big winner.

So with Jim, three buy-ins down calling it a night all four of us had started to assemble reasonable stacks.

With the crazy last fifteen minutes bell rung Sham and Bigshot clashed. A raise from Bigshot saw a call on all three streets. KTxxx board with all the money going in to give a pot in the region of $700. Mark showed flopped trip tens and bet his made hand the whole way through while Sham called him down with KJ losing his hard earned stack in one fell-swoop.

With the now traditional end of the night lottery won by Bigshot to round off spare chips into a lucky lottery won to save splitting hundreds we wound our weary way home at a rather civilized end time of shortly after midnight.

Week 38 - Sep 22-29

Lamma Exchange 2297 (+238)

Phillberto Weekly +109 Total +1234
Deadly Weekly +104 Total +965
Moocher Weekly -150 Total +190
Don +286 Total +250
Bigshot Bog Weekly -75 Total -150
Lamma_Jim Weekly nc Total -192

Well three plus figures for the week but one that jumps out. Don makes his second week in the world of online poker a dramatic one. Finishing first in a 180 man $12 tournament and taking down a prize of $594 which I think gives him the title for biggest prize taken down by anyone in the tournament circuit on this fare isle.

He hands some of it back but not to worry as he got involved in some 100NL cash game action. He called a stack off with AQ against AK in a A63 flop. No grinding for Don it seems. I think we may see a swing or two along the way as he heads for glory or bust.

Sunday, 28 September 2008

Quads and Pocket Rockets

Saturday saw me manage a little online cash game action after the previous nighs live action.
Seat 1: Radim01 ($34.30 in chips)
Seat 2: ahippl1 ($57.35 in chips)
Seat 3: humanoideja ($60.20 in chips)
Seat 4: Phillberto01 ($52.55 in chips)
eat 5: froop12 ($17.20 in chips)
Seat 6: Mountain GG ($28.80 in chips)
Phillberto01: posts small blind $0.25
froop12: posts big blind $0.50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Phillberto01 [Ah 3h]
Mountain GG: calls $0.50
Radim01: calls $0.50
ahippl1: folds
humanoideja: calls $0.50
Phillberto01: calls $0.25
froop12: checks
*** FLOP *** [3c 4s 3s]
Phillberto01: bets $1.40
froop12: calls $1.40
Mountain GG: calls $1.40
Radim01: calls $1.40
humanoideja: folds
Well plenty of action here which I'm happy to see.
*** TURN *** [3c 4s 3s] [4d]
Well I think there its very likely at least one of the three callers has a 4.
Phillberto01: checks
froop12: checks
Mountain GG: checks
Radim01: checks
***RIVER *** [3c 4s 3s 4d] [3d]
Phillberto01: bets $4
Well how about that. Quad-tastic.
froop12: calls $4
Mountain GG: raises $8 to $12
He likes his hand. He doesn't have a 3. Must be a 4.
Radim01: folds
Lets see if he will stack off.
Phillberto01: raises $18 to $30
froop12: folds
Mountain GG: calls $14.90 and is all-in
Uncalled bet ($3.10) returned to Phillberto01
froop12 leaves the table
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Phillberto01: shows [Ah 3h] (four of a kind, Threes)
Mountain GG: shows [4h 4c] (four of a kind, Fours)
Ouch. Seems my one out didn't exist after all. Just glad he didn't have a full stack.
Mountain GG collected $62.90 from pot

It was a hand I can do nothing about so I shrug it off and carry on.

Seat 2: Lackey30 ($25.90 in chips)
Seat 3: Phillberto01 ($71.50 in chips)
Seat 4: Jamesunsat ($48.50 in chips)
Seat 5: LittleORK ($124.50 in chips)
Seat 6: Redwng24 ($77.05 in chips)
LittleORK: posts small blind $0.25
Redwng24: posts big blind $0.50
Meistro: sits out ***
HOLE CARDS ***Dealt to Phillberto01 [Ad Ac]
Lackey30: folds
Standard raise at 50NL
Phillberto01: raises $1 to $1.50
Jamesunsat: raises $3 to $4.50
I like this.
LittleORK: folds
Redwng24: calls $4
Another caller. Super. I'm up against Big Pairs I assume so no need to mess around. Maybe get read as AK with any luck.
Phillberto01: raises $15.50 to $20
Jamesunsat: raises $28.50 to $48.50 and is all-in
Redwng24: calls $44
Wow a re-raise and call. Looking like AA,KK, QQ. Lets get it all-in.
Phillberto01: raises $23 to $71.50 and is all-in
Redwng24: calls $23
Bingo. Now no King, No Queen.
*** FLOP *** [Js Th 6s]
*** TURN *** [Js Th 6s] [9d]
No 8,Q,K
*** RIVER *** [Js Th 6s 9d] [8s]
Didn't like that. Hoping they both have KK now.
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Redwng24: shows [Jh Qs] (a straight, Eight to Queen)
JQo what a muppet.
Phillberto01: mucks hand
Redwng24 collected $46 from side pot
Jamesunsat: shows [Qd Qc] (a straight, Eight to Queen)
A bit more reasonable I guess. Split pot but none for me.
Redwng24 collected $71.90 from main pot
Jamesunsat collected $71.85 from main pot
*** SUMMARY ***Total pot $191.75 Main pot $143.75. Side pot $46. Rake $2

Ah well not worth worrying about. I won a fortune in Sklansky bucks.

