GSOP Main Event - Split Personality Poker - Part 2
Date: Wed, Aug 27, 2008 Professional
LEVEL 3 - Stack 16k - blinds 200/400 - Loose/Agressive
I am in a much bigger percentage of pots now, trying to pick up the more significant blinds, and building on my tight image from previous rounds. Interestingly, after I raise to steal the blinds for the second time in a row, I make a comment to Praz Bansai, whose big blind it is. (I have played with Praz a couple of times)
Jimbo (after the fold): "Good fold, you know what a rock I am"
Praz "You won't be able to help yourself - you need the adrenaline. It's in your blood"
Great to see that my tight efforts from the last 2 levels have cultured a rock like image :( His comments were strangely prophetic of my demise a few hours later.
As I said, I am in a fair few pots but below is the really interesting one.
Hand1
I raise to 1100 with AcKs and get 2 callers.
Flop Kh, 2h, 9h
The Italian guy from the big blind bets out 1000. I check-raise to 3000 to see if my TPTK is good, on the all heart board. Folded to the BB who calls. Hmm. The bare Ace of hearts perhaps? Or a made small flush? A set? I can get him to put down nearly all of these with a believable betting pattern I think.
Turn is 4c (meaningless). Check Check.
River brings 6h.
He checks to me. Interesting. One thing I know for sure is that he doesn't have the Ace of hearts (the nuts), as there is too much risk of me checking behind with the 4 hearts on the board. I decide to represent holding AhKc or a flopped Ace flush, both of which make sense from the betting. I bet 5k into the pot of 9.5k. It's an amount begging to be called, and yet a significant portion of his stack. He thinks for ages before folding the flopped Ten high flush. I show him the bluff, and he wears an expression like he just been stabbed in the heart.
The person next to me comments "Wow, you got moves man - I thought you had the nuts". ;)
The Italian fellow is so perplexed by this hand, that he then inadvertantly check raises Bansai to 10k, when Bansai has a set of 10s, and is eliminated.
Despite this hand I go into the dinner break with 17k in chips.
LEVEL 4 - Stack 17k - blinds 200/400 (ante 50) - Loose/Agressive
I raise a few pots and take the 1k pot uncontested to get up to 19k.
Hand2
I guy who has been bluffing regularly and showing weird cards is in the BB. I raise to 1300 from mid position with 8d3d. He is the only caller.
Flop is Ks, 5h, Tc.
I bet 2500 and he passes. I show him the three. Stack now back to 20k
Hand3
Mid position raises to 1100 and gets 2 callers. I squeeze to 4000 with QJ and all pass. My stack is now up to about 26k.
Hand4
Mid position raiser to 1300, and I make it 4000 from the big blind with JJ. He shoves for 10k total so I have to call, but he only has 55 and I win. Upto 37k
Hand5
And so to the exit hand - which made the gutshot reporting. There was a bit of method to my maddness as opposed to just blind agression. Anyhow - I find Ks9c in the cutoff, so raise to 1300 to steal the blinds. Kay (a former LC regular) calls, as do BOTH the blinds.
Flop AsJs8h
The blinds check, so I decide to continuation bet for 3k and only Kay calls. Interesting that Kay only calls here - I fancy with a set or AJ he re-raises here on such a drawy board, and with 5k in the pot already - I think he has one pair here or the flush draw.
Turn is 4d - doesn't help anyone.
I fire 6k and Kay calls again. Starting to look very much like he has the Ace or the flush draw.
River is 3h. The flush draw missed. Even if he has the pair I reckon I can get him off the hand. He would have likely re-raised AK pre-flop. I think he has AQ, AT or a busted draw.
I think he'll fold all of these (he hasn't been at my table long, so hasn't seen some of the hands above). I fire a huge third shell by going all in for 22k on the river.
Kay thinks for ages. I've played the hand like a set, AK, AJ, none of which he can beat I don't think from his passive betting. If it's a busted draw, the pot is surely mine, and it will be hard to call with the lone pair here. However, I realise I've made a mistake - as Kay is counting his stack I realise he can make this call and still be left with a playable 20k stack if he loses. Hmmm - I was hoping making this call would completely cripple his chances in the tournament. I think this might have swayed his decision, as he comes very close to mucking but eventually puts the chips over the line and I instamuck and am eliminated.
Below is how the hand was reported on the Gutshot forum - the details are correct, although I don't remember saying anything about a busted flush draw.
"James Hart just made a move too far.
He raised in the cutoff trying to steal the blinds, and was called by the button, Kay Koysor.
James bet out on the flop. Kay called. He bet out the turn. Kay called. He pushed on the river for 20k. Kay called.
James crumpled the moment Kay called, saying "I thought you had a busted flush draw". Kay turned over AQo for top pair, and took down the c70k pot. James declared he had K9. News just in: dog bites man!
Kay is now one of the chip leaders.
Outside, James explained the hand as "A rush of blood to the head." He said Kay dwelt up a long time before calling on the river, but decided to call because he realised he'd still have 20k left if he lost."
