Vegas Day 1 - Harrah's Tournie

Date: Sun, Jun 8, 2008 Professional

It's 7am here and I can't sleep due to jet lag. I may as well stay awake till the Caesar's tournie at midday now I think.

Last night we found a pretty well structured tournament at Harrah's to play. $150 got you 10k in chips and a 20 minute clock which is an excellent deal. They play this tournie nightly at 8pm, so whenever I bust early I'm going to play these I think, as some of the casinos have ludicrous structures for similar buy ins.

Surprisingly there were only 30 runners (although Sir Mike and Deven were not allowed to play after being told of a dealer shortage), so with $30 juice coming off the top from everyone it only paid 3 spots. The standard was pretty mediocre - people playing big pots with Ace rag, and calling down big pots with QQ on an Ace board occurred several times.

I was card dead for the first 2 hours so stayed between 7k and 13k by winning and losing small pots. The Professor slow played pocket Aces, and received his exit visas from someone who flopped a set, and soon we were down to 2 tables. This is where things became interesting.

One of the women at the table had an annoying tendancy to say "One time!" during every hand she was involved in. Blinds reached 1k/2k and I only had 14k in chips, so I was in all in or fold mode. I began to steal every time there was an unraised pot - at one point I had gone all in 3 hands in a row and picked up the 3k in the middle. When I did it on the 4th consecutive time with 3s7d on the button (we were playing 6 handed), the "one time" lady had a good think in the big blind. She folds AJ face up.

"I just think I was dominated"
"I had AQ"
"One Time! I knew it!"

After this hand I was giving serious consideration to pushing all-in every hand until the end of the tournament. By the time someone called with QQ+ I would probably have half the chips in play! Unfortunately, we were now down to final table, so I had to revert to 9 handed play again.

And so to the exit hand (I now have about 34k after several all in moves at the 2k/4k blind level).

Folded round to the small blind who limps (40k stack).

I check 8d7c in the big blind.

Flop 789 rainbow.

He bets 6k, and I shove for 22k more with my 2 pair. He instacalls with Q9.

Turn is a Queen and I am done for the night.

Opponent fist pumps furiously and shouts "Hoo-Yah! Woooooo!". Can't wait to see what the Volcano makes of the bad beat cheering :)

I feel a lot better than yesterday after getting a few hours sleep, although I am sure I will be knackered again early evening tonight.

Good luck to Shazbo in WSOP ladies event today :)


VEGAS MINI P&L (USD)
Big Ticket Events o
Crapshoots (150)
Cash Games 0
Total (150)
Jimbo happiness level +2

Read Full Poker Blog Post

Vegas Day 1 - Tilt before seeing a card

Date: Sat, Jun 7, 2008 Professional

For the last 15 minutes I have waging a war with the electronic curtains in the Venetian. They appear to operate via remote control but I have been unable to locate the device. I am getting the mechanism to work via rudimentary prodding at the moment, but when I want them to open they shut, and when I want them to shut they open. So far I have given a full frontal to the Strip, and have also been unpacking in the dark.

Prior to this it took us 25 minutes to locate the lifts to get up to the room. We are on floor 29, and I discovered sets of lifts that serviced 1-9 and also 10-28 before finally getting to the correct ones. I also had to lug around 2 big suitcases during this adventure, because I was too tight to tip the bellboy a few dollars.

Add to this, my suitcase was the very last one off the flight and the omens are not good. Or perhaps I am just incompetent ;)

Another development is that I decided to bleach my hair for the trip. It hasn't come out quite as natural as I hoped - my mop is now very bright and there is definitely a hint of orange in there. Consequently I now look like the love child of a 1982 Steve Davis, and Silas, the albino monk from The Da Vinci Code.

I am very tired, but we are going to pop over to the Rio in an hour or so to see what is going on. I'm going to register for the 5k NLHE which starts in three days, and Shazbo and Professor Geoff are also going to sign up for some events as well (Shazbo plays the Ladies Championship WSOP tournament tomorrow).

To get into Vegas time, I'm sure we'll also play in a hundred dollar crapshoot at Treasure Island or perhaps Harrahs, but they way today is going I can only foresee outdraws. While Shazbo plays the Ladies Event tomorrow, myself and the Professor are playing the $500 Caesars deep stacked tournament which has a 15k starting stack, although I imagine the antes will kick in fast.

I'll update after Caesars........

VEGAS MINI P&L
Big Ticket Events o
Crapshoots 0
Cash Games 0
Total 0

Jimbo happiness level - Negative 5

Read Full Poker Blog Post

Donkey Socialism

Date: Thu, Jun 5, 2008 Professional

Tax the rich, and give it the poor. It's never really been my motto, but since I was team captain at the Loose Cannon team event last night, I used this as an excuse to reallocate chips between my squad members with the fervour of Denis Healy on a 1970s budget day. The "lucky" subjects in my kingdom were Shazbo, Volcano and the Big R.

The rules were as follows: All members would be on a separate table, and those tables would play until there were 5 players remaining. At a break, if any of your players had been resourceful enough to gather any excess chips, a captain could redistribute funds to the underachieving members of the team. It was a £40 buy in, £20 going to the team fund and £20 to the individual fund. All clear? Off we go........