Thursday, 25 September 2008

Tuesday, 23 September 2008

Live Summary

Had to track back to July to find these
Running Live totals for the year
1) 2) Phillberto +1528 (+300)
2) 1) Deadly +1350
3) (3) Bigshot +848 (+400)
4) (4) Lamma Jim +300
5) (5) Spicer +26
6) (6) John -14
7)(8) Sham -46
9)(9) Les -200
10) (7) Moocher -448 (-200)
11) (11) Pete -766
12) (12) Don -2370 (-500)

Deadly's absence means he loses his top of the table position. Bigshot closes the gap a tad. Don makes a bigger mountain to climb to move up the table and Moocher slips down a few slots.

With another Live game in the offing for the weekend the chance to make a move is there for everyone.

Live at Phillberto's

Final Results
Bigshot +HK$400
Phillberto +$300
Moocher -$200
Don -$500

With fewer participants than anticipated it was short handed action in storefor everyone. It actually led to a lot more action for everyone and theaction was pretty thick and fast. The action kicked off pretty early with Don trying to assert his aggressive mark on the game.

Mark limped on the button Don raised, I called and Bigshot then came back over the top forcing us both out of the pot.

Moocher trail-blazed an early lead after he took down a large pot against Bigshot. Moocher fired a big bet on the river which Bigshot opted to call.Moocher showed a surprise 'wheel' straight with A3 and with Bigshot mucking and leaving what he may have had an unsoved mystery. I suspect it was a bluff-catcher of sorts rather than a monster and was hoping to pick off a Moocher steal.

I managed to knock back a decent number of lagers with accompanying herbal enhancement so what I lack in preciseness of hands remembered I made up for in a relaxing Friday night chillin' on da roof.

As a short stack Bigshot repeated his trick of limping on the button. Don stuck in a big raise from the Small blind. With position and 99 I opted to call. Bigshot then moved all-in with his short-stack. Don folded, presumably looking to have stolen from a tight blind a weak limper. I called with very good pot odds hoping for a race with two overcards and finding Bigshot had made a move with 56s. He found one six on the flop and a second on the turn to save himself from the first felting of the night.

Bigshot and Moocher were to clash in a battle of the kickers. AJ versus AT but a Queen was to land on the river in an AA33 board ensuring the pot was split.

Don then inflicted some damage on me. I raised with 66 and bet out again on a low flop which Don called. I led out again on the turn with my open-ended straight draw with three of a suit on the board and was pushed all-in by Don leaving me in a pretty tough position. My pot odds were so good and I could well have been against a bluff with overcards and I made the call to find myself up against a flush with no outs.

After sitting on a short stack for a while it was agreed that buy-ins would be allowed and I exercised the option along with Don.

After that I found an opportunity to win some of my previous losses back. After seeing a flop for free on the Big Blind I stuck around with a flush draw which landed. Don bet into me on the river leaving himself only a small amount left and he called my raise putting him all-in. His top pair wasn't enough.

Bigshot and Moocher crossed swords in one of the defining hands of the night. An Action board of KQAJA with 3 suited. Moocher bet out with Top pair which improved to a straight on the turn but also filled up Bigshots flush. The board must have looked pretty scary to them both but with so much of the money in already and out of position Moocher pushed on the river. A fairly quick call from Bigshot on the river - although he probably wasn't beating much his pot odds just about justified it and Moocher showed what was pretty much a bluff while Bigshot's lowly flush held up.

I clashed again with Don. Bigshot raised, Don reraised and I came over the top, presumably signalling a pretty big hand. Bigshot read this as strength and folded but Don opted to call. A flop of Jxx and I bet out for half pot and was called. I bet half pot again on the river and was called. Don lead into me on the river and I called unsure as to where I stood. Don only held 66 and hoped to push me off my hand but lacked to $$$ to force me off my hand. I suspect a larger bet on the turn might have had a possibility of working but by the river I know what price to pay and my pot odds made it too hard to consider folding.

We clashed once again. This time with me holding JJ. I slowed up on an Axx flop and decided to c-bet. When a second Ace landed on the turn I bet out. Once again Don made a move on the river and I called with JJ with no obvious draws to see if he had the Ace he was representing. He did not.

A few brownie points for Bigshot on this hand. The two big stacks at the table clashed as both Bigshot and myself had in excess of $1,000 at the table. I got involved with 79o but in position. I flopped an open ended straight draw on a KT8 two suited board. Bigshot lead out and I stuck in a re-raise of $130. I thought I may have been able to fold top-pair and if I didn't reckoned my flop aggression would give me a good chance of seeing the next two cards for free. His response was a very ballsy shove for what must have been $900 more. An easy lay-down for me of course but a very nice time to re-raise as I could well have made that bet with trips not wanting to risk seeing a flush land and hoping to get some money out of AK or KT.

