I haven't been playing much online at all, just the odd MTT like every couple of weeks, I've played maybe 3 or 4 in November, I haven't been in the mood at all and I don't have an online bankroll anymore.
Last night I went to Adam's house to hang out for the night and play some NHL 08 and have some drinks. Adam said he was taking the night off poker so we had a long fun night ahead of us. We played maybe 10 games of NHL 08 and I went 2-8, I'm so good. He really runs good at everything, except when I took him twice in 2 heads up matches, which he probably wasn't trying in anyways haha. Anyways, it was like 3:30am, we were watching some Lost and I wasn't tired at all and decided I wanted to play some online tournaments. I had like $8 in my stars account and didn't care if I won or lost it all, I just wanted to play something. There was a $3.30 at 4:00am that perked my interest. There were only 78 entrants by 3:30am and I figured I could dominate all of them.
4:00am rolled around, and the tournament started, 698 entrants, perfect, I won't be up long at all. I actually wanted to see how well I could do, so I tried my best. It always helps when you get AA 3 hands in and make it 5x on the button at 10/20 and someone shoves in the SB for 1500 (starting stack) and you call and double up instantly. That always helps, but of course, I went card dead. First break passed, I still hadn't played a hand. Blinds were now 75/150, i had about 2800.
I would get the HH, but to be honest, I honestly go no hands whatsoever, I just started stealing the blinds like crazy once the antes kicked in, won some big pots here and there with no showdowns. I was hitting some flops and stuff, but it didn't last the whole way. Once the money bubble kicked in, I was able to just add to my stack big time and steal the blinds.
I made it to the FT, it was now 8:00am, and I'm starting to get tired, but didn't let it get to me at the FT. I was 6/9 with roughly 100k in chips and the big stack had 240k. So it was anyones game, but the blinds were really starting to kick in. It was a back and forth game when it was 5 handed and the losing hand that would shove would manage to win and double up and no one would die which sucked cause I was card dead and trying to pick my spots to shove and steal the blinds. It was working fine, since everyone was so tight which sucked cause basically it's up to me to break the silence cause I'm the aggressor at the table. So I was trying to take control, but I had no chips to do it. I finally shoved with As3s from the BB after a big stack SB raise and he called with AJ. The board was 2s 5x 8x 8s, so I had a ton of outs to win or chop, and I bricked out and took 5th place for $107 or so. I was upset with the finish at the time because they were all terrible players and so tight, I just had to push and prey, had I doubled up, I would have been in decent shape to TID and I would have been 2/5, but whatever. I'm happy with the result now looking back on it. Hopefully I can continue playing some MTT's.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Saturday, November 24, 2007
2 Buy-Ins in 5 Minutes
You want to know how I did, well here it is. Enjoy it, but it is fairly long, sorry for that. I guess it's hard to keep these small when talking about a huge session.
So obviously I went back to play again, I can't get away from this place cause the players are just unbelievably bad. I was walking through the poker room and saw the seat where I was gonna go. As I'm walking to my seat, I see a guy with about $800 in front of him (buy in is $100) and he open raised a hand to $25. He got a caller, and he bet every street hard and the caller eventually called down with A high and the maniac flipped over Q 4 off for a pair of 4s. So right away I knew I was in for a treat. This guy was insane, opening ever pot to 20 or 25 and betting no matter what, and the sad part is I can only buy in for $100.
So, basically, I'm going to explain how to lose two buy ins within 5 minutes. I limped with AJ UTG, crazy man made it $25, folded back to me and I shoved, he didn't even think, and called with J 6 off. So sick, he flopped a 6 and he held, this really got me going. Very next hand in my BB, someone made it $12, crazy guy called, one other caller, and I shoved with AhKh. Everyone called. Original raiser had AA, maniac had 5s4s, and the other guy had Q 10 off. Board came out J 9 6 6 8 and Q 10 took the pot down. The crazy guy left which sucked, cause I wanted to double up so many times through him, but it didn't suck because now I could play my game.
There were some awesome hands, and so many stories to tell but it would just take forever to explain, so I guess telling you about the good hands will be fine. At this point, I'm din for $200, and I bought back in for another $100, before this hand, I had gone down to around $70 and I limped UTG with KQ off. Usually I raise or fold with this, but my table is weak and I can pick up small pots without even hitting a hand. EP raised to $12, this guy plays every hand, but usually always limps, so raising for him is a sign of strength. There were 3 callers, and I call for odds, I really don't like my hand, but I don't have many chips so if I see something I like I'm shoving anyways. Flop was Q 7 4 r, I shoved my last $58 or so in, original raiser instantly went all in, other guys folded, and I said "Okay Allan - show me your aces", he said "It ain't aces", I said "Oh okay, just kings then", I showed my KQ, and he showed Q 10 off! WTF was that. I've never seen him raise with that junk, he's usually limping with it, oh well, I held and doubled through.
I sat around $130-$140 for the longest time. I got there around 9:30 and it was 12:30 by now and I hadn't played a hand in forever. My table was 6 handed now, so I was hoping to get out of my card slump and take over. This was a cute hand, I was getting "bored" but also knew if I flopped a monster, I'm getting doubled. UTG limped, UTG+1 made it $10, he raises almost every hand and bluffs almost every pot, he's awful, it's awesome. I called with 8 5 off in the SB knowing the BB and UTG are flatting so I have some odds. The flop was Q 8 5, oops. I bet $30, folded back to the raiser and he shoved for $50 more, I called and he showed 10's. Well played 10's. I held and I was up to around $180ish.
I finally started picking up some pots and making conversation at the table just to feel more comfortable and I hate listening to my ipod while playing. An EP player limped, I made it $12 with QQ on the button, folded back to the limper and he called. He seemed a bit nervous, and I could tell he had a good hand. The flop was Qx 5s 7s. He fired out $20. Once he did this, I gave him credit for a set, or AQ, which in my case is sick cause I'm gonna get all his chips. I made it $50, small raise, but a raise to make a made hand shove if he knows what he's doing, which he doesn't I later found out (he was at my table for maybe 10 minutes). He called $30 more. $130 or so in the pot right now. Turn was a 3x, he checked and I shoved. I really thought for sure he was calling, he just seemed so strong, he thought for a bit, and he folded. He said he had a flush draw with the Q, which I doubt, but if he did have that, then I'm happy the way I played my hand.
