It was a good poker week for Banky and the tart. I moneyed at Woody’s (3rd) and Banky won the Thursday league game last night. I fucking bubbled last night, which is worse than chumping. I hate the effing bubble. But c’est la vie! At least one of us brought home the bacon last night.
The big buzz around my little poker world, however, has to be the recent string of underground cardroom busts.
The part that bothers me about the busts is that in another article, a police officer was quoted saying something about the players being there “for their fix”. This is just such an inflammatory and ignorant thing to say. Not everyone who plays poker is a gambling addict. I have several friends who play in the clubs, and I certainly wouldn’t categorize them as going there to get a ‘fix’. They go because it’s a fun night out, and they are tired of taking money off each other at the same weekly homegames.
I wish my favourite hobby didn’t have such a seedy image.
I’m an enthusiast, dammit, not an addict.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Friday, August 24, 2007
Master of my own demise
hu•bris 'hyu brIs, 'hu- - [hyoo-bris, hoo-]
–noun
excessive pride or self-confidence; arrogance.
See example: Pokertart pulling off an incredible bluff when shortstacked, and then showing said bluff, only to realize that this cripples her ability to pull same such bluff anytime soon in same game.
Bah.
Out 8th with Kh10h. I was first to push, got called by two better hands. Hit my 10, but still lost to QQ.
Banky was pissed last night after her got slow rolled when he went all-in. Banky announced “I have a pair” and flipped over his 77. Caller said ‘me too’, but didn’t flip his Aces over right away.
It was a dink move for sure, and Banky was not impressed. It’s been tough lately, because Banky has been getting mad after every league game lately….I understand his frustration, but it’s taking the fun out of the game for me.
Being a couple who plays poker together has some incredible advantages. There are times, however, when it’s very difficult – especially when you have very different emotional reactions to the game. I try to be supportive, but the peacemaker in me wants to make him feel better right then and there, when I know all he really needs is to be pissed off for awhile and then he’ll be fine.
Men really are from Mars.
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It’s time for a bit of a blogroll update…welcome to the tuckfards over at TuckFard Poker, and RaisingCayne, that Talkin’ Donkey.
–noun
excessive pride or self-confidence; arrogance.
See example: Pokertart pulling off an incredible bluff when shortstacked, and then showing said bluff, only to realize that this cripples her ability to pull same such bluff anytime soon in same game.
Bah.
Out 8th with Kh10h. I was first to push, got called by two better hands. Hit my 10, but still lost to QQ.
Banky was pissed last night after her got slow rolled when he went all-in. Banky announced “I have a pair” and flipped over his 77. Caller said ‘me too’, but didn’t flip his Aces over right away.
It was a dink move for sure, and Banky was not impressed. It’s been tough lately, because Banky has been getting mad after every league game lately….I understand his frustration, but it’s taking the fun out of the game for me.
Being a couple who plays poker together has some incredible advantages. There are times, however, when it’s very difficult – especially when you have very different emotional reactions to the game. I try to be supportive, but the peacemaker in me wants to make him feel better right then and there, when I know all he really needs is to be pissed off for awhile and then he’ll be fine.
Men really are from Mars.
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It’s time for a bit of a blogroll update…welcome to the tuckfards over at TuckFard Poker, and RaisingCayne, that Talkin’ Donkey.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Sleepy Tart
Sing me to sleep. Sing me to sleep. I'm tired and I.
I want to go to bed.
ASLEEP by The Smiths from 'Louder Than Bombs'
Despite playing a ton of poker over the past several weeks I haven’t felt much like writing. Work is pretty busy right now, and when I can sneak a few minutes to myself, I usually try to catch up on poker blogs and Big Brother live feed recaps (I can’t help myself!)
Truth be told, I feel tired. I don’t think I’ve fully caught up on sleep since I got insomnia in Vegas. Banky and I keep saying we need to go to bed earlier and sleep later, but we don’t and it’s catching up on me.
I need to sleep more, eat & drink less, and spend some time with a book on the deck in my backyard.
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Las Vegas has become like an old lover to me. Long gone are the heady days of new love. The surprise, awe, and delight are gone – replaced by familiarity, comfort, and expectation.
There are no certain things that mean Vegas to me….happy hour at the Pink Taco is one of those things. Nothing gets my Vegas trips off to a better start than excellent half-price margaritas, bowls and bowls of free chips with 3 types of salsa, and half price, and very tasty, appetizers.
Banky and I were set to arrive just after 10am on Friday. But due to a full-on cluster-fuck by American Airlines, our connecting flight in Chicago was cancelled and we ended up routing through Dallas and not arriving until well after 4:30 in the afternoon. For some reason, the usually extremely impatient Banky was very zen about the whole thing, while I was on cancelled-flight-tilt.
While waiting in line to check-in at the Golden Nugget, the prospects of Pink Taco Happy Hour looked dim, as the clock ticked closer and closer to 5:30, I thought there was no way we’d check-in and make it back to the Hard Rock in time. But miraculously, the line started to move quickly (after being standstill for 15 minutes), and we were in our room by 5:40. We put down our bags headed back downstairs, hailed a cab and asses were on barstools by 5:55. We had 1 hour and 5 minutes left – and what a happy hour we made it….
In 65 minutes, we downed 5 margaritas and shared an appetizer platter, all for $15 including a generous tip. Even though it was happy hour, our barkeep BJ (a name I found incessantly amusing) comped us all the drinks, and we even got an extra freebie when a rep from Terzon (I think) came in shilling his new tequila.
Nicely lubed, we donked off money at the pai-gow & black jack tables but the dealers at the Hard Rock were jerks, so before long headed back downtown for an evening of more drinking, donking, and general tomfoolery.
By the time we went to bed, I had been up for 27 hours. Nothing like an old lover to keep you up all night…
There are no certain things that mean Vegas to me….happy hour at the Pink Taco is one of those things. Nothing gets my Vegas trips off to a better start than excellent half-price margaritas, bowls and bowls of free chips with 3 types of salsa, and half price, and very tasty, appetizers.
Banky and I were set to arrive just after 10am on Friday. But due to a full-on cluster-fuck by American Airlines, our connecting flight in Chicago was cancelled and we ended up routing through Dallas and not arriving until well after 4:30 in the afternoon. For some reason, the usually extremely impatient Banky was very zen about the whole thing, while I was on cancelled-flight-tilt.
While waiting in line to check-in at the Golden Nugget, the prospects of Pink Taco Happy Hour looked dim, as the clock ticked closer and closer to 5:30, I thought there was no way we’d check-in and make it back to the Hard Rock in time. But miraculously, the line started to move quickly (after being standstill for 15 minutes), and we were in our room by 5:40. We put down our bags headed back downstairs, hailed a cab and asses were on barstools by 5:55. We had 1 hour and 5 minutes left – and what a happy hour we made it….
In 65 minutes, we downed 5 margaritas and shared an appetizer platter, all for $15 including a generous tip. Even though it was happy hour, our barkeep BJ (a name I found incessantly amusing) comped us all the drinks, and we even got an extra freebie when a rep from Terzon (I think) came in shilling his new tequila.
Nicely lubed, we donked off money at the pai-gow & black jack tables but the dealers at the Hard Rock were jerks, so before long headed back downtown for an evening of more drinking, donking, and general tomfoolery.
By the time we went to bed, I had been up for 27 hours. Nothing like an old lover to keep you up all night…
Monday, July 30, 2007
A weekend of variance
I never did make it to Fallsview on Friday – hopefully Kat and I will be able to arrange another Vegas North meet before the summer (and my half-day Fridays) come to an end.
Nevertheless, much poker was played this weekend.
I started my weekend early with a win at the Thursday night league. Holy hell it’s been a long time since I won a game there. The first three seasons I was the top of the leaderboard, but this was only my third cash since November – and my first win since even earlier.
The best part of the win was that I was extremely short-stacked before the break – I had 275 chips and the blinds were 30/60. I battled back and had built an average stack with some good steals and a nice double up from the SB when I had Jacks and the BB had Nines. (Normally, the flop would bring a 9 here, and I would go home. I was shocked when my hand held up). But my stack was now in contention, but it was another hand that gave me the win.