Bravest call of the day goes to Bigshot who called down yet another river bluff from Don holding A2 but holding only a pair of twos on a board of funnily enough lots of ovecards.

Looks like a typhoon is a brewing....

Week 36 & 37 Sep 10-22

Lamma Exchange 2171
Phillberto Weekly +185 Total +1075
Deadly Weekly +11 Total +861
Moocher Weekly +230 Total +340
Bigshot Bog Weekly nc Total -75
Lamma_Jim Weekly nc Total -192
Don -34 Total -34

Figure now updated. A good week for Moocher whose starting to build up his roll. Don blows hot and cold in his opening week ending on a small deficit having plumbed the dizzy hits of +$150 at one stage. Deadly perhaps unlucky or perhaps a little rusty fails to get any real momentum going and I settle for a reasonable result given my internet was done for 10 days thanks to PCCW (lack of) customer service.

Friday, 12 September 2008

Big winners

Quick note of my top ten winning hands
AA -$389
KK- $350
QQ- $155
AKs- $144
99- $136
AQs - $109
KQo- $101 (Surprise!)
JJ- $91
AJo- $94
ATo- $83

Bottom 3
44- -$72
33- -$56
KTo- -$45

Just had a look and was set over setted twice with trip 4s.

Table 'Rhodope V' 6-max
Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: WREED!@ ($47.25 in chips)
Seat 2: chrisT18 ($88.75 in chips)
Seat 3: negreanuread ($57.30 in chips)
Seat 4: DaddyDon123 ($23.65 in chips)
Seat 5: Phillberto01 ($114.40 in chips)
Seat 6: Sickboy6 ($72.45 in chips)
Phillberto01: posts small blind $0.25
Sickboy6: posts big blind $0.50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Phillberto01 [3d 3h]
WREED!@: folds
chrisT18: folds
negreanuread: folds
DaddyDon123: calls $0.50
Phillberto01: calls $0.25
Sickboy6: checks
*** FLOP *** [3s 6h Ac]
Phillberto01: bets $1
Sickboy6: raises $2.50 to $3.50
DaddyDon123: folds
Phillberto01: raises $3.25 to $6.75
Sickboy6: raises $15.25 to $22
Phillberto01: calls $15.25
*** TURN *** [3s 6h Ac] [Ah]
Phillberto01: checks
Sickboy6: bets $25
Phillberto01: raises $66.90 to $91.90 and is all-in
Sickboy6: calls $24.95 and is all-in
*** RIVER *** [3s 6h Ac Ah] [Ad]
*** SHOW DOWN ***Phillberto01: shows [3d 3h] (a full house, Aces full of Threes)
Sickboy6: shows [As 6c] (four of a kind, Aces)
Sickboy6 collected $142.40 from pot

Maybe I've posted that before. Think that may have scared me off 50NL for a while.

Small pairs - A leak?

Just been through some Poker Tracker stats and noticed that my small pairs from 66-22 are all losing hands.

Need to have a look at that and see how it can be addressed. I suspect I'm calling as a matter of course to try and hit trips and felt somebody. Maybe I need to reduce my calls to people that are more likely to have big hands.

Thursday, 11 September 2008

Losing hands too

Table 'Tergeste' 6-max Seat
#2 is the button
Seat 1: tocca ($38.35 in chips)
Seat 2: Phillberto01 ($53.05 in chips)
Seat 5: the clêaner ($50 in chips)
Seat 6: lastride111 ($27.25 in chips)
jcosme will be allowed to play after the button
Jusso5 will be allowed to play after the button
the clêaner: posts small blind $0.25
lastride111: posts big blind $0.50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Phillberto01 [Kc Ad]
tocca: raises $1 to $1.50
Short handed but in position. Normally a raising hand but worth a call sometimes.
Phillberto01: calls $1.50
the clêaner: folds
lastride111: calls $1
*** FLOP *** [7s Js Ks]
lastride111: bets $2
tocca: calls $2
A nice flop but flush and straight draws out there. Some money in the pot already and happy to take it down now.
Phillberto01: raises $7 to $9
lastride111: folds tocca: raises $7 to $16
Mmm. Not what I expected. Its a small raise that looks like it wants a call. I check out stack sizes. If I call this then I can't fold later. He has to be ahead of TPTK. I'm not likely to improve. AQ with A spades? He would have enough outs to make that play but surely a shove would have been better. Nope I reckon I'm behind here. Better let it go.
Phillberto01: folds
Uncalled bet ($7) returned to tocca
tocca collected $23.55 from pottocca: shows [Ts Qs] (a flush, King high)
Well appreciate the insight buddy. I read you well. Open ended straight flush draw to boot.
Happy to escape from that.