Hands 1-3
I lose a succession of hands to the wise old owl Houghton with top pair but being outkicked. A valuable lesson in not playing such garbage as K9, K5 and J7 ahead of WSOP. Hmm - maybe I shouldn't have read the Gus Hansen book Fluke lent me - down to 3k.

Hand4
1 limper UTG and I flat call in mid position with AQ, blinds are 100-200. The blinds come along for the ride.

Flop Q, 2, 3 rainbow

I bet 600, and the UTG raiser pushes for 1300 total and I have to call and get shown a set of 3s to be drawing extremely thin.

What's this though? It's break time, and with a combination of resourcefulness and hard work the Volcano has worked his way up to 13k in chips in the first hour. Since I am only on a thousand, I move straight into Denis Healy mode, and go over to correct this social injustice. In the blink of a tax inspector's eye, both myself and the Big R are back up to our original starting stacks. Shazbo has climbed to 6.5k, but I deem this to be just below the tax band.

A number of hands pass through uneventfully, and I am back down to 2.8k when this happens:

Hand5
There is an early limper and I go to limp with J7. However, since I am a layabout and general unproductive member of my mini poker economy, I am not concentrating properly and throw in three 500 chips in error, hence accidentally raising to 1500 with my dreadful hand. The limper goes to re-raise but he screws it up as well and it goes as a call. High class poker.....

Flop 8, King, Ace

I have no option but to push for my last 1300 and try and carry off my pre-flop agression. Hallelujah - the early limper has a set of 8s and I get ready to leave the table as I only have 300 chips left.

However, very next hand, two big stacks go head to head and we are down to 5 players and action on our table stops. I cast my beady eye over to Volcano's stack, and notice he has played well once again and is back up to 13k. I lick my lips and the prospect of my imminent new found wealth. The Volcano looks resigned as I approach his table and reward his endevours with another thumping tax.

Shazbo is out to a very bad call - she moved in with KK and was called with AJ. When the Ace hits, the villain fist pumps and shouts "Yes - Good Call". I guess we could all make "good calls" if we knew what was coming on the flop mate.

My all seeing eye also notices that the Big R has also built himself up to about 9k, so I go and take a few thousand off him as well to balance the social scales. All is well in the layabout leader's world, as I have 5k to take into the next session, whilst my subjects for some reason seem slightly demotivated.

Blinds are now 300-600

Hand6
Folded to me in late position and I push with 9s4s to pick up the blinds. BB calls with AK but I hit a 9 on the river to cripple him..............oh yeah I'm playing well tonight. ;)

Hand7
I sit out a couple of orbits, and miss a few flops and the blinds are now 400-800 and I have about 8k. I raise UTG+1 with Kd10h to 2.5k (we are playing 6 handed). Jody pushes all in for 18k. I know I am losing, but the blinds are so big and there are still about 30 players left. I decide I have to gamble or I am a sitting duck, and Jody caps my great night by flipping AK which dominates me. It holds up.

So it came to pass...............with a starting stack of 4k I exited the tournament having burned through 13k. For the Volcano it was the evening of discontent........


PROFIT/(LOSS) USD 2008
Live Holdem Tournaments 2,940
Live Holdem Cash (1,681)
Live Omaha 110
Live "Professional" Tournaments (11,476)
Home Games 540
Online Holdem Tournaments 56,628
Online Holdem Cash 17,026
Online Omaha 330
Sundry 854
Rake (2,167)
61,939

Read Full Poker Blog Post

Returning to form at just the right time

Date: Sun, Jun 1, 2008 Professional

I was really nervous about my form going into Vegas - I wasn't worried about my play, just the fact that I couldn't seem to hit a flop, and opponents would always hit the draw against me when I was ahead. Thankfully the last 2 weeks seem to have turned this around, and not a moment too soon, ahead of the biggest trip of the year.

Thursday was Fluke's home game, and I played pretty solidly, before a heads up session at the end against the Baron (Tom), where I got a huge slice of luck and took pretty much all the money left on the table. In the earlier games, Uncle Paulie was very unlucky to get quartered in Omaha8 when my straight turned into a straight flush on the turn to give me the high. We also played a round with a Joker, and I recieved it twice, winning big pots and eliminating the Professor.

We then came to heads up at the end of the evening - some players had left with modest profits, but mine and the Baron's stack were by far the largest. There was a bit of history to the killer hand, as Tom had previously bluffed me off the best hand with 72o in a big pot. I was dealt 4c5d and raised it up to £6. Tom re-raised to £18 with J10 I think, and I called.

Flop was 5, 6, J. I led out for £30, Tom repopped to £100 and I shoved with bottom pair for about £300 more. As soon as I saw the Baron's expression, I knew he must have the Jack, but after vexing he made the call with his top pair. Turn was a 4 to give me two pair and win me the final pot of about £700, leaving me a profit of about £550 for the night. The baron took it well, and I think still made a profit for the evening as well, even after that cruel turn.