PROFIT/(LOSS) USD 2008
Live Holdem Tournaments 3,505
Live Holdem Cash (1425)
Live Omaha (190)
Live "Professional" Tournaments (7,316)
Home Games 320
Online Holdem Tournaments 55,678
Online Holdem Cash 17,026
Online Omaha 1,060
Sundry 1244
Rake (4,477)
64,110
GSOP Main Event - Split Personality Poker - Part 1
Date: Wed, Aug 27, 2008 Professional
Saturday saw me compete in the £500 Gutshot Series Of Poker Main Event in Clerkenwell. The structure was superb - 20k starting stack with 90 minute blinds. The only real downside was that with only 90 runners, many people would be playing for two days and either win a small amount or nothing at all. Still, a first prize of 12k was well worth playing for, so I gave some thought to tactics before the off.
I've played several of these deep stacked events in Vegas, and I'm still unsure of the correct strategy early on. Whereas in Vegas, I saw a ton of flops in the early levels before playing TAG, I decided to change this tactic for the Gutshot event. For the first 2 levels I planned to play tight passive, a style which rarely works. The reason for this was that I wanted to hit a disguised monster, and get someone to over-value their own holding and stack off to me for the whole 20k. I was good to my word as in the first 2 levels I didn't raise pre-flop once! Level 3 (200-400) and Level 4 (200-400 with ante of 50) saw a significant jump in blinds. At this point I would move to loose agressive mode, and try and pick up as many blinds and antes as possible, playing on my weak/tight image built up in the opening levels.
LEVEL 1 - Stack 20k - blinds 50/100 - Tight Passive
My opening table featured WSOP Bracelet winner Praz Bansai 3 to my left, alongside Dominic Kay, who final tabled the World Series of Poker Europe Main Event last year. There were some predictable players as well, but it certainly wasn't going to be an easy afternoon.
Hand1
EP raiser to 300 and I call with AhQh. Mid position makes it 1000 and someone in the blinds re-raises to 2500. I pass.
Hand2
A few limpers and someone in mid position makes it 500. I call with AsQc in the BB. All limpers pass, but I miss the flop and pass to a bet.
Hand3
3 limpers and I check the BB holding AcKc
Flop is Kd, 2h, 3c
Checked around
Turn 8c
First limper bets 300 and I am the only caller.
River is 9h
I check, opponent value bets 300 as he can't ever put me on AK here so I check raise him to 1200 and he passes. Damn.
LEVEL 2 - Stack 16k - blinds 100/200 - Tight Passive
Hand4
I call on the button with 22. 5 of us in the pot.
Flop comes 2, 3, K (of course)
Someone leads for 800 and I raise him to 2200.
All pass. Sigh.
Hand5
Button raises to 600 and I call in the BB with QJ.
Flop: J, T, 2
He bets 600 and I call.
Turn: K giving me open ended straight draw.
He checks, and I smell a rat because this guy has been very agressive so far.
River is a blank.
He bets 2000 and I don't go with my instinct and make a bad call. He has KJ for top two.
Hand6
One raiser to 500 and a caller. I call in the SB with AhJh.
Flop J, 8, T rainbow
I bet 1000 and get one caller.
Turn is 4
Check Check
River is 7
He checks to me, I bet 2000 and he calls and mucks.
Hand7
I limp UTG with AsKs
Girl next to me raises to 600 which gets one other caller. I go with my passive policy and call.
Flop Th, 5s, 9c
Girl bets 1200. If she is continuation betting AQ/AJ my hand might still be good here. I also have runner runner straight and flush draw so I decide to call to see if she slows down.
Turn is Jh
She bets 2500 this time, and I think she definitely has a hand. No odds for my gutshot so I let it go and she shows set of tens.
I go into the break with 16k. Time to change gears.........
PROFIT/(LOSS) USD 2008
Live Holdem Tournaments 3,505
Live Holdem Cash (1425)
Live Omaha (190)
Live "Professional" Tournaments (7,316)
Home Games 320
Online Holdem Tournaments 55,678
Online Holdem Cash 17,026
Online Omaha 1,060
Sundry 1244
Rake (4,477)
64,110
Up and Down
Date: Fri, Aug 22, 2008 Professional
A brief update on last night - I was out of the Loose Cannon league event at the halfway stage. I shoved on the turn with 2.5k into a 3k pot with Ad5d with the board showing Ah10dQs8d. Sonny unfortunately had the made straight and my flush redraw didn't get there.
The cash game looked to be heading for disaster at one point. The Baron made a hero call in a £450 pot with a pair of sixes, after I had shoved my last £120 in the dark on the turn (I had open ended straight draw and a flush draw, but ended up with the monster that is 9 high). Things fortunately improved, and from being in the hole for £400 at one point, I ended up £100 down for the session.
I've had a change of plan for tonight - I want to be fresh for the Gutshot Main Event on Saturday so I'm giving the Omaha a miss. Saturday is going to be a long slog, and I don't think another night of light sleep will lead to a good performance.
Next update will be the Main Event.
