No updates for a while since I have been busay with uni as well as the obligitory christmas gash you have to do, so here goes.
Well I played that £30 game at circus whatever date it was, was a good day out, met a couple people from THMF, including Rob who was a godsend in a self-deal tourny! The very first hand I looked down at TT in middle position I raised to four times the big blind and recieved one caller from late position. The flop came KxT (excuse me for being vague on details it was a while ago) I checked-raised a fair chunk on the flop and was called, the turn brought a K to complete my full house, I think it went check check, and then the Ace on the river where I bet out and was re-raised all in and insta-called(I couldnt have really folded, so unsure why he re-raised). anyway I took that pot down and that was it for me on the winning front tbh. I had AQ and made a straight and got the guy all-in too, he turned over AQ. Later on I was dealt QQ and managed to raise enough to get the short-stack to push, he turned over QQ also. I think on another day I would have been at the final table with a cigar in my mouth (despite the fact I don't smoke)
Online I have decided to test my ability to stick to propper bankroll management and I am starting on 2c/5c PL Holdem 6max. I have made a few wanders up cash tables before but always under rolled and thats when varience comes and bites you on the testicles. I am sticking to 20-max buy-ins to play a level, and 30 to two-table it, hopefully these will stop me from losing all my cash! I have been up down and all around, but currently I am up, which is a bonus. I am going to be making a few videos and shoving them on pokertube, nothing too serious of course, more just to entertain and hopefully I can look back on them when I am sitting on $200/400 tables!
My username is hutchylad on there, but here is a link to one vid I have already made, enjoy!
http://www.pokertube.com/ShowMovie.aspx?MovieID=9a2ba442-b634-44d7-a413-37f99c1f8640
Also I hope everyone has a great Christmas and An even better new year!
Monday, December 24, 2007
Monday, December 3, 2007
MTT Final table
Well I haven't played much poker at all, but I did play a $5 MTT last night, im sure you have guessed I Final tabled which is always nice. I had played pretty well all night tbh got unlucky, but I got REALLY lucky once as well. Not long after the bubble had burst, there was a small EP raise and a call from two loosey goosey short-medium stackers, for some strange reason I re-raised them all-in with Tens, my thinking at the time was I can either take it down or isolate. They BOTH called and turned over AA and QQ, so I was in for halfish my stack with roughly a 16% chance to win, thankfully I was smiled upon and granted a ten on the flop, sick but it was nice. At the final table I was up and down like a yo-yo with the high blinds and being outdrawn by short stack allins. I eventually went out in 7th for $64, pleased I made it but still disappointed it never went further. I am unsure of my play that chucked me out, I had roughly 12 BB's and with antes my M was pretty low, so I had decided to push in a position. I was on the button it was folded round to me with 78off (yes, I instantly thought Baninize, which probably didn't help) so I pushed my stack in only to get called by the Big blind with AQ. I hit a 7 on the flop, but unfortunately there was a Queen as well, and thats all she wrote. The play has been annoying me, but I am pretty sure it was right to do, because how often will the blinds have anything? I also picked up a small cash in the $3 $1.5K Guaranteed as well, which was 6-max so I was even more pleased with that. However this time I don't think my exit was my fault at all. An extremely loose aggressive Lithuanian (Not that this had anything to do with it, just at the time I wondered if he was a hearts FC fan) had raised UTG his standard 4 times the BB, I re raised all in for roughly 18 BB's from SB with AQ suited and he insta-called and showed A5, YES! The flop came 233, I was nervous now, and rightfully so because a 4 came on the turn and I was dead. But as I say I cashed, which was really good as I never seem to do as well in shorthanded MTT's or even when you are down to the last two tables waiting for one or two to get knocked out for the final, hopefully I have fixed or at least part-fixed my errors.
Well I hope to be playing the officepoker.net £30 freeze on Saturday at circus in Edinburgh, come along if you can. I think if I play the way I have been I am looking good for a result.
Well I hope to be playing the officepoker.net £30 freeze on Saturday at circus in Edinburgh, come along if you can. I think if I play the way I have been I am looking good for a result.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Regulation not prohibition
I think it's time the UK Government stepped in and helped out the online poker industry. The Absolute poker fiasco was a big bombshell to drop on the whole community, if you don't know what I mean read here (UKPL) I obviously wouldn't be one necessarily in favour of the taxation of poker winnings, but if it stops the online game from becoming completely corrupt then I would opt in. All in all I would say the large majority of online players are not cheats, even though with the piles of chips in front of them it looks like it, this sort of thing enrages me to be honest. I play for fun and to try and pick up a little bit of money, being a student it always helps, but imagine if you relied on your poker winnings and some *insert appropriate word here* was using his "account 363" to take away my livelihood I would be extremely annoyed. Less than a couple weeks after the absolute poker scandal, Betfair have sent emails telling certain users that they have lost money to a cheat and will be refunded the total am mounts, however details of this scandal have been kept under wraps "due to legal reasons" In other words, they would be embarrassed if the truth were to come out in my opinion. The UK government will most definitely need to have some sort of discussions on the matter, I can only hope they decide to go with the side of regulation, rather than the seemingly insane step of the American government to fully ban online poker.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Neglect
Yes, my blog is suffering severely from it, but so has my poker for the past month or so. This has purely been down to the fact that I have been busy with other things in my life, starting University for instance (BSC Civil Engineering, just for those who are slightly interested, and it's going well :D) The little bit of poker I have played is on gutshot where I started with my $1.50 I won from everyone's a winner( A piss-poor performance in the Sunday game prevented me from winning anymore) I have managed to build up to just above $20 with a mixture of a small MTT cash and Turbo(have stayed away from super turbo) 5-seater SNG's, mainly down to my time constraints. Even though the way the cards fall in these play a MASSIVE part I'm pretty sure if you pick your spots and play pretty much push/fold strategy you can make a small profit, and profit is what this game is about. I wouldn't call this a Jesus challenge because I have definitely not been sticking to any sort of bankroll management, nor have I set any goals. It would just be nice to build a little bankroll for myself and have the satisfaction of watching it grow. I have also been trying to get out and play some live poker but things keep popping up, like manflu, I really wanted to play but I knew if I played and made some silly mistake due to my ill state of mind I would have really been annoyed at myself. Still not figured out if my inability to accept mediocrity in myself is a flaw or not. Oh well, onwards and upwards, hope to be on the felt soon.
P.S the manflu is fading away
P.S the manflu is fading away
Friday, August 17, 2007
Bodog's Players Choice
I fancied a tournament and there one of these sats going for 100 Player PTS in 10 minutes so up I joined. There were 212 runners which meant 12 people got the 29 tournament credits to enter a Quarter final satellite. Thankfully my first level was extremely uneventful. Halfway through the second level I doubled up through an AQ vs. QJ confrontation with a loose donk-like character, I was never behind.
With half an hour gone I had only played that one above hand, I was receiving semi-playable hands, but out of position, or in position but acting after a raise, it was somewhat frustrating. After forty minutes of play I play my second hand, Ace seven suited, I make a four times the big blind raise after one limper and the blinds plus the original under the gun limper. The board does not look good with the straight draw and a possibility of a made flush, I had to surrender. Do in position raises not mean anything anymore? I am most definitely moving over over to the school of thought which believes that “Under the gun is the new button.” Nobody respects a late position raise anymore, which is a real shame in my opinion as I feel this takes away a large part of strategic play, late position steals. However just because late position steals are heading towards being out of the question, Early steals are becoming run of the mill in games everywhere.