The blinds were 75/150 and I was in the BB with 8s9s. UTG limped in, everyone else folded to the SB who completed. I checked after briefly considering pushing. The flop was Qs 2s 5x. SB checked and I pushed – hoping just to take the pot. UTG called, and SB called. Oooops.
Now UTG had been drinking heavily, so I put him on a flush draw…but SB isn’t dumb enough to call an all-in and a call with nothing…so he had to have at least 2 pair.
The turn was a Ks, making my flush. UTG goes all-in for the remainder of his chips, and SB calls with less. The cards get flipped and UTG has KxQx for two pair, SB has trip deuces and my flush is leading. No pair on the board means my flush holds up, and I scoop a pot worth over 3500 chips and after that, nothing was going to hold me back.
Once it got to heads-up, I had a 7:1 chip lead, and got AA on the second hand. I completed the SB, knowing that if the other player had any face he’d push, and if not, if he hit any part of the flop he’d push. True to form, he had 8 10, hit an 8 on the flop and pushed. I called and my Aces held up.
It felt so bizarre to have my hands hold up. I’ve been so accustomed to losing as the favourite.
The only downside to my win…it was a small game, so my top prize didn’t make much of a dent in my current deficit. As my mother would say "Beggars can't be choosers". She'd also tell me to wear a skirt to work, but that's another topic altogether.
Friday afternoon I decided to use the $100 I got from FullTilt on a refer-a-friend bonus to play some 5/10 OHL – which I killed. I built it up to almost $400, then lost a bunch, then built some back and cashed out +$200. That was fun – but my love affair with online poker has definitely cooled. I’m going to cash out my little profit and play with the remainder…I’m just not a good enough online player to keep donating. It still kills me when I look at my results this year and see what a gaping hole has been left by my attempts to play online.
Friday night was the Georgetown game again – and that was a lot of fun. I didn’t cash – didn’t even get close this time. But I busted out just in time to see Banky scoop a monster pot in the cash game when he went all-in against two players on the river when the board was 4,5,6,7,8. Only one player called, and Banky tabled the 9,10 for the nuts. It was killer.
Another gaping hole was ripped on Saturday when Banky and I went to Rama. I got completely brutalized in the 5/10 LHE game when every draw got made against me, and every draw I had failed to materialize. It just wasn’t my day. All the profit I made on FullTilt was gone. The worst part was, the game was a bore. No one was there to have a good time. I left and played Pai Gow for an hour. Total Pai Gow profit: $5
It’s 4 sleeps ‘till Vegas. Yehaw.
Nevertheless, much poker was played this weekend.
I started my weekend early with a win at the Thursday night league. Holy hell it’s been a long time since I won a game there. The first three seasons I was the top of the leaderboard, but this was only my third cash since November – and my first win since even earlier.
The best part of the win was that I was extremely short-stacked before the break – I had 275 chips and the blinds were 30/60. I battled back and had built an average stack with some good steals and a nice double up from the SB when I had Jacks and the BB had Nines. (Normally, the flop would bring a 9 here, and I would go home. I was shocked when my hand held up). But my stack was now in contention, but it was another hand that gave me the win.
The blinds were 75/150 and I was in the BB with 8s9s. UTG limped in, everyone else folded to the SB who completed. I checked after briefly considering pushing. The flop was Qs 2s 5x. SB checked and I pushed – hoping just to take the pot. UTG called, and SB called. Oooops.
Now UTG had been drinking heavily, so I put him on a flush draw…but SB isn’t dumb enough to call an all-in and a call with nothing…so he had to have at least 2 pair.
The turn was a Ks, making my flush. UTG goes all-in for the remainder of his chips, and SB calls with less. The cards get flipped and UTG has KxQx for two pair, SB has trip deuces and my flush is leading. No pair on the board means my flush holds up, and I scoop a pot worth over 3500 chips and after that, nothing was going to hold me back.
Once it got to heads-up, I had a 7:1 chip lead, and got AA on the second hand. I completed the SB, knowing that if the other player had any face he’d push, and if not, if he hit any part of the flop he’d push. True to form, he had 8 10, hit an 8 on the flop and pushed. I called and my Aces held up.
It felt so bizarre to have my hands hold up. I’ve been so accustomed to losing as the favourite.
The only downside to my win…it was a small game, so my top prize didn’t make much of a dent in my current deficit. As my mother would say "Beggars can't be choosers". She'd also tell me to wear a skirt to work, but that's another topic altogether.
Friday afternoon I decided to use the $100 I got from FullTilt on a refer-a-friend bonus to play some 5/10 OHL – which I killed. I built it up to almost $400, then lost a bunch, then built some back and cashed out +$200. That was fun – but my love affair with online poker has definitely cooled. I’m going to cash out my little profit and play with the remainder…I’m just not a good enough online player to keep donating. It still kills me when I look at my results this year and see what a gaping hole has been left by my attempts to play online.
Friday night was the Georgetown game again – and that was a lot of fun. I didn’t cash – didn’t even get close this time. But I busted out just in time to see Banky scoop a monster pot in the cash game when he went all-in against two players on the river when the board was 4,5,6,7,8. Only one player called, and Banky tabled the 9,10 for the nuts. It was killer.
Another gaping hole was ripped on Saturday when Banky and I went to Rama. I got completely brutalized in the 5/10 LHE game when every draw got made against me, and every draw I had failed to materialize. It just wasn’t my day. All the profit I made on FullTilt was gone. The worst part was, the game was a bore. No one was there to have a good time. I left and played Pai Gow for an hour. Total Pai Gow profit: $5
It’s 4 sleeps ‘till Vegas. Yehaw.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
There's nothing an Oreo Cheesecake Blizzard can't cure
The best part of the game I played last Friday night was that when Banky and I busted out and headed home, I saw the bright shining light of Dairy Queen and made it in for a Blizzard with 1 minute to spare. 10:59 baby!
It was one excellent Blizzard, let me tell you.
Truth be told, I didn’t feel all that bad about the game. It was just kind of uneventful. There were no blunderous mistakes or gut-twisting suckouts. It was just kind of…meh.
For the past few weeks I’ve played a lot of poker, and I feel like I’ve been playing very well – but I haven’t seen good results. I know there are ebbs and flows in the game, but I’d really like a little boost to the old bankroll.
I’m heading out to Fallsview on Friday – wish me quads!
It was one excellent Blizzard, let me tell you.
Truth be told, I didn’t feel all that bad about the game. It was just kind of uneventful. There were no blunderous mistakes or gut-twisting suckouts. It was just kind of…meh.
For the past few weeks I’ve played a lot of poker, and I feel like I’ve been playing very well – but I haven’t seen good results. I know there are ebbs and flows in the game, but I’d really like a little boost to the old bankroll.
I’m heading out to Fallsview on Friday – wish me quads!
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Pokerless Friday
You know it’s a good party when some guy starts playing a didgeridoo in the corner.
Banky and I ditched the Georgetown game this Friday for a party at friend’s place, and I’m so glad we did. We had already played poker on Wednesday and Thursday, and were planning on playing Friday night – but we frequently talk about putting friends & family before poker, so it was a no-brainer to accept the invitation.
Our friend Derek lives downtown – and it’s quite a different life than what we live in the ‘burbs. When we have parties I break out my homemade guacamole & chips. When we got to Derek’s place he was shucking oysters while his girlfriend was stuffing freshly roasted peppers with goat cheese – they made the whole night seem effortless. Martha would be proud.
We actually met Derek through poker – another example of how poker has impacted our lives. We never would have socialized with this particular group of people if we hadn’t been trying to win Derek’s chips every week for the past couple of years.
I’m not the most social person and I find it really hard to make small talk – especially when I’m sober – so there were some uncomfortable moments. But all-in-all it was a fun night. At one point I was laughing so hard I was crying, and that’s one of the best feelings in the world. After a stressful week at work, and some frustrating poker sessions, that feeling was exactly what I needed.
Banky and I ditched the Georgetown game this Friday for a party at friend’s place, and I’m so glad we did. We had already played poker on Wednesday and Thursday, and were planning on playing Friday night – but we frequently talk about putting friends & family before poker, so it was a no-brainer to accept the invitation.