PROFIT/(LOSS) USD 2008
Live Holdem Tournaments 3,505
Live Holdem Cash (1425)
Live Omaha (190)
Live "Professional" Tournaments (6,316)
Home Games 320
Online Holdem Tournaments 55,678
Online Holdem Cash 17,026
Online Omaha 1,060
Sundry 844
Rake (4,377)
64,810
Ford Escort JJ3i (mk 3)
Date: Thu, Aug 21, 2008 Professional
It's 1992 and my new car looked the nuts. £1420 well spent I reckon:
£300 Racing Green Ford Escort 1.3
£400 Alloy wheels (x4)
£100 Spoiler
£150 Halogen spot lamps
£200 Racing "bucket" seats
£250 Stereo system
£20 XR3i sticker
I took it for a spin down to the dual carriage way outside Harrow. I pulled up at the lights next to an old boy in a Nissan Micra. I gunned my engine to show the old boy who's in charge, and pull out my manual choke to give the engine a bit of extra juice. I push my curtains haircut back as the lights go amber, fasten myself into my bucket seat and turn up Dr Alban (It's My Life - Raggadag Remix) on the stereo. I toy with the idea of putting on the Halogen spot lamps but decide that would be overkill.
I barrell forward off the line, and cut the Micra up with a brutal Senna manouver. I was unquestionably the man. But what's this? The old boy is fighting back - his Micra fills my rear view mirror and I can see his face contorted with rage. My engine begins to judder - I think I've left the choke out for too long. The old boy is in my slip stream and suddenly 1.1 litres of Japanese technology sling shots past me, and I feel slightly less manly.
Whether my car looked good or not, obviously depends on whether you are a chav, but it was undoubtedly the pocket Jacks of poker, because its performance was woeful. Last night was the new, beefed up, City 100 at the Loose Cannon, with a 7k starting stack (double chance format). 18 runners was a bit disappointing, but nonetheless it was a good tournament structure.
Three key hands to report, leading to my early exit:
Hand1
I find JJ UTG and decide to limp for 50 to disguise my hand, and hopefully get a big pay off at this early stage. What follows is bizarre. UTG+1 MIN-raises to 100. Sonny in mid position MIN-raises to 150. Colin in the SB makes it 450. Given that action, I figure there is at least one overpair to my Jacks out there. It's the only thing that makes sense. I contemplate turning my JJ into a set mining exercise, but decide to fold pre-flop and wait for a better spot. The hand turns into a huge pot, and my pre-flop pass turns out to be both a good and a bad decision. On the good side, I would have lost, as Sonny flopped a set, and there were also overcards to the Jacks. On the downside, I was only against 88 and AQ. A bizarre hand, and one I still haven't figured out who played the strangest - me, UTG+1 (whose hand I didn't see) or Sonny. Jacks.......:(
Hand2
I am down to 2850 from my inital 3500 when this hand occurs. UTG raises to 250 and Sonny calls. Colin or Britney also call (I can't remember which). I find my old friend JJ in the BB and make is 1,000 to go. Sonny is my only customer, and since I only have 1850 behind, which is less than the pot, I decide to put it in on any flop. Flop comes Ace, rag, rag and Sonny calls my push with A8 and holds on. Time to get my double chance - 3500 left. Jacks.......:(
I work my stack up to about 4000, by shoving over a raiser with 88 and limp/shoving with KK, when the final nail goes in the coffin.
Hand3
Blinds are 150/300 and there are limps from Sonny, Al, The Doctor and Britney. This looks like a prime place to squeeze, and I decide to do it with any cards, but when I look down at 88 it is a bonus, and I shove. All fold except Britney, who probably remembering my Q5 crime from last week, calls with KJ suited. By the turn she has a house and I am gone.
I won £130 on the cash game to turn a small profit for the night. Congratulations to the other James and Shazbo for filling the top two spots. Hopefully we'll get more runners next month - if we had 40 this would be a really good tournament, both in terms of structure and prize pool.
So JJ is now to be known as the "chaved up Escort" in my books. As a footnote, if any players want to see my curtains haircut, it unfortunately still resides on my London Underground travelcard.
PROFIT/(LOSS) USD 2008
Live Holdem Tournaments 3,605
Live Holdem Cash (1225)
Live Omaha (190)
Live "Professional" Tournaments (6,316)
Home Games 320
Online Holdem Tournaments 55,678
Online Holdem Cash 17,026
Online Omaha 1,060
Sundry 844
Rake (4,367)
65,120
Online Omaha Sessions
Date: Sun, Aug 17, 2008 Professional
I played a couple of interesting Omaha 1/2 sessions 6 handed over the weekend, on Friday night and Sunday morning, ending up $380 across the pair of 2 hour sittings. Some observations:
1) Friday night was nasty. Every time I had a set, my opponent would hit his draws. In one hand someone called my set repot with top pair no draws, and hit a runner runner flush for about $250. When I had a big straight draw, or a made straight, my opponent would hit his house. Very frustrating, although to be fair I did one outer someone hitting quad kings on a cold decked AK3 rainbow board against his set of Aces for $200.
2) Sunday morning seems to be a good time to play Omaha on Stars, because you play a lot of eastern time Americans who are tired/drunk.
3) A German player called a Canadian an "arschloch" in the chatbox, which tickled me. Mental note to incorporate this fine word into my online poker vocabulary.
4) I tried out a new button strategy in the second session. Generally people will only bet when they have it in Omaha (or a very good draw). When on the button, I began potting it on the turn if it was checked round to me (after all players check on the flop), even when I had nothing. People rarely slowplay in Omaha, and if you pot the turn after all have checked, they rarely have the odds for any draw they may have, and will always pass top pair. If you get re-raised you can just pass, but due to the lack of action previously in the hand, the pot bets don't cost you much. I estimate this strategy generated $150 of profit over the session, as you take down a succession of $12/$18 pots.