I lost around 1K chips in a pot where a short stack pushed on a board of Q44, with AQ I was happy to call. He turned over QJ, and the turn came J, so he made a better two pair. Within a few hands I was back in the action with KT, I managed to catch a full house when my opponent caught Broadway and picked up a 2K pot. The poker gods rewarded my play the very next hand with AK, I hit a king on the flop and never looked back, I eventually hit trips and knocked out a short stack. The pot took me to a shade below 5K. I was dealt pocket 9’s in middle position, so I put in a tester raise, two called, the flop came ten high, which is a pretty good flop for 9’s. The worrying thing was that the one player at the table who had me covered decided to bet half the pot, I thought and elected to call. The turn brought a and he repeated his half pot bet, this time I decided to re-raise to find out where I was, and he folded, there’s my answer. Pocket Kings were my next port of call, however I only picked up a small pot. It was then time for the first break, I was sitting pretty with 6.4K with the average was 3.5K and blinds at 50/100. Only 89 players remained from the original 212. The first half hour after the break was horrific, I had absolutely nothing, a few well timed steals maintained my stack around 6.5K. The most frustrating thing was continually being moved tables (the downside to MTT’s) From 45 minutes of boredom to sheer madness, My Jacks held up against a loose big stack nine ten, and stealing a lot of pots put me on 16.7K at the second break. Thirty Three runners remain, blinds will be 200/400/50, placing over one thousand chips in the middle before the cards are dealt. The tables went crazy, all-ins all over the place. My mindset going into this crucial period was all wrong, I began to remember bad times of the bubble period. I am a strong believer that half of the battle is in the mind, so there goes half the battle. After a long struggle I was eliminated in 18th place. This was so frustrating as my bad bubble period run continues. Anyway I will be playing again soon, I will try and sort this run!
With half an hour gone I had only played that one above hand, I was receiving semi-playable hands, but out of position, or in position but acting after a raise, it was somewhat frustrating. After forty minutes of play I play my second hand, Ace seven suited, I make a four times the big blind raise after one limper and the blinds plus the original under the gun limper. The board does not look good with the straight draw and a possibility of a made flush, I had to surrender. Do in position raises not mean anything anymore? I am most definitely moving over over to the school of thought which believes that “Under the gun is the new button.” Nobody respects a late position raise anymore, which is a real shame in my opinion as I feel this takes away a large part of strategic play, late position steals. However just because late position steals are heading towards being out of the question, Early steals are becoming run of the mill in games everywhere.
I lost around 1K chips in a pot where a short stack pushed on a board of Q44, with AQ I was happy to call. He turned over QJ, and the turn came J, so he made a better two pair. Within a few hands I was back in the action with KT, I managed to catch a full house when my opponent caught Broadway and picked up a 2K pot. The poker gods rewarded my play the very next hand with AK, I hit a king on the flop and never looked back, I eventually hit trips and knocked out a short stack. The pot took me to a shade below 5K. I was dealt pocket 9’s in middle position, so I put in a tester raise, two called, the flop came ten high, which is a pretty good flop for 9’s. The worrying thing was that the one player at the table who had me covered decided to bet half the pot, I thought and elected to call. The turn brought a and he repeated his half pot bet, this time I decided to re-raise to find out where I was, and he folded, there’s my answer. Pocket Kings were my next port of call, however I only picked up a small pot. It was then time for the first break, I was sitting pretty with 6.4K with the average was 3.5K and blinds at 50/100. Only 89 players remained from the original 212. The first half hour after the break was horrific, I had absolutely nothing, a few well timed steals maintained my stack around 6.5K. The most frustrating thing was continually being moved tables (the downside to MTT’s) From 45 minutes of boredom to sheer madness, My Jacks held up against a loose big stack nine ten, and stealing a lot of pots put me on 16.7K at the second break. Thirty Three runners remain, blinds will be 200/400/50, placing over one thousand chips in the middle before the cards are dealt. The tables went crazy, all-ins all over the place. My mindset going into this crucial period was all wrong, I began to remember bad times of the bubble period. I am a strong believer that half of the battle is in the mind, so there goes half the battle. After a long struggle I was eliminated in 18th place. This was so frustrating as my bad bubble period run continues. Anyway I will be playing again soon, I will try and sort this run!
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Whats going on
Well starting off with the tournament at circus on Saturday, it was a good day. There were 69 runners with top ten being paid. We kicked off about quater past two, had our first casulty within a ten minutes, thankfully wasn't me. Nothing too eventfull happened before the first break (2 and a half hours) I won quite a few pots, without showdowns, standard hands like AQ AJ etc. I ended up at the break with more than double starting stack of 7K and 5K above average. I was extremly happy with my play up to that point, hadn't put a foot wrong, took my oppertunities, I couldn't really have asked for anything else.
I was moved tables shortly after the break, I had pushed my stack up to around 23K and was a little upset about having to move because I felt I had the number of a few players and could have built my stack a bit more. I was sat across from a lady who had probably about 60K chips and a man to my left who had around 30K, the rest of the table were feeling the pinch with the rising blinds and now added pressure of antes. I tried to get involved once or twice with standard raises, hands like KQ AJ but was strongly re-raised on both occasions, but decided to fold. I played a hand against a shortish stack woman, who had me really woried about my top and third pair, but I had to call. which virtually eliminated her. She only had second pair, but I seriously thought I was beat. Then I was dealt KK in the cutoff, it was raised from early position, I decided to re-raise all in for another 12K, which was insta-called, I was covered just. Fortunatly my opponent turned over Queens and my Kings held up. I was then up to around 45K with the blinds 1500/3000 300 ante, I was moved back to my original table with a few new faces obviously as the field was thining fast.
There was a drunk guy at my table, giving a lot of chat and banter, and I watched him single handedly demolish one persons stack, who must have been among the chip leads in two decisive hands. I wasn't sure he was as drunk as he made out, definatly one to be avoided. We were fast aproaching the final table, with my tight image I was able to steal pots that I had no right being in at all in all honesty and I was managing to stay above 40K.
It was bubble time, eleven players left, and I was moved tables again and sat between two ladies each with big stacks. Every time I caught a semi raisable hand one of these two got in first, and the hands were definatly not re-raising material. Now with the blinds at 2000/4000 and 400 ante I was strugling, but there were a few worse off than me. But I had decided today I would comit poker suicide. I was in the big blind with KQsuited and there was a raise from a player who had been entering a lot of pots, it was folded to me, so I pushed over the top all in, She virtually had to call for her last 18K and did and turned over a A9off, niether hand improved and I was crippled. That was virtually the end of the tournament for me, I went out in 11th on the bubble. I was just more gutted that I had played for near seven hours then blow it on KQ, I hope to play these office poker tournaments again in the near future as I definatly can see myself winning one.
Since then I have had a few online sessions and have ran into a rough period playing 5-max cash games I ran into set over set and then my full house beaten by quads. And totally lost my attitude So I have decided to take a break and haven't played for a day or so.
anyway I hope to be back at the tables feeling good very soon
I was moved tables shortly after the break, I had pushed my stack up to around 23K and was a little upset about having to move because I felt I had the number of a few players and could have built my stack a bit more. I was sat across from a lady who had probably about 60K chips and a man to my left who had around 30K, the rest of the table were feeling the pinch with the rising blinds and now added pressure of antes. I tried to get involved once or twice with standard raises, hands like KQ AJ but was strongly re-raised on both occasions, but decided to fold. I played a hand against a shortish stack woman, who had me really woried about my top and third pair, but I had to call. which virtually eliminated her. She only had second pair, but I seriously thought I was beat. Then I was dealt KK in the cutoff, it was raised from early position, I decided to re-raise all in for another 12K, which was insta-called, I was covered just. Fortunatly my opponent turned over Queens and my Kings held up. I was then up to around 45K with the blinds 1500/3000 300 ante, I was moved back to my original table with a few new faces obviously as the field was thining fast.
There was a drunk guy at my table, giving a lot of chat and banter, and I watched him single handedly demolish one persons stack, who must have been among the chip leads in two decisive hands. I wasn't sure he was as drunk as he made out, definatly one to be avoided. We were fast aproaching the final table, with my tight image I was able to steal pots that I had no right being in at all in all honesty and I was managing to stay above 40K.