Table 'Garuda' 6-max
Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: Rudi 1951 ($49 in chips)
Seat 3: BWolfe07 ($99.55 in chips)
Seat 4: SmutsHarry ($53.75 in chips)
Seat 5: BiG_RoN81 ($49 in chips)
Seat 6: Phillberto01 ($52.25 in chips)
Rudi 1951: posts small blind $0.25
BWolfe07: posts big blind $0.50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Phillberto01 [9c 9d]
SmutsHarry: raises $1.50 to $2
BiG_RoN81: folds
SmutsHarry has a pre-flop raising range of 14%. That was actually his first raise from UTG so maybe a little aggressive but I have position so what the hell.
Phillberto01: raises $4 to $6
Rudi 1951: calls $5.75
Been playing 40% of pots so hard to read this call.
BWolfe07: folds
SmutsHarry: calls $4
Mmm not a monster but could be ahead. Pretty unclear where I stand.
*** FLOP *** [8d 4s 5c]
Rudi 1951: checks
SmutsHarry: checks
Mmm. No strength so far. A little worried about a check raise still.
Phillberto01: checks
*** TURN *** [8d 4s 5c] [8h]
Rudi 1951: checks
SmutsHarry: checks
Phillberto01: checks
In retrospect I prefer a bet here.
*** RIVER *** [8d 4s 5c 8h] [2s]
Rudi 1951: checks
SmutsHarry: checks
A missed value bet I think. Nobody is slow playing three streets. $5 bet maybe?
Phillberto01: checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Rudi 1951: shows [Qs Jd] (a pair of Eights)
SmutsHarry: shows [6d 6h] (two pair, Eights and Sixes)
Phillberto01: shows [9c 9d] (two pair, Nines and Eights)
Phillberto01 collected $17.60 from pot

Table 'Garuda' 6-max
Seat #5 is the button
Seat 1: Rudi 1951 ($33.15 in chips)
Seat 3: BWolfe07 ($96.85 in chips)
Seat 4: SmutsHarry ($63.25 in chips)
Seat 5: BiG_RoN81 ($53.85 in chips)
Seat 6: Phillberto01 ($69.40 in chips)
Phillberto01: posts small blind $0.25
Rudi 1951: posts big blind $0.50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Phillberto01 [Kc As]
BWolfe07: folds
SmutsHarry: folds
BiG_RoN81: raises $1 to $1.50
Phillberto01: raises $4.50 to $6
Raise it up this time. Loose aggro and he is raising 30% of the time. I'm almost certainly ahead.
Rudi 1951: folds
BiG_RoN81: calls $4.50
*** FLOP *** [7c 9c 6h]
Well it missed me but a c-bet required.
Phillberto01: bets $7
BiG_RoN81: calls $7
Ouch using his position.
*** TURN *** [7c 9c 6h] [5h]
Phillberto01: checks
BiG_RoN81: bets $15
A nice raise. I doubt I'd check here with an overpair.
I'm out of position and have A high. I have to let it go.
Phillberto01: folds

Table 'Atami' 6-max
Seat #3 is the button
Seat 1: Phillberto01 ($50.45 in chips)
Seat 2: lillifleck ($17.85 in chips)
Seat 3: IsuMarci ($53.40 in chips)
Seat 4: Tahomo ($69.45 in chips)
Seat 5: .TilTandWiN. ($52.30 in chips)
Seat 6: PostHumka ($47.95 in chips)
Tahomo: posts small blind $0.25.
TilTandWiN.: posts big blind $0.50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Phillberto01 [As Ac]
PostHumka: folds
Phillberto01: raises $1 to $1.50
lillifleck: folds
IsuMarci: folds
Tahomo: folds
.TilTandWiN.: calls $1
*** FLOP *** [2c Ts 8h]
.TilTandWiN.: bets $3
Likely to be ahead. No draws so I don't have to raise.
Phillberto01: calls $3
*** TURN *** [2c Ts 8h] [Kc]
.TilTandWiN.: bets $7.50
Interesting bet. He said he had something before betting into a pre-flop raiser. I thought maybe a T or 8 or pocket 9s or such like. J9 possibly but is it a hand to call a raise with? He certainly isn't likely to have hit his King. Betting pot with trips is unlikely. A bit lost on his hand here. I opt to call and see what happens on the river. I probably will lay down to a big bet on the river.
Phillberto01: calls $7.50
*** RIVER *** [2c Ts 8h Kc] [Qh]
.TilTandWiN.: checks
With a J9 getting there and doubting he has a King I decide to be conservative and check. Another missed value bet maybe?
Phillberto01: checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
.TilTandWiN.: shows [Qc Jh] (a pair of Queens)
Ok. Turn bet makes sense. A little aggressive betting into a raiser with a gutshot but I guess it was likely to have missed me so why not.
Phillberto01: shows [As Ac] (a pair of Aces)
Phillberto01 collected $23.10 from pot

$8 to the good. No major confrontations. Not great play but happy to escape early from my TPTK hand.

Wednesday, 10 September 2008

Live Game proposal

I'm up for a Live game this long weekend and Happy to Host. When are people not available.

Lets start of with an 8.30 to late Friday night proposal. Who is in?

Tuesday, 9 September 2008

If only it was always this easy

Stepped up to 50NL last night. I decided to three table rather than four table to give me a little extra thinking time.

It all went very well. I started off in the first round by reraising with Aces from the small blind and getting a fold to my c-bet. I then reraised from the Button with 88 and got a fold to my c-bet on an A8x flop. Shame.