5) Players from Buenos Aries are insane. One guy repotted me twice for his whole $90 stack, with 455A against my AAJT. He immediately reloaded, so it's not as if he was having a last gamble of the evening.
6) I was less gung-ho with my flopped sets in the second session. Normally I repot agressively, but I'm starting to think people will call their big draws on the flop nearly always. I experimented with slow-playing, and if the turn is a blank, going to war at that point because they have much poorer odds to call, and will likely pass. If the turn is a danger card, you can simply call to try and house up, depending on the action. I guess I give up a lot of all-in pots where they don't hit doing this, but I also save all the ones I would lose as well. I'm undecided whether this is a +ev strategy yet or not.
I'm still a relative novice at Omaha, but I definitely feel I am improving pretty quickly now. Omaha is by far my favourite cash game to play now, as you can be in a ton of pots pre-flop without it being -ev, on the six handed tables in any case.
Deep stack tournaments take centre stage this week, with four tournaments on consecutive nights with starting stacks of 7k, 4k, 8k and 20k. Time to patiently pick spots I guess.
PROFIT/(LOSS) USD 2008
Live Holdem Tournaments 3,805
Live Holdem Cash (1485)
Live Omaha (290)
Live "Professional" Tournaments (6,316)
Home Games 320
Online Holdem Tournaments 55,678
Online Holdem Cash 17,026
Online Omaha 1410
Sundry 930
Rake (4,347)
65,330
The Butterfly Effect
Date: Fri, Aug 15, 2008 Professional
Blutterfly Effect definitions:
1) Phenomenon whereby a small change in a complex system can have large effects elsewhere. (Chaos Theory)
2) Hartnett, Josh. Wooden.
It's the £50 League Freezeout at the Loose Cannon. What started as a long day at the office for Shazbo ended with Britney eyeballing me with fury, as if I had just spat on her shoe.
Hand1
I limp for 50 UTG with AsKs. 2 other callers, and then Tom repops it on the button to 200. I flat call as does Britney.
Flop Ad, 10s, 2c
I check, as does Britney and Tom as expected fires 350. I make is 1000 to go and all fold.
Hand2
I raise a limper in mid position with AdAc to 400. Maltese Mike calls as does one other.
Flop is 10h 9c 5s
I bet 1000 and Mike calls.
Turn 6h (I think) - remember board getting very drawy.
I shove and Mike folds. Lucky I shoved as Mike lays down both straight and flush draws, and would have called most other bets I think.
Up to about 8k after this pot.
2 HOURS EARLIER
Shazbo is having a bad day at work, with meetings over-running which leads to......
........getting caught in the heavy traffic which leads to...............
........fatigue and stress which leads to...........
Hand3
Shazbo raises to 300 in mid position and Britney calls.
Flop is As, Qd, Jc
Shazbo bets 600 and Britney calls.
Turn Ad
Shazbo checks and Britney bets 1k. Shazbo calls
River is a blank
Check Check
Britney states "2 pair" and tables QT. Shazbo in her state of tiredness mucks, before suddenly realising that she has just given away a 3.5k pot with the best hand (QK).
This gives Britney a decent stack which she shouldn't have, which leads to..........
Hand4
I raise to 600 with AQ. Britney calls
Flop is K, Q, 10
I lead for 1000 and Britney shoves for 3475 more. Hmm - well I know I am behind, but it's a question of how far, because I am getting pot odds of close to 2-1. Britney normally plays premium pairs strong pre-flop, so I don't put her on AA, KK or QQ. Could be a set of tens, but I fancy KQ for top 2 pair, which is now being protected. That gives me 3 Aces and 4 Jacks for the win, so about 28% chance of outdrawing KQ with the last 2 cards. I can add a few percent for the chance that she has KT and the Queens are outs. If I am right, I might just about have the odds.
I call and due to the chip bonus from the previous hand, Britney has trapped me with Aces! Great - only 2 clean outs or the Jacks for the split.
I miss and am now short stacked on 1.5k.........which leads to
........a double up in the next level from an Ace rag shove which puts me up 4k which leads to............
Hand5
Blinds now 300-600 so I have to get busy ahead of the final table. Folded round to me and I decide I'm going to shove anything so pop it in with Q5 off. Britney snap calls in the Big Blind with AQ and I am somewhat in trouble. However, like Mr Hartnett at a Hollywood casting session, somehow it goes in my favour and I am up to 8k for the final table. Britney is furious - giving me the silent eyeball treatment much reminiscent of my married years.
Onto the final table we go - I am still below average in chips, but at least we are now playing 9 handed, so the blinds take longer to come around. I get a couple of raises through but then raise Britney's big blind with 7h8h for 2200. Since I am still in the doghouse I get shoved on by Britney, and decide I have already made one bad call in this tournament so I pass.
This leads to me being short stacked and I shove into an unopened pot with Ks4s. I get called by Al who has a big stack in the big blind who has QJ. It's looking good with a King and a Jack on the flop, but unfortunately another Jack on the turn ends my hopes, and I exit in 6th spot.
No points for me, and I imagine that Sir Mike has now opened up a substantial lead at the top following a string of good results. Still, it's still early days and, as we saw, anything can happen at the freeroll at the end. I'm still well placed, probably in 2nd or 3rd place.