Our friend Derek lives downtown – and it’s quite a different life than what we live in the ‘burbs. When we have parties I break out my homemade guacamole & chips. When we got to Derek’s place he was shucking oysters while his girlfriend was stuffing freshly roasted peppers with goat cheese – they made the whole night seem effortless. Martha would be proud.
We actually met Derek through poker – another example of how poker has impacted our lives. We never would have socialized with this particular group of people if we hadn’t been trying to win Derek’s chips every week for the past couple of years.
I’m not the most social person and I find it really hard to make small talk – especially when I’m sober – so there were some uncomfortable moments. But all-in-all it was a fun night. At one point I was laughing so hard I was crying, and that’s one of the best feelings in the world. After a stressful week at work, and some frustrating poker sessions, that feeling was exactly what I needed.
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Drinking the blues - but not feeling them!
I was feeling celebratory on Saturday because I cashed in the Georgetown tourney on Friday night (more on that below). Banky and I decided that a night of cocktails was in order. I got inspiration from the Ralph Burch pin-up calendar that Banky got me for Christmas, so a quick trip to the liquor store and we had all the fixings for Indigo Blues.
With tequila and sour mix as two of the ingredients, it was strong & tart…just like I like a drink. After a couple of them I added some Fresca to the mix and they went down even easier. Getting up this morning, however, wasn’t so easy.
Nevertheless, it’s been a good weekend. The Georgetown game was great – just like Thursday, I felt like I was ‘on’, and I was making the right decisions. But unlike Thursday, the decisions also ended with good results.
There were a few really memorable hands:
I had KcQc on the button with 1 limper. I raise, only the BB calls. The flop comes 8h, 9h, 4s. The BB bets out, and I raise, he calls. The turn brings a low heart (maybe a 3?). The BB checks, and I bet out about half of my remaining stack….with my heart about to jump out of my throat – but he quickly mucks.
Sometimes a successful bluff is more exhilarating than flopping the nuts.
In another hand about half the table limped and I had 33 on the button. A ‘poker god’ (who had a huge stack after sucking out a flush with Kh2h in an early hand) was also in the hand, and I was drooling. He had a really arrogant air about him, and commented on how other people played their hands. It was easy to predict his plays, and I was just waiting for a hand to double through him. My dream came true when a sweet, sweet 3 came on the rainbow flop along with an 8 and Queen, and to my amazement the SB bet 5,000 (just over half his stack). Then, in another minor miracle, the poker god came over the top for 10,000. I only had 9,000 chips…and they were all-in the pot in a heartbeat. The SB called as well, and then I got slightly worried that maybe one of my opponents had a better set. But no, the SB had 8-rag, and the poker god had 8 J. So…..yeah, that sums up the competition. Unfortunately I didn’t have enough chips to take out the poker god on that hand – but I took enough of his chips to take some of the wind out of his sails, and he busted out not long after.
One hand I was in caused a brief controversy at the table because the other player attempted to angle-shoot me.
I was in the SB and it got folded to me. I completed with 9 3 off. The BB – new to the table and friendly with another new-to-the-table player who was VERY loud and obnoxious, just checked. The flop was 3d, Xd, As. I bet my 3 and the BB called. I figured he had either a flush draw or a weak ace and I decided I’d let go of this hand unless a 9 came on the turn – but then a 9 came on the turn. Ding!
I bet again, he called again. I was positive he was on the flush draw now. The river brought no diamond, so I pushed the remainder of my chips into the pot. He hemmed and hawed and counted out the chips and placed them next to the rest of his chips (off to the side, not out in front). And then he said “I know I’m beat” and flipped over his cards (Ad, 7d). To me, that was a fold, and I pushed my cards forward and started to scoop the pot. He said “Thank you. I win, she mucked”. The dealer said he didn’t hear a call (and neither did I) but the guy’s obnoxious friend insisted that his friend said “I know I’m beat, but I call”, and that since I mucked my cards, my hand was dead. Luckily for me, I pushed my cards forward, but didn’t throw them into the muck, because the dealer said that since my cards had not touched any part of the muck (and were actually still right in front of me) my cards we live. I turned them over and won with my two pair.
It’s hard to describe exactly how he said “thank you” and “she mucked” – but it was an obvious angle-shoot. But lesson learned – I’ll wait until the dealer declares a winner before I release my cards in any fashion.
I got a little revenge later on the obnoxious loud guy when I took a huge pot away from him with a flush to his two pair. He self-destructed and busted out just out of the money – despite having an enormous stack when we were down to 2 tables.
Ultimately I finished 5th out of 61 and took home $250 for my troubles. I was happy with the finish, but wish I could have lasted a little longer since first place was worth $1100. But a cash is a cash, and I happily recorded my stats – very nice to see a result without a negative in front of it!
Banky was card dead and busted early, but more than doubled up in the wild & crazy cash game. So our combined efforts gave our bankroll a little boost.
Not too bad for a Friday night.
With tequila and sour mix as two of the ingredients, it was strong & tart…just like I like a drink. After a couple of them I added some Fresca to the mix and they went down even easier. Getting up this morning, however, wasn’t so easy.
Nevertheless, it’s been a good weekend. The Georgetown game was great – just like Thursday, I felt like I was ‘on’, and I was making the right decisions. But unlike Thursday, the decisions also ended with good results.
There were a few really memorable hands:
I had KcQc on the button with 1 limper. I raise, only the BB calls. The flop comes 8h, 9h, 4s. The BB bets out, and I raise, he calls. The turn brings a low heart (maybe a 3?). The BB checks, and I bet out about half of my remaining stack….with my heart about to jump out of my throat – but he quickly mucks.
Sometimes a successful bluff is more exhilarating than flopping the nuts.
In another hand about half the table limped and I had 33 on the button. A ‘poker god’ (who had a huge stack after sucking out a flush with Kh2h in an early hand) was also in the hand, and I was drooling. He had a really arrogant air about him, and commented on how other people played their hands. It was easy to predict his plays, and I was just waiting for a hand to double through him. My dream came true when a sweet, sweet 3 came on the rainbow flop along with an 8 and Queen, and to my amazement the SB bet 5,000 (just over half his stack). Then, in another minor miracle, the poker god came over the top for 10,000. I only had 9,000 chips…and they were all-in the pot in a heartbeat. The SB called as well, and then I got slightly worried that maybe one of my opponents had a better set. But no, the SB had 8-rag, and the poker god had 8 J. So…..yeah, that sums up the competition. Unfortunately I didn’t have enough chips to take out the poker god on that hand – but I took enough of his chips to take some of the wind out of his sails, and he busted out not long after.
One hand I was in caused a brief controversy at the table because the other player attempted to angle-shoot me.
I was in the SB and it got folded to me. I completed with 9 3 off. The BB – new to the table and friendly with another new-to-the-table player who was VERY loud and obnoxious, just checked. The flop was 3d, Xd, As. I bet my 3 and the BB called. I figured he had either a flush draw or a weak ace and I decided I’d let go of this hand unless a 9 came on the turn – but then a 9 came on the turn. Ding!
I bet again, he called again. I was positive he was on the flush draw now. The river brought no diamond, so I pushed the remainder of my chips into the pot. He hemmed and hawed and counted out the chips and placed them next to the rest of his chips (off to the side, not out in front). And then he said “I know I’m beat” and flipped over his cards (Ad, 7d). To me, that was a fold, and I pushed my cards forward and started to scoop the pot. He said “Thank you. I win, she mucked”. The dealer said he didn’t hear a call (and neither did I) but the guy’s obnoxious friend insisted that his friend said “I know I’m beat, but I call”, and that since I mucked my cards, my hand was dead. Luckily for me, I pushed my cards forward, but didn’t throw them into the muck, because the dealer said that since my cards had not touched any part of the muck (and were actually still right in front of me) my cards we live. I turned them over and won with my two pair.
It’s hard to describe exactly how he said “thank you” and “she mucked” – but it was an obvious angle-shoot. But lesson learned – I’ll wait until the dealer declares a winner before I release my cards in any fashion.
I got a little revenge later on the obnoxious loud guy when I took a huge pot away from him with a flush to his two pair. He self-destructed and busted out just out of the money – despite having an enormous stack when we were down to 2 tables.