Up to about $250 now and looking decent. It's about 2:00am and I am almost ready to leave until I get this sick hand. There were two limpers, I made it $12 with 7h6h, same hand I doubled with last session :). I got one caller and one of the limpers made it $35. I put him on AA or KK and he had about $51 more behind, I know it's a bad call for implied odds, but I really wanted to play this hand, and I knew I could get some more chips from the other player in the hand who has roughly $200 or so. Anyways, I call and so does the other guy. So $105 in the pot. Flop was 10 6 2. The re-raiser bet $25, I called $25 getting insane odds and so did the other guy. Turn was the best turn in the world, another 6. The re-raiser went all in for his last $26 in chips, I called and so did the other guy, so now there is $280 in the main pot. Now there is a dry side pot which sucks, but oh well. River was a blank and I bet $30 into the dry, and the other guy instantly called. I showed my hand and the table went bananas. It sucks cause I think I could have bet $75 on the river and the guy still calls, but it was a dry side pot and I wanted to go to value town. The guy to my left said "Hooollllllllllyyyyyyyyyyyy fuckkkkkkkkkkk, you raised to $12 with 7 6!!!!!!!!" I said, "It seems to be working doesn't it?" and he just shrugged his shoulders.
My stack was now up to $500 and change and I was looking good, I limped pre EP with 8s9s, guy who plays alot of hands raised to $10, 2 callers and I called. Flop was AsQs6x, it checked to the raiser and he bet $5 into $40, one caller, and I called. As the dealer was turning the card, I said please be a spade, and it was a 5s and I said, "Yes, spade, I got my flush". I bet out $20 right away to just go along with my "flush". Original raiser thought for a bit and he went all in for $65 total. I called and he asked if I really had the flush, I said I did and he was drawing dead when he showed me A J. He gave me a pat on the shoulder and told me nice hand and went on about his night.
The action was insane early on, but I didn't like it cause I couldn't play poker. But after the maniac left, I seemed to be fine as my results prove it. I made a profit of $244 after being in for $200 right away starting my session. Patience is really a big factor for live poker, I can't believe how much it is, but it paid off. I'll probably be going back sometime soon, but you wanted to know how it went, so I hope you liked it.
So obviously I went back to play again, I can't get away from this place cause the players are just unbelievably bad. I was walking through the poker room and saw the seat where I was gonna go. As I'm walking to my seat, I see a guy with about $800 in front of him (buy in is $100) and he open raised a hand to $25. He got a caller, and he bet every street hard and the caller eventually called down with A high and the maniac flipped over Q 4 off for a pair of 4s. So right away I knew I was in for a treat. This guy was insane, opening ever pot to 20 or 25 and betting no matter what, and the sad part is I can only buy in for $100.
So, basically, I'm going to explain how to lose two buy ins within 5 minutes. I limped with AJ UTG, crazy man made it $25, folded back to me and I shoved, he didn't even think, and called with J 6 off. So sick, he flopped a 6 and he held, this really got me going. Very next hand in my BB, someone made it $12, crazy guy called, one other caller, and I shoved with AhKh. Everyone called. Original raiser had AA, maniac had 5s4s, and the other guy had Q 10 off. Board came out J 9 6 6 8 and Q 10 took the pot down. The crazy guy left which sucked, cause I wanted to double up so many times through him, but it didn't suck because now I could play my game.
There were some awesome hands, and so many stories to tell but it would just take forever to explain, so I guess telling you about the good hands will be fine. At this point, I'm din for $200, and I bought back in for another $100, before this hand, I had gone down to around $70 and I limped UTG with KQ off. Usually I raise or fold with this, but my table is weak and I can pick up small pots without even hitting a hand. EP raised to $12, this guy plays every hand, but usually always limps, so raising for him is a sign of strength. There were 3 callers, and I call for odds, I really don't like my hand, but I don't have many chips so if I see something I like I'm shoving anyways. Flop was Q 7 4 r, I shoved my last $58 or so in, original raiser instantly went all in, other guys folded, and I said "Okay Allan - show me your aces", he said "It ain't aces", I said "Oh okay, just kings then", I showed my KQ, and he showed Q 10 off! WTF was that. I've never seen him raise with that junk, he's usually limping with it, oh well, I held and doubled through.
I sat around $130-$140 for the longest time. I got there around 9:30 and it was 12:30 by now and I hadn't played a hand in forever. My table was 6 handed now, so I was hoping to get out of my card slump and take over. This was a cute hand, I was getting "bored" but also knew if I flopped a monster, I'm getting doubled. UTG limped, UTG+1 made it $10, he raises almost every hand and bluffs almost every pot, he's awful, it's awesome. I called with 8 5 off in the SB knowing the BB and UTG are flatting so I have some odds. The flop was Q 8 5, oops. I bet $30, folded back to the raiser and he shoved for $50 more, I called and he showed 10's. Well played 10's. I held and I was up to around $180ish.
I finally started picking up some pots and making conversation at the table just to feel more comfortable and I hate listening to my ipod while playing. An EP player limped, I made it $12 with QQ on the button, folded back to the limper and he called. He seemed a bit nervous, and I could tell he had a good hand. The flop was Qx 5s 7s. He fired out $20. Once he did this, I gave him credit for a set, or AQ, which in my case is sick cause I'm gonna get all his chips. I made it $50, small raise, but a raise to make a made hand shove if he knows what he's doing, which he doesn't I later found out (he was at my table for maybe 10 minutes). He called $30 more. $130 or so in the pot right now. Turn was a 3x, he checked and I shoved. I really thought for sure he was calling, he just seemed so strong, he thought for a bit, and he folded. He said he had a flush draw with the Q, which I doubt, but if he did have that, then I'm happy the way I played my hand.