Last night I followed this up with a rather good online session. I played three Full Tilt tournaments without success, but made 2 final tables on other sites. In the cryptologic 20k guaranteed I took down 4th place for $1,500, and on the PokerStars 25k guaranteed I placed 7th or 8th for about $1,000. Making two final tables in such big runner fields is pretty solid stuff, and a great morale boost.

That elusive form appears to have returned.............let's hope it sticks around for another 2 weeks eh?


PROFIT/(LOSS) USD 2008
Live Holdem Tournaments 3,020
Live Holdem Cash (1,711)
Live Omaha 110
Live "Professional" Tournaments (11,476)
Home Games 540
Online Holdem Tournaments 56,628
Online Holdem Cash 17,026
Online Omaha 330
Sundry 854
Rake (2,167)
61,939

Read Full Poker Blog Post

Final Vegas Schedule

Date: Wed, May 28, 2008 Professional

I've tinkered with my WSOP schedule endlessly over the last few weeks, but I think I've now hit on the final line up. I've decided I'm not going to play the 5k event unless early results are good, because my live results haven't been great for the last 2 months and I want to play my way in, rather than hitting a big tournament early. I'll also play the 10k heads up if I get an early cash, but my initial budget is a little over 12k USD I think. Here is the line up - I'll try and blog each morning to let you know how it's going.

8 June - $540 Caesars deep stack
9 June - $500 Binnions deep stack (can't wait to play at old skool Binnions)
10 June - $1,500 WSOP Omaha (can't resist against my better judgement)
11 June - $330 Venetian deep stack
12 June - $2,000 WSOP NLHE
13 June - $2,500 Venetian deep stack
14 June - $250 Binnions short handed
15 June - $3,000 WSOP NLHE
16 June - eat at Denny's in poverty
17 June - Fly home

I've also got $1k for crapshoots with the lads, and $1k for cash games.

Tomorrow, I've opted for a Dealer's choice home game at Fluke's rather than bother with Gutshot. Next week sees a team event at Loose Cannon on Wednesday, followed by the league on Thursday before I fly out..................the poker frenzy is about to kick off...........stay tuned.

Read Full Poker Blog Post

My Nightmare WSOP 6-Pack

Date: Fri, May 23, 2008 Professional

Disclaimer: All comments in this article are of the blog writer's sole opinion and it is left to the reader to form their own views on whether they are justified. ;)

I've played and watched a lot of poker over the last couple of years, and in my view I don't think it's controversial to state that there are a fair number of idiots in the game. I'm not talking of people who make poor calls, and suck out on you for all your chips. I'm referring to the self-important, the attention seekers, the ungracious and the critical - generally the sort of people who stop new players coming into the game.

Whilst there are certainly enough good eggs in the game who quietly go about their business, it will always be the actions of the few that grab the attention. Since WSOP is just around the corner, and I'll get the chance to rub shoulders with the world poker pool in the near future, I thought I'd compose my nightmare table of 6 that I could be allocated:

Seat 1) Andreas Krause

With nearly a decade of impressive tournament results behind him, this guy is the real deal as far as poker skill is concerned. Unfortunately, from a behavioural aspect when rivering someone at WSOP 2007 he opted for a slightly over the top reaction (our German friend's hand starts at 5:40 on this clip):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSCswxMcYDo

I was quite happily dozing on the couch watching the poker, when this nearly gave me a heart attack. Totally unnecessary, and enough to earn a berth on my nightmare table. My only other interaction with Krause was at the Irish Open - the German player was striding around the CityWest Hotel, wearing the tightest pair of red tracksuit bottoms I have every seen, prominent camel tail on display.

You have to feel sorry for the Germans sometimes. They were just thanking their stars that Michael Schumacher had retired, when this fellow pops up into the limelight.

Seat 2) Rain Khan

BULLDOZER! What more can I add to what has been said already? The guy acts like an 8 year old in the playground, rubbing any success he has in other players' faces. One of those loud people that think they are funny, when in fact they are just tedious. If I end up on the same table as this guy at WSOP I hope to able to keep my temper in check for at least the first orbit.

Any number of examples available on youtube - I have opted for a montage, for maximum irritant factor:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kh49fHFMUTg

Seat 3) Beth Shak + Husband

Hugely annoying wife/husband combination. Classic hand from WSOP 2007 - early position raises, Shak pushes and is insta-called by Hellmuth. The early raiser has pocket Kings and while he is pondering this tricky decision for his tournament life, Shak basically puts her cards on her forehead by performing some kind of erotic dance, purring "I got it". Meanwhile, Hubby in the crowd is saying, right in the initial raiser's vision, "I think she has it" whilst making two large tippee signs with his hand. Despite the wealth of information at his disposal the initial raiser panics, calls and faces 2 lots of pocket rockets as Hellmuth also has the nuts. Shak's display is not over however, as when she has to expose her cards she puts them on top of her head before virtually rubbing them on herself, then noticing that Hellmuth has the same hand and she is pretty unlikely to scoop.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_idnY8czeQ

The second incident with this combo, occurred when Shak was bust out of WSOPE by Annette Obrestad. The husband, in the background as usual, amusingly finds it necessary to come forward and say in a very loud voice "she sucks". Classy people.