Ultimately I finished 5th out of 61 and took home $250 for my troubles. I was happy with the finish, but wish I could have lasted a little longer since first place was worth $1100. But a cash is a cash, and I happily recorded my stats – very nice to see a result without a negative in front of it!
Banky was card dead and busted early, but more than doubled up in the wild & crazy cash game. So our combined efforts gave our bankroll a little boost.
Not too bad for a Friday night.
Friday, July 06, 2007
Thinking makes my brain hurt
If you haven’t been reading Tao of Poker for Pauly’s take on the World Series of Poker, you are missing out. His Main Event coverage starts today. Go. Read. Enjoy.
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I was touched to see the comments to my post the other day. I knew that the poker-bloggers were a supportive bunch…it felt really good to have it come my way. Also got a bit of a “wow” moment when I saw Larry’s comment…I’ve read his book, he’s read my blog. Wicked!
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Last night was our Thursday Night League game. We missed a game when we were out in New Brunswick, and it was the first game we’ve missed in the two years that the league has been running. Banky and I have attended more league games than anyone else, including the host! He went on vacation for 3 weeks last year and we hosted the games at our place when he was away. We missed the game, but got to be around this instead…
It was good to be back at the league game, and I decided to experiment with some of the concepts I read in the FullTilt Strategy Guide. I felt like I was playing really well, making some great decisions – but the night never really came together for me. I lost two key hands to Max….one I folded on the river because I knew I was beat, and the second I should have folded on the river because I knew I was beat. Max is so tough to play against because he’ll play with any two. I love to have him in a pot with me (he’s come to the league games for a year now and never cashed until last night), but he also catches some brutal, eyeball squeezing, suckouts.
I got a nice healthy stack early on only to bleed it out for the remainder of the game. This has been a recurring theme for me…something I have to think more deeply about.
I made two very tough calls that were ‘correct’, but would have been winners. I find it hard to shake off those ‘hands that could have been’. Another thing to work on. I thought about one hand for a long time (probably longer than I’ve ever thought about a hand).
There were 7 players (including me) and I was on the button. The blinds were 30/60 and I had around 700 chips (having recently lost 2 big pots). The entire table limped and I had 6h 7h. I knew this type of hand would play well in a multiway pot so I happily limped along. The flop came out 10h, 3h, 2s. It got checked to the cut-off (a tight player on a short stack) who bet 120, I called (which in retrospect I think was a mistake) and the BB called.
The turn brought the 4s. The BB checked and the cut-off went all-on for 460. At this point I knew the tight player had either a set of 3’s or 2’s or the wheel. And I figured I had either 11 or 12 outs to beat him (the 5s for the straight and the flush cards) – I wanted to call, but didn’t have the odds. Even if the BB called – he’s a bit of a table sherrif and likes to call All-Ins – I still wouldn’t be getting the right price. I also got the sense that he would fold if I called. It’s easy to see that all now, but at the time it was a tough fold.
The BB did call with A 4 for a crappy pair and a straight draw. The cut-off did have a set of 2’s, and the flush came on the river. Making me the winner who didn’t call. Ugh.
But for me, it was probably the most I’ve ever analyzed a hand from the beginning – deciding to play because it’s a good multiway hand, putting my opponents on hands, and figuring out the odds when the decision wasn’t easy. So it was good from that perspective.
Unfortunately the game didn’t get much better and I was out 7th of 9. Bah.
Banky busted out a while later and we went home and fired up the PVR to watch the debut of Big Brother 8. Oh let the summer of trash TV begin!
---
Tonight we’re heading out to the Georgetown game again. Hopefully my results will be a little better now that I have a sense of the type of game it is.
---
I was touched to see the comments to my post the other day. I knew that the poker-bloggers were a supportive bunch…it felt really good to have it come my way. Also got a bit of a “wow” moment when I saw Larry’s comment…I’ve read his book, he’s read my blog. Wicked!
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Last night was our Thursday Night League game. We missed a game when we were out in New Brunswick, and it was the first game we’ve missed in the two years that the league has been running. Banky and I have attended more league games than anyone else, including the host! He went on vacation for 3 weeks last year and we hosted the games at our place when he was away. We missed the game, but got to be around this instead…
It was good to be back at the league game, and I decided to experiment with some of the concepts I read in the FullTilt Strategy Guide. I felt like I was playing really well, making some great decisions – but the night never really came together for me. I lost two key hands to Max….one I folded on the river because I knew I was beat, and the second I should have folded on the river because I knew I was beat. Max is so tough to play against because he’ll play with any two. I love to have him in a pot with me (he’s come to the league games for a year now and never cashed until last night), but he also catches some brutal, eyeball squeezing, suckouts.
I got a nice healthy stack early on only to bleed it out for the remainder of the game. This has been a recurring theme for me…something I have to think more deeply about.
I made two very tough calls that were ‘correct’, but would have been winners. I find it hard to shake off those ‘hands that could have been’. Another thing to work on. I thought about one hand for a long time (probably longer than I’ve ever thought about a hand).
There were 7 players (including me) and I was on the button. The blinds were 30/60 and I had around 700 chips (having recently lost 2 big pots). The entire table limped and I had 6h 7h. I knew this type of hand would play well in a multiway pot so I happily limped along. The flop came out 10h, 3h, 2s. It got checked to the cut-off (a tight player on a short stack) who bet 120, I called (which in retrospect I think was a mistake) and the BB called.
The turn brought the 4s. The BB checked and the cut-off went all-on for 460. At this point I knew the tight player had either a set of 3’s or 2’s or the wheel. And I figured I had either 11 or 12 outs to beat him (the 5s for the straight and the flush cards) – I wanted to call, but didn’t have the odds. Even if the BB called – he’s a bit of a table sherrif and likes to call All-Ins – I still wouldn’t be getting the right price. I also got the sense that he would fold if I called. It’s easy to see that all now, but at the time it was a tough fold.
The BB did call with A 4 for a crappy pair and a straight draw. The cut-off did have a set of 2’s, and the flush came on the river. Making me the winner who didn’t call. Ugh.
But for me, it was probably the most I’ve ever analyzed a hand from the beginning – deciding to play because it’s a good multiway hand, putting my opponents on hands, and figuring out the odds when the decision wasn’t easy. So it was good from that perspective.
Unfortunately the game didn’t get much better and I was out 7th of 9. Bah.
Banky busted out a while later and we went home and fired up the PVR to watch the debut of Big Brother 8. Oh let the summer of trash TV begin!
---
Tonight we’re heading out to the Georgetown game again. Hopefully my results will be a little better now that I have a sense of the type of game it is.
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Not the news I thought I'd be sharing
I write this blog anonymously – mostly so that I can write freely without worry that the bigwigs at my corporate job will find out about my poker deviancy, but also to give me the ability to write freely without worry of self-incrimination (especially when talking about other players I play with, or about my craptastic play). Despite this, I’ve hesitated to write anything really personal. The closest I got was my “7 things” post which was incredibly fun to write. I’m not sure why I haven’t shared more of myself here – especially considering that some of my favourite bloggers (Pauly, Amy, Change, CC) are very open and weave their life into their poker blogs. I guess much of it has to do with fear. Fear of not writing well enough to interest anyone. Fear that I’d pour my heart out and no one would read it (or care) – except for dear Banky who reads everything (and when he doesn’t I bug him until he does). Fear that my life isn’t interesting enough to write about. Maybe all that is true - but even if it is, if I wrote more about ME, maybe I’d get more out of the experience of writing, and of life.
So dearreaders reader, I’m jumping into the deep end.
I hinted in my last post about dealing with life in a good way, and I had hoped to be able to share some good news with everyone (ok, anyone?) reading my blog, but life takes some funny turns. A few months ago Banky and I found out we were going to be parents – the Tart was with tartlet. Unfortunately 13 days ago, during my first ultrasound, I found out that the baby I was carrying was no longer alive, and 4 days later I miscarried. It’s been an incredibly difficult time for both of us – but we’re dealing. What on earth does this have to do with poker? Well nothing, really, but poker has everything to do with how I’ve been dealing with the loss.
