Was playing in a short-handed 40/80 on Saturday night. Yeah I know I told myself I wasn't going to do this very much this year, but the 20/40 had already broken and I didn't feel like playing 8/16. Plus there was a major fish in the game who was making it good.
This is a two hand thought process, as the first hand sets up the second hand somewhat.
3-handed, I have A9o in the big blind. Button open raises, SB folds, I call. Flop comes A 4 2. check-bet-raise-call. I was hoping to take in down on the flop. I'm not super in love with my kicker, but I have a gutball wheel draw, plus the button may have a pocket pair, not convinced that I necessarily have the ace. Top-pair is almost always going to showdown in a short-handed game. I decide to check-call him down unless I improve. Turn and river are bricks, he shows A5 offsuit, I show my hand and take it down.
About twenty minutes later this hand comes up against the same player. I'm in the big-blind with A8 suited. Button open-raises, SB folds, I call. Flop comes AT4, one of my suit. check-bet-raise-call. Similar sequence as last time, and again I'm not super in love with kicker, but 3-handed top-pair is a good hand. Turn is an 8. I decide not to get tricky and lead out. I get raised by the button. Consistent with AK/AQ/AJ/AT. I 3-bet, button 4 bets. Now I absolutely hate my hand. Button has to have either pocket 4's for a set or pocket 10's for a set. Likely pocket 10's as he's not showing any fear, clearly and rightly so not putting me on pocket aces, since I didn't 3-bet preflop. My 3-bet on the turn announces my hand as at least two pair, likely aces-up. The only hand that I am possibly beating when he 4 bets is a A4, which I don't think he would 4 bet the turn with. Now here's the dilemma, I put him on pocket tens for a set, but given that it was short handed, and I still had some outs, plus I could be wrong and maybe he's grossly overplaying AK, I need to call him down. I call the turn, and check-call the river, and yep he shows me pocket tens for the flopped set. Not sure if I could/should have done anything differently. I knew I was beat, but had to make the crying call.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
4th Quarter Results and Year in Review
Man the holidays have been brutal on the bankroll. I was doing fine this quarter, until the month of December rolled around and then my results just tanked for the quarter.
Here's the quarter results:
8/16 3.75 303
20/40 62.5 495
40/80 159 -7378
75/150 10.5 4530
totals 235.75 -2050
Hourly Loss = -8.70
For the year (just the main games I play)
8/16 19.667 -460
20/40 198.584 -2490
40/80 501 16726
75/150 30.16 12148
totals 749.411 25924
Hourly Rate = 34.59
So all in all I didn't have a bad year. An extra 25k in my pocket for incidentals, Vegas, money for my wife, etc is okay by me. The first two quarters of the year were spectacular, while the final two were poor, with the third quarter being the worst. The final quarter of the year I was doing fine, but then I got ruptured in December all in the span of about 5 sessions.
Looking back on this last month, I have come to realize a couple of flaws in my game and mindset.
1) I am playing too long sessions. No more coming home at 4 or 5 am. I am going to set some pretty strict time limits on my sessions in 2008, unless the game is so good that I'd be insane to leave (like when Brenda or Jerry Buss are playing).
2) I am playing way too much short-handed 40/80. While I can beat the game, there's not a lot of upside potential there. Usually when the 40/80 gets short-handed it's the better players in the game, which means I need to play extra sharp where gaining or saving a bet here and there is crucial. I don't need the extra stress, when I can go play a full 20/40 or 8/16. True my hourly rate may go down, but so will my variance, which lately has been very high. I've been playing a lot of short handed and making some big scores and some big losses.
3) This is coupled with 2 and 3, when I play short-handed, particularly late at night, I am making too may mistakes which are costing me bets. Here's an example of a horrible play I made the other night. I'm in the BB with J2o. Button mucks, SB completes, I check and we see a flop of A K K. Check-check. Turn is a rag. Check-Check. River is a Jack. Check-Bet-Call. That's the worst bet in the world by me. I can't be called by any hand that I am beating, and hands that are beating me but don't have monsters are surely going to call. SB shows A2o and takes the pot.
So in all, I think I will take a bit of a break from poker for at least a couple of weeks. Especially with the NFL playoffs in gear and the San Diego Chargers who I think will win their first round game, but probably lose in the second round to either Jacksonville or Indy. I'm hoping that the Chargers do better, but I'm always the eternal optimist, while my wife is the realist in the family, at least when it comes to the sports teams I root for. My birthday is coming up in February, so I might get a free weekend to either go to Vegas or play some poker during the daylight hours.
I've noticed a slight up-tick in site traffic. So I'm guessing that someone out there is reading this other than myself. Even if nobody else is reading, that's ok, the blog is mostly for me anyways.
Happy New Year everyone!