Seat 4) Josh Arieh

Multiple irritant offender during WSOP 2004. Arrogant, loud and performs no self evaluation whatsoever. He called David Williams "a joke" after he attempted a re-steal with pocket 5s at the final table against Arieh's Big Slick and they hold up, before swapping sides on elimination and telling Williams to bust out "clueless" Raymer.

The worst offence occurs during a hand with Harry Demetriou with 19 players remaining. Arieh has been aggressive all tournament, and fires out on a flop where he has multiple draws. Demetriou, correctly pushes back at him and goes allin with top pair. Arieh instacalls (with the worst hand), before berating Demitriou's play. Arieh's hand hits the draws to keep him in the tournament and he then embarks on the worst piece of sportsmanship you are likely to see. (link below - you'll need to copy and paste this one - it's the first hand).

http://www.pokertube.com/Movies.aspx?movie=1101&title=WSOP_-_2004_Main_Event_Ep8_5_5&player=1&page=1&FreeText=wsop%20-%202004%20main&list=9

Seat 5) Jimbo

Upstanding member of the poker community - all round good egg ;)

Seat 6) ROLAQ

No annoying table would be complete without the obligatory ROLAQ - Random Online Loud American Qualifer. These fellows pop up at each and every WSOP, EPT and WPT in an approximate ratio of one per table. I have played with many a fine and gentlemanly American player (take Sir Mike for instance), but unfortunately the Americans will never be painted in a great light because they provide such a large percentage of most poker fields, and statistically cannot help but provide the majority of the idiots.

The "ROLAQ" will generally have qualified for $200 or less by bumbling through any number of satellites to get here. He will be keen on getting as much TV time as possible by commenting on most hands, shouting loudly and cheering bad beats. If he doesn't happen to be on the TV table - no problem. Plan B involves ROLAQ standing on his chair every time he is allin, and bellowing to see whichever card will extricate himself from whatever dominated position he has got himself into.

Hundreds of examples available online, but I've gone for Mr Vance at EPT Copenhagen. I should add that the Danes eventually could take no more, and Vance was crowned champion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VCr0G_tGpU

So there's the table I really hope not to encounter at WSOP. I guess we better do the nightmare hand as well:

We are all playing 20k in chips. Khan is babbling away to no-one in particular pre-flop, as he has been doing for the last 4 hours. Krause limps with K2, Khan folds and Shak raises to 1k with AA. Arieh decides to take control of the hand by raising to 4k with 6d8d. I re-raise to 12k also holding AA. ROLAQ debates out loud for 5 minutes for the TV cameras, saying he is holding a monster and what a decision this is with 3 raises in front of him. He eventually makes a "big fold" and bins KJ. Krause calls, Shak calls, Arieh calls.

Flop 4, 5, K giving Arieh one of his dodgy inside straight draws. ROLAQ howls with anguish, loudly proclaiming "he would have had it". Shak is now dancing on the spot mouthing the words "I got it" to hubby in the crowd, so I suspect I can only split this. I push, Krause calls with top pair as does Shak with the other rockets. Arieh calls with his draw and once the cards are on the back, berates me loudly for my play, saying "you wanna gamble?..........we can gamble......".

Turn is a 3 and the river is a 6 giving Krause an unlikely straight and he releases a huge Bavarian bellow of triumph and gets to play 3 handed with ROLAQ and Khan. Khan now guaranteed 200k - "BULLDOZER!" ;)

Read Full Poker Blog Post

3 Card Irish

Date: Thu, May 22, 2008 Professional

Welcome to 3 card Irish, debuted at Loose Cannon last night. I've played this game before in a cash game, but never before in a tournament. The format was £20 buy in with optional rebuy/add-on. I ended up placing 3rd for a mighty £20 profit, but at least I am continuing my revival from earlier in the week, as well as hitting some flops pretty nicely.

For those who haven't played 3CI before, you are dealt 3 cards pre-flop and then there is a round of betting. The flop comes down, then followed by another round of betting. At this point all players must discard one card, and then the hand plays out like holdem (i.e. you don't need to use both cards like Omaha).

For me, it's a game of straights. The flushes play pretty similar to holdem, in that your don't get double flush draws like you do in Omaha. It's nice to have a flush backup in your hand, but that is not the key to the game. You have to be careful in this game, as you will hit a good flop (i.e. 2 pair/trips/FH/quads) about 8% of the time compared to holdem's 3.5%. If you bare in mind this is before the discard, and the fact that this does not factor in straight/flush draws you can see it is an action game. Arguably, you get more action than Omaha, due to the fact that you only have to use one of your hole cards, so have a back door route to 4 board flushes and of course it's easier to have a full house.

My strategy for playing this game is to play tight, as you will get action no matter how dormant you have been. Best starting hands are (just my opinion so don't take as gospel):

AAsKs - the nuts with flush and straight draw back up

KKsAs - huge pair with flush and straight draw back up

QsJs10 - gives multiple straight options which will always be the nut straight


QsJs9 - as above, but many not so chances to hit as you must hit the 10.

Certainly an enjoyable game, although I'm still working out what the optimal strategy is. The cash game was a rare success as well - about £250 up for the night. It looks like my recent poor form may be turning around just in time for Vegas......