Between the ultrasound and the miscarriage I left for a family vacation and with me I brought the Full Tilt Strategy Guide to Tournament Poker by Michael Craig. I’m more than halfway through and it’s awesome….I know I’ll have to reread quite a bit of it. The book, and the concepts shared in it, brought me lots of needed distraction during a difficult time. After the miscarriage, and after talking and tears, I knew Banky and I were going to be ok when we started talking poker again. It was like a sign that our life was not over because of this one situation. We are still the same two poker dorks who relive the best (and worst) hands we’ve played, who look forward to our weekly games with childish anticipation, and who PVR Poker After Dark so we can make fun of Annie Duke.
I just got back to work from vacation and it was weird coming into the office where only a handful of people knew I was pregnant (and who consequently now know that I am no longer pregnant). I used to have this big happy secret, and now I have another, sadder one. I found it really hard to concentrate so I turned to catching up on my poker blogs. Tao of Poker was my first stop, naturally, and I’ve been engaged in tales of CK Hua’s man-purse, Sartre’s lobster, and of course, reading about Pauly’s WSOP cash. Even though I’m not part of the poker-blogger circle who all know each other – it’s felt good to get immersed back into their world.
After I spent some time reading, it occurred to me just how much poker is a part of my life. Even though I haven’t played a game since I found out our sad news – reading about it, talking about it, watching it – it has all helped me get back to feeling normal. Well – as normal as I ever was.
So that’s the scoop on me and where I am in my life right now. I was almost a mother. Now I’m back to the 30-something poker player trying to find her way.
So dear
I hinted in my last post about dealing with life in a good way, and I had hoped to be able to share some good news with everyone (ok, anyone?) reading my blog, but life takes some funny turns. A few months ago Banky and I found out we were going to be parents – the Tart was with tartlet. Unfortunately 13 days ago, during my first ultrasound, I found out that the baby I was carrying was no longer alive, and 4 days later I miscarried. It’s been an incredibly difficult time for both of us – but we’re dealing. What on earth does this have to do with poker? Well nothing, really, but poker has everything to do with how I’ve been dealing with the loss.
Between the ultrasound and the miscarriage I left for a family vacation and with me I brought the Full Tilt Strategy Guide to Tournament Poker by Michael Craig. I’m more than halfway through and it’s awesome….I know I’ll have to reread quite a bit of it. The book, and the concepts shared in it, brought me lots of needed distraction during a difficult time. After the miscarriage, and after talking and tears, I knew Banky and I were going to be ok when we started talking poker again. It was like a sign that our life was not over because of this one situation. We are still the same two poker dorks who relive the best (and worst) hands we’ve played, who look forward to our weekly games with childish anticipation, and who PVR Poker After Dark so we can make fun of Annie Duke.
I just got back to work from vacation and it was weird coming into the office where only a handful of people knew I was pregnant (and who consequently now know that I am no longer pregnant). I used to have this big happy secret, and now I have another, sadder one. I found it really hard to concentrate so I turned to catching up on my poker blogs. Tao of Poker was my first stop, naturally, and I’ve been engaged in tales of CK Hua’s man-purse, Sartre’s lobster, and of course, reading about Pauly’s WSOP cash. Even though I’m not part of the poker-blogger circle who all know each other – it’s felt good to get immersed back into their world.
After I spent some time reading, it occurred to me just how much poker is a part of my life. Even though I haven’t played a game since I found out our sad news – reading about it, talking about it, watching it – it has all helped me get back to feeling normal. Well – as normal as I ever was.
So that’s the scoop on me and where I am in my life right now. I was almost a mother. Now I’m back to the 30-something poker player trying to find her way.
Friday, June 15, 2007
Piss poor poker
I've been so busy at work (bad), reading tons of WSOP blogging action (good), and dealing with life (good - more to come on that in a few weeks), that I've completly ignored my blog (very bad).
I haven't been playing all that much poker - but Banky and I have both been consistently cashing at Woody's games, and we both cashed at the Thursday Poker league last week. But last night was just horrible. I played SO badly and I knew it, and didn't stop myself. I was a loose passive calling station and gave my chips away with abandon. I need to give my head a shake.
Aside from our regular live games, I'm not playing at all. I've definitely lost all interest in online poker. My stats have spoken too loudly for me to ignore. It's all live for me baby!
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I have an entry I have to write on Bluff Magazine and my scorn for their glorification of ZeeJustin the poker cheater....but I'll leave that for another day.
I haven't been playing all that much poker - but Banky and I have both been consistently cashing at Woody's games, and we both cashed at the Thursday Poker league last week. But last night was just horrible. I played SO badly and I knew it, and didn't stop myself. I was a loose passive calling station and gave my chips away with abandon. I need to give my head a shake.
Aside from our regular live games, I'm not playing at all. I've definitely lost all interest in online poker. My stats have spoken too loudly for me to ignore. It's all live for me baby!
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I have an entry I have to write on Bluff Magazine and my scorn for their glorification of ZeeJustin the poker cheater....but I'll leave that for another day.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Tagged Tart
In my post-Mexico blog catch-up I discovered that I’ve been ‘tagged’ by Katitude in the “7 Things No One Knows About Me” chain-blog thing that’s been circulating the poker blogosphere. I will openly admit to being excited. As a relatively new blogger, it still feels cool/weird that someone other than Banky is reading this.
So without further ado…..
7 Thing No One Knows About Me
1. I’m a horrific procrastinator.
2. I’ve never broken a bone or required stitches. Growing up, I was the quintessential bookworm (the exact opposite of my sister the tomboy, who broke her arm – twice) and therefore was never really in the position to get injured.
3. deleted to protect the innocent
4. I’ve been a Weight Watchers member for 6 years. I lost 100lbs within the first 2 years, then I started my MBA program while working full-time and stopped losing. I can’t really continue to use that excuse though, since I graduated 2 years ago. I still have over 70lbs to go to reach my goal weight.
5. I hate swimming in lakes (or anywhere where I can’t see the bottom). I get totally grossed out by the thought of strange objects/creatures underneath my feet.
6. The summer when I was 9 my sister and I watched The Breakfast Club every single day.My Dad had a second job as a night-watchman at a Sears warehouse, and using his employee discount our family was one of the first I knew of to own a VCR (remember when you rented them from the video store?). My sister somehow got a pirated copy of The Breakfast Club, and watching it became a daily tradition. I think I can still recite it word-for-word.
7. I sing all the time (but I’m not a good singer). I frequently make up lyrics to existing songs and dance around the house. Just last week I made up a song about vegetables while putting groceries away. Banky has told me that the biggest surprise for him when we moved in together was just how goofy I am in this regard.
And now I’ll tag….
Bankwell.
Grubby.
Haley
Drizz
StB
So without further ado…..
7 Thing No One Knows About Me
1. I’m a horrific procrastinator.
2. I’ve never broken a bone or required stitches. Growing up, I was the quintessential bookworm (the exact opposite of my sister the tomboy, who broke her arm – twice) and therefore was never really in the position to get injured.
3. deleted to protect the innocent
4. I’ve been a Weight Watchers member for 6 years. I lost 100lbs within the first 2 years, then I started my MBA program while working full-time and stopped losing. I can’t really continue to use that excuse though, since I graduated 2 years ago. I still have over 70lbs to go to reach my goal weight.
5. I hate swimming in lakes (or anywhere where I can’t see the bottom). I get totally grossed out by the thought of strange objects/creatures underneath my feet.
6. The summer when I was 9 my sister and I watched The Breakfast Club every single day.My Dad had a second job as a night-watchman at a Sears warehouse, and using his employee discount our family was one of the first I knew of to own a VCR (remember when you rented them from the video store?). My sister somehow got a pirated copy of The Breakfast Club, and watching it became a daily tradition. I think I can still recite it word-for-word.
7. I sing all the time (but I’m not a good singer). I frequently make up lyrics to existing songs and dance around the house. Just last week I made up a song about vegetables while putting groceries away. Banky has told me that the biggest surprise for him when we moved in together was just how goofy I am in this regard.
And now I’ll tag….
Bankwell.
Grubby.