It was bubble time, eleven players left, and I was moved tables again and sat between two ladies each with big stacks. Every time I caught a semi raisable hand one of these two got in first, and the hands were definatly not re-raising material. Now with the blinds at 2000/4000 and 400 ante I was strugling, but there were a few worse off than me. But I had decided today I would comit poker suicide. I was in the big blind with KQsuited and there was a raise from a player who had been entering a lot of pots, it was folded to me, so I pushed over the top all in, She virtually had to call for her last 18K and did and turned over a A9off, niether hand improved and I was crippled. That was virtually the end of the tournament for me, I went out in 11th on the bubble. I was just more gutted that I had played for near seven hours then blow it on KQ, I hope to play these office poker tournaments again in the near future as I definatly can see myself winning one.
Since then I have had a few online sessions and have ran into a rough period playing 5-max cash games I ran into set over set and then my full house beaten by quads. And totally lost my attitude So I have decided to take a break and haven't played for a day or so.
anyway I hope to be back at the tables feeling good very soon
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Saturday 28th July
Well as I previously mentioned I am playing in a charity £30 Freeze at Circus Edinburgh for Cancer Research UK on Saturday (28th July '07) and there are still a few places left, there are 64 registered so far so be quick. Goto www.officepoker.net for more details.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Bodog $2500 Guarenteed
As I said In the previous post I am feeling good right now about my poker so I entered this $10 Freeze. There are 214 runners which gives a small overlay of $360. In the first few hands I picked up AQ of clubs and I re-raised a small raise and a call to a pot sized bet and received 3 callers, the flop came 3Q6 rainbow and I was first to act so I put out a small 1/4 pot bet, unfortunately nobody called so I picked up the 600 pot right there.
We are now just over halfway through level 2 and I am chip lead on my table with 2,470 chips after picking up a small pot with the rivered nut flush, my opponent let me in extremely cheap and I was glad to hit it against what I believed to be flopped trip tens. Shortly before the end of level 2 I limped in late position with T7 of spades, the flop came 8c 9s Qs, a pot sized bet of 100 was made by a loosey goosey player and with one other caller I also called. The turn brought 6d giving me a straight, but obviously not the best one. This is where the pot got interesting, the third player in the pot bet 250, to find out where I am I decided to re-raise to 650(pot size) the loosey goosey player calls and the third player re-raises only another 150, leaving himself 700ish chips. This bet had me a little confused, but I decided if he had the better straight good luck to him, I obviously had the re-draw to the flush, so rightly or wrongly I pushed all in(an extra 1000ish) the loosey goosey player calls for her remaining 555 chips and the third player folds (WTF?!?!) My opponent turns over Q8 for two pair and is drawing virtually dead. The river is Jd giving me the Queen high Straight and a 3.8K pot, this lifted me just above the 5K chips mark. Obviously I am not complaining however that play by the third player confused me, he was eliminated shortly afterwards.
The blinds have just been raised to 30/60 for the last level before the first break, I am sitting with 4.9K chips and have just been moved tables where I am second in chip behind what seems to be a fairly loose player who has just doubled up with 43 suited hitting a straight against trip 6's. My observations of the player were correct as he was eliminated a few minutes later after losing 2 hands which were all in pre-flop where he lost with AToff against JJ then with QdTd against AK.
It is just after the break, there are 103 remaining from the original 214 and I have just picked up a 2k pot with AA and I am now sitting with 7.8K chips with the average around 3.5K. I made a pot sized bet with AK and I was re-raised all in by a short stack, I called and he turned over 77 and I failed to improve and lost about 1.6K on that hand.
I was dealt KsQs in middle position with no action before me and then Shortstack to my left re-raised me all-in just about double and a bit my original bet, I reluctantly call. My opponent turns over AcKc and we both hit the King on the flop so I lose due to my kicker problems. The very next hand I was dealt AA there were 4 limpers so I decide to put a pot sized bet out there then somebody made the insta-all-in move and I rejoiced! I made the call (obviously) and he turns over AK and again I rejoice, neither hand improved and the pocket rockets stood up! This is the unbelievable part, the very next hand (seriously) I was dealt KK, yet again, there were limpers, and again I made that pot sized raise. This time it was a delayed all-in however, made me think of Aces, but I couldn't possibly fold my Kings. Thankfully there was no Ace from space to save his miserable looking AQoff and I was up above 13K chips which put me right up near the top of the leaderboard.
I was then moved twice in two minutes and took two big blinds one after the other, which I was not best pleased about. However I saved my tournament life in the next hand, I was dealt KK and there was a short stack all in (2.6K) and a call from the only guy at the table who had me covered, so I decided to just call. The flop came 6 A 8, yes the dreaded Ace from Space, the other guy bet out 1K, which seemed a bit strange considering the pot was already 7K+, so I reluctantly folded my Kings. The short stack all in turned over pocket tens, but Waters the table leader had pocket Aces! So I had infact dodged an early exit, which would have been amazingly disapointing. A few hands later I was dealt AcTc and made a pre-flop raise, which was re-raised all-in by a medium stack, and swiftly called by the table leader again, I passed my AT and thank goodness for that, Waters caught trip Queens with Ace Queen, and I would have been out of the tournament again. I was begining to feel like a cat with 9 lives, I may have lost a few thousand chips but its a lot better than it could/should have been. I was moved tables twice again, which is getting slightly frustrating, I was sitting on 9.5K chips with the blinds at 200/400 and an ante of 50 I was begining to feel the heat.
We are now on the second break with 33 runners left, 27 of which get paid. I am really looking for back to back cashes here, I feel I deserve it also. The blinds have just be raised to 300/600/75, which puts 1,500 chips in the middle before any action happens, I am starting to feel the heat with 8.3K to my name, but thankfully there are a quite a few shorter stacks around. Finally the bubble burst and it was on my table, AQ getting out flopped by QJ which hit broadway. I really need a double up or two fast if I am to make it any further in this tourney, however hands like 48off are unlikley to help in that respect. I was dealt 99 on the button and UTG raised to 2k, I was pushing my 6K in whatever happened. He showed me Q8, and then proceded to flop two pair then the house came with the queen on the turn. I am pleased with the fact that I cashed, and dodged some big bullets there just prior to the bubble, which really pleased me. However I am still baffled as to what I need to do to get that big win.
Hopefully it will come on Saturday as I am playing a £30 charity freezeout for cancer research at the new Circus casino in Edinburgh. Should be good, hopefully I can come up with the goods also!
We are now just over halfway through level 2 and I am chip lead on my table with 2,470 chips after picking up a small pot with the rivered nut flush, my opponent let me in extremely cheap and I was glad to hit it against what I believed to be flopped trip tens. Shortly before the end of level 2 I limped in late position with T7 of spades, the flop came 8c 9s Qs, a pot sized bet of 100 was made by a loosey goosey player and with one other caller I also called. The turn brought 6d giving me a straight, but obviously not the best one. This is where the pot got interesting, the third player in the pot bet 250, to find out where I am I decided to re-raise to 650(pot size) the loosey goosey player calls and the third player re-raises only another 150, leaving himself 700ish chips. This bet had me a little confused, but I decided if he had the better straight good luck to him, I obviously had the re-draw to the flush, so rightly or wrongly I pushed all in(an extra 1000ish) the loosey goosey player calls for her remaining 555 chips and the third player folds (WTF?!?!) My opponent turns over Q8 for two pair and is drawing virtually dead. The river is Jd giving me the Queen high Straight and a 3.8K pot, this lifted me just above the 5K chips mark. Obviously I am not complaining however that play by the third player confused me, he was eliminated shortly afterwards.
The blinds have just been raised to 30/60 for the last level before the first break, I am sitting with 4.9K chips and have just been moved tables where I am second in chip behind what seems to be a fairly loose player who has just doubled up with 43 suited hitting a straight against trip 6's. My observations of the player were correct as he was eliminated a few minutes later after losing 2 hands which were all in pre-flop where he lost with AToff against JJ then with QdTd against AK.