PROFIT/(LOSS) USD 2008
Live Holdem Tournaments 3,020
Live Holdem Cash (1,711)
Live Omaha 110
Live "Professional" Tournaments (11,476)
Home Games (760)
Online Holdem Tournaments 55,293
Online Holdem Cash 17,026
Online Omaha 330
Sundry 854
Rake (2,067)
59,404

Read Full Poker Blog Post

Setting up the play

Date: Mon, May 19, 2008 Professional

So when I left you I had just won 3k on FT. After that I played a beauty on Stars in the midnight $100. The BB next to me was getting really hacked off, because I kept pushing most rounds against him in an un-raised pot, and was winning the not inconsiderable blinds. He was 2nd chip leader, I was leader and it was close to the bubble and he couldn't call without a great hand. Eventually I get AA in the small blind, and push on him for 50 times the blind - a huge overbet. He snaps and calls with AsQs.

Flop: Spade, Spade, Spade........ :(

I'd been setting that play up for about an hour, and then it blew up in my face. I would have been monster chip leader instead I was crippled and out next hand with J10.

Footnote - Full Tilt tournament in previous post I in fact came 7th and not 6th so was 1.1k worse off when I came to withdraw :( Spreadsheet duly amended.


PROFIT/(LOSS) USD 2008
Live Holdem Tournaments 3,020
Live Holdem Cash (2,211)
Live Omaha 110
Live "Professional" Tournaments (12,691)
Home Games (760)
Online Holdem Tournaments 55,832
Online Holdem Cash 17,026
Online Omaha 330
Sundry 814
Rake (2,005)
59,458

Read Full Poker Blog Post

What is it about flush draws online?

Date: Mon, May 19, 2008 Professional

Well - good news and bad news.......

Good news I placed 6th in the FT 40k guaranteed for 3.1k.

Bad news is no internet player is capable of laying down a flush draw. I mean, come on - I've lost count of the times I've had 2 pair or a set on the flop, and some monkey feels that because they have A4 hearts, and there are 2 hearts out there, optimal play is to push. I'm really getting sick of it and the donkeys seems to hit way more than the 40% they should. I lose motivation to play when this keeps happening.

Anyway - killer hand:

Final table, 6 left. I raise on the SB with Qh9c to 16k (I am playing 180k). Big blind calls (playing 300k).

Flop Qs 7s 2d

I check, BB bets 16k. I re-raise to 92k. No odds for any draw - lets move on.

He calls. Turn is a spade. I push. He has nut flush of course with As4s and I'm drawing dead. Lost big chance for 16k first prize tonight as was 3rd before that.

PROFIT/(LOSS) USD 2008
Live Holdem Tournaments 3,020
Live Holdem Cash (2,211)
Live Omaha 110
Live "Professional" Tournaments (12,691)
Home Games (760)
Online Holdem Tournaments 57,032
Online Holdem Cash 17,026
Online Omaha 330
Sundry 814
Rake (2,005)
60,658

Read Full Poker Blog Post

FTOPS Omaha

Date: Sat, May 17, 2008 Professional

Just busted out of the FTOPs Omaha tournament in about 400th. A couple of interesting hands for the Omaha specialists out there to digest:

I have had one rebuy and the add-on and am happily going along with a 14k stack at the break when this hand occurs soon afterwards:

Disaster Hand 1
I hold AcKcKd9d and raise it up to 500 after a couple of limpers. I get a few callers - pot is 2500.

Flop: KhQhJc

I bet out 2500 but am reraised all in by someone with 6.5k behind.

His betting suggest AT for the made straight (which he had), but I called and didn't fill up on the turn or river.

Questions: Does anyone fold here, given that we have the house redraw as well as the fact that a ten will give us a split straight with our AK? If you knew he had nut heart draw as well does it change your answer?

Anyhow, I'm down to 4k, but quickly work my way back up to 16k when the next big hand occurs:

Disaster Hand 2
We hold JcJh9d7d and limp UTG
There are 5 people in the pot, including Ross Boatman in the big blind.

Flop Js, 10d, 8c

We have top set and the made lower straight. The betting between myself and Boatman goes pot, pot, allin, allin and he turns over the expected Q9 for a bigger straight and it holds up.

Questions: Is limping UTG with this hand optimal? Once the betting takes off can anyone put this down, given that we have the top full house redraw if we are wrong? The problem is, since he's a competent player there is really only one hand he can have, given that there are no flush draws out and it was for his tournament life.

I'm not sure you can get away from these hands easily, but happy to be corrected in the comments box. It was a real shame, as I was pretty happy with my play and I was comfortably in the top 100 with 400 remaining when the Jacks debacle occurred.

Next week I have 2 live tournaments, an Irish tournament and the normal league night at the Loose Cannon. Will update Thursday and Friday.