Up to about $250 now and looking decent. It's about 2:00am and I am almost ready to leave until I get this sick hand. There were two limpers, I made it $12 with 7h6h, same hand I doubled with last session :). I got one caller and one of the limpers made it $35. I put him on AA or KK and he had about $51 more behind, I know it's a bad call for implied odds, but I really wanted to play this hand, and I knew I could get some more chips from the other player in the hand who has roughly $200 or so. Anyways, I call and so does the other guy. So $105 in the pot. Flop was 10 6 2. The re-raiser bet $25, I called $25 getting insane odds and so did the other guy. Turn was the best turn in the world, another 6. The re-raiser went all in for his last $26 in chips, I called and so did the other guy, so now there is $280 in the main pot. Now there is a dry side pot which sucks, but oh well. River was a blank and I bet $30 into the dry, and the other guy instantly called. I showed my hand and the table went bananas. It sucks cause I think I could have bet $75 on the river and the guy still calls, but it was a dry side pot and I wanted to go to value town. The guy to my left said "Hooollllllllllyyyyyyyyyyyy fuckkkkkkkkkkk, you raised to $12 with 7 6!!!!!!!!" I said, "It seems to be working doesn't it?" and he just shrugged his shoulders.
My stack was now up to $500 and change and I was looking good, I limped pre EP with 8s9s, guy who plays alot of hands raised to $10, 2 callers and I called. Flop was AsQs6x, it checked to the raiser and he bet $5 into $40, one caller, and I called. As the dealer was turning the card, I said please be a spade, and it was a 5s and I said, "Yes, spade, I got my flush". I bet out $20 right away to just go along with my "flush". Original raiser thought for a bit and he went all in for $65 total. I called and he asked if I really had the flush, I said I did and he was drawing dead when he showed me A J. He gave me a pat on the shoulder and told me nice hand and went on about his night.
The action was insane early on, but I didn't like it cause I couldn't play poker. But after the maniac left, I seemed to be fine as my results prove it. I made a profit of $244 after being in for $200 right away starting my session. Patience is really a big factor for live poker, I can't believe how much it is, but it paid off. I'll probably be going back sometime soon, but you wanted to know how it went, so I hope you liked it.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Live Cash Game = Success
Sorry, long post. (2 sessions in one)
So after my few live sessions, I went back to Awkwesasne with Adam (fishbones11) and Lacasse. I was going to play 1/2 NL and Adam and Lacasse came to play the 5/10 NL. Of course, we called before we left and they said they were spreading 1/2 up to 5/10. We got to the border and the Customs officer was asking all the usual questions and it seemed like we were going to get let off easy (I have been searched before), and I guess he didn't like the idea of us having almost $10,000 total, we said we had around $8,000 and I guess they didn't believe us. Anyways, he told me to park my car and go inside. So now, I'm just like whatever, I've done this before we won't be hear long, Adam thinks we are going to be like 6 hours and Lacasse is just doing what he always does, making the most hilarious jokes with the Customs officers.
They handed us these small sheets to fill out and the officer inside was pretty cool about everything, he was joking around as well, giving us grades on how well we filled out our sheets and stuff. Anyways they went out and searched my car, and then made us empty out our pockets and made sure we had under $10,000 or we have to declare it which is just a pain in the ass because it's just more sheets to fill out.
Finally, we get to the casino and we're all ready to play. Obviously there is no 5/10 game playing, but there is a waiting list which Adam and Lacasse both sign up for, and then they sat at a 2/5 game while I waited to sit at a 1/2 table.
From my previous sessions, I had done extremely well, but tonight would be different. It was insane how many draws I missed, I mean, ask Adam, I don't know how many open ended/flush draws I could miss in one night, it was sickening. Of course I got it all in on the flop with those draws for $200, $300, and $400 pots and missed completely, so after losing a few buy ins, I just started to play like a maniac while I waited for Adam and Lacasse to finish up. I was shoving blind for a while. I would straddle to $4, and everyone would limp and I would shove knowing no one's calling and if someone does, I am probably not that big of a dog to lose. I was called once by 66, and I showed A 10, and won that race, I think that was the only pot I won all night. My last hand of the night went like this. I am in the BB, of course I didn't look at my cards. There were maybe 4 limpers, and I just shoved blind again. UTG+1 called right away (around $100) and everyone else folded. I said I didn't look and it's the last hand of the night for me so I will show my cards after the board comes out, he said he would do the same. The board came A 8 7 6 2 complete rainbow. He said "I have nothin man, just Jack high." I looked at his cards and he called my blind shove with J 9 off. Haha, good call. So basically I have a good chance of winning this hand until I look at 3 4o. WP. So after that session,
Profit: -$400.
Basically, I can't win every night right? This wasn't a major set back at all, considering I'm still up like $350 or so. And, I played fine up until I missed all my draws then I just went psycho, but I was having fun and didn't care if I lost. I know I am a profitable cash game player and all I can do is just wait until I go next time, they are just so awful, it's awesome.
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I went again this past Tuesday night (November 20) with a different friend, who thankfully drove. I have driven so much it's crazy, so it was nice to get a drive from someone. We didn't get searched at the border, which was a bonus, and we got to the casino and were playing by 10:30pm. So a long, good session was in front of me. I was at a pretty sweet table, I knew how everyone played and there were a few donks who made terrible plays but were catching cards. I sat tight for a while, bought in for the max, $100, and won a couple of small pots maybe $20 each. I was hovering around $125 for a while until this hand.
I'll start out by explaining what my table is like.
Seat 1: Me
Seat 2: Middle aged male, plays every hand, raises with AA, KK, QQ.
Seat 3: Ottawa player (I didn't recognize), late 20's, tight. Will raise hands like AJ and KQ etc.
Seat 4: Late 20's, early 30's female, tightest player in the world.
Seat 5: Older male, 60ish, solid, plays suited connectors, not a bad player. (old man #1)
Seat 6: Complete donk, overbets with hands, plays every hand, will pay you off.
Seat 7: Young guy, my age, tight.
Seat 8: Older male, 60ish, loose, but weak. (old man #2)
Seat 9: Young guy, my age, plays like me.