Haley
Drizz
StB
Monday, May 28, 2007
This Tart is no Ship It Holla Balla
When we first got back from Mexico last weekend I was hesitant but positive when asked about the trip – but now that time has passed I can honestly say that the trip was a bust. It was nice to get away with Bankwell – but Mexico sucked.
I got sick (and almost 2 weeks later I’m still not 100%), we got stuck in a tropical storm, and got hassled by the cops. Not to mention feeling like a walking dollar sign every time we went into town. I won’t ever go back.
Since returning I’ve had an insanely busy week at work and am just now catching up on my blog reading. I’m insanely jealous of the bloggers heading out to Vegas during the WSOP whether it’s to play, or write, or both. I wish I could be there…well, to be honest, I probably could be there…but Banky has no more vacation time left, and he’s proving to be a hard-sell on the “I’m going to Vegas by myself” proposition.
One thing I have had time to do, however, is review my poker stats. And yet again I am startled by how much of an online poker donk I am. I don’t know why this news continues to startle me, but it does. My results in 2007 look something like this:
Live Tournaments + Ring games = +1,000
Online Tournaments + Ring games = - 850
With the amount of money spent on each relatively similar. So what does this say?
Everything I win live, I lose online.
I’ve come to this conclusion before – and I swear off online play. Yet a few weeks go by, and I’m itching to fire up the laptop.
Banky’s live results are very similar to mine, with one very large exception. He plays online for micro limits a few lunch hours a week. His online results? He’s -$0.05 for the year so far. Obviously his overall bankroll is a lot healthier than mine.
So what to do? Cash out the paltry $350 I still have in FullTilt? Switch to microlimits (which frankly bore me to tears), or suck it up and try to get better?
Pauly’s entry from May 24th (The Birth of Cool) had me thinking a lot about why I keep feeling the call to online poker. For me a lot of it has to do with the dream of the big score. If 18 & 19 year old frat daddies can make hundreds of thousands online…why can’t I? Obviously I’m missing something in my online game. And maybe I’m just not self-aware enough to figure out what it is. I feel stuck (not just financially) when it comes to online poker, and I’m not sure what it’ll take to get unstuck.
I got sick (and almost 2 weeks later I’m still not 100%), we got stuck in a tropical storm, and got hassled by the cops. Not to mention feeling like a walking dollar sign every time we went into town. I won’t ever go back.
Since returning I’ve had an insanely busy week at work and am just now catching up on my blog reading. I’m insanely jealous of the bloggers heading out to Vegas during the WSOP whether it’s to play, or write, or both. I wish I could be there…well, to be honest, I probably could be there…but Banky has no more vacation time left, and he’s proving to be a hard-sell on the “I’m going to Vegas by myself” proposition.
One thing I have had time to do, however, is review my poker stats. And yet again I am startled by how much of an online poker donk I am. I don’t know why this news continues to startle me, but it does. My results in 2007 look something like this:
Live Tournaments + Ring games = +1,000
Online Tournaments + Ring games = - 850
With the amount of money spent on each relatively similar. So what does this say?
Everything I win live, I lose online.
I’ve come to this conclusion before – and I swear off online play. Yet a few weeks go by, and I’m itching to fire up the laptop.
Banky’s live results are very similar to mine, with one very large exception. He plays online for micro limits a few lunch hours a week. His online results? He’s -$0.05 for the year so far. Obviously his overall bankroll is a lot healthier than mine.
So what to do? Cash out the paltry $350 I still have in FullTilt? Switch to microlimits (which frankly bore me to tears), or suck it up and try to get better?
Pauly’s entry from May 24th (The Birth of Cool) had me thinking a lot about why I keep feeling the call to online poker. For me a lot of it has to do with the dream of the big score. If 18 & 19 year old frat daddies can make hundreds of thousands online…why can’t I? Obviously I’m missing something in my online game. And maybe I’m just not self-aware enough to figure out what it is. I feel stuck (not just financially) when it comes to online poker, and I’m not sure what it’ll take to get unstuck.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Mexico bound
Bankwell and I are about the depart for a trip to Mexico.
No poker for 7 days, not sure how we'll manage ;)
No poker for 7 days, not sure how we'll manage ;)
Friday, May 04, 2007
Scooooop!
I took the day off yesterday to run errands, and of course, had to squeeze in a little online poker. Limit Omaha Hi/Lo has been my game of choice online lately….and I had a great run yesterday. I had 3 successful limit sessions and won a SNG. However, I decided to try Pot Limit, and holy hell is it completely different. I dropped 2 buy-ins in about 30 minutes. Gross.
Luckily my success at the limit tables put me up almost $250 for the day. Not too shabby.
Bankwell has had similar success at lower-limits ($0.50/$1)…and based on the play at the $3/$6 tables, I think these games are ripe for the picking.
What’s not so ripe, however, is the Thursday night league games. I crapped out at the final table when I was shortstacked, went all in with A9s, got called by KQh, two low spades with a J on the flop, 10 on the turn, and A on the river. Runner runner straight takes me out. Gross, again.
Banky and I were talking last night about how something seems off at the league this season. I think there’s been another blind level added early on which changes the dynamic of the game. After the first break, it seems like almost everyone is shortstacked and it’s a push-fest. I can’t put my finger on it exactly, but there just seems to be a lot less play in the game these days. Maybe I just feel that way because I’ve been losing ;)
Next week is the big season-ending game. Despite having been pretty successful in the league, I’ve never moneyed in the BIG GAME. Next week will be different!
Luckily my success at the limit tables put me up almost $250 for the day. Not too shabby.
Bankwell has had similar success at lower-limits ($0.50/$1)…and based on the play at the $3/$6 tables, I think these games are ripe for the picking.
What’s not so ripe, however, is the Thursday night league games. I crapped out at the final table when I was shortstacked, went all in with A9s, got called by KQh, two low spades with a J on the flop, 10 on the turn, and A on the river. Runner runner straight takes me out. Gross, again.
Banky and I were talking last night about how something seems off at the league this season. I think there’s been another blind level added early on which changes the dynamic of the game. After the first break, it seems like almost everyone is shortstacked and it’s a push-fest. I can’t put my finger on it exactly, but there just seems to be a lot less play in the game these days. Maybe I just feel that way because I’ve been losing ;)
Next week is the big season-ending game. Despite having been pretty successful in the league, I’ve never moneyed in the BIG GAME. Next week will be different!
Monday, April 30, 2007
Lucky 44 and a late tart
I was all ready to play in the Blogger Bracelet Race last night. I decided that I would try and win a token as opposed to buying right in, so I fired up the laptop about an hour and a half before the start of the tourney. I logged into FullTilt and decided to see how many people were already registered. Hmmmm. No $24+2 tourneys starting at 9:00. Strange.
A quick visit to Al’s blog and I see that I got the start time wrong by 2 hours. So here I am, thinking I’m logging in early at 7:30, only to see that the tourney had already been running for half an hour. Ooops.
Congrats to whoever took it down!
Part of me wasn’t really in the mood to play, so I guess it was for the best.
I wasn’t in the mood, because Banky and I got in an argument on Saturday night over how I played….it boils down to this – he doesn’t think I take it seriously enough when I play online (I gamble too much), and I feel too much pressure when he watches me play, because I feel like he’s judging me and if I make the wrong play and lose, then I’ve disappointed him. It’s silly that we argued, but it just soured me on playing online for awhile. I don’t want the fact that I lost $5.75 in an OHL game and a $6 token tourney to result in an argument with my husband. Besides, online poker is rigged! ;)
Live poker, however, is the shiz.
We played in a 60-man bounty tourney in Guelph this weekend. I busted out early (between 45th-50th I think). I think I played fine…but I was card dead and couldn’t make anything happen. I think my biggest downfall was I slipped into passive mode when I got short stacked. But it was what it was, and I busted out when I was all-in with pocket 6’s against pocket Aces and AK. I hand over my lovely pink bounty chip to the AK (who caught a straight), and head downstairs to the $1/2 NL cash game…and that’s where the fun begins!
There’s one empty seat (UTG) at the table, I quickly sit and buy-in for $100 and get dealt cards…I ask the dealer if I have to post and he says no. Okey doke!