It is just after the break, there are 103 remaining from the original 214 and I have just picked up a 2k pot with AA and I am now sitting with 7.8K chips with the average around 3.5K. I made a pot sized bet with AK and I was re-raised all in by a short stack, I called and he turned over 77 and I failed to improve and lost about 1.6K on that hand.
I was dealt KsQs in middle position with no action before me and then Shortstack to my left re-raised me all-in just about double and a bit my original bet, I reluctantly call. My opponent turns over AcKc and we both hit the King on the flop so I lose due to my kicker problems. The very next hand I was dealt AA there were 4 limpers so I decide to put a pot sized bet out there then somebody made the insta-all-in move and I rejoiced! I made the call (obviously) and he turns over AK and again I rejoice, neither hand improved and the pocket rockets stood up! This is the unbelievable part, the very next hand (seriously) I was dealt KK, yet again, there were limpers, and again I made that pot sized raise. This time it was a delayed all-in however, made me think of Aces, but I couldn't possibly fold my Kings. Thankfully there was no Ace from space to save his miserable looking AQoff and I was up above 13K chips which put me right up near the top of the leaderboard.
I was then moved twice in two minutes and took two big blinds one after the other, which I was not best pleased about. However I saved my tournament life in the next hand, I was dealt KK and there was a short stack all in (2.6K) and a call from the only guy at the table who had me covered, so I decided to just call. The flop came 6 A 8, yes the dreaded Ace from Space, the other guy bet out 1K, which seemed a bit strange considering the pot was already 7K+, so I reluctantly folded my Kings. The short stack all in turned over pocket tens, but Waters the table leader had pocket Aces! So I had infact dodged an early exit, which would have been amazingly disapointing. A few hands later I was dealt AcTc and made a pre-flop raise, which was re-raised all-in by a medium stack, and swiftly called by the table leader again, I passed my AT and thank goodness for that, Waters caught trip Queens with Ace Queen, and I would have been out of the tournament again. I was begining to feel like a cat with 9 lives, I may have lost a few thousand chips but its a lot better than it could/should have been. I was moved tables twice again, which is getting slightly frustrating, I was sitting on 9.5K chips with the blinds at 200/400 and an ante of 50 I was begining to feel the heat.
We are now on the second break with 33 runners left, 27 of which get paid. I am really looking for back to back cashes here, I feel I deserve it also. The blinds have just be raised to 300/600/75, which puts 1,500 chips in the middle before any action happens, I am starting to feel the heat with 8.3K to my name, but thankfully there are a quite a few shorter stacks around. Finally the bubble burst and it was on my table, AQ getting out flopped by QJ which hit broadway. I really need a double up or two fast if I am to make it any further in this tourney, however hands like 48off are unlikley to help in that respect. I was dealt 99 on the button and UTG raised to 2k, I was pushing my 6K in whatever happened. He showed me Q8, and then proceded to flop two pair then the house came with the queen on the turn. I am pleased with the fact that I cashed, and dodged some big bullets there just prior to the bubble, which really pleased me. However I am still baffled as to what I need to do to get that big win.
Hopefully it will come on Saturday as I am playing a £30 charity freezeout for cancer research at the new Circus casino in Edinburgh. Should be good, hopefully I can come up with the goods also!
Bodog $1k Guarenteed
This $2 re buy tourney sure isn't glamorous but a $300 first prize shouldn't be sniffed at. There were only 186 runners, so there would need to be 314 re buys/add on's to prevent some sort of overlay. The re buy period as usual for me was a bit rubbish it was a card famine for me took 2 re-buys, and I managed to some how scrape some chips together literally in the last few minutes before the break, this made it worth it taking the add-on which pushed me above average chips, which I was extremely pleased with considering the plight I was in 15 minutes previously. I always feel I have an edge in the freeze-out stage of a re buy tourney over the majority of my opponents due to rubbish play in the first hour that continues into the freeze. With a few in position pot sized raises I take down a few pots and elevate my stack a little higher. Then I receive pocket 8's UTG +1 I again elect to make a pot sized raise, and this time I receive two callers, one shortish stack in the cut off and the medium stacked Small Blind. The flop comes x J 8, with two hearts, The small blind bets half the pot, and I decide to make an all in shove which both opponents call. Fortunately neither were on the flush draw, as that hit the very next card, the short stack just called for the ride with ace high (which I would have done in his spot with the amount of chips in the pot) and the small blind turned over AJ and neither improved, that pot almost tripled me up. With the help of a few blind on blind confrontations with the player to my left, who called my preflop raises on his Big blind with ANYTHING and then folded on the flop every time but once, where he folded on the turn, I kept my head nicely above water. I hit a very shaky hand, the button limped in and I checked my blind with 8 6, the flop comes 5 7 8 rainbow, great giving me top pair and an up and down straight draw. I bet half the pot, and the button min raised me(as I have seen him do time and time again, I hate Min raises by the way) So i decided to push all in, I was insta-called. "Bugger!" He had slow played the straight with 4 6(Why he limped in with 4 6 when the chips were so precious is beyond me) I failed to improve with a 9 so he had doubled up through me and taking a third of my stack in the process. This happened at the wrong time, 26 remaining with 18 places paid. The signs were not looking good, I have finished around the bubble in the last 5 mtts I have played. In the end I just make it through and with 8 BB's I push in on the button with AQ only to get called by pocket tens which improved to a set on the flop, setting me out in 18th position. I was partially relieved to finally have cashed, although I felt the result should have been better.
I can really feel a big result coming soon, I am consistently getting near to or in the money, I think I just need that final push and a little bit of luck in the latter stages to get me that win.
I can really feel a big result coming soon, I am consistently getting near to or in the money, I think I just need that final push and a little bit of luck in the latter stages to get me that win.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
New Game
Well since we last spoke I had recived my $100 on pokerstars and played away happily, for a week or so at least, then a combination of varience and bad decision making has blown some money.
So I have decided to change my game for a bit and play 6-max NLHE cash, pretty much exclusivly. So far it has been good, which surprised me a little as I play pretty a tight solid game and didnt think that would be suited to Short handed. Although I have seemed to naturally loosen up, which is annoying in one respect, as I cant seem to loosen myself up when I want to. Its only micro stakes, so no great profits (but theres the word I like profit) I am enjoying my poker again, which is great because I was losing interest for no apparent reason.
The reason I said that I would play short handed cash "almost exclusivly" is that obviously if I fancy a tournament I will give it a go. Also if I get offered to play in tournaments for other people, like tonight for instance, I played the $100k guarenteed tournament on Mansion for Zebediah again. Well first of all I wasnt extremly impressed with the softwear, although the sounds are good(same as old Tony G site, brought back good memorys!) The tournament is a $100 buy in, although after about 1 hour and 30 minutes it becomes a little crapshooty. I know the tournaments have to end at some point, but I would have expected a little more play for my money. I have to be honest I made a rather large mistake calling a shortish all in with an up and down straight draw, but that was my only mistake, I think... I never really saw any hands, I had AK once which I doubled up with, and AA once which I managed to sweep up the blinds with. Anyway basically with the blinds at 100/200 I had T9suited in the BB and a big stack who had been raising more often than something that happens a lot, raised from middle position, so I pushed, and he turned over KT off. What can you do, I was out in 243rd out of 518. Not great, but not bad for my first attempt at a $100 tourny. There were a few things I didn't expect to see though, for instance an all-in push (4.5k chips) with only 350 in the pot. Im not saying that bad play gets irradicated at this level but I wouldn't expect strange plays like that.
Anyway I moved back to the cash tables, erase the disappointment of the tournament. I have been doing well, finishing up in the majority of sessions. I am enjoying short handed, so definatly going to stick at it.
On another note, I have added a link to Paul Sandells go and have a look!