I made £80 during 2 hours at the cash table to generate a small profit for the night. It was a pretty action packed table - the highlight being McDee hitting a straight flush and getting paid by The Baron holding top 2. Mcdee had the vanilla straight when the money went in.
Next week is a very busy tournament schedule with games 4 days on the bounce, including the Gutshot Open Main Event and the reinvented Deep Stack City 100. I'm looking forward to getting back in the tournament swing after a quiet couple of weeks.
PROFIT/(LOSS) USD 2008
Live Holdem Tournaments 3,805
Live Holdem Cash (1485)
Live Omaha (290)
Live "Professional" Tournaments (6,316)
Home Games 320
Online Holdem Tournaments 55,678
Online Holdem Cash 17,026
Online Omaha 930
Sundry 930
Rake (4,347)
64,950
Home Game - Jet Lagged
Date: Mon, Aug 11, 2008 Professional
I currently feel totally spaced out, after the mammoth home game I hosted this weekend, which has completely messed up my body clock. The tournaments started at 12pm on Saturday lunchtime, and the cash game ended at 3pm on Sunday afternoon - a 27 hour session. Some way short of some of the records set by Gus Hansen, but draining nonetheless.
I won the Main Event, bubbled the Omaha and had a small win in the cash game. Debbie beat McDee in the final of the heads up (which cost Baron Bookmakers £320), Rhys and Mark S chopped the turbo, and Sir Mike beat out Jalfont and Mark S in the Omaha. Shazbo appeared to be the big winner in the cash game, finishing up about £500 for the night/morning.
I bided my time in the 15k stack Main Event. I was crippled down to 4k at the first break after a squeeze play gone wrong, trebled up with a monster hand where my set morphed into a house on the turn, and arrived at the final table pretty short stacked with 25k (I think McDee and Jalfont were playing about 80k stacks at this point). Honest Dave was absolutely hammered, and shoved for 30k with K4off UTG and managed to knock out Sir Mike and Mark S, before quickly committing poker suicide.
I slowly built my stack up to average, before knocking out Shazbo (AK v AQ) and McDee (A10 v 33) which left me heads up with Jalfont with about a 2-1 chip defecit. Our heads up went on for about 90 minutes and 6 levels, before I finally got the chips after the professor had slow played TT and I hit an Ace on the turn.
A great weekend of poker, but I am pretty exhausted now, so won't be playing for the next few days as I need a rest.
The next game will be Thursday at LC for the League, before a busy week of tournaments the following week:
Weds: City 100 Deepstack (£100)
Thurs: LC League (£50)
Fri: Gutshot Omaha (£150)
Sat: Gutshot Open Main Event (£500)
PROFIT/(LOSS) USD 2008
Live Holdem Tournaments 3,905
Live Holdem Cash (1,645)
Live Omaha (290)
Live "Professional" Tournaments (6,316)
Home Games 320
Online Holdem Tournaments 55,678
Online Holdem Cash 17,027
Online Omaha 930
Sundry 930
Rake (4,337)
64,900
Home Game Preview
Date: Fri, Aug 8, 2008 Professional
It's the next instalment of my home game on Saturday, and things are being run a little different from before. This time we have a festival of poker with four tournament events and 23 runners total, and even have full odds lists on two of the events. I'm going to preview the events below, and will see how I do on the prediction front.
Before that, I should report I also played at LC on Wednesday and didn't do well at all. I never got going in the tournament and ended up giving my £20 bounty away when AT couldn't beat out 45 (although I was admittedly short stacked).
I also continue to run bad on the cash game, and I've been outdrawn now in two big pots in the last seven days. I got a double up to £300 when getting into an Omaha set over set confrontation with The Volcano, but then lost about £150 bluffing to Tom who made a great call with 77 with two overcards on the board. I was playing pretty well but was down to playing my original £150 stack (after lending out £80) when this hand rears it's head. Deven and Dave limp (Holdem) and I decide to check AA in the big blind for super deception (although laden with risk).
Flop comes Q, 9, 2
Memory is a bit hazy as to the betting, but it all ends up in for a £300 pot. Dave has Q5 and hits another Queen on the river :( It looks like this will be my first losing quarter since this time last year unless I get a good result in the upcoming Gutshot Main Event. Perhaps I should stop playing in the late summer :)
Anyhow - Home Game events preview:
Event 1 - NLHE - £30 turbo - 3k stack with 15 minute levels.
I imagine this event will only have about 12 runners as several people will arrive late. The turbo structure will suit the looser more agressive players. I'll go for Uncle Paulie or Honest Dave to win this one.
Event 2 - £20 Omaha rebuy - 2k stacks/3k add-on - 20 minute levels
The number of potential winners and the field are probably narrower on this one. Hard to pick a winner - I guess I'll plump for the Baron, but wide open of the players who do play. I'm probably looking forward to this tournament the most.
Event 3 - £30 Heads Up - 3k stack per match
The draw for this has already been made. I have found myself vying for joint favouritism with Honest Dave in the Baron's odds book, but I doubt I'll get many takers in my current form. I've also got a tough opener against Jody (although his form has also tailed off). I've put a tenner on Wiggly for this one - as he tells me he has a strong heads-up game. Although my Uncle also told me it would be a hung parliament when Tony Blair swept into power in a landslide in 1997, which cost me £1000 on a spread bet (and since I was unemployed at the time wasn't the most helpful tip I have been given). I hope Wiggly isn't also talking out of his backside.