I've posted all hands +$10 win plus one slightly under that I liked.

Table 'Amherstia' 6-max Seat #5 is the button Seat 2: 4nk8r ($30 in chips) Seat 3: Phillberto01 ($70.95 in chips)
Seat 4: outflopped ($20.80 in chips)
Seat 5: Qu3stion_cz ($64.50 in chips)
Seat 6: PhilofSpade ($16.25 in chips)
PhilofSpade: posts small blind $0.25
Maartengr: is sitting out
4nk8r: posts big blind $0.50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Phillberto01 [8d Ad]
Maartengr leaves the table
Phillberto01: raises $1 to $1.50
outflopped: folds
Qu3stion_cz: folds
PhilofSpade: raises $1.50 to $3
Min-raise out of position. I could well be dominated here but a fold would be too weak.
4nk8r: folds
jay83666 joins the table at seat #1
Phillberto01: calls $1.50
*** FLOP *** [7h 6d 2d]
PhilofSpade: bets $5.50
Could be a c-bet with AK. I am favourite against an overpair and have plenty of outs in any event.
Phillberto01: raises $62.45 to $67.95 and is all-in
PhilofSpade: calls $7.75 and is all-in
Uncalled bet ($54.70) returned to Phillberto01
*** TURN *** [7h 6d 2d] [4d]
*** RIVER *** [7h 6d 2d 4d] [6s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
PhilofSpade: shows [9h 9s] (two pair, Nines and Sixes)
Phillberto01: shows [8d Ad] (a flush, Ace high)
Phillberto01 collected $31.40 from pot

The favourite takes it ;-)

Table 'Amherstia' 6-max
Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: Maartengr ($69.10 in chips)
Seat 2: KinkyApe ($49.50 in chips)
Seat 3: Phillberto01 ($50 in chips)
Seat 4: Arriba1986 ($11.35 in chips)
Seat 5: Qu3stion_cz ($60.05 in chips)
Seat 6: H3cke.exe ($11 in chips)
KinkyApe: posts small blind $0.25
Phillberto01: posts big blind $0.50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Phillberto01 [Kd Ks]
Arriba1986: calls $0.50
Qu3stion_cz: raises $2 to $2.50
H3cke.exe: calls $2.50
Maartengr: folds
KinkyApe: folds
Phillberto01: raises $5.50 to $8
Arriba1986: folds
Qu3stion_cz: folds
H3cke.exe: calls $5.50
*** FLOP *** [Jh 8c Tc]
Phillberto01: bets $3
H3cke.exe: calls $3 and is all-in
*** TURN *** [Jh 8c Tc] [Qd]
*** RIVER *** [Jh 8c Tc Qd] [7d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Phillberto01: shows [Kd Ks] (a pair of Kings)
H3cke.exe: mucks hand
Phillberto01 collected $24.05 from pot
Seat 6: H3cke.exe mucked [Ac Th]

Mmm. Its possible it could have been a squeeze by me I guess. A little bit of wishful thinking there.

Table 'Naos III' 6-max
Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: Mr_Mimm ($11.45 in chips)
Seat 2: Phillberto01 ($96.50 in chips)
Seat 3: keyser78 ($14.85 in chips)
Seat 4: titzman7 ($23.90 in chips)
Seat 5: pitsn1 ($51.50 in chips)
Seat 6: BaasBaas ($64.65 in chips)
keyser78: posts small blind $0.25
titzman7: posts big blind $0.50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Phillberto01 [Ah Jc]
pitsn1: folds
BaasBaas: raises $1.25 to $1.75
Mr_Mimm: folds
Phillberto01: calls $1.75
keyser78: folds
titzman7: folds
*** FLOP *** [8c 8d 8s]
BaasBaas: bets $3
Nothing changed since after the flop. I may be ahead and I have position.
Phillberto01: calls $3
*** TURN *** [8c 8d 8s] [Jh]
BaasBaas: bets $6.25
Phillberto01: calls $6.25
*** RIVER *** [8c 8d 8s Jh] [2h]
BaasBaas: checks
Phillberto01: bets $8
Maybe a little bit too big my river bet here. I'm looking for a call from a medium pair.
BaasBaas: folds
Uncalled bet ($8) returned to Phillberto01
Phillberto01 collected $21.65 from pot
Phillberto01: doesn't show hand

Table 'Naos III' 6-max
Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: knockum0 ($18.20 in chips)
Seat 2: Phillberto01 ($49.50 in chips)
Seat 4: titzman7 ($55.10 in chips)
Seat 5: pitsn1 ($57.70 in chips)
Seat 6: BaasBaas ($50 in chips)
Phillberto01: posts small blind $0.25
titzman7: posts big blind $0.50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Phillberto01 [Kh Kd]
pitsn1: folds
BaasBaas: raises $1.25 to $1.75
knockum0: calls $1.75
Phillberto01: raises $6.25 to $8
A squeeze position again but I have the goods again.
titzman7: folds
BaasBaas: folds
knockum0: calls $6.25
*** FLOP *** [4h 2h 8d]
Phillberto01: bets $11
knockum0: calls $10.20 and is all-in
Uncalled bet ($0.80) returned to Phillberto01
*** TURN *** [4h 2h 8d] [8s]
*** RIVER *** [4h 2h 8d 8s] [Ks]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Phillberto01: shows [Kh Kd] (a full house, Kings full of Eights)
knockum0: mucks hand
Phillberto01 collected $36.80 from pot
knockum0 leaves the table
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $38.65 Rake $1.85
Board [4h 2h 8d 8s Ks]
Seat 1: knockum0 (button) mucked [Ac Th]
Wow. Another non-believer. He was beating what exactly?