I get dealt 44 and limp in. A few more limpers and the SB raises it $10. I know this player, and know he’d do this with any 2, and figure if I catch a set I can get his stack, so I call the 10. There’s 1 other caller behind. Flop is…
2 2 4
Is this a dream?
SB bets out $18, and I, idiotically, say “$30”. The dealer says it’s an illegal raise and says I can only call. Ok…I thought I’d be committed to make it a legal raise since it almost was, but whatever. I make the call.
The player behind me, then says “30 on top” and I am flabbergasted.
He knows I love my hand, yet he’s still raising. What could he have? Please, oh please, don’t let him have pocket 2’s!
Now unfortunately my mistake of attempting to raise chases out the other player. Had I just called his bet, I’m sure he would have come along for the extra $30, but since he knew I was staying, he decided to fold. I go all-in, and my opponenet quickly calls. Oh lordy, he called so fast I started seeing quad 2s flashing in front of my eyes. But no. He didn’t have quads, he had A2 for three of a kind.
Another player said he folded a 2, so I knew the hand was mine. But I got a 4th 4 on the turn anyway. Woot! As I scooped the huge pot, people started commenting on the high hand…and I was told that the organizers were doing a high hand jackpot for the day, and that I’d qualified. Double Woot!
I cashed out about an hour or so later when Banky busted out. By then I was up $90 (lost a huge pot with JJ when a guy overplayed his AK preflop and caught a stinking Ace on the turn – bah!). But still…up $90, and a potential for more with the high hand. I found out the next day that my high hand did hold up, and I was $225 richer!
My cash game winnings covered the cost of our buy-ins, plus a tidy little profit – definitely a good day for the Tart.
A quick visit to Al’s blog and I see that I got the start time wrong by 2 hours. So here I am, thinking I’m logging in early at 7:30, only to see that the tourney had already been running for half an hour. Ooops.
Congrats to whoever took it down!
Part of me wasn’t really in the mood to play, so I guess it was for the best.
I wasn’t in the mood, because Banky and I got in an argument on Saturday night over how I played….it boils down to this – he doesn’t think I take it seriously enough when I play online (I gamble too much), and I feel too much pressure when he watches me play, because I feel like he’s judging me and if I make the wrong play and lose, then I’ve disappointed him. It’s silly that we argued, but it just soured me on playing online for awhile. I don’t want the fact that I lost $5.75 in an OHL game and a $6 token tourney to result in an argument with my husband. Besides, online poker is rigged! ;)
Live poker, however, is the shiz.
We played in a 60-man bounty tourney in Guelph this weekend. I busted out early (between 45th-50th I think). I think I played fine…but I was card dead and couldn’t make anything happen. I think my biggest downfall was I slipped into passive mode when I got short stacked. But it was what it was, and I busted out when I was all-in with pocket 6’s against pocket Aces and AK. I hand over my lovely pink bounty chip to the AK (who caught a straight), and head downstairs to the $1/2 NL cash game…and that’s where the fun begins!
There’s one empty seat (UTG) at the table, I quickly sit and buy-in for $100 and get dealt cards…I ask the dealer if I have to post and he says no. Okey doke!
I get dealt 44 and limp in. A few more limpers and the SB raises it $10. I know this player, and know he’d do this with any 2, and figure if I catch a set I can get his stack, so I call the 10. There’s 1 other caller behind. Flop is…
2 2 4
Is this a dream?
SB bets out $18, and I, idiotically, say “$30”. The dealer says it’s an illegal raise and says I can only call. Ok…I thought I’d be committed to make it a legal raise since it almost was, but whatever. I make the call.
The player behind me, then says “30 on top” and I am flabbergasted.
He knows I love my hand, yet he’s still raising. What could he have? Please, oh please, don’t let him have pocket 2’s!
Now unfortunately my mistake of attempting to raise chases out the other player. Had I just called his bet, I’m sure he would have come along for the extra $30, but since he knew I was staying, he decided to fold. I go all-in, and my opponenet quickly calls. Oh lordy, he called so fast I started seeing quad 2s flashing in front of my eyes. But no. He didn’t have quads, he had A2 for three of a kind.
Another player said he folded a 2, so I knew the hand was mine. But I got a 4th 4 on the turn anyway. Woot! As I scooped the huge pot, people started commenting on the high hand…and I was told that the organizers were doing a high hand jackpot for the day, and that I’d qualified. Double Woot!
I cashed out about an hour or so later when Banky busted out. By then I was up $90 (lost a huge pot with JJ when a guy overplayed his AK preflop and caught a stinking Ace on the turn – bah!). But still…up $90, and a potential for more with the high hand. I found out the next day that my high hand did hold up, and I was $225 richer!
My cash game winnings covered the cost of our buy-ins, plus a tidy little profit – definitely a good day for the Tart.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Bingo Bonanza!
After a brief foray into an $80 freezout, the past two Woody’s games have reverted to their previous rebuy bingo structure: $60 rebuys for first 3 levels, $20 addon for half a stack after the rebuy period is over. It’s fair to say that the Woody’s boys were back with a vengeance last night…as the prize pool was almost $2000 for 16 players. I think it worked out to almost $120 per person. It was insanity. I had to rebuy on the second hand after I overplayed my pair of jacks, and I saw one player (Guy) get his pocket kings cracked 4 times (twice busting completely and having to rebuy). He lost to me when I had pocket Aces, and to Banky when he had AK.
My hand was textbook. I was in the BB and player UTG+1 raises it 3xBB. Guy reraises him x3, and I look down and see Aces. I’m worried that if I reraise it’ll just scream Aces, but I wanted to get more money into the pot with two players who were anxious for action. I knew going all-in would scare UTG+1 out, so I just doubled Guy’s raise. UTG+1 folded anyway, and Guy said “raise”, and then my heart went pitter patter. He fumbled with his chips for a bit and then went all in. I immediately called and tabled my Aces. They held up, and I doubled up. Woot!
Guy also had AA twice that night, and they held up both times – but he ended up busting well out of the money after rebuying twice.
But that was just the beginning of the insanity. There were more ball-crushing suckouts than I’ve ever seen in one game. It was painful.
I misplayed the first two hands badly (and the second hand in cost me a rebuy), but after that I pulled my shit together and was able to play a very solid game. One of the most satisfying events last night was a call I made on Al. The details of the hand are unimportant, but the result was I read him as weak and even though I just had second pair/weak kicker I called his bluff bet on the river. It’s an amazing feeling when you know you’re making the right decision (and can also be sickening when you know you’re making the wrong decision, but do it anyway).
Long story short, I came in second and am now the money leader for the year.
Not bad for a girl in a room full of drunken monkeys!
My hand was textbook. I was in the BB and player UTG+1 raises it 3xBB. Guy reraises him x3, and I look down and see Aces. I’m worried that if I reraise it’ll just scream Aces, but I wanted to get more money into the pot with two players who were anxious for action. I knew going all-in would scare UTG+1 out, so I just doubled Guy’s raise. UTG+1 folded anyway, and Guy said “raise”, and then my heart went pitter patter. He fumbled with his chips for a bit and then went all in. I immediately called and tabled my Aces. They held up, and I doubled up. Woot!
Guy also had AA twice that night, and they held up both times – but he ended up busting well out of the money after rebuying twice.
But that was just the beginning of the insanity. There were more ball-crushing suckouts than I’ve ever seen in one game. It was painful.
I misplayed the first two hands badly (and the second hand in cost me a rebuy), but after that I pulled my shit together and was able to play a very solid game. One of the most satisfying events last night was a call I made on Al. The details of the hand are unimportant, but the result was I read him as weak and even though I just had second pair/weak kicker I called his bluff bet on the river. It’s an amazing feeling when you know you’re making the right decision (and can also be sickening when you know you’re making the wrong decision, but do it anyway).
Long story short, I came in second and am now the money leader for the year.
Not bad for a girl in a room full of drunken monkeys!
Monday, April 23, 2007
The Secret to poker?
If I frequently get a lot of chips early in a tournament and then finish middle of the pack, what does that tell me?
I have to ponder on that thought, because that happens to me frequently. I played in another blogger tourney last night: the WPBT limit event. Early on I was doing well, but then my aggression got the better of me and I gift-wrapped and hand delivered half my stack to another player.