Event 4 - £80 Main Event - 15k starting stack
Ah-ha - the real tournament - deep stacked with lots of room for play. This should have the biggest field at 23 and will be a tough tournament. If any tournament can get me out of my shallow form it will be this one, because I have lots of time to play my way in, and am more used to deep stacks than some of the other players. The Baron will either win or spend his chips quicker than Paris Hilton. I've gone for an each way bet on Briony, because she is a pretty tight player and is in a good run of form.
Who knows what will happen in the cash game, although it is a certainty I will be outdrawn for £200 at some point in the evening ;) Looking forward to this very much (the festival, not the outdraw).
PROFIT/(LOSS) USD 2008
Live Holdem Tournaments 3,905
Live Holdem Cash (1645)
Live Omaha (290)
Live "Professional" Tournaments (6,316)
Home Games (460)
Online Holdem Tournaments 55,678
Online Holdem Cash 17,026
Online Omaha 930
Sundry 930
Rake (4,337)
64,120
Japanese Roadworks
Date: Tue, Aug 5, 2008 Professional
My Japanese friend used to often confess his amazement at how the UK road system was constantly riddled with roadworks in the rush hour, bringing the traffic to a standstill. Whilst in England night and weekend work is often deemed too expensive, our oriental brothers commence work at 8pm, and often have it finished by 6am the next morning.
Last night's £50 freezeout at the Gutshot became trappy quite quickly, and thus favoured Japanese workman tactics. Shovel the chips into the pot at every opportunity, pick up blinds as quickly as possible, and hopefully leave with the job done at the end of the night.
The tournament had plenty of play in the first 3 levels - 5k starting stack and 20 minute blind levels. I played 3 hands in the opening hour before changing into Japanese workman mode.
Hand1
I raise a couple of limpers to 500 with 88, and the BB shoves for 3k. I pass and he shows Aces.
Hand2
I limp on the button with A4 and take the pot down on the turn when no-one shows interest.
Hand3
I limp in with J9 and see a Jack high flop. However I have to let the hand go without betting, after heavy action before me - winner has a set.
As you can see - not much to get excited about in the first hour - no premium hands and my stack is down to 3.6k. Blinds are 200-400 next so it's time to get busy.
It's clear this is going to turn into a crapshoot so I go into uber agressive mode.
Hand4
I shove with 78 offsuit and the big blind scratches his chin and says "I put you on Jacks" and folds. I tell him he has made a good read, but I wonder how long it will take for me to totally trash my rock solid table image.
Hand5
3 hands later I shove an unopened pot with 5d7d and someone comments that I am getting a good run of cards. Up to 4.5k.
Hand6
There is a shove and a call in front of me, and I look down at my one premium hand of the night AhKh. I call and win against JJ and A5 and triple up to 13k. The Japanese roadworks are progressing well.
Hand7
I raise to 2k with A7 and get shoved on for 7k total. I pass. Down to 10k.
25 players remain from the 40 - blinds are 400-800 and my stack, which is about average, only has about 12 big blinds in it. I decide to change gears up to maniac agresssive.
Hand8
Button raises on my big blind to 2k and I shove for 12k total with Qh9h. He surprisingly snap calls with 88 (I guess this is evidence of my table image being now shot) and he wins. He only has 8k total though so I am left with 4k.
Hand9
I am UTG and shove with Q10 and get called in mid position by 77 - I win the race and bust him to move up to 7k.
Hand10
One orbit later I shove in mid position with 82offsuit and get called by short stacked AQ and big stack AK. AQ wins, but a 2 on the flop gives me the side pot. Not wanting a repeat of the Empire side pot debacle, I start fiddling with the pot,which earns me a rebuke from the tournament director. Side pot is calculated successfully and I am left on 6k.
15 players left - 6 get paid.
Hand11
Folded to me in mid position and I shovel the chips in with 9Tsuited. Big blind umms and arrs and eventually calls with KQ to bust me and I am out. 2 bounties won, which I tip to the dealers.
Much chip shovelling, and pretty good fun.
I also registered for the Gutshot Festival Main Event last night, which takes place at the end of August. With a 20k starting stack and 90 minute clock, I would like the think that the Japanese shovel will stay firmly in the work tent for that one.
PROFIT/(LOSS) USD 2008
Live Holdem Tournaments 3,945
Live Holdem Cash (1345)
Live Omaha (290)
Live "Professional" Tournaments (6,316)
Home Games (460)
Online Holdem Tournaments 55,678
Online Holdem Cash 17,026
Online Omaha 930
Sundry 934
Rake (4,337)
64,500
Simultaneous Poker Equations
Date: Fri, Aug 1, 2008 Professional
Hands from last night - solve for "X"
Tournament hand: KK v JJ = "X"
£600 cash pot: KhQh v 6c8c on a board of Jc8h10d9c = "X"
Solution: "X" = :(
Not a good few days. £190 down in cash for two sessions. No placing in the only tournament played this week. Next week should see 2 or 3 tournaments, so hopefully things will pick up.