So I have decided to change my game for a bit and play 6-max NLHE cash, pretty much exclusivly. So far it has been good, which surprised me a little as I play pretty a tight solid game and didnt think that would be suited to Short handed. Although I have seemed to naturally loosen up, which is annoying in one respect, as I cant seem to loosen myself up when I want to. Its only micro stakes, so no great profits (but theres the word I like profit) I am enjoying my poker again, which is great because I was losing interest for no apparent reason.
The reason I said that I would play short handed cash "almost exclusivly" is that obviously if I fancy a tournament I will give it a go. Also if I get offered to play in tournaments for other people, like tonight for instance, I played the $100k guarenteed tournament on Mansion for Zebediah again. Well first of all I wasnt extremly impressed with the softwear, although the sounds are good(same as old Tony G site, brought back good memorys!) The tournament is a $100 buy in, although after about 1 hour and 30 minutes it becomes a little crapshooty. I know the tournaments have to end at some point, but I would have expected a little more play for my money. I have to be honest I made a rather large mistake calling a shortish all in with an up and down straight draw, but that was my only mistake, I think... I never really saw any hands, I had AK once which I doubled up with, and AA once which I managed to sweep up the blinds with. Anyway basically with the blinds at 100/200 I had T9suited in the BB and a big stack who had been raising more often than something that happens a lot, raised from middle position, so I pushed, and he turned over KT off. What can you do, I was out in 243rd out of 518. Not great, but not bad for my first attempt at a $100 tourny. There were a few things I didn't expect to see though, for instance an all-in push (4.5k chips) with only 350 in the pot. Im not saying that bad play gets irradicated at this level but I wouldn't expect strange plays like that.
Anyway I moved back to the cash tables, erase the disappointment of the tournament. I have been doing well, finishing up in the majority of sessions. I am enjoying short handed, so definatly going to stick at it.
On another note, I have added a link to Paul Sandells go and have a look!
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
So close yet so far
I played in The Hendon mobs tournament at PKR last night, it was basically a freeroll, you had to buy in with $5 and them after your tournament you get the balance refunded. I have no money on PKR so I played in the place of Zebediah, who couldn't make it. I had great fun, the structure was a bit quick for my liking, but hey who complains at a $5 tourny structure! There were 29 runners in the game, I was feeling everyone out in the first few minutes, then I was disconnected(argh, bloody sky broadband!) for 10 minutes! I had lost a couple hundred chips. Everyone seemed to be playing tighter than a camels bum in a sandstorm, the only way I could really pick up chips was by getting in first for the blinds, so I did that. I made it to the final table with average chips, which was only about 15 times the BB. Again I had to steal the blinds to stay afloat, then I was presented with a few big hands and it seemed we were on the bubble in a flash, and I was fairly comfortable so i decided to sit back and wait for hands, which i got. I entered the heads up like a 3/1 chip lead over DaMatrix, but from then on the stacks were up and down like a brides nighty (thank Vicky C for that one!) And true to my heads up form I lost. No disrespect intended to DaMatrix, but with my chiplead, I really should have finished the job. Gutted I didn't finish the job but pleased I got there.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Start your own
Here is a link to wingows where you can get $5 free to start a "Jesus Challange"
http://affiliates.wingows.com/redirect.php?Affid=51890
Once you sign up please start a thread on UKPL in the personal challange section to let us know how you are all doing!
http://www.ukpokerlife.co.uk
Good Luck!
http://affiliates.wingows.com/redirect.php?Affid=51890
Once you sign up please start a thread on UKPL in the personal challange section to let us know how you are all doing!
http://www.ukpokerlife.co.uk
Good Luck!
Monday, May 7, 2007
A new day, a new challange!
I have decided to give a Jesus Challange another go, this time not on "Jokerstars" but with Wingows poker, mainly because you get $5 free as a sign up bonus, but also because they do 25c SNG's! These games are extreemly easy and I should be able to boost my bankroll rather quickly. It started off with a win and a 2nd, then for some reason I thought calling All ins on the first hand was a good idea(twice!) To be fair, I did have AQ suited and JJ, both times ended in a last place finish. The second blip was when I had sub conciously decided to try and baninize at every chance I got for a screenshot (http://www.banincult.org.uk/) This infact cost me 3 or maby four sit and gos, but did get my screenshot!
If you take into consideration the six buyins or so I (stupidly) lost I think my finishing balance last night was rather good($6.46) Anyway Im back at the tables again!
I have a thread on UKPP/L for my challange...http://www.ukpokerpaper.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=443
Get over there!
Also try a Jesus Challange!
If you take into consideration the six buyins or so I (stupidly) lost I think my finishing balance last night was rather good($6.46) Anyway Im back at the tables again!
I have a thread on UKPP/L for my challange...http://www.ukpokerpaper.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=443
Get over there!
Also try a Jesus Challange!
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Update
Well right at this minute I am participating in some freeroll sng's on full tilt, havent managed to come first in any as yet, have final tabled a lot, SERIOUSLY, too many. The chance of a free(litterally) package to the WSOP is something I HAVE to take a shot at. The new site is going great, loads of action on the forum, we also got a mention on Sky Poker, thanks to Tony K.
I am also hoping to be playing my second live tournament with a £30 freezeout at Stanley Cascades in Lieth. I have no idea what kind of level of play to expect, I know a lot of the players work in Scottish Widows, so it will be fun beating up on them. The tournaments are run by officepoker.net, I was told there will be 50+ runners so that makes for a prizepool in excess of £1500, which aint bad, hopefully I will get my mits on some of that come Saturday evening.
I am also hoping to be playing my second live tournament with a £30 freezeout at Stanley Cascades in Lieth. I have no idea what kind of level of play to expect, I know a lot of the players work in Scottish Widows, so it will be fun beating up on them. The tournaments are run by officepoker.net, I was told there will be 50+ runners so that makes for a prizepool in excess of £1500, which aint bad, hopefully I will get my mits on some of that come Saturday evening.
Friday, April 13, 2007
AA Vs 72
I'm still undecided whether Hua playing the 72 was plain stupid or an act of genius. To be fair pre-flop no body had shown any aggression, with two limpers why not raise from the big blind and attempt to take the the pot there? Hua wasn't to know that Furst had pocket aces, when the flop hit 77Q Hua was in prime position. Both players were playing to trap the other, it was a great hand to watch. When the money went in Hua was a 95% favourite to win the hand, and then the A hit giving Furst the Full House. It just goes to show that any hand can win in NL Texas Hiold'em.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Our new site is born
UK Poker Paper
This is our new site, the forum is up and running! UKPI members use your same logins and passwords. We hope to have the whole site up very shortly, on which my interview with Joe Beevers will be. hope to see you all there!
www.ukpokerpaper.co.uk
This is our new site, the forum is up and running! UKPI members use your same logins and passwords. We hope to have the whole site up very shortly, on which my interview with Joe Beevers will be. hope to see you all there!
www.ukpokerpaper.co.uk
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Full Tilt Freeroll
I was sitting online, so I thought i'd give one a go. The tourny started with 2696 runners, 27 places paid, a MASSIVE $15 for first place. The early stages of these tournaments call for a tight-aggressive style I feel, there are lots of maniacs around, but remember maniacs can catch hands sometimes. I doubled up in the first few hands with a pair of twos from the big blind catching trips on the flop. I then litterally did not play a hand for half an hour, when again I had nines in the hole which caught trips on the turn, where i doubled up again. Five hands later I was dealt QQ, and I some how managed to dodge either of my two opponents catching, one had 66 and the other had KJ(?!) So after quickly doubling then tripling up, I was sitting on around 17K, which put me in 31st position out of 906 remaining at the time. With my large stack I was able to play a few more hands and picked up a few medium sized pots, which boosted me above 20K, with the blinds at 50/100 I was in pretty good shape. With less than 3 minutes to go to the break, I decided to play hard ball with a pair of 6's, i raised a medium stack all in on the flop(893 rainbow) he decided to call me and then proceded to catch a full house with an eight then an ace, thats life. Even with this mistake, I had comfortably made the break with just over 16K chips and being 52nd out of 729 freerollers remaining. For a freeroll there is still a massive amount of play left in the game at this stage, the average stack is 5.5 K and the blinds are only just about to go up to 60/120. Its good to see you can still get an ok poker game for free!