PROFIT/(LOSS) USD 2008
Live Holdem Tournaments 3,020
Live Holdem Cash (2,211)
Live Omaha 110
Live "Professional" Tournaments (12,691)
Home Games (760)
Online Holdem Tournaments 53,932
Online Holdem Cash 17,026
Online Omaha 330
Sundry 814
Rake (2,005)
57,558

Read Full Poker Blog Post

Frustrating Day - Newcastle UKPT Main Event

Date: Fri, May 16, 2008 Professional

Yesterday was an extremely frustrating tournament in Newcastle, involving a tough table and tough laydowns. My table included two former UKPT winners (Jerome Bradpiece and Jeff Kimber) and last year's UKPT Grand Final winner (Michael Ellis). Add to that two on-form locals, who had gone deep in the £200 side event the previous night, and it was clear there were not going to be many easy chips to be had. Key hands detailed below:

Hand1

This is a very early hand.
Button raises to 200 and I call in the BB with 5c5s
Flop 5d Jh 10d
I check, button bets 400 which I call
Turn As
I check, button bets 600 and I check raise to 2000 as the board has tons of draws now.
Button calls, so I put him on a draw and the river is the worst card in the deck:
King of diamonds - all the straights and flush draws just got there.
Opponent bets 2000 and my set is useless so I pass. He shows King Queen so he already had the straight, and in fact in river saved me a lot of chips. Still lost 2600 very early on though.

Hand2

I call a raise to 200 with AQ, 3 of us in the pot.
Flop K, 8, 2
Checked around
Turn Q - I bet 600 and win

I build stack back up to about 9k with small pot wins and then this hand happens:



Hand3

UTG raises to 300. Two other callers and I call with KsQs
Flop 10sAd4h
Checked to UTG who bets 800. Everyone calls including me.
Turn As, giving me gutshot straight draw and royal flush draw.
UTG bets 2000. All fold to me. I consider using my draw to push over the top, as the pot is pretty large. The paired board troubles me though, as if he has a house I am drawing just to the Jack of spades. I pass after a lot of thought and he shows tens full. Phew!

However, down to 6.5k at the break

Hand3

I raise in early position to 500 with AQ and get 3 callers
Flop K, Q, 8
All check
Turn Q
I lead for 1000 and all pass

Hand4

Multi limps into my big blind and I check with 55
Flop: Ace, 5, Jack
I lead with my set for 500 but everyone passes. Unlucky none of the limpers caught a piece of that. Feeling more confident though.

Hand5

I limp 2nd to act with KK
2 callers and then Kimber puts it up to 600. One of the blinds calls and I re-raise to 2500 and everyone passes.
Stack reaches high point of about 11k.

Hand6

Bradpiece raises to 600 and I flat call with TdTh in the SB.
Flop 6s, 3s, 9c
I lead out for 1500 and Bradpiece calls
Turn 8s
I don't want Bradpiece to use the spades to check raise me, so I check as does he.
River is 4s.
Great.
I check (maybe a mistake) and opponent takes initiative and leads for 2k, and I pass. Not sure about this hand - seems pretty logical he has 2 high cards in his hand, and one is a spade, but equally he might just be using the board against me after I checked and have something like AdKd
Back down to 7.5k (I'd missed a few flops between hands 5 and 6)

Hand7

I raise UTG with QQ to 500 and get five callers.
Flop 9, 5, 2 with two clubs
I bet 2000 into the 2700 pot
Bradpiece min raises to 4000 and the next guy goes all in for 7000
Visions of Dublin fly back - must be a set right?
I pass
Wrong - Bradpiece has AK (?) and the other guy has A9 of clubs
Sigh - at least there is an Ace on the turn so I'd have been bust if I had called.
Down to 5k and feeling tilty.

Hand8

I limp UTG with AK
It's raised to 600 and there is one caller. Back to me, and I think about pushing, but my stack size is too big for it, but equally too small for a re-raise as I'll be committed.
I call
Flop Qd, 6s, 5c
Initial raiser bets 1200 and other guy passes back to me.
This could easily be a continuation bet, so I decide to commit fully to this pot. I want to look as strong as possible so I opt to flat call and push if there is a drawing card on the turn.
Turn is 6d so I decide to instapush, as I want him to think I am protecting against the flush.
He has a think for a little while and then calls with KQ (it's 3k for him to call)
I am drawing to an Ace - I miss and I'm gone.

This tournament never got going for me. Key pots went away, and I never really got on a roll. Hole cards were pretty poor for a 4 hour stretch - Kings once, Queens once, Tens once, AK once and AQ twice. I dunno, maybe that's about average.

Back to London for a few weeks now and then off to Nevada.



PROFIT/(LOSS) USD 2008
Live Holdem Tournaments 3,020
Live Holdem Cash (2,211)
Live Omaha 110
Live "Professional" Tournaments (12,691)
Home Games (760)
Online Holdem Tournaments 53,932
Online Holdem Cash 17,026
Online Omaha 630
Sundry 814
Rake (1,987)
57,873

Read Full Poker Blog Post

Newcastle Preview

Date: Tue, May 13, 2008 Professional

Some towns produce an inspiring list of famous people, bands and institutions over the years........take Seattle for example: Jimi Hendrix, Bill Gates, Nirvana, Microsoft and The Seattle Coffee Company (since rebranded as Starbucks).