Seat 10: Weak tight younger player, like really weak tight, like really bad. He was asking me if he made the right play every time he made a bet or something, he would say like "was that the right move or, should I have bet more or what."
Anyways, so I finally got a hand, 1010 in the SB, UTG limps, UTG+1 makes it $12, Hijack calls, I call and UTG calls. At this point, UTG has any 2 cards and the hijack has any 2 cards, and the raiser has a solid hand like AK, JJ, or something like that. The flop was Ac 10c 2, exactly what I wanted. I checked assuming the original raiser is going to C-bet but has AK hopefully, UTG checked, UTG+1 checked (now I know he doesn't have an ace, how am I going to make max now). Hijack bets $25, phew, finally, and I didn't think he was trying to buy it, from some tells, I could tell he hit that flop. He had around $60 behind so he wasn't fold if I raised, but now that I think about it, I think I played this hand poorly. My initial plan was to check raise this pot assuming someone hit it or has a flush draw so they can pay for it. I did check raise, and the Hijack only has $60 behind so I could raise to $60, but that only leaves me like $20 behind for the turn, so thats pointless, so I just shoved $104 or something like that. UTg and UTG+1 fold, hijack calls, but looks like he really doesn't want to. He calls and I showed my set, and he had Qc9c, so if I can dodge a club, nice. The turn was a 2 and I hit my boat and took the pot down, I was now around $205.
The bad beat pot was up to $55,000 and the way the hands were going on my table, it seemed like we should have won like 5 bad beat pots. There were 3 quads and 3 straight flushes, unreal, I've never seen anything like it. And each time someone had quads there was a straight flush possibility and every time someone had a straight flush, there was a paired board, so it was close. Would have been nice to get some extra cash.
I dwindled back down to $100 after calling raises pre with some pocket pair and suited connectors and missing, and I raised with AK, AQ, and QQ and lost some small pots, so everything was fine, just waiting for another pay off. The double up earlier with 1010 was an hour into the session so there was still plenty of poker to play.
By now, Seat 6 had left which sucks cause he had like $500 in front and I wanted all of it, but I guess he was smart enough to realize he was hitting everything and left while he was up, so that was too bad. This was a sickening hand, and I can't believe what fell. There was a straddle, and I was the button, 2 limped for $4, I made it $16 to go with 7h6h, I knew the limpers and SB would call so I decided to juice up this pot if I hit it big. And I knew it, the SB and limpers did call my raise so there is $66 in the pot and the flop was 8c 9h 2h, finally, an awesome flop for me, but could be a disaster cause the limpers could have a set or a higher flush draw, but I raised for a reason so I can't fold now since I got the flop I wanted. UTG+1 (old man #1)limper fired out $25, so right away he isn't looking for the check raise, I know he has a monster, Cut off (old man #2) called after much debate and I instantly shoved, SB folded and UTG+1 called right away and I had him covered by like $5. The cut off thought forever and finally folded, face up, 8h 5h, basically a bad hand for me to see, takes away 2 of my outs. UTG+1 had 8d9d for top 2 pair, and I had seven hearts, three 5's, and three 10's in the deck to hit, so 13 outs, 25% of the deck. I hit a black 5 on the turn and he missed his boat on the river and I raked in the pot and he just shook his head in dejection and seemed pretty pissed at me. He mumbled something along the lines of "7 6 eh, god that's awful". I said, "well, if I'm raising with junk like that, come and get all my chips."
That hand brought me up to ~$250 and I had a sweet image to play with. Three other players left, 2 were tight, so it was like they weren't even there anyways, and the guy to my left was stacked. Now the table was 6 handed, and I love 6 handed poker, so I was excited to just run over the table. I wasn't getting any real good hands to play in position with, so I had to fold alot, but I was still able to pick up small pots here and there. It was so easy to out play these guys.
It was about an hour until I played a big hand, (old man #2) limped for $2, I made it $12 in the CO with QQ, folded back to him and he shoved for $55 total, and I called, he had AhQh, he missed and I stacked him again and he reloaded.
A few hands later, I raised to $10 UTG+1 with KcJc, and the Ottawa player to my left shoved for $46 total. It folded back to me and I put him on a low paid and believe it or not, my read was bang on, he had 66. I spiked a J on the flop and held. I was now up to $300 and change and looking good, he reloaded as well. The other 1/2 table broke and filled the spots up on my table and now we had a full table again, but this time the big stack sat right to my left, and he knew what he was doing, he purposely said, who has the biggest stack and sat beside me, he had $1000 in front, which sucked, cause he was playing like a maniac and I couldn't control the table now, but all I have to do is sit and wait. He made a pretty sick call for a big pot.
It folded to the maniac and he made it $12, the BB (another Ottawa player) called. The flop was Q 5 3, Ottawa player bet, maniac bet $25. Ottawa player called (lets call him OT2). Turn was a Q and OT2 fired out $50, and right away I put him on nothing, just his demeanor said he had nothing, just a read. Maniac called $50, so there is now $175 in the pot, and river was a 3 putting 2 pair on board ( Q 5 3 Q 3). OT2 bet $80 and the maniac called after much deliberation, he took like 5 minutes to call and OT2 showed A 10 for ace high and maniac showed 7 5 for Q's and 5's. Pretty good call and he got up and freaked out and was like that's such a sick call, blah blah. He basically did what Kenny Tran did this year at the WSOP ME when Kenny called the river with a flush on board.
After that nothing much happened, the table got short, and I got 4 pocket pairs in a row. 88 lost to A 6, QQ lost to K 10 on a K 10 10 A board, it was checked around on the flop, and I folded a turn bet showing my QQ face up and he showed his K 10. Then I got 33, missed, then 55 and hit a set and won a small pot. Went to the cage at 5:15, profiting $250 for the night and headed home in the wonderful snow storm and morning traffic in Ottawa. Didn't get home until 8, should have been home at 6:45 or so. Oh well, it was a good night. I'll be going again soon, wish me luck...