The second hand after the break I get 9T of diamonds in mid-late position, I am first in so I open with a pot sized raise, I recieve one caller. The flop comes Jd Qh Kd, So im on with a straigh draw, flush draw and an outside shout at a straight flush. I reckon I should have bet but I never, we both checked, then the next card was 8d, that meant I had hit my flush, so I put out a pot sized bet, which again Phatmama called, the last card was 4s which changed absolutly nothing and I put out yet anonther pot sized bet, and again PM called, all she had was a pair of Jacks. I picked up a nice pot which pushed me over the 21K mark. Phatmama was some player, cant believe she lasted so long, she played EVERY single hand, credit to her though, she just pushed me at the wrong time, I had caught top pair with my K9 and all she had was A high, so that helped me up to 26k in chips and in 28th position with 562 left. I had yet another slip up, I was dealt 77 in late position, so I raised pot sized, and was re-raised by the next player who had taken Phatmamas place. I felt compelled to call, so I did. The player Had AQ, an hit an ace on the flop, that was me bumped down to 18K but still well in the game. The blinds have been raised to 150/300 with an ante of 25, this has made play a little more frantic again, I have bumped up to 21K im chips again, so happy days! I have now reached the second break with 15K chips, I never really lost any big pots I just lost a few small ones and blinds and antes eating away at my stack. I am 95th out of 188 remaining, I still need to make a move or two, and I will risk going out to get up the ladder. The blinds have now been raised to 250/500 with ante of 50. At this point, I have to admit I was tempted to play AT off suit from mid position, but thankfully an early raise and a call put me off. A few hands later, I was really feeling the pinch, in the big blind I recived A6 of diamonds, so I checked, two diamonds came on the flop, so I pused my remaining 11K into a 6K pot, still recieved two callers, as it turned out one of the players caught a straight and i missed my flush, which was unfortunate. I finished 168th out of 2696, which isn't bad, but it isn't in the money.
The second hand after the break I get 9T of diamonds in mid-late position, I am first in so I open with a pot sized raise, I recieve one caller. The flop comes Jd Qh Kd, So im on with a straigh draw, flush draw and an outside shout at a straight flush. I reckon I should have bet but I never, we both checked, then the next card was 8d, that meant I had hit my flush, so I put out a pot sized bet, which again Phatmama called, the last card was 4s which changed absolutly nothing and I put out yet anonther pot sized bet, and again PM called, all she had was a pair of Jacks. I picked up a nice pot which pushed me over the 21K mark. Phatmama was some player, cant believe she lasted so long, she played EVERY single hand, credit to her though, she just pushed me at the wrong time, I had caught top pair with my K9 and all she had was A high, so that helped me up to 26k in chips and in 28th position with 562 left. I had yet another slip up, I was dealt 77 in late position, so I raised pot sized, and was re-raised by the next player who had taken Phatmamas place. I felt compelled to call, so I did. The player Had AQ, an hit an ace on the flop, that was me bumped down to 18K but still well in the game. The blinds have been raised to 150/300 with an ante of 25, this has made play a little more frantic again, I have bumped up to 21K im chips again, so happy days! I have now reached the second break with 15K chips, I never really lost any big pots I just lost a few small ones and blinds and antes eating away at my stack. I am 95th out of 188 remaining, I still need to make a move or two, and I will risk going out to get up the ladder. The blinds have now been raised to 250/500 with ante of 50. At this point, I have to admit I was tempted to play AT off suit from mid position, but thankfully an early raise and a call put me off. A few hands later, I was really feeling the pinch, in the big blind I recived A6 of diamonds, so I checked, two diamonds came on the flop, so I pused my remaining 11K into a 6K pot, still recieved two callers, as it turned out one of the players caught a straight and i missed my flush, which was unfortunate. I finished 168th out of 2696, which isn't bad, but it isn't in the money.
A Very Sad Day
Yesterday saw the closure of the best poker site/forum that I have seen, I am, as you can imagine, a little upset with this news. My life at UKPI started around a year ago, I stumbled in there as a matter of chance, and happened to bump into a really nice bunch of people, so I never really left. When I joined, I was not at all a good poker player, not that I am now, but with all the help and advice I recieved on the site, I can at least say i'm competent. There have been a number of events in the last few months that surely have contributed to the closure, which are all regretable, its now time to move forward. My final thanks to James W for setting up the site, and therefore introducing me to a number of great people, as well as everything else that came with the site.
The good news is that we are in the early stages of making a brand new site, details will follow....
The good news is that we are in the early stages of making a brand new site, details will follow....
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Gala Report
I have finaly got round to writing my report of my first live game, so here it is...
The day has finally come when I will be stepping into a bricks and mortar casino to play poker. The whole week I have been building up to the game, playing online multi-table tournaments and reading as many articles on live play as possible. I arrived at the casino an hour before the dealers shuffled up, relaxing in the lounge wasn’t so easy with the sound of the slot machines and this won woman who was clearly on a roll. I sat myself on the comfortable looking seats in front of the television for the football, with a drink I managed to relax for half an hour, thankfully I am not a Blackburn Rovers fan. I decided to stretch my legs before entering the card room, as I was walking past the entrance area I saw John Higgins enter the casino, Graham Dott was also already in the building, I was hoping I would be sat at one of there tables, the attention would be on them rather than me, the newbie.
As I noticed the players streaming into the card room I decided to follow. On first appearances the room was small with seven tables and a control area, above which was a screen with all the 120 players seating positions. I was sat at table eight, seat seven. I had a quick look to see if John Higgins or either of the other snooker players were sat at my table, unfortunately not. My table was in the other half of the room, it was separated by a wall with a gap at one end, this side was much the same as the first. I was one of the last players to sit at my table, so as I removed my jacket I used the opportunity to observe the players, nobody appeared to be nervous, but neither was I. Even though I had been building myself up for the event I defiantly appeared to be nonchalant. An older gentleman sat on my left, he put on what can only be described as an Oscar winning performance. The man was clearly a regular in the casino as he knew all of the staff by name as well as sixty per cent of the other players. He proceeded to create the image of a dotty old man, by continually asking what each chip was worth , the table had defiantly created a false sense of security towards the player. I had arranged my chips into 4 neat stacks, and had decided not to play with them incase I mess up and sill them all over the place and look like an utter donk. At this point the tournament was running twenty minutes late and the dealers were told to shuffle up and deal. Lots of thoughts were running through my head, all the advice I had been given over the last few days, it was time to put myself to the test. This may sound strange but I was ecstatic to squeeze my cards and peer down at an absolute horror of a hand, ten three off-suit, this just calmed me down and observe the table that little bit more before making any decisions. The table seemed to set its standard raise at four times the big blind pretty quickly, the older gentleman a previously mentioned didn’t hold anything back, he was firing in massive bets like ten times the big blind and was content at picking up any scrap he could. The one piece of advice that stuck in my head the whole time was “be patient” and I never played a hand for half an hour or so, not that I had any playable hands really. The time came when I picked up Ace Jack off suit in middle position there had been one early position limper, who was in a lot of the action, so I decided to pump it up to four times the big blind. At this moment in time my heart was pumping like there was no tomorrow, I could feel it in the side of my head, imagine if I went all in, but it was time to calm down as everyone folded. Obviously a poker players goal is to win the tournament, but at this moment, I have to be honest I was thinking I would really like to make it to the first break. In my first live tournament, I think lasting more than two hours would be an achievement, a small one maybe, but at least I knew I could handle the situation. In the next forty-five minutes I only had some semi-playable hands, which I limped in with then laid down to a raise. I was sitting on the button with Ace King of clubs, there had been one early position raiser who has been playing a lot and was chip leader at the table, there were two callers, I had decided to call also. The flop came down with a Queen and two rags, and two clubs, action was checked round to me so I bet out about half of the pot. I don’t know what made me do what I did next, but it worked, I made a deliberate move to lean forward and stare the guy in the eyes, the guy thought for about ten seconds, which felt about ten minutes and mucked his cards. I was so surprised and relieved that the players did not pick up any obvious fear out of me. The best part came when I was stacking my chips, the chip leader mentioned quietly too the player next to him “he’s a confident guy eh.” It may seem silly that I was proud of this, but if you had felt my heart going when I was staring at the guy, you would be proud too. It was now fifteen minutes too the break, I had picked my stack up too around ten thousand chips, which was above average at the time. I know there were still hands to be played but I was thinking that I have hit my goal of getting to the first break. Yet again I picked up Ace King, this time off-suit, there was only one other player in the pot, who was a solid Glaswegian who had raised to three times the big blind. I did actually consider folding, but I had to see what the flop brought. Unfortunately there was nothing too pretty for me the flop read six seven nine with two hearts, and the player fired out a bet, which may well have just been a continuation bet but I gave him the benefit of the doubt as he had shown down nothing but good hands up too now. To be honest nothing else of not happened until I had reached my goal of making the break. The last hand with Ace King had taken me back down to roughly my starting stack, so I was still comfortable with about sixteen big blinds. We had already lost 32 players by this point and I was seriously chuffed to not be one of them. I walked out of the card room and straight to the bar to get a glass of water, no alcohol for me tonight. I was also glad too see that my girlfriend and my friend had decided to stay, so I had a little chat to take my head away from poker for ten minutes. I have to say the seats in the bar area were not comfortable at all I was seriously glad to get back to the table, well after a quick pit stop. I remember walking into the room with my head held high and confident in myself, the next step was to go and do the business.