Some places don't do quite so well. To date Newcastle's highlights have been Jimmy Nail, Cheryl Tweedy and the synthetic entertainment duo of Ant and Dec. The Geordie production line reached an all time low in 1990, when the cover of "Fog on the Tyne" sung by Paul Gascoigne hit the charts.

My own home town of Watford does not fair particularly well either - Ginger Spice, Tim Lovejoy and Nick Leeson, to name but three. Lovejoy, of Soccer A.M. fame, currently resides at number two in my celebrity irritant list, just pipping veteren sportscaster Jim Rosenthael, but behind Chris Moyles.

Rosenthael has been irritating me for nigh on two decades now, as the front man for ITV's chaotic sports coverage. The nadir was reached in San Marino during 2005. A fantastic F1 race was reaching it's climax - Schumacher was all over Alonso's tailpipe for ten laps and the tension was electric - one mistake would settle it. The boys at ITV, at this point, realise that they are one advert break short of their contracted amount, and decide to take us for a break ............during the 2nd last lap. Four minutes later, we cut back to Alonso punching the air in triumph after holding off the German superstar.

Great. The commentator nervously hands back to the studio where we see a nervous looking Mark Blundell staring at the floor. At this point the screen fills with the beaming tanned face of Rosenthael, who instead of apologising profusely and explaining about contractual obligations, opts intead to treat the watching public like lobotomised monkeys.

"Well, wasn't that exciting! Let's enjoy a re-run of those final 3 laps again".

Again? Again? I bet you saw it in your studio in Imola, but I was watching an advert for Capital One credit cards while Alonso was crossing the line.

Anyway, where was I..................ah yes - Newcastle. I'm travelling up there tonight, and will play in the £200 event on Wednesday night. Thursday should be the UKPT Main Event, which has a nice structure I'm told along similar lines to the Irish Open. If I bust early from that there is a £100 on Thursday evening which I may play, but after that I'll spend the rest of the weekend relaxing.

I played 4 online tournies last night - I went pretty deep in 3 of them, but didn't cash unfortunately. I built up decent stacks in those tournaments, but lost the key races as has been the way recently. Perhaps the problem is partly that, when I take on the races, it is for my tournament life, when I should be looking to generate bigger stacks in the mid/late stages of tournaments so my neck isn't on the line so much. The issue is, restealing is so prevalent at that stage during MTTs, that if you are going to raise for 20% of your stack, it really needs to be a hand you are comfortable calling an all in with. In the tournaments I played last night, people pushed over a raise two or three times an orbit. In many ways, you are better off being the "re-stealer" because if the initial raiser has AJ or mid pocket pair it's pretty difficult for him to call no matter what you have. Online tournies certainly play a lot different to live tournaments, particularly in the mid-late levels when you are down to three tables.


PROFIT/(LOSS) USD 2008
Live Holdem Tournaments 3,020
Live Holdem Cash (2,211)
Live Omaha 110
Live "Professional" Tournaments (10,291)
Home Games (760)
Online Holdem Tournaments 53,632
Online Holdem Cash 17,026
Online Omaha 630
Sundry 814
Rake (1,867)
60,103

Read Full Poker Blog Post

Getting Information Too Late

Date: Fri, May 9, 2008 Professional

Sometimes you find out about the extent of a situation just a little bit too late. This happened to me last night in a very interesting hand during the League tournament at Loose Cannon. I was up to 5k in chips (from 3.5), after having the fortune of being dealt Aces (no action) and Kings (plenty of action) back to back.

At this point Hugh sits down, having arrived late after work drinks. Hugh professed to being drunk, although there wasn't (at this stage) too much evidence that it was going to affect his play. Hugh wins a pot to get up to 4k and then this interesting hand occurs:

I get KcQh UTG. I hate this hand really, as it's a trap hand, so I just limp for 100 to see how cheap the flop is going to be for me. Hugh raises to 300 and Shazbo calls in the small blind. I call to make the pot 1000 and we go to the flop:

Flop Kh, 10h, 8h

Great flop for me, as I have top pair, decent kicker and the Queen heart draw.

Shazbo and I check and Hugh bets 500. Shazbo calls, and I think about shoving here, but my stack is a little bit big to do it. If I raise and either one shoves on me, it's likely they have at least the Ace of hearts, perhaps a made flush or AK, in which case I have to probably call knowing I'm behind.

I decide to call, and see what develops on the turn (I am praying for the Ace of hearts to give me the nuts, or perhaps the Jack of hearts, to give me made flush and royal redraw if either player has the Ace. Pot is 2500.

Turn is a black 4.

Shazbo checks, as do I because I'm trying to figure out what Hugh is up to, and Hugh responds by betting 2k. Shazbo dwells and passes. I hate this spot. I have zero fold equity as Hugh only has 1k behind, and if we get it all in and I lose I will be crippled and down to about 1.5k.

This hand is one I have given a lot of thought to, both at the time and since. Hugh is normally a very solid tight player, who plays premium starting hands agressive. A classic TAG I guess. The hands I like to play against him are odd hands like 46, 57 etc, because I want to be in a spot where I know I am ahead of a big starting hand and can hopefully get his whole stack if he overplays AA for example. The worst hand to play against Hugh is a trap hand like KQ, KJ or JQ because you will generally be getting yourself in a spot where you have hit, but there is a decent chance you are behind, as was the case here.