So after my few live sessions, I went back to Awkwesasne with Adam (fishbones11) and Lacasse. I was going to play 1/2 NL and Adam and Lacasse came to play the 5/10 NL. Of course, we called before we left and they said they were spreading 1/2 up to 5/10. We got to the border and the Customs officer was asking all the usual questions and it seemed like we were going to get let off easy (I have been searched before), and I guess he didn't like the idea of us having almost $10,000 total, we said we had around $8,000 and I guess they didn't believe us. Anyways, he told me to park my car and go inside. So now, I'm just like whatever, I've done this before we won't be hear long, Adam thinks we are going to be like 6 hours and Lacasse is just doing what he always does, making the most hilarious jokes with the Customs officers.
They handed us these small sheets to fill out and the officer inside was pretty cool about everything, he was joking around as well, giving us grades on how well we filled out our sheets and stuff. Anyways they went out and searched my car, and then made us empty out our pockets and made sure we had under $10,000 or we have to declare it which is just a pain in the ass because it's just more sheets to fill out.
Finally, we get to the casino and we're all ready to play. Obviously there is no 5/10 game playing, but there is a waiting list which Adam and Lacasse both sign up for, and then they sat at a 2/5 game while I waited to sit at a 1/2 table.
From my previous sessions, I had done extremely well, but tonight would be different. It was insane how many draws I missed, I mean, ask Adam, I don't know how many open ended/flush draws I could miss in one night, it was sickening. Of course I got it all in on the flop with those draws for $200, $300, and $400 pots and missed completely, so after losing a few buy ins, I just started to play like a maniac while I waited for Adam and Lacasse to finish up. I was shoving blind for a while. I would straddle to $4, and everyone would limp and I would shove knowing no one's calling and if someone does, I am probably not that big of a dog to lose. I was called once by 66, and I showed A 10, and won that race, I think that was the only pot I won all night. My last hand of the night went like this. I am in the BB, of course I didn't look at my cards. There were maybe 4 limpers, and I just shoved blind again. UTG+1 called right away (around $100) and everyone else folded. I said I didn't look and it's the last hand of the night for me so I will show my cards after the board comes out, he said he would do the same. The board came A 8 7 6 2 complete rainbow. He said "I have nothin man, just Jack high." I looked at his cards and he called my blind shove with J 9 off. Haha, good call. So basically I have a good chance of winning this hand until I look at 3 4o. WP. So after that session,
Profit: -$400.
Basically, I can't win every night right? This wasn't a major set back at all, considering I'm still up like $350 or so. And, I played fine up until I missed all my draws then I just went psycho, but I was having fun and didn't care if I lost. I know I am a profitable cash game player and all I can do is just wait until I go next time, they are just so awful, it's awesome.
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I went again this past Tuesday night (November 20) with a different friend, who thankfully drove. I have driven so much it's crazy, so it was nice to get a drive from someone. We didn't get searched at the border, which was a bonus, and we got to the casino and were playing by 10:30pm. So a long, good session was in front of me. I was at a pretty sweet table, I knew how everyone played and there were a few donks who made terrible plays but were catching cards. I sat tight for a while, bought in for the max, $100, and won a couple of small pots maybe $20 each. I was hovering around $125 for a while until this hand.
I'll start out by explaining what my table is like.
Seat 1: Me
Seat 2: Middle aged male, plays every hand, raises with AA, KK, QQ.
Seat 3: Ottawa player (I didn't recognize), late 20's, tight. Will raise hands like AJ and KQ etc.
Seat 4: Late 20's, early 30's female, tightest player in the world.
Seat 5: Older male, 60ish, solid, plays suited connectors, not a bad player. (old man #1)
Seat 6: Complete donk, overbets with hands, plays every hand, will pay you off.
Seat 7: Young guy, my age, tight.
Seat 8: Older male, 60ish, loose, but weak. (old man #2)
Seat 9: Young guy, my age, plays like me.
Seat 10: Weak tight younger player, like really weak tight, like really bad. He was asking me if he made the right play every time he made a bet or something, he would say like "was that the right move or, should I have bet more or what."
Anyways, so I finally got a hand, 1010 in the SB, UTG limps, UTG+1 makes it $12, Hijack calls, I call and UTG calls. At this point, UTG has any 2 cards and the hijack has any 2 cards, and the raiser has a solid hand like AK, JJ, or something like that. The flop was Ac 10c 2, exactly what I wanted. I checked assuming the original raiser is going to C-bet but has AK hopefully, UTG checked, UTG+1 checked (now I know he doesn't have an ace, how am I going to make max now). Hijack bets $25, phew, finally, and I didn't think he was trying to buy it, from some tells, I could tell he hit that flop. He had around $60 behind so he wasn't fold if I raised, but now that I think about it, I think I played this hand poorly. My initial plan was to check raise this pot assuming someone hit it or has a flush draw so they can pay for it. I did check raise, and the Hijack only has $60 behind so I could raise to $60, but that only leaves me like $20 behind for the turn, so thats pointless, so I just shoved $104 or something like that. UTg and UTG+1 fold, hijack calls, but looks like he really doesn't want to. He calls and I showed my set, and he had Qc9c, so if I can dodge a club, nice. The turn was a 2 and I hit my boat and took the pot down, I was now around $205.
The bad beat pot was up to $55,000 and the way the hands were going on my table, it seemed like we should have won like 5 bad beat pots. There were 3 quads and 3 straight flushes, unreal, I've never seen anything like it. And each time someone had quads there was a straight flush possibility and every time someone had a straight flush, there was a paired board, so it was close. Would have been nice to get some extra cash.
I dwindled back down to $100 after calling raises pre with some pocket pair and suited connectors and missing, and I raised with AK, AQ, and QQ and lost some small pots, so everything was fine, just waiting for another pay off. The double up earlier with 1010 was an hour into the session so there was still plenty of poker to play.