PROFIT/(LOSS) USD 2008
Live Holdem Tournaments 4,025
Live Holdem Cash (1345)
Live Omaha (290)
Live "Professional" Tournaments (6,316)
Home Games (460)
Online Holdem Tournaments 55,678
Online Holdem Cash 17,026
Online Omaha 930
Sundry 934
Rake (4,327)
64,590
Getting Distracted
Date: Mon, Jul 28, 2008 Professional
Using my basic knowledge of military history, together with the historical documentaries that were the Indiana Jones films, it seems that key Nazi goals during the war were: (in no particular order)
Invasion of Poland
Genocide
Opening Ark of the Covenant
Occupation of France
Blitzkreig of the Netherlands
Recovery of Holy Grail
Now call me a conservative war stategist, but I imagine Hitler's WWII plans would have stood a greater chance of succeeding if he was not continually redeploying troops from outside Paris to a distant arabic desert to search for the cup of life. I also note from the films that these were not rank and file soldiers either, but in fact some of the top SS brass. No wonder the German war effort fell short.
Distraction can undermine everyone's best efforts, and so it proved on Saturday night, while I was playing a raft of online tournaments for the first time in several months.
At about 11pm I was playing the pokerstars $50 event, alongside two Full Tilt tournaments. Things had not been going well throughout the evening. I had not flopped a single set, which ruined my standard strategy of "flop set/bust overpair". I had got the money all in twice in previous tournaments with flopped open-ended straight flush draws, but missed all the outs when called by the top pair. My mid tournament resteals had been called in numerous spots by people raising with AT and AJ, and my 40% chances were not saving me.
It was fair to say I was in a pretty dark mood, so it was the perfect time to run into my favourite opponent - the young, niggly, online US/Canadian player.
I am playing 8k from a 3k starting stack in the Stars tournament, and am above average. I re-raise a raiser with AdKd on the button and get called by the big blind as well as the original raiser (standard).
Flop comes King high but all clubs.
I check, to avoid being flush bluffed. Turn is a blank
Checked to me so I lead for 2/3 of the pot. The big blind sticks around.
River is a blank so I call down his 1/2 pot bet on the river and am shown the flopped 8 high flush.
"Good call - thank you" he types in the chatbox.
Clearly, this lights the blue touchpaper and I waste about 5 minutes lauching a tirade against the perpetrator, and am playing scant attention to the other two games.
He is giving it the big one, about his tournament wins/cash prowess when the next hand occurs.
I value bet TPTK on the river against someone else, and get called by top two pair to move down to average stack.
"Lol - you should come and watch me play live and take notes donk" types the villain from the flush hand.
I am now INCANDESCENT with rage. I decide enough is enough.
I put myself in "Sit out" mode from all tournaments, and actually go to the effort of subsribing to two online rankings websites and pull up the stats on this player. It turns out this guy has a return on investment of negative 49% and has a list of tournament non-cashes as long as the River Nile.
I am just about to use my new found knowledge to give him a keyboard beating, when I get moved to a new table. INFURIATING. At this point I decide, I better re-focus on the tournaments in hand, only to discover I only have 4 big blinds on one of the FT tournaments while this virtual warfare has been going on. In the pokerstars tournament, I hover over my avatar to see that I have just auto-folded pocket Queens. Marvellous.
I didn't cash in a single tournament this Saturday - my worst online performance for a long time. A $700 loss registered for the night, and perhaps a lesson learned to switch off the chat box in future.
So, distraction was fatal for me in these tournaments as it was for the Nazis in the 1940s. Imagine if, back in WWII, the Allies had combined their war efforts with searching for the Lost City of Atlantis. Perhaps all of us European players would be listening to oom-pah bands on our iPods........... ;)
PROFIT/(LOSS) USD 2008
Live Holdem Tournaments 4,125
Live Holdem Cash (965)
Live Omaha (290)
Live "Professional" Tournaments (6,316)
Home Games (460)
Online Holdem Tournaments 55,678
Online Holdem Cash 17,026
Online Omaha 930
Sundry 934
Rake (4,317)
65,080
The Cost of Being too Active
Date: Fri, Jul 25, 2008 Professional
The £50 league game at Loose Cannon took place last night, and unfortunately my run of 5 straight cashes came to and end. After the break, I had made some minor progress, up to 5k in chips. With the increasing blinds, I became more and more active, and that ultimately led to my downfall.
Prior to the 3 hands below, I had knocked out Sonny's cousin (Osman 4) before immediately donking off 2k to Professor Jalfont in a blind on blind battle with Jack high. In the Jack hand, Jalfont had raised me with the Queen flush draw on the turn - correctly countering my agression and in fact "bluffing" with the best hand.
Hand1
I raise on the button to 800 with QQ (Blinds 150-300) - all pass.
Hand2
I raise to 800 from mid position with 4c5d. All pass.
Hand3
I raise UTG with AhJh to 800. folded round to Fluke, who has had enough of my constant raising and he shoves. Hmmm - after the Jalfont chip leakage I have about 25% of my stack in the middle already. We are only 5 handed, so easy to see Luke doing this with AT or Arag with my persistent raising. I call and he in fact holds 25 offsuit! The dealer deals down a straight for Fluke by the river and I am gone.
Nice to see tournament regulars Sir Mike and Shazbo take down 1st and 2nd respectively.
I also made an ahead of shedule return to the cash game last night. I was very pleased with my play and booked a £320 profit for the night. I was very solid, and only bluffed when it was appropriate, when it looked like people had missed draws, or scare cards arrived on the board.
