Full tilt Update and AK Multiway

Two huge thumbs up so far with the new Full Tilt Update. The long awaited game filters have arrived and arrived in a big way. There are so many ways to show your tables for selecting including saving different configurations. Nice!!

I also like the Full Tilt Points Counter Widget that you can add on the right sidebar. Now, I could always get this information from my Holdem Manager; but I like seeing how many points I have received without looking at HEM which also makes me look at results.

Here is a hand from yesterday with AK in late position after a raiser and 3 callers. What do you do with AK from Cutoff?

Full Tilt Poker $0.50/$1 Pot Limit Hold'em - 8 players - http://www.thehandconverter.com/hands/212506
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

SB: $19.00
BB: $270.40
UTG: $63.80 22/5/1.7 306 hands
UTG+1: $100.00 40/10/.8 30 hands
MP1: $88.80 30/12/2.7 258 hands
MP2: $38.25 21/14/inf 14 hands
Hero (CO): $101.50
BTN: $149.25

Pre Flop: ($1.50) Hero is CO with Ad Kc
UTG raises to $3.50, UTG+1 calls $3.50, MP1 calls $3.50, MP2 calls $3.50, Hero ??

I can see doing any of the three calling, folding or raising. Stats for the players are above in case you missed it. Also , rank the actions in order that you think. In other words just using that order from above it would say... calling greater than folding greater than raising.

Also remember this is a Pot Limit table.

Have a nice day!!!

Nothing to see here.

Frustrating day to say the least. It started off by flopping nut flush only to lose to runner, runner full house. I should have know not to mention having a good day in my last post.

To top it all off, I just quit to go watch the WSOP on my DVR and they didn't record for some reason. I went and looked on my DVR and it said cancelled which usually means that there was some kind of conflict with other recordings. No big deal right, ESPN must show it 100 more times, right? Nope, they are only showing one of the episodes over the entire next week and not until Saturday. HUH? What's up with that? Is there a place to watch these online?

Just one of those days, I guess.

No hands today as nobody likes to see bad beats.

But while we are on the topic, I want to think everyone for making comments in the past few days. It is definitely nice to see what others think on hands.

Have a nice day!!!

Stats nice for the day and ReSqueeze the Squeezer?

Granted, I only play to get my 200 pts a day which is about an hour a day (a little less yesterday).. but here are my stats from last night...

Hands: 521
VPIP: 14.9
PFR: 10.2
3bet: 7.1
WTSD: 21.5
W$SD: 64.3
AF: 2.86
bb/100: 39.60

Now, this was play a mix of 50PL, 100PL and 100NL; but I find it hard to find too much wrong with those stats. The really nice thing (or maybe bad thing) is that I didn't play a pot over 25bbs.

Here is a hand from the other day that I tried something different... Thoughts?


The Villain in this hand is a 22/16/1.8 guy over 1.5K hands. He DOES squeeze 3% and loves to play/steal in position as witnessed by his 65% steal rate. Now, he only 3bets 2.8% In other words, looks like a solid player who loves to play position.


Full Tilt Poker $0.25/$0.50 Pot Limit Hold'em - 9 players - http://www.thehandconverter.com/hands/206287
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

MP1: $29.40
MP2: $77.95
Hero (CO): $50.00
BTN: $50.00
SB: $59.60
BB: $16.60
UTG: $80.50
UTG+1: $10.00
UTG+2: $28.50

Pre Flop: ($0.75) Hero is CO with Qd Ad
3 folds, MP1 calls $0.50, MP2 raises to $2.25, Hero calls $2.25, BTN raises to $10.25, 4 folds, Hero raises to $34.25,

Anybody like the re squeeze here (if that is even the right terminology)? Raise size?

Have a nice day!!!

Hurt Locker and Maniacs Have Hands too, or do they?