I found it hard to recover after that and I fizzled out in 13th place. I'm sure the spiced rum & ginger ales that Banky was feeding me didn’t help (although it did make for an enjoyable evening).
Banky and I have been watching the NBC National Heads-up Championship, and I was very impressed by Shannon Elizabeth’s play (although only a few hands of her match against Mr. Celine Dion were shown). However, I was a little alarmed at just how shiney her teeth were. They looked great, but really…who’s teeth are that shiney? It looked like they were covered in Vaseline. I’ll have to remember that trick when I make it onto a televised event.
What I was surprised to hear was Shannon’s comment to Shana Hiatt in her post-win interview. She mentioned that she’s using the Law of Attraction in her life. It was a little bit of a goosebump moment for me because I just read The Secret this week and was totally energized by it. I totally see the connection between playing poker and the law of attraction and how it can translate into “luck”. If you persistently think bad things will happen, bad things will happen (see Mike Matasow). I’ve always felt like I was a lucky person…and now I’m going to make that even more true than before!
I have to ponder on that thought, because that happens to me frequently. I played in another blogger tourney last night: the WPBT limit event. Early on I was doing well, but then my aggression got the better of me and I gift-wrapped and hand delivered half my stack to another player.
I found it hard to recover after that and I fizzled out in 13th place. I'm sure the spiced rum & ginger ales that Banky was feeding me didn’t help (although it did make for an enjoyable evening).
Banky and I have been watching the NBC National Heads-up Championship, and I was very impressed by Shannon Elizabeth’s play (although only a few hands of her match against Mr. Celine Dion were shown). However, I was a little alarmed at just how shiney her teeth were. They looked great, but really…who’s teeth are that shiney? It looked like they were covered in Vaseline. I’ll have to remember that trick when I make it onto a televised event.
What I was surprised to hear was Shannon’s comment to Shana Hiatt in her post-win interview. She mentioned that she’s using the Law of Attraction in her life. It was a little bit of a goosebump moment for me because I just read The Secret this week and was totally energized by it. I totally see the connection between playing poker and the law of attraction and how it can translate into “luck”. If you persistently think bad things will happen, bad things will happen (see Mike Matasow). I’ve always felt like I was a lucky person…and now I’m going to make that even more true than before!
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Cherry Poppin' Tart
I popped my poker blogger cherry on Monday night and played my first blogger tourney.
I had arranged to play a heads-up O8 game with Change100 (I won the ‘who is the biggest drama geek who reads her blog’ challenge). Unfortunately the SNG server was down so we couldn’t play, but I was up past my bedtime anyway and decide to try my hand at the Mondays at the Hoy game.
I had a great time…except for the part when my QQ gets crushed by InstantTragedy’s AJ when we get all-in preflop and the flop comes JJx. Bah!
That crippled me and I went all-in shortly afterwards with A10 to get called by IT (I think) with AQ and I go to bed.
Bankwell was a bit grumpy when I lost…he’s watched me play a lot lately, and the other day stopped playing the Wii for a minute and said “you get sucked out on. A LOT”, and why yes, yes I do…but it didn’t faze me on Monday night, because I had a good time.
It was nice to play with people who love poker, and who aren’t full of venom towards each other in the chat window. Although Al did bitch me out for betting into a dry side pot when he and I were in a pot with a third player who was all-in. I’m not convinced that what I did was so wrong. I called the all-in player’s bet with AQ, and the flop was Q high. I was worried that Al might have AK, and then if a K hits, I’ve lost a big pot (the main pot was over 4,000 chips, and I only had about 3,300 back). Al ended up folding, and the all-in player had AQ so we chopped. I know about the whole “checking it down” theory. But in this case I think my bet was justified.
One thing I found interesting was that some of the other players commented on how aggressive I was. I’ve never really considered myself that aggressive, so their reaction was surprising. Although if they saw the hands I was getting (high pockets out the wazoo) maybe I wouldn’t have seemed so aggressive.
In other news I also popped my hammer cherry! Raising 27o, taking it down pre-flop and then showing the hand…oh yes, I’m definitely a blogger now.
And in other, other news - I finally moneyed again in the Thursday night league after a 6 month dry spell. Too bad it was a light game and my third place finish was barely a return on my buy-in....but I'll take it!
I had arranged to play a heads-up O8 game with Change100 (I won the ‘who is the biggest drama geek who reads her blog’ challenge). Unfortunately the SNG server was down so we couldn’t play, but I was up past my bedtime anyway and decide to try my hand at the Mondays at the Hoy game.
I had a great time…except for the part when my QQ gets crushed by InstantTragedy’s AJ when we get all-in preflop and the flop comes JJx. Bah!
That crippled me and I went all-in shortly afterwards with A10 to get called by IT (I think) with AQ and I go to bed.
Bankwell was a bit grumpy when I lost…he’s watched me play a lot lately, and the other day stopped playing the Wii for a minute and said “you get sucked out on. A LOT”, and why yes, yes I do…but it didn’t faze me on Monday night, because I had a good time.
It was nice to play with people who love poker, and who aren’t full of venom towards each other in the chat window. Although Al did bitch me out for betting into a dry side pot when he and I were in a pot with a third player who was all-in. I’m not convinced that what I did was so wrong. I called the all-in player’s bet with AQ, and the flop was Q high. I was worried that Al might have AK, and then if a K hits, I’ve lost a big pot (the main pot was over 4,000 chips, and I only had about 3,300 back). Al ended up folding, and the all-in player had AQ so we chopped. I know about the whole “checking it down” theory. But in this case I think my bet was justified.
One thing I found interesting was that some of the other players commented on how aggressive I was. I’ve never really considered myself that aggressive, so their reaction was surprising. Although if they saw the hands I was getting (high pockets out the wazoo) maybe I wouldn’t have seemed so aggressive.
In other news I also popped my hammer cherry! Raising 27o, taking it down pre-flop and then showing the hand…oh yes, I’m definitely a blogger now.
And in other, other news - I finally moneyed again in the Thursday night league after a 6 month dry spell. Too bad it was a light game and my third place finish was barely a return on my buy-in....but I'll take it!
Monday, April 09, 2007
MIA
You’d think that with my lack of blogging that I’ve stopped playing…but that is definitely not the case.
Since I last blogged, I’ve continued my losing streak at the Thursday games (haven’t cashed since November), won a bunch of $8 turbo ticket tourneys – and then subsequently lost when playing tourneys with those tickets, played at the same FullTilt tables as Chris Ferguson, Karina Jett, and Chip Jett, came third at Woody’s (Bankwell finished second that night), and won two HORSE tourneys on FullTilt.
The HORSE tourneys were not my biggest tourney wins as far as money goes, but they were my biggest online tourney wins as far as number of entrants. I’ve never had any success at online MTTs…so these two wins (on back-to-back Fridays, no less) felt extremely satisfying.
We’ve also attended and hosted some Saturday night fun games – and they really help me keep poker in perspective. First and foremost for me, I love to play poker. I love trying to read people, I love playing with chips (especially when I have to stack a huge pot I just scooped), and I love talking and laughing with the other players. I have lots of serious games in my poker playing schedule…I need to remember to include some fun in there too.
Since I last blogged, I’ve continued my losing streak at the Thursday games (haven’t cashed since November), won a bunch of $8 turbo ticket tourneys – and then subsequently lost when playing tourneys with those tickets, played at the same FullTilt tables as Chris Ferguson, Karina Jett, and Chip Jett, came third at Woody’s (Bankwell finished second that night), and won two HORSE tourneys on FullTilt.
The HORSE tourneys were not my biggest tourney wins as far as money goes, but they were my biggest online tourney wins as far as number of entrants. I’ve never had any success at online MTTs…so these two wins (on back-to-back Fridays, no less) felt extremely satisfying.
We’ve also attended and hosted some Saturday night fun games – and they really help me keep poker in perspective. First and foremost for me, I love to play poker. I love trying to read people, I love playing with chips (especially when I have to stack a huge pot I just scooped), and I love talking and laughing with the other players. I have lots of serious games in my poker playing schedule…I need to remember to include some fun in there too.
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