Here's the quarter results:
8/16 3.75 303
20/40 62.5 495
40/80 159 -7378
75/150 10.5 4530
totals 235.75 -2050
Hourly Loss = -8.70
For the year (just the main games I play)
8/16 19.667 -460
20/40 198.584 -2490
40/80 501 16726
75/150 30.16 12148
totals 749.411 25924
Hourly Rate = 34.59
So all in all I didn't have a bad year. An extra 25k in my pocket for incidentals, Vegas, money for my wife, etc is okay by me. The first two quarters of the year were spectacular, while the final two were poor, with the third quarter being the worst. The final quarter of the year I was doing fine, but then I got ruptured in December all in the span of about 5 sessions.
Looking back on this last month, I have come to realize a couple of flaws in my game and mindset.
1) I am playing too long sessions. No more coming home at 4 or 5 am. I am going to set some pretty strict time limits on my sessions in 2008, unless the game is so good that I'd be insane to leave (like when Brenda or Jerry Buss are playing).
2) I am playing way too much short-handed 40/80. While I can beat the game, there's not a lot of upside potential there. Usually when the 40/80 gets short-handed it's the better players in the game, which means I need to play extra sharp where gaining or saving a bet here and there is crucial. I don't need the extra stress, when I can go play a full 20/40 or 8/16. True my hourly rate may go down, but so will my variance, which lately has been very high. I've been playing a lot of short handed and making some big scores and some big losses.
3) This is coupled with 2 and 3, when I play short-handed, particularly late at night, I am making too may mistakes which are costing me bets. Here's an example of a horrible play I made the other night. I'm in the BB with J2o. Button mucks, SB completes, I check and we see a flop of A K K. Check-check. Turn is a rag. Check-Check. River is a Jack. Check-Bet-Call. That's the worst bet in the world by me. I can't be called by any hand that I am beating, and hands that are beating me but don't have monsters are surely going to call. SB shows A2o and takes the pot.
So in all, I think I will take a bit of a break from poker for at least a couple of weeks. Especially with the NFL playoffs in gear and the San Diego Chargers who I think will win their first round game, but probably lose in the second round to either Jacksonville or Indy. I'm hoping that the Chargers do better, but I'm always the eternal optimist, while my wife is the realist in the family, at least when it comes to the sports teams I root for. My birthday is coming up in February, so I might get a free weekend to either go to Vegas or play some poker during the daylight hours.
I've noticed a slight up-tick in site traffic. So I'm guessing that someone out there is reading this other than myself. Even if nobody else is reading, that's ok, the blog is mostly for me anyways.
Happy New Year everyone!
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Commerce Casino
So I made it to Commerce last night. It's as big as I've been told. Seemed as big as a medium size Vegas casino, with almost all of it dedicated to poker! I played 40/80 for about 4 hours and took a 1k loss. Battled my way back after being down 2 racks. Big, noisy, dirty were my first impressions of the place. Game selection was finally available as when I was there on a Wednesday night, there was 5 40/80 games running and 2 60/120 games going, along with a 100/200 game.
Nothing extraordinary in terms of players. I saw some tight play, but for the most part, the table was loose and not too aggressive. Lots of players, playing any two suited, any two paint. Lots of people cold-calling 2 or 3 bets with hands that should have hit the muck. Only two real "bad" beats I took. I called a raise out of the big blind with A5c, 4 way action. Flop comes 2c 4c rag. Ends up capped on the flop. Turn is a rag, called all around. River is a red queen. I check-fold the river. Pre-flop raiser, and river bettor had KQc, for a rivered top-pair that took it down! Come on club! For sure I get 2, maybe even 3 bets out of her! Other beat I took, I ended up chopping the pot. I raise UTG with pocket kings. Get called by the small blind with AQo. Flop comes 6 7 9. check-bet-call. Turn comes an 8. check-check. River 5. Check-check. Bad flop call by her, but with the way she was playing all night it was not totally unexpected by me. I just wish she would have rivered a pair, instead of a chop. Lots of women playing at my table. At one time, I think we had 5 women and 4 men playing. Highly unusual for me. At Oceans-11, at most there's usually only one or two women in the game.
While I was checking the place out, I saw Tuan Le playing a 400/800 mixed game. In real life, he's much buffer and more ripped than you see on TV. Didn't really stick around to see how he was doing. Other than that I didn't run into any other "famous" poker players, nor anyone I know from San Diego.
All in all, I would say Commerce was just okay. If I happened to be in the area, had some bankroll and free time, I might stop in and play. Don't think I'd make a special trip for Commerce.
Nothing extraordinary in terms of players. I saw some tight play, but for the most part, the table was loose and not too aggressive. Lots of players, playing any two suited, any two paint. Lots of people cold-calling 2 or 3 bets with hands that should have hit the muck. Only two real "bad" beats I took. I called a raise out of the big blind with A5c, 4 way action. Flop comes 2c 4c rag. Ends up capped on the flop. Turn is a rag, called all around. River is a red queen. I check-fold the river. Pre-flop raiser, and river bettor had KQc, for a rivered top-pair that took it down! Come on club! For sure I get 2, maybe even 3 bets out of her! Other beat I took, I ended up chopping the pot. I raise UTG with pocket kings. Get called by the small blind with AQo. Flop comes 6 7 9. check-bet-call. Turn comes an 8. check-check. River 5. Check-check. Bad flop call by her, but with the way she was playing all night it was not totally unexpected by me. I just wish she would have rivered a pair, instead of a chop. Lots of women playing at my table. At one time, I think we had 5 women and 4 men playing. Highly unusual for me. At Oceans-11, at most there's usually only one or two women in the game.