Mrs Wonka and I actually had a kidless Friday night. After trying to figure out what to do, we settled on the traditional dinner and movie. We decided to see a movie called "The Hurt Locker". It was one of those low budget movies with a bunch of fairly big stars (Jeremy Renner, David Morse, Guy Pearce). The basic gist is that it is about a bomb squad team in Iraq and their daily dealings with dismantling bombs. I highly recommend it.

OK, this happens every single time. I just can't figure it out. I have one of those breakdown days. Yesterday was one of those days losing nearly 5 buyins at 100PL. You know those days, you hit sets and get runner, runnered to lose. Oh well... back to the drawing board.

I played this hand against a maniac. I'm still not sure what to do on this hand.

The villain was a 56/44/7.0 over just 56 hands.

Full Tilt Poker $0.50/$1 No Limit Hold'em - 8 players - http://www.thehandconverter.com/hands/202853
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

MP2: $100.00
CO: $55.90
BTN: $131.20
SB: $37.45
BB: $14.50
UTG: $18.50
Hero (UTG+1): $104.35
MP1: $17.50

Pre Flop: ($1.50) Hero is UTG+1 with As 9s
1 fold, Hero raises to $3.50, 3 folds, BTN calls $3.50, 2 folds

Flop: ($8.50) Ah 4d 3h (2 players)
Hero bets $6, BTN calls $6

Turn: ($20.50) Tc (2 players)
Hero checks, BTN bets $20.50, Hero calls $20.50

River: ($61.50) Ac (2 players)
Hero checks, BTN bets $101.20 all in, Hero requests TIME, Hero ???

Have a nice day!!!

Wii and Better to be Lucky than good

OK, so I just bought my first video game system since Intellevision. You could say I'm a little behind the times. Anyway, we opened it up and played Wii bowling. I almost had to east some humble pie as my 5 year daughter almost beat me twice in bowling. We didn't get the Wii fit; but upon further review we ordered it last night. Perhaps that will make it better for my wife and kids.

Sometimes, in poker, it is just better to be lucky than good. The hand below will show this. The session just went from bad to worse last night finding myself down a couple hundred dollars; but then this hand came up.

The villain was your typical fishy type opponent with stats of 47/21/2.8 over 155 hands.

Full Tilt Poker $0.50/$1 Pot Limit Hold'em - 8 players - http://www.thehandconverter.com/hands/198144
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

BTN: $102.70
SB: $166.35
Hero (BB): $112.30
UTG: $162.35
UTG+1: $216.45
MP1: $122.25
MP2: $184.80
CO: $183.50

Pre Flop: ($1.50) Hero is BB with Jh Ah
3 folds, MP2 raises to $3.50, 2 folds, SB calls $3, Hero calls $2.50

Flop: ($10.50) 2s Js As (3 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $6, MP2 raises to $14, SB folds, Hero calls $8

Turn: ($38.50) Ac (2 players)
Hero checks, MP2 bets $12, Hero raises to $32, MP2 raises to $117, Hero calls $62.80 all in

River: ($228.10) Tc (2 players - 1 is all in)

Final Pot: $228.10
Hero shows Jh Ah (a full house, Aces full of Jacks)
MP2 shows Jd Jc (a full house, Jacks full of Aces)
Hero wins $225.10
(Rake: $3.00)

I guess preflop you could argue folding or raising; but against this opponent, I just want to see the flop.

Any thoughts?

Have a nice weekend!!!

How to play every street bad.

I bombed out of tourney last night early. For the most part didn't hit flops with hands like AQ and AK. I didn't hit my flushes at all and ultimately got it in with pocket 10s twice and lost both of them. Once to pocket Jacks and once to KQs when K came on the flop. Overall, the play was pretty weak at my table; but I was just getting to know people so I stayed pretty conservative (which is my game anyway).

Here is a hand that I played badly on every street.

Let me know what you would have done differently; especially on the river.

Villain was a 28/8/2.2 over 6K hands who I show losing over $1,500.