Table 'Naos III' 6-max
Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: Thibavol ($48.50 in chips)
Seat 2: Phillberto01 ($60.85 in chips)
Seat 3: luckyES ($31.80 in chips)
Seat 4: titzman7 ($54.35 in chips)
Seat 5: pitsn1 ($59.20 in chips)
Seat 6: BaasBaas ($53.50 in chips)
luckyES: posts small blind $0.25
titzman7: posts big blind $0.50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Phillberto01 [7c Kc]
pitsn1: folds
BaasBaas: folds
Thibavol: folds
Phillberto01: raises $1 to $1.50
luckyES: folds
titzman7: raises $1.50 to $3
Whats with these min-raises from out of position. I have a big hand and I'd like to give you advance notion whilst ensuring you have sufficient pot odds to see some cards....
Phillberto01: calls $1.50
*** FLOP *** [Kh 5c Jc]
titzman7: bets $3
Well my King probably isn't good but I'm well ahead of AA here so happy to get it allin here if required.
Phillberto01: raises $6 to $9
titzman7: calls $6
*** TURN *** [Kh 5c Jc] [5d]
titzman7: bets $11
Mmm tricky one. He has a hand he likes. AK, AA or trips I suspect. My 7s are no longer outs and I could now be drawing dead. His underbet makes it a bit too tempting though.
Phillberto01: calls $11
*** RIVER *** [Kh 5c Jc 5d] [4c]
titzman7: bets $14
I get the card I'm after. Now I have to consider the possibility of re-raising. I have a big enough pot to justify making the turn call already. I decide to err on the side of caution as I suspect he will lay down his hands. I maybe prefer a push in retrospect but I'm not sure.
Phillberto01: calls $14
*** SHOW DOWN ***
titzman7: shows [Ad Ah] (two pair, Aces and Fives)
Phillberto01: shows [7c Kc] (a flush, King high)
Phillberto01 collected $71.25 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***

Table 'Silesia II' 6-max
Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: Smackjack777 ($78.25 in chips)
Seat 2: Evilstorm ($53.15 in chips)
Seat 3: Phillberto01 ($58.35 in chips)
Seat 4: crash529 ($85.10 in chips)
Seat 5: mr_filofax ($50.95 in chips)
Seat 6: pitsn1 ($50 in chips)
Phillberto01: posts small blind $0.25
crash529: posts big blind $0.50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Phillberto01 [9s 9h]
mr_filofax: folds
pitsn1: folds
Smackjack777: folds
Evilstorm: folds
Phillberto01: raises $1.50 to $2
crash529: calls $1.50
*** FLOP *** [9c 4s 8d]
Quite a flop for a battle of the blinds.
Phillberto01: bets $2.70
crash529: calls $2.70
*** TURN *** [9c 4s 8d] [5s]
Some draw appearing now - hopefully he has an overpair.
Phillberto01: bets $8
crash529: calls $8
*** RIVER *** [9c 4s 8d 5s] [9d]
Well if he has 67 he is getting stacked now. I bet expecting to get paid by an overpair.
Phillberto01: bets $17
crash529: calls $17
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Phillberto01: shows [9s 9h] (four of a kind, Nines)
crash529: mucks hand
Phillberto01 collected $56.50 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $59.40 Rake $2.90
Seat 4: crash529 (big blind) mucked [8h Kh]
I guess he saw it as a bluff. I suppose most hands would have been worried by the 9s so maybe not a terrible read so it could have looked like a bluff.

'Silesia II' 6-max
Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: Jochem78 ($31.30 in chips)
Seat 2: Helga Kummer ($50 in chips)
Seat 3: Phillberto01 ($94.10 in chips)
Seat 4: narbet ($17.15 in chips)
Seat 5: pierrelbc ($32.35 in chips)
Seat 6: pitsn1 ($97 in chips)
Jochem78: posts small blind $0.25
Helga Kummer: posts big blind $0.50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Phillberto01 [As Ah]
Phillberto01: raises $1 to $1.50
narbet: folds
pierrelbc: folds
pitsn1: folds
Jochem78: raises $2 to $3.50
What is with the small reraises from out of position?!?
Helga Kummer: folds
Ok lets see if he wants to play for his stack...
Phillberto01: raises $7.50 to $11
narbet leaves the table
Jochem78: calls $7.50
*** FLOP *** [7c Qh 2d]
Jochem78: checks
Phillberto01: bets $11
Jochem78: raises $9.30 to $20.30 and is all-in
Phillberto01: calls $9.30
*** TURN *** [7c Qh 2d] [Qs]
Not the turn I wanted to see...
*** RIVER *** [7c Qh 2d Qs] [2h]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Jochem78: shows [Td Ts] (two pair, Queens and Tens)
Phillberto01: shows [As Ah] (two pair, Aces and Queens)
Phillberto01 collected $60.10 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $63.10 Rake $3
Board [7c Qh 2d Qs 2h]
Seat 1: Jochem78 (small blind) showed [Td Ts]
Really is my lucky night.