By now, Seat 6 had left which sucks cause he had like $500 in front and I wanted all of it, but I guess he was smart enough to realize he was hitting everything and left while he was up, so that was too bad. This was a sickening hand, and I can't believe what fell. There was a straddle, and I was the button, 2 limped for $4, I made it $16 to go with 7h6h, I knew the limpers and SB would call so I decided to juice up this pot if I hit it big. And I knew it, the SB and limpers did call my raise so there is $66 in the pot and the flop was 8c 9h 2h, finally, an awesome flop for me, but could be a disaster cause the limpers could have a set or a higher flush draw, but I raised for a reason so I can't fold now since I got the flop I wanted. UTG+1 (old man #1)limper fired out $25, so right away he isn't looking for the check raise, I know he has a monster, Cut off (old man #2) called after much debate and I instantly shoved, SB folded and UTG+1 called right away and I had him covered by like $5. The cut off thought forever and finally folded, face up, 8h 5h, basically a bad hand for me to see, takes away 2 of my outs. UTG+1 had 8d9d for top 2 pair, and I had seven hearts, three 5's, and three 10's in the deck to hit, so 13 outs, 25% of the deck. I hit a black 5 on the turn and he missed his boat on the river and I raked in the pot and he just shook his head in dejection and seemed pretty pissed at me. He mumbled something along the lines of "7 6 eh, god that's awful". I said, "well, if I'm raising with junk like that, come and get all my chips."
That hand brought me up to ~$250 and I had a sweet image to play with. Three other players left, 2 were tight, so it was like they weren't even there anyways, and the guy to my left was stacked. Now the table was 6 handed, and I love 6 handed poker, so I was excited to just run over the table. I wasn't getting any real good hands to play in position with, so I had to fold alot, but I was still able to pick up small pots here and there. It was so easy to out play these guys.
It was about an hour until I played a big hand, (old man #2) limped for $2, I made it $12 in the CO with QQ, folded back to him and he shoved for $55 total, and I called, he had AhQh, he missed and I stacked him again and he reloaded.
A few hands later, I raised to $10 UTG+1 with KcJc, and the Ottawa player to my left shoved for $46 total. It folded back to me and I put him on a low paid and believe it or not, my read was bang on, he had 66. I spiked a J on the flop and held. I was now up to $300 and change and looking good, he reloaded as well. The other 1/2 table broke and filled the spots up on my table and now we had a full table again, but this time the big stack sat right to my left, and he knew what he was doing, he purposely said, who has the biggest stack and sat beside me, he had $1000 in front, which sucked, cause he was playing like a maniac and I couldn't control the table now, but all I have to do is sit and wait. He made a pretty sick call for a big pot.
It folded to the maniac and he made it $12, the BB (another Ottawa player) called. The flop was Q 5 3, Ottawa player bet, maniac bet $25. Ottawa player called (lets call him OT2). Turn was a Q and OT2 fired out $50, and right away I put him on nothing, just his demeanor said he had nothing, just a read. Maniac called $50, so there is now $175 in the pot, and river was a 3 putting 2 pair on board ( Q 5 3 Q 3). OT2 bet $80 and the maniac called after much deliberation, he took like 5 minutes to call and OT2 showed A 10 for ace high and maniac showed 7 5 for Q's and 5's. Pretty good call and he got up and freaked out and was like that's such a sick call, blah blah. He basically did what Kenny Tran did this year at the WSOP ME when Kenny called the river with a flush on board.
After that nothing much happened, the table got short, and I got 4 pocket pairs in a row. 88 lost to A 6, QQ lost to K 10 on a K 10 10 A board, it was checked around on the flop, and I folded a turn bet showing my QQ face up and he showed his K 10. Then I got 33, missed, then 55 and hit a set and won a small pot. Went to the cage at 5:15, profiting $250 for the night and headed home in the wonderful snow storm and morning traffic in Ottawa. Didn't get home until 8, should have been home at 6:45 or so. Oh well, it was a good night. I'll be going again soon, wish me luck...
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Hail to the Natives
Since my last post, I haven't played much, a bit of online here and there but nothing worth talking about, at least I am still above even. YES!
I recently made 2 trips to Awkesasne to play at the Bingo Palace for some 1/2 NL, which is my favourite game to play; live or online. I prefer live though because I am a much better live player than online, so it really is too bad that I can't play live unless I go across the border because of the local busts. Anyways, I had already written a post about my trip but I left my computer open and didn't save the post and my mom turned off my computer and it took me like an hour to write up, so sorry if it isn't the best post in the world, but I just hate repeating everything, so this will be shorter hopefully.
I'll start off with my first impressions of the place. I have never played live poker at a casino before and from seeing Casino Lac Leamy and getting some advice from some friends, this place was not the place to go if you are looking for an amazing atmosphere, or comforting nice place that is smoke free and very well maintained. It was an old bingo hall, full of smoke and the drinks you order are in white plastic cups, how amazing. But whatever, I wasn't there for the scenery, I was there to win.
I will go through the memorable hands from the nights I went and any other tid bits I think you all would like to know.
Friday Session:
I bought in for $100, it was a $100 max table, I was down to about $60 from limping and missing flops with some small pairs and some suited connectors, wasn't getting the hands in the positions I wanted them to take control of the game. I was dealt AA and raised it up to $15 EP. One caller to my left who was limping every pot and calling the raise if it was raised up, and he had a huge stack. Flop was K 8 6 rainbow, I just shoved right away making it look like a missed AQ or under pair and was ready to buy back in again, but he folded.
Was dealt 33, limped EP, 2 more limpers and SB raised it up to $12, I called as did the other 2 limpers. Flop was J 3 7, it checked around for some odd reason. Turn was a Q, I bet 20, button (solid), made it $45, I called. River was an 8 and put the runner runner flush on board and I checked, he bet $60 and I shoved for $75 total and he insta-folded LOL!
I limped EP with Jc10c, and 2 locals from Ottawa that I recognized also sat down since the other table broke up. There was one more limper behind me and the BB (Ottawa friend) made it $12. I called and so did the guy behind. The flop was Ac 7c 2x, and it checked around. I felt like betting out but from how I had been playing all night I was worried about a check raise and it was more or less risking all my chips which I do not want to do after I have built up a decent stack. Anyways I decided to see a free card, also seeing this free card could disguise my flush a little bit because I had been betting out my draws all night. Turn was 6c, I hit my flush and now it was time to get paid off. BB bet out $25, I flat called and the guy behind folded. River was a blank and BB checked, I bet out $50 making it look like a steal, and he called and mucked his AQ and said he thought I was bluffing.