Hugh's likely hands:
AK, no hearts - I think Hugh would be more cautious here with the hearts out and 2 calls, but possible as he knows myself or Shazbo may have the bare Ace of hearts, and that's the reason we are hanging around.
AK, with Ace hearts - I think this is most likely - Hugh is afraid of the hearts but has the nut draw to back him up, if he has been unfortunate enough to run up against a made flush. Betting makes sense as Hugh can be agressive with his redraw and TPTK.
AA - possible - makes sense with betting, particularly if one is Ace hearts.
AJ hearts - Hugh has played this hand too agressively to have this, he would try and trap I think
QQ/JJ - unlikely - board is too scary for Hugh to be betting like this.
KK/TT - makes sense - afraid of the flush draw but with a made set may have taken the stance to play agressive to stop someone with a lone heart drawing out, but also with the redraw to a house if someone has a made flush.

From the above, I figure I'm in pretty bad shape despite my apparently strong hand. I put Hugh on AhKx, in which case I am drawing to 2 outs. I pass and Hugh shows...............QQ. Wow - I am really surprised and have clearly made a bad pass, but it was made with my read on Hugh as a tight solid player, who wouldn't put his chips on the line like this without really strong hand.

I then get the extra information I mentioned at the start. Hugh has to move tables - as he goes over there he stumbles into the side table, and catapults two of his new tablemates dinners onto the floor behind the dealer. He is slightly more drunk than I realised! The uber agressive play with the Queens on a flushing board is making sense now! Oh well - would have been good to have that information before the pot. Never mind. The fold was correct the normally sober Hugh, just not in this situation.

That hand was the most interesting thing that occurred during the tournament. My stack mostly stayed average, but with 6 players from 22 remaining I became short stacked and had to shove A9 and was called by Maltese Mike with a big stack holding AJ and I was done for the night.

I did have a small win on the cash game (£22) playing a bizarre combination of IronCross, 5 Card Omaha River Blood and 3-2-1 Omaha. I also won 2 last longest bets for £5 so it was almost a flat night. Not sure where these go, so I have added a "sundry" category to my P&L which includes these items, together with any sponsorship received so far this year.

Next stop..............GeordieLand. Next week I'll blog the £200 warm up event followed by the Main Event.


PROFIT/(LOSS) USD 2008
Live Holdem Tournaments 3,020
Live Holdem Cash (2,211)
Live Omaha 110
Live "Professional" Tournaments (10,291)
Home Games (760)
Online Holdem Tournaments 53,932
Online Holdem Cash 17,026
Online Omaha 630
Sundry 814
Rake (1,827)
60,433

Read Full Poker Blog Post

The Lab Rats Died Again

Date: Thu, May 8, 2008 Professional

"Day one thousand and one. Blood tests confirm that I remain immune to both airbourne and contact strains. Vaccine trails continue. I'm still unable to transfer immunity to infected hosts. The Krippen Virus is........elegant"

I attempted to re-invent my cash strategy once again last night with the usual results. I feel like Mr Smith, making constant minor or major adjustments to my vaccine, only to wake up in the morning to find my lab rats dead again.

Last night's experiment was to play short stacked at £50, with rebuys in the pocket if needed. This style had been patented over several centuries by wiley cash game veteran Sonny O.

The preceding tournament followed the usual course for me at the moment. I built up a decent stack for the final table, and played pretty well overall, if a little cautiously. I got lucky early on, turning a set of 6s against Sir Mike's two pair and doubling up but, predictably, when the big tournament hand arrived it went against me. This time I really should have been good - AK v AQ against the Professor in the blinds, but unfortunately a Queen took me almost down to the felt. I busted to Fluke soon after with 9T verses A8.

And so to the experiment - it all blew up in two hands.

Hand1
Holdem
I limp in late position with 4h5h
3 callers involved and then Sonny raises to £5. Everyone calls, as do I.
Flop 2h3h3c
Mark P bets £15 and I push for my £45 remaining, with my open ended straight flush. Mark calls with pocket 6s and I miss the lot.

Hand2
Omaha
I call a raise to £2 with 8c8dTc7d along with 4 others
Flop is J, A, 9 rainbow
Sonny bets £8 and I call
Turn Q
Sonny bets £20 and, although I am worried about K10 I decide to push with my straight for £20 more.
Sonny calls and has 4 pairs so lots of outs, and the Jack hits the river to give him the house.

Not much opportunity for me to play cash now for a couple of weeks. It's the league tonight, and then two tournaments next week in Newcastle. Perhaps I'll have time to work on the vaccine while I am away...........


PROFIT/(LOSS) USD 2008
Live Holdem Tournaments 3,130
Live Holdem Cash (2,211)
Live Omaha 110
Live "Professional" Tournaments (10,291)
Home Games (760)
Online Holdem Tournaments 53,932
Online Holdem Cash 17,026
Online Omaha 630
Rake (1,827)
59,739

Read Full Poker Blog Post