Table 'Silesia II' 6-max
Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: Smackjack777 ($84.05 in chips)
Seat 2: cashin423 ($37.50 in chips)
Seat 3: Phillberto01 ($88.90 in chips)
Seat 4: narbet ($22.55 in chips)
Seat 5: CyberSn4ke ($44.50 in chips)
Seat 6: pitsn1 ($101.75 in chips)
Phillberto01: posts small blind $0.25
narbet: posts big blind $0.50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Phillberto01 [5d 5h]
CyberSn4ke: folds
pitsn1: folds
Smackjack777: folds
cashin423: calls $0.50
Open limper. Pah - lets raise it up.
Phillberto01: raises $2 to $2.50
narbet: calls $2
cashin423: calls $2
Oooh two callers. Lets see the flop.
*** FLOP *** [Jc 4h Jd]
Looks like it wants a c-bet here.
Phillberto01: bets $4.50
narbet: calls $4.50
Ok maybe he called with a pair.
cashin423: folds
*** TURN *** [Jc 4h Jd] [Ks]
I don't think he got here with a King although I could have. He may well have a better pair than my 5's though so I don't want to check it down. I think this is a good spot to make a move. He has no idea what my river bet will be. Its gotta be a tough call for him.
Phillberto01: bets $8
narbet: folds
Cool. Happy with that spot.

I'm pretty happy with that session. Got the cards which always helps but stayed out of trouble.

Monday, 8 September 2008

Week 35 September 2-9th

Lamma Exchange +1733 (-114)

Phillberto Weekly +16 Total +940

Deadly Weekly -100 Total +850

Moocher Weekly -5 Total +210

Bigshot Bog Weekly -25 Total -75

Lamma_Jim Weekly nc Total -192

Don - Looks like he will kick off his online career this week.

After a pretty heavy week of poker last week and no bonus at stake I opted for a poker lite week. As I was out on most evening I did manage a series of $5 heads up Sit and Go's. I was interested if my play had improved after adapting my game. I think it has a bit but its still very much a game of feel.

I small win for the week though and good to keep my hand in with a bit of variety. Obviously Deadly's return sees a little bit of rust having to be shaken off which gives me the opportunity to get my nose in front in the online stakes race to glory.

Moocher spends most of his week in Dubai. Don's online poker career seems destined to kick off this week and hopefully can make arrangements for him to kick off his online career.

Lisboa Grand Poker Room

After an always superb dinner at Fernando's where I witnesses a couple of diner's wearing Poker Stars tops it was off to the Grand Waldo for a look-around.

After locating the Poker room I thought I'd give myself forty minutes to check out the play and get a feel for the place with a view to returning some other time when more time was available.

Two games were on offer 10/20 and 25/50. I opted for the the 10/20 of course. Minimum buy-in was HK$400 and maximum buy-in $2000. With a couple of jugs of sangria and the potential involvement of some APPT involvees I decided to err on the side of caution and bought in for $1,000 and a new table was set-up.

Initially six people at the table. Three Americans and two Chinese guys.

I start off in middle position and fold my way the first round and a half getting a feel for the table. I note a show-down of two pairs where one player slow-played two-pair on the flop and then bet out on the turn. The Chinese player called the raise and checked it down on the river when an Ace landed which gave him two pairs (he had previously called a turn bet with bottom pair). An under-the-gun raise from one of the Americans is called by his buddy in the big-blind.
Its checked down the whole way. UTG shows TT and big blind shows 44.

My first action is after 3 limpers and I have K9s on the button. I pump it up to $140 and get one call only from the initial limper. Its A93 flop and he leads for $200. I suspect he has a weaker Ace but don't think its a time to come over the top just yet so let it go.

A few round later and there are two limpers in front of me and I pop it up to $120 with pocket sixes. The same middle aged Chinese guy makes it $320 to go. I'm playing with less than $900 now so I don't have anything like the implied odds I need to flop a set and its an easy fold. I'm feeling sober now and starting to regret playing with half a stack as it means I should adjust my play. The table now fills up to eight people again meaning I should adjust to a more full ring strategy - something I'm pretty rusty on (maybe calling with the sixes would have been better.)

On the button again and with two limpers and I make it $120 to go with KJ. The same Chinese opponent makes a call and we are heads-up.

He checks it to me on a QTx rainbow flop.

I bet $180 and he folds after a small pause and I take down my first pot.

Mrs Phillberto comes up to check on my progress and my stack is hovering around $930.

Shortly afterwards there are a five limpers in front of me and I look down at Pocket Cowboys.