As I sat down I noticed that there were now antes in the game, which made my stack slightly less appealing, but still workable. Within a couple minutes I was in the action in late position with pocket twos, two middle position limpers, so I decided to see a flop. The flop came down with an Ace four and two, I had caught trips, and the action was checked to me, so I checked. Then a six hit, still no flush on board so when it was checked to me I decided to bet three times the big blind and everyone folded. It had picked my stack up a little bit, but I had wished for more. We had been down to seven handed for a while and then another player was eliminated, so two new players had joined our table. Both of them were keen to set the tone by entering a lot of pots and raising. I wish I was capable of doing such things, but I certainly was not going to do so with the garbage I was being dealt. Then one of the newer players raised to three times the big blind from first position, and it was folded to me, I looked down and I saw pocket nines, I looked at my stack which only had around seven big blinds and with the antes as well, I was short, as well as that the player had raised the two hands prior too this. So all things considered I think I made the right move in pushing all in. It was not much over double his original bet to call, I made myself look like I wanted to turn my cards over and beat him. I really believe he almost talked himself out of calling, then the brutal words came “I have to call” he turned his cards over to show King Jack off suit. I have to be honest my first thought was of Tony G berating Ralph Perry for playing King Jack, and I was extremely happy that he had called, then that King hit on the flop, and there was no help for me. It was “Goodnight Vienna” for me.
I was absolutely distraught and that may seem a little over the top but that is the best word to describe my emotions. I felt I had not made one mistake the whole night and I lost, I am sure every single poker player has done what I did, I went through EVERY single hand in my head over and over like I had OCD and still found no answers. In the cold light of day, well the light of the online poker room, I realised that it wasn’t my fault and it just wasn’t my night. On the whole the night was an amazing experience, and I will defiantly be back in a card room in the very near future.
The day has finally come when I will be stepping into a bricks and mortar casino to play poker. The whole week I have been building up to the game, playing online multi-table tournaments and reading as many articles on live play as possible. I arrived at the casino an hour before the dealers shuffled up, relaxing in the lounge wasn’t so easy with the sound of the slot machines and this won woman who was clearly on a roll. I sat myself on the comfortable looking seats in front of the television for the football, with a drink I managed to relax for half an hour, thankfully I am not a Blackburn Rovers fan. I decided to stretch my legs before entering the card room, as I was walking past the entrance area I saw John Higgins enter the casino, Graham Dott was also already in the building, I was hoping I would be sat at one of there tables, the attention would be on them rather than me, the newbie.
As I noticed the players streaming into the card room I decided to follow. On first appearances the room was small with seven tables and a control area, above which was a screen with all the 120 players seating positions. I was sat at table eight, seat seven. I had a quick look to see if John Higgins or either of the other snooker players were sat at my table, unfortunately not. My table was in the other half of the room, it was separated by a wall with a gap at one end, this side was much the same as the first. I was one of the last players to sit at my table, so as I removed my jacket I used the opportunity to observe the players, nobody appeared to be nervous, but neither was I. Even though I had been building myself up for the event I defiantly appeared to be nonchalant. An older gentleman sat on my left, he put on what can only be described as an Oscar winning performance. The man was clearly a regular in the casino as he knew all of the staff by name as well as sixty per cent of the other players. He proceeded to create the image of a dotty old man, by continually asking what each chip was worth , the table had defiantly created a false sense of security towards the player. I had arranged my chips into 4 neat stacks, and had decided not to play with them incase I mess up and sill them all over the place and look like an utter donk. At this point the tournament was running twenty minutes late and the dealers were told to shuffle up and deal. Lots of thoughts were running through my head, all the advice I had been given over the last few days, it was time to put myself to the test. This may sound strange but I was ecstatic to squeeze my cards and peer down at an absolute horror of a hand, ten three off-suit, this just calmed me down and observe the table that little bit more before making any decisions. The table seemed to set its standard raise at four times the big blind pretty quickly, the older gentleman a previously mentioned didn’t hold anything back, he was firing in massive bets like ten times the big blind and was content at picking up any scrap he could. The one piece of advice that stuck in my head the whole time was “be patient” and I never played a hand for half an hour or so, not that I had any playable hands really. The time came when I picked up Ace Jack off suit in middle position there had been one early position limper, who was in a lot of the action, so I decided to pump it up to four times the big blind. At this moment in time my heart was pumping like there was no tomorrow, I could feel it in the side of my head, imagine if I went all in, but it was time to calm down as everyone folded. Obviously a poker players goal is to win the tournament, but at this moment, I have to be honest I was thinking I would really like to make it to the first break. In my first live tournament, I think lasting more than two hours would be an achievement, a small one maybe, but at least I knew I could handle the situation. In the next forty-five minutes I only had some semi-playable hands, which I limped in with then laid down to a raise. I was sitting on the button with Ace King of clubs, there had been one early position raiser who has been playing a lot and was chip leader at the table, there were two callers, I had decided to call also. The flop came down with a Queen and two rags, and two clubs, action was checked round to me so I bet out about half of the pot. I don’t know what made me do what I did next, but it worked, I made a deliberate move to lean forward and stare the guy in the eyes, the guy thought for about ten seconds, which felt about ten minutes and mucked his cards. I was so surprised and relieved that the players did not pick up any obvious fear out of me. The best part came when I was stacking my chips, the chip leader mentioned quietly too the player next to him “he’s a confident guy eh.” It may seem silly that I was proud of this, but if you had felt my heart going when I was staring at the guy, you would be proud too. It was now fifteen minutes too the break, I had picked my stack up too around ten thousand chips, which was above average at the time. I know there were still hands to be played but I was thinking that I have hit my goal of getting to the first break. Yet again I picked up Ace King, this time off-suit, there was only one other player in the pot, who was a solid Glaswegian who had raised to three times the big blind. I did actually consider folding, but I had to see what the flop brought. Unfortunately there was nothing too pretty for me the flop read six seven nine with two hearts, and the player fired out a bet, which may well have just been a continuation bet but I gave him the benefit of the doubt as he had shown down nothing but good hands up too now. To be honest nothing else of not happened until I had reached my goal of making the break. The last hand with Ace King had taken me back down to roughly my starting stack, so I was still comfortable with about sixteen big blinds. We had already lost 32 players by this point and I was seriously chuffed to not be one of them. I walked out of the card room and straight to the bar to get a glass of water, no alcohol for me tonight. I was also glad too see that my girlfriend and my friend had decided to stay, so I had a little chat to take my head away from poker for ten minutes. I have to say the seats in the bar area were not comfortable at all I was seriously glad to get back to the table, well after a quick pit stop. I remember walking into the room with my head held high and confident in myself, the next step was to go and do the business.