While I was checking the place out, I saw Tuan Le playing a 400/800 mixed game. In real life, he's much buffer and more ripped than you see on TV. Didn't really stick around to see how he was doing. Other than that I didn't run into any other "famous" poker players, nor anyone I know from San Diego.
All in all, I would say Commerce was just okay. If I happened to be in the area, had some bankroll and free time, I might stop in and play. Don't think I'd make a special trip for Commerce.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Itching to Play
Just checked in to my hotel here in Beverly Hills. Family is getting settled down, and I am getting ready to go out to play at Commerce Casino!
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Pilgramage
I'm going to the poker Mecca of the world. Yep, that's right Commerce Casino in Los Angeles, California. Home to world's best, up-and comers, wannabes, scum, hos, and other dregs of life. And oh yeah, they have the biggest poker room in the U.S. and the most poker action anywhere. At least, so I've been told. I've never set foot in Commere casino yet, in all my poker playing. But I will be in LA December 26-28 with my family and my wife has already said that I can go out and play at least one night, if not both.
I'm juiced up and ready to go as well, as I've been running pretty well the last month or so. Let's hope it stays that way at Commerce. Wish me luck. I'll be sure to pray to the poker Gods!
I'm juiced up and ready to go as well, as I've been running pretty well the last month or so. Let's hope it stays that way at Commerce. Wish me luck. I'll be sure to pray to the poker Gods!
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Running over the Table
Played in the 75/150 last night at Oceans-11. It was a weird night. I got there about 9:30pm, a little later than usual since my kids didn't want to go to sleep. When I arrived there was a short-handed 40/80, 2 full 20/40, and a full 75/150. I got seated in the 40/80 and only played like 45 minutes before the game broke. I then got in a 20/40 game where I only played for 30 minutes, and the only hand I played was pocket aces that got cracked by pocket eights. The original lineup in the 75/150 looked super juicy, but by the time my name got called the lineup wasn't as good any more. I was debating not taking it, but David T convinced me to play since he wanted my seat in the 20/40.
I ended up owning that table. I made $5650 in 4.5 hours. My big hands held up, and all my bluffs seemed to work, and more than my share of draws got there.
I made one masterful bluff (in my opinion) on Jamie. Jaime is a very loose aggressive player. 6-handed he raises under the gun, all folds to me. I call in the big blind with 45c. Flop is 4 6 7 all spades. bet-raise-call. Turn is king of hearts. check-bet-raise-call. River is 9 spades. I bet, Jaime hems and haws and starts complaining. He mucks 2 red jacks face up, and I take it down. Pretty good move, huh?
I ended up owning that table. I made $5650 in 4.5 hours. My big hands held up, and all my bluffs seemed to work, and more than my share of draws got there.
I made one masterful bluff (in my opinion) on Jamie. Jaime is a very loose aggressive player. 6-handed he raises under the gun, all folds to me. I call in the big blind with 45c. Flop is 4 6 7 all spades. bet-raise-call. Turn is king of hearts. check-bet-raise-call. River is 9 spades. I bet, Jaime hems and haws and starts complaining. He mucks 2 red jacks face up, and I take it down. Pretty good move, huh?
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Happy Thanksgiving
Had an awesome rush last night, that pretty much lasted the entire session. I got started at 9:30pm in the 40/80 game and cashed out at 2:00 am for $7300, up 5300 in 4.5 hours of play.
For the longest time it seemed like every time I had a pocket pair, I would never flop a set. Last night it was the exact opposite. Every time I had a pocket pair, it seemed like it was impossible for me NOT to flop or turn a set. Even the pocket-pairs I ended up folding either on the flop or turn, seemed to make a set by the river. I don't know why I bothered to fold anything last night, as even the rags I was tossing were seemingly turning to gold, if only I had played. But I'm not greedy, I played my A game, and raked in the chips.
Happy Turkey Day! Gobble Gobble.
For the longest time it seemed like every time I had a pocket pair, I would never flop a set. Last night it was the exact opposite. Every time I had a pocket pair, it seemed like it was impossible for me NOT to flop or turn a set. Even the pocket-pairs I ended up folding either on the flop or turn, seemed to make a set by the river. I don't know why I bothered to fold anything last night, as even the rags I was tossing were seemingly turning to gold, if only I had played. But I'm not greedy, I played my A game, and raked in the chips.
Happy Turkey Day! Gobble Gobble.
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