Flopped a set with JJ for a $15 raise pre 3 handed, didn't get paid off. A J 6 flop. I was OOP and led out the flop, oh well. Someone said they folded A 9 but I don't believe them.
Biggest hand of the night was against this loose older German male who I had been waiting all night for to take a chunk off him. I limped EP, yet again, with 66 and the German made it $18 to go in the SB and the BB called. I right away put him on a big hand and was hoping for my 6 to get paid. The Flop was Q Q 5, and it checked to me, this made me think hard about betting or not. The German is either checking because he has QQ, AQ, AK. The way he was playing he would bet out with AA, KK and even maybe JJ. But I was worried about the BB so I checked. The turn was a sickening 6 and I was just waiting for them to get it in. SB bet out $18, which was 1/3 of the pot, which was small for the game we had been playing and I put him on a AK, then the BB called, so now I knew for sure one of them had the Q and it was probably the BB, so I decided to raise to make it look like I'm stealing the pot since if one of them has a Q they are gonna think that. I made it $50 to go, and the SB instantly went all-in with his beautiful accent, I actually loved it. "OOLLLLLL INNNN". Anyways, BB mucked and I called. SB tabled AQ for trips and I showed my boat. I dodged the 7 outs and stacked up my chips. Roughly a $400 pot.
That was it for that night, I profited ~$350 which I was extremely happy about.
Monday Session:
Looking for some more action, I decided to take a stab at the game again, but was hoping for some action since it was a Monday night, wow I'm such an addict. Going out at 12am to play poker on a school night, oh my gosh, my parents would not approve.
I doubled up right away on a sick hand. I basically wanted to establish a crazy image and buy playing this hand, it seemed to work well for the night.
UTG (kid my age - loose and smashed) made it $7, I called on the button with 8c5c, and the SB (tight, older man with dentures) made it $15, UTG called, and I called. I right away put the SB on a monster, AA or KK and was hoping to hit the perfect flop. The flop was Jc 7c 2x, SB bet $20, UTG called, and I shoved for $65 more, and they both called. I spiked my club on the turn and the river blanked and they checked it down. I showed my flush and the table just went bananas. "8 5, how do you play that hand - wow 8 5.... holy shit" So from that I basically said to myself, yes, now come and get me.
Roughly 5 hands later, I made it $10 on the button with 6 4 off with just the blinds left to act. SB (loose, kid my age) called, and led out the J 4 7 rainbow flop for $12. I called to see what he would do on the turn, I didn't believe him for the J. I put him on a 7 or an open ended draw. The turn was a 6, decent card and he led out again this time for $40, and I shoved, and he called for his remaining $45 or so, and I held against his J 10 off.
No big pots for a while, just raising alot and showing my stupid hands taking down pot after pot uncontested, until I got KK. I raised it up to $15 with KK MP and another tight older man called as did an early limper. The flop was J 6 7 rainbow. Checked to me and I fired out $40, the older man made it $90 to go, and the limper folded. I put him on QQ/AJ and shoved my chips in the middle and he called me right away and luckily he had the only hand that insta calls me for over $200. QQ. The only other 2 hands he snaps me with is AA or JJ. I held up and raked in over a $400 pot. He said "good hand" and went on about his night. My last hand worth telling is a great hand where I made a very sick read and everything just went perfectly except for the pot being awarded to the degenerate who desperately wanted to make some money.
This guy had doubled up a couple times over the last hour and started to play tight since he had some money, roughly $250. He limped EP and I made it $12 with 65, folded back to him and he called. The flop was K 8 4. He checked and I bet $12, he min raised me to $24, and right away I put him on either the biggest hand in the world or nothing. I called to see what he would do on the turn, because if he checks I know he has nothing and I can take the pot away, if he bets, I fold my gut shot and move on. Turn was a J and he checked, so now I know I can steal the pot from him so I decided to check to try and conceal a big hand and get paid on the river, but I don't have a big hand lol. River was a 9 and he checked again, so now I know 100% he has nothing and I can take this pot down. I bet $40, it was about 1/3 of the pot and made it look like a sick value bet. He thought for maybe 5 minutes. He would play with his cards and hold them like he was going to fold and then put them back on the table and cap them. He eventually called me and I said I had 6 high. He said "6 high????!?!??!?!" and I showed it and he showed my 77. GROSSSSSSSS. Very nice call from him though, I guess that's what happens when you raise almost every hand and show bluffs all the time, but in the end playing my style proved to be profitable. The table broke and I told him about the nice call he made and went to the cage and took me $320ish profit.
All in all a very worthy trip, not for the venue, but for the players, they are horrendous, that's why I'm going again this Friday night. Wish me luck.......
I recently made 2 trips to Awkesasne to play at the Bingo Palace for some 1/2 NL, which is my favourite game to play; live or online. I prefer live though because I am a much better live player than online, so it really is too bad that I can't play live unless I go across the border because of the local busts. Anyways, I had already written a post about my trip but I left my computer open and didn't save the post and my mom turned off my computer and it took me like an hour to write up, so sorry if it isn't the best post in the world, but I just hate repeating everything, so this will be shorter hopefully.
I'll start off with my first impressions of the place. I have never played live poker at a casino before and from seeing Casino Lac Leamy and getting some advice from some friends, this place was not the place to go if you are looking for an amazing atmosphere, or comforting nice place that is smoke free and very well maintained. It was an old bingo hall, full of smoke and the drinks you order are in white plastic cups, how amazing. But whatever, I wasn't there for the scenery, I was there to win.
I will go through the memorable hands from the nights I went and any other tid bits I think you all would like to know.