As I sat down I noticed that there were now antes in the game, which made my stack slightly less appealing, but still workable. Within a couple minutes I was in the action in late position with pocket twos, two middle position limpers, so I decided to see a flop. The flop came down with an Ace four and two, I had caught trips, and the action was checked to me, so I checked. Then a six hit, still no flush on board so when it was checked to me I decided to bet three times the big blind and everyone folded. It had picked my stack up a little bit, but I had wished for more. We had been down to seven handed for a while and then another player was eliminated, so two new players had joined our table. Both of them were keen to set the tone by entering a lot of pots and raising. I wish I was capable of doing such things, but I certainly was not going to do so with the garbage I was being dealt. Then one of the newer players raised to three times the big blind from first position, and it was folded to me, I looked down and I saw pocket nines, I looked at my stack which only had around seven big blinds and with the antes as well, I was short, as well as that the player had raised the two hands prior too this. So all things considered I think I made the right move in pushing all in. It was not much over double his original bet to call, I made myself look like I wanted to turn my cards over and beat him. I really believe he almost talked himself out of calling, then the brutal words came “I have to call” he turned his cards over to show King Jack off suit. I have to be honest my first thought was of Tony G berating Ralph Perry for playing King Jack, and I was extremely happy that he had called, then that King hit on the flop, and there was no help for me. It was “Goodnight Vienna” for me.
I was absolutely distraught and that may seem a little over the top but that is the best word to describe my emotions. I felt I had not made one mistake the whole night and I lost, I am sure every single poker player has done what I did, I went through EVERY single hand in my head over and over like I had OCD and still found no answers. In the cold light of day, well the light of the online poker room, I realised that it wasn’t my fault and it just wasn’t my night. On the whole the night was an amazing experience, and I will defiantly be back in a card room in the very near future.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Live Poker, Here I come!
This month I will be making my first appearance as a live poker player. The website www.ukpokerinfo.co.uk are sponsoring me to play in the £100+10 tournament in the Edinburgh festival during Gala's UK tour. I am extremly excited with the prospect of playing live for the very first time, I am also aware that this will be a very different experience from which I am used to. I am planning to arrive at the Gala maybury 2 hours prior to the event to get used to the scene and settle in, so if anyone is going to be there, don't be shy come over and say "hiya"
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Learning experiences
I started a $5 Sng on Tonys on Monday night with a fellow UKPI'er, I played a pretty simple game I never moved much above the starting stack the whole game. I had played and won a few little pots which kept me alive, I had made it to the money and I seemed to be catching cards and switched up through the gears. The heads up began with me having a 3:1 chip lead, which unfortunatly I threw away to finish second.
Part of the reason I was playing little hands in the SNG was because I was also playing an PL Omaha cash game also against my fellow UKPI'ers as well as a few randoms. The game was fairly enjoyable, even though my play wasn't the best. Losing two buy-ins in any game is not good but the banter was good, and I enjoy trying to learn Omaha.
Sifting through the cash tables on the few sites I play on, there werent any that were looking good at all, except there was one 25/50 cent table on Tony G Poker that looked Very Juicy, almost a full ring with 70% of players seeing the flop. I decided to observe the table, and there were 4 players that I have seen play at lower limits, which I have noted as loose and rubbish. After 10 minutes of watching the table I had decided to Buy-in, that isn't something I Would do normally, but considering the players at the table i felt I had too. I sat down and again played a tight game waiting for hands, which in time came. The hour and a half at the table was good, had been up and down, I felt I had held my own at the table. Most important of all I had left the table with $20 odd more than I had sat down with. The first thing I am going to say, is I am most definatly not moving up the levels to 25/50 cent, and I would strongly advice people against doing so untill they have a big enough bankroll to do so. Also I have to add that the game was a good experience for me, hopefully will improve my game at the lower levels.
A few of you may notice I have added pictures on the left hand side of the blog, just thought I would make it look better.
Part of the reason I was playing little hands in the SNG was because I was also playing an PL Omaha cash game also against my fellow UKPI'ers as well as a few randoms. The game was fairly enjoyable, even though my play wasn't the best. Losing two buy-ins in any game is not good but the banter was good, and I enjoy trying to learn Omaha.
Sifting through the cash tables on the few sites I play on, there werent any that were looking good at all, except there was one 25/50 cent table on Tony G Poker that looked Very Juicy, almost a full ring with 70% of players seeing the flop. I decided to observe the table, and there were 4 players that I have seen play at lower limits, which I have noted as loose and rubbish. After 10 minutes of watching the table I had decided to Buy-in, that isn't something I Would do normally, but considering the players at the table i felt I had too. I sat down and again played a tight game waiting for hands, which in time came. The hour and a half at the table was good, had been up and down, I felt I had held my own at the table. Most important of all I had left the table with $20 odd more than I had sat down with. The first thing I am going to say, is I am most definatly not moving up the levels to 25/50 cent, and I would strongly advice people against doing so untill they have a big enough bankroll to do so. Also I have to add that the game was a good experience for me, hopefully will improve my game at the lower levels.
A few of you may notice I have added pictures on the left hand side of the blog, just thought I would make it look better.
Saturday, January 13, 2007
After A break
After having a break from poker, due to being in Benidorm, among other things I feel that I should try new things. The greatest thing about having a break is when you get back to poker you have a new found excitement for the game, which definatly helps if you lose. You get that mentality back that we all had when we were younger that nothing matters except that we get what we want.
With poker there are so many different ways to experiment, especially online. You could change your style of play, the game, the limit, but I have decided to experiment a little with buy-ins. Obviously I am not going to jump to $50 games, that would just be throwing money away. I have so far played two SNG's at a higher level one $5(6 players), which I won, and an $8(20 players) game which I cashed in also. With the different runners in each I am experimenting with that as well, although that was not deliberate, both games seemed pretty much the same level. I have found that a simple poker is all you need to play, just don't do anything "stupid" That was one of the things that I wanted too know as how high up the limits will "simple" poker win. Anyway I'm off back to the tables to try and get some more wins!
As you can imagine I haven't played poker a lot recently, and not at all played on tony's much at all, although I played a speed $3 today with 18 runners. I was chip lead with 7 players left when my Kings ran into Aces, you cant really do much. I was 1 of three players seriously short when we were on the bubble, fortunatly one of the big stacks took 3 players out in one go with two pair. I went on to finish third.
Balance: $122.41
With poker there are so many different ways to experiment, especially online. You could change your style of play, the game, the limit, but I have decided to experiment a little with buy-ins. Obviously I am not going to jump to $50 games, that would just be throwing money away. I have so far played two SNG's at a higher level one $5(6 players), which I won, and an $8(20 players) game which I cashed in also. With the different runners in each I am experimenting with that as well, although that was not deliberate, both games seemed pretty much the same level. I have found that a simple poker is all you need to play, just don't do anything "stupid" That was one of the things that I wanted too know as how high up the limits will "simple" poker win. Anyway I'm off back to the tables to try and get some more wins!
As you can imagine I haven't played poker a lot recently, and not at all played on tony's much at all, although I played a speed $3 today with 18 runners. I was chip lead with 7 players left when my Kings ran into Aces, you cant really do much. I was 1 of three players seriously short when we were on the bubble, fortunatly one of the big stacks took 3 players out in one go with two pair. I went on to finish third.
Balance: $122.41
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