On Saturday night I am making a long overdue return to the online arena. I am going to play a long tournament session, and we will see if I can emulate my sparkling form from earlier in the year.
PROFIT/(LOSS) USD 2008
Live Holdem Tournaments 4,125
Live Holdem Cash (965)
Live Omaha (290)
Live "Professional" Tournaments (6,316)
Home Games (460)
Online Holdem Tournaments 56,328
Online Holdem Cash 17,026
Online Omaha 930
Sundry 884
Rake (4,267)
65,780
8, 21, 31, 32, 46, 47 - Gutshot Omaha
Date: Wed, Jul 23, 2008 Professional
El Lotto. I've been playing it since 1994 now - one line a week. £1028 spent to date, and I think I have won £10 three times. It also seems that the lottery machine "Arthur" has it in for me. Twice he has spat out my numbers as the first three on the board before delivering three blanks to crush my money for nothing dream. Unfortunately, my numbers are now so burned into my memory banks that I can't possibly stop playing now, as it's inevitable what would happen. I believe it's known a tax on the stupid :(
Anyhow - the £50 Gutshot Omaha tournament was my port of call last night. As you know, I am a great fan of deep stacked cash omaha - a game of careful thought and maths. However, I've only ever played one live Omaha tournament, and a few online, so to say I am an Omaha tournament rookie is an understatement. However, it seemed to me that there is far less art to Omaha tournaments than there is in cash. All pots are multi way, and all you can do is pick a spot and hope the lottery machine pops out cards in your favour.
I only really played 3 hands before my early bust out - it was a 6k double chance.
Hand1
UTG raises to 150 and I call with 5c7c8d9d. 2 other callers and then the SB pots it. The BB then goes all in BLIND (he had lost half his stack in the previous hand and wanted to get back to holdem I think). UTG passes and I decide to gamble and call. The reason for this, is my hand plays well against the likely big cards the SB is holding, even if he does have Aces, and with the blind all in this is a good chance to triple up early on.
Every one else passes except the SB, and although I hit my straight and diamond flush by the river, the SB had AdQd so won the huge pot with a bigger flush. I still feel this was the right play, although more cautious players will disagree.
Hand2
I am down to 2700 after missing a few flops. I limp UTG with KsKc8s7c and there are a few other limpers. The BB makes it 400 to go which is what I was after so I pot it for 1600. I get 2 callers :(
Flop is a disasterous AhJh2d
The BB leads out for my last 1k in chips and I pass. I don't see the sense in putting in my last 1k, when I almost certainly drawing to a King and maybe even be up against a heart draw so will have one out! The other guy called and it was AKxx verses some other one pair hand.
Hand3
2 limpers and I shove my last 800 chips in with AhAdQh8H. I am repotted and then someone reshoves again and the first guy calls. They both have relatively poor hands:
AAQ8 v KJ84 v 9,6,5,3 (I think although only saw it quickly)
Good old lottery machine "Arthur" pops out a King and a 4 and I am done for the night.
Not sure I'll play this again - I really enjoy Omaha cash but this tournament felt too random for me with the limited stacks. I think I played all 3 hands correctly, and twice had the best of it going in. The first hand is open to debate, but I did think it was a good spot to get an undominated hand in for a big stack, and I'd do it again (I concede my play was more suitable to a rebuy tournament though).
Fluke battled away and took 7th so myself and the Baron get a £15 rebate for our percentages in each other.
The rest of the week sees me at Loose Cannon, for the League on Thursday, and I'm going to spend an evening online on Saturday night, as I've neglected that for far too long. I'm also going to play the Gutshot Open on 23th August - £500 gets you a 20k starting stack with a 90 minute clock - almost as good as WSOP Main Event.
Right - off to fill out tonight's lottery numbers.
PROFIT/(LOSS) USD 2008
Live Holdem Tournaments 4,225
Live Holdem Cash (1605)
Live Omaha (290)
Live "Professional" Tournaments (6,316)
Home Games (460)
Online Holdem Tournaments 56,328
Online Holdem Cash 17,026
Online Omaha 930
Sundry 884
Rake (4,257)
65,260
10,000th Visitor Promotion
Date: Mon, Jul 21, 2008 Professional
Looks like we are fast approaching 10,000 hits for the Magical Mystery Tour. At the moment I get about 350 visitors a week, so I imagine we'll cross the threshold in about 2/3 weeks.
As a promotion to Loose Cannon players, if we hit 10k visitors when the date is an odd number I'll put a £50 bounty on my head for the £50 UKPT League match on 7th August. If the 10k is hit when the date is an even number I'll put £20 bounty on my head for the Loose Cannon £10 rebuy on 6th August.
On top of that, if you knock me out and can show a printout showing that you were exactly the 10,000th visitor, I will pay DOUBLE bounty.
Disclaimer: For overseas readers, this promotion does NOT include flight and accommodation expenses ;)
PROFIT/(LOSS) USD 2008
Live Holdem Tournaments 4,225
Live Holdem Cash (1605)
Live Omaha (190)
Live "Professional" Tournaments (6,316)
Home Games (440)
Online Holdem Tournaments 56,328
Online Holdem Cash 17,026
Online Omaha 930
Sundry 854
Rake (4,247)
65,330
-->