Friday Session:
I bought in for $100, it was a $100 max table, I was down to about $60 from limping and missing flops with some small pairs and some suited connectors, wasn't getting the hands in the positions I wanted them to take control of the game. I was dealt AA and raised it up to $15 EP. One caller to my left who was limping every pot and calling the raise if it was raised up, and he had a huge stack. Flop was K 8 6 rainbow, I just shoved right away making it look like a missed AQ or under pair and was ready to buy back in again, but he folded.
Was dealt 33, limped EP, 2 more limpers and SB raised it up to $12, I called as did the other 2 limpers. Flop was J 3 7, it checked around for some odd reason. Turn was a Q, I bet 20, button (solid), made it $45, I called. River was an 8 and put the runner runner flush on board and I checked, he bet $60 and I shoved for $75 total and he insta-folded LOL!
I limped EP with Jc10c, and 2 locals from Ottawa that I recognized also sat down since the other table broke up. There was one more limper behind me and the BB (Ottawa friend) made it $12. I called and so did the guy behind. The flop was Ac 7c 2x, and it checked around. I felt like betting out but from how I had been playing all night I was worried about a check raise and it was more or less risking all my chips which I do not want to do after I have built up a decent stack. Anyways I decided to see a free card, also seeing this free card could disguise my flush a little bit because I had been betting out my draws all night. Turn was 6c, I hit my flush and now it was time to get paid off. BB bet out $25, I flat called and the guy behind folded. River was a blank and BB checked, I bet out $50 making it look like a steal, and he called and mucked his AQ and said he thought I was bluffing.
Flopped a set with JJ for a $15 raise pre 3 handed, didn't get paid off. A J 6 flop. I was OOP and led out the flop, oh well. Someone said they folded A 9 but I don't believe them.
Biggest hand of the night was against this loose older German male who I had been waiting all night for to take a chunk off him. I limped EP, yet again, with 66 and the German made it $18 to go in the SB and the BB called. I right away put him on a big hand and was hoping for my 6 to get paid. The Flop was Q Q 5, and it checked to me, this made me think hard about betting or not. The German is either checking because he has QQ, AQ, AK. The way he was playing he would bet out with AA, KK and even maybe JJ. But I was worried about the BB so I checked. The turn was a sickening 6 and I was just waiting for them to get it in. SB bet out $18, which was 1/3 of the pot, which was small for the game we had been playing and I put him on a AK, then the BB called, so now I knew for sure one of them had the Q and it was probably the BB, so I decided to raise to make it look like I'm stealing the pot since if one of them has a Q they are gonna think that. I made it $50 to go, and the SB instantly went all-in with his beautiful accent, I actually loved it. "OOLLLLLL INNNN". Anyways, BB mucked and I called. SB tabled AQ for trips and I showed my boat. I dodged the 7 outs and stacked up my chips. Roughly a $400 pot.
That was it for that night, I profited ~$350 which I was extremely happy about.
Monday Session:
Looking for some more action, I decided to take a stab at the game again, but was hoping for some action since it was a Monday night, wow I'm such an addict. Going out at 12am to play poker on a school night, oh my gosh, my parents would not approve.
I doubled up right away on a sick hand. I basically wanted to establish a crazy image and buy playing this hand, it seemed to work well for the night.
UTG (kid my age - loose and smashed) made it $7, I called on the button with 8c5c, and the SB (tight, older man with dentures) made it $15, UTG called, and I called. I right away put the SB on a monster, AA or KK and was hoping to hit the perfect flop. The flop was Jc 7c 2x, SB bet $20, UTG called, and I shoved for $65 more, and they both called. I spiked my club on the turn and the river blanked and they checked it down. I showed my flush and the table just went bananas. "8 5, how do you play that hand - wow 8 5.... holy shit" So from that I basically said to myself, yes, now come and get me.
Roughly 5 hands later, I made it $10 on the button with 6 4 off with just the blinds left to act. SB (loose, kid my age) called, and led out the J 4 7 rainbow flop for $12. I called to see what he would do on the turn, I didn't believe him for the J. I put him on a 7 or an open ended draw. The turn was a 6, decent card and he led out again this time for $40, and I shoved, and he called for his remaining $45 or so, and I held against his J 10 off.
No big pots for a while, just raising alot and showing my stupid hands taking down pot after pot uncontested, until I got KK. I raised it up to $15 with KK MP and another tight older man called as did an early limper. The flop was J 6 7 rainbow. Checked to me and I fired out $40, the older man made it $90 to go, and the limper folded. I put him on QQ/AJ and shoved my chips in the middle and he called me right away and luckily he had the only hand that insta calls me for over $200. QQ. The only other 2 hands he snaps me with is AA or JJ. I held up and raked in over a $400 pot. He said "good hand" and went on about his night. My last hand worth telling is a great hand where I made a very sick read and everything just went perfectly except for the pot being awarded to the degenerate who desperately wanted to make some money.
This guy had doubled up a couple times over the last hour and started to play tight since he had some money, roughly $250. He limped EP and I made it $12 with 65, folded back to him and he called. The flop was K 8 4. He checked and I bet $12, he min raised me to $24, and right away I put him on either the biggest hand in the world or nothing. I called to see what he would do on the turn, because if he checks I know he has nothing and I can take the pot away, if he bets, I fold my gut shot and move on. Turn was a J and he checked, so now I know I can steal the pot from him so I decided to check to try and conceal a big hand and get paid on the river, but I don't have a big hand lol. River was a 9 and he checked again, so now I know 100% he has nothing and I can take this pot down. I bet $40, it was about 1/3 of the pot and made it look like a sick value bet. He thought for maybe 5 minutes. He would play with his cards and hold them like he was going to fold and then put them back on the table and cap them. He eventually called me and I said I had 6 high. He said "6 high????!?!??!?!" and I showed it and he showed my 77. GROSSSSSSSS. Very nice call from him though, I guess that's what happens when you raise almost every hand and show bluffs all the time, but in the end playing my style proved to be profitable. The table broke and I told him about the nice call he made and went to the cage and took me $320ish profit.
All in all a very worthy trip, not for the venue, but for the players, they are horrendous, that's why I'm going again this Friday night. Wish me luck.......
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