I make it $160 to go. Its folded around pretty fast until the cut-off, a youngish Chinese guy new to the table, who makes the call.

Now $430 in the pot and I have $770 remaining. No Ace I think.

Flop comes AJT rainbow and its checked to me.

Ouch. A pretty horrible flop for me.

He didn't have the odds to call for set-value although I can't assume he knows that. He didn't raise so an Ace with a medium kicker could well have hit him. Pocket Tens or Jacks may also be possible or even a speculative call with JTs that he didn't want to fold.

I check behind probably now happy to get to a free showdown and maybe beat pocket 8s.

The turn brings a K - giving a full rainbow flop and he leads for $300.

Pot now at $730 giving me practically a pot sized bet left.

Trips for me but it also means one card to a straight.

$300 to call. If he has a Queen then if I fill-up for a full house I will get his stack so $300 to win just shy of $2,000. 11 outs and 2 for a split. Approx 3-1 with 2.5 pot odds and implied odds definitely making it a call. Its of course very possible I still have him beat.

AK is of course very unlikely. AJ and AT are possible which now have crushed and trip Tens is also virtually drawing dead. Its looking like a way ahead/way behind situation so I elect to just call.

The river brings a 2 so the board is essentially unchanged and he puts me all-in fairly quickly.

$430 behind and a pot of $1890 at stake.

4.4-1 pot odds against an unknown player.

My big pre-flop bet means he should be worried I have trips or the straight unless he has the Queen himself. I reckon there has to be a strong chance he has it.

So the question is what other hands could he be willing to get it all-in with? I'll be astonished if he showed up with Aces there. Tens are possibilities, Jacks slightly less so and Queens even less likely. Most people would raise pre-flop after so many limpers though with all three pairs. AJ or AT are possibilities. I would have liked him to give some more thought to his river bet though.

He really has to put me on a big hand here if he is a thinking player.

I have a big hand none-the-less and big pot odds and I make the call.

So what is the thinking then?
Easy call?
A tough call but given the pot odds it has to be made?
Time for a brave fold?
Call An unknown player could well turn up with A8 here?

A pretty tough spot for me.
So have a guess what happened.
A. I make the call and he shows a Queen
B. I make the call and he shows A2.
C. I make the call and he shows TT.
D. I make the fold and he tells me he had AQ. I cash out with half my buy-in intact.
E. I make the fold and don't ask what he had and then lose it all reraising allin pre with AK.

Monday, 1 September 2008

Bye Bye Bonii, Bonii bye bye

Well following on from Neteller's withdrawal the change in Hong Kong transferral to gambling sites means they won't process any transactions. Which means I now have a major problem transferring cash. I've emailed to find out if the restrictions are because my account is based on Hong Kong or because the transaction takes place in Hong Kong.

I'm hoping I can perhaps make a transfer when I go to Macau for the weekend or take a trip to Singapore or the Philippines or whatever.

As things stand I'll have to withdraw my funds from Neteller and make do with $1,300 odds I have on Stars. Bah, humbug.

As for my results this week having two good sessions earlier in the week I continued my form with a $100 win on Friday night. Saturday got off to a great start with me soon a further $70 to the good. Then disaster struck. A number of hands went against me and I lost $140. Sunday was more of the same. I decided to open one 50NL table in order to help me clear the $145 bonus I was tantalisngly close to getting. I played tight and was waiting for my moment. When the cards didn't come I decided to start making some moves expecting to command respect. I raised under the gun with JTs. Not normally a hand to play from there but I expected to take it down without any resistance. Not to be. Every single player called me. Perhaps putting me on AA and hoping for the chance to bust me. Flop comes T9x and giving me top pair. I don't want to risk getting raised so check-call. Its now heads up and the turn brings me an undercard and flush draw. I'm again given reasonable odds on the turn given my draw and I suspect I'm up against trips. The river blanks and I face a shove so I have to let it go. The same aggro player kept pounding on me with medium hands and I lost three pots around the $15-20 mark, to damage my otherwise good session. I eventually play back with some squeeze re-raises with nothing to claw some money back (and win only after a hefty c-bet) but kept facing the same problem of getting too many callers with my big pairs and getting my AQ type hands re-raised pre-flop by the button and having to let them go.

Maybe I should have just left the table as the standard seemed to be a lot better than 25NL.

My win-rate on my Desktop hovers between 4 and 5 PTBB/100 meaning I'm not making much of an inroad into bringing it to a level I'm happy with.

Despite a decent top-line improvement I'm disappointed with my earnings rate this week. Coupled with transferring money online difficulties I'd say a tad disappointing this week but now hanging ominously on the shoulder of Deadlydp as we move into the final quarter on both the live stakes and online.

Week 34 Aug 25-Sep1

Lamma Exchange +1577 (tbc)

Deadly Weekly +0 Total +950
Phillberto Weekly +268 Total +924
Moocher Weekly tbc Total +215
Bigshot Bog Weekly tbc Total -55
Lamma_Jim Weekly -3 Total -192
Don - Off the blocks soon?

Lamma Poker