Full Tilt Poker $0.50/$1 Pot Limit Hold'em - 9 players - http://www.thehandconverter.com/hands/196475
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

MP1: $55.20
MP2: $38.35
CO: $20.00
BTN: $34.50
SB: $110.15
BB: $54.60
UTG: $126.60
UTG+1: $96.00
Hero (UTG+2): $144.85

CO posts a big blind ($1)

Pre Flop: ($2.50) Hero is UTG+2 with 4d 4c
2 folds, Hero raises to $4.50, 5 folds, BB calls $3.50

Flop: ($10.50) 4h 7h 5d (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $5.25, BB calls $5.25

Turn: ($21.00) 8d (2 players)
BB bets $10.50, Hero calls $10.50

River: ($42.00) Qs (2 players)
BB checks, Hero checks

Final Pot: $42.00
BB shows 9h 9d (a pair of Nines)
Hero shows 4d 4c (three of a kind, Fours)
Hero wins $39.90
(Rake: $2.10)

Have a nice day!!!

Gotta Represent what you representing, right?

Today, I am starting a monthly poker league. It's a WSOP poker league. The nice thing about this one is that it awards 8 of the 32 league members to the WSOP. A couple Main Events and 6 $1500 ones. I'm probably in over my head; but we will see how it goes.

Here's a hand that I didn't like the turn card; but probably don't have any choice but to represent strength.

Villain is a 37/9/1.7 over just 40 hands.

So does this make the fact that he has calling station like stats factor into turn decision?

Full Tilt Poker $0.50/$1 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players - http://www.thehandconverter.com/hands/194582
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

UTG+2: $64.10
MP1: $55.60
MP2: $96.30
CO: $100.00
BTN: $76.20
SB: $98.15
BB: $241.40
Hero (UTG): $100.00
UTG+1: $91.85

Pre Flop: ($1.50) Hero is UTG with Qh Kh
Hero raises to $3.50, 1 fold, UTG+2 calls $3.50, 6 folds

Flop: ($8.50) 2h 9h Qc (2 players)
Hero bets $5, UTG+2 raises to $10, Hero raises to $32, UTG+2 calls $22

Turn: ($72.50) Ac (2 players)
Hero bets $64.50 all in, UTG+2 calls $28.60 all in


Thoughts?

Have a nice day!!!

River Decision

Here is the hand that I meant to post yesterday.

The villain is the same guy as yesterday.

35/0/.3 over 17 hands.

Instead of showing decisions, I'm going to show what I did without results. Give me thoughts on river play.

Full Tilt Poker $0.50/$1 Pot Limit Hold'em - 8 players - http://www.thehandconverter.com/hands/193479
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

BTN: $186.80
SB: $71.15
BB: $111.00
UTG: $78.70
UTG+1: $143.80
MP1: $54.35
MP2: $100.00
Hero (CO): $116.20

Pre Flop: ($1.50) Hero is CO with Kc Ad
UTG calls $1, 3 folds, Hero raises to $4.50, 3 folds, UTG calls $3.50

Flop: ($10.50) 4s 4c Kd (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $7, UTG calls $7

Turn: ($24.50) 2s (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $15, UTG calls $15

River: ($54.50) As (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $54.50, UTG calls $52.20 all in


Have a nice day!!

Flop Decision?

EDIT!!! I meant to paste in a different hand so I have changed the title of this post to Flop Decision. I'll put in the other hand tomorrow or tonight.


I'm a little sad (OK, a lot sad) that Tom Watson couldn't find a way to win this weekend. If he could have only parred the final hole. He was my dad's favorite player so I was really hoping for him to pull it off. Pretty amazing anyway that he did what he did.

Full Tilt Bonus. I didn't know that you had 2 months to get the needed points to get the full bonus. What a relief. I won't have any problems now getting the needed 12000 points.

I started off this hand bad and then it got worse. I accidentally checked from the big blind with AK. Is this an obvious fold? Or do you assume that you are behind knowing that you have outs?

I only have 17 hands on this guy. He was a 35/0/0.3 guy

Full Tilt Poker $0.50/$1 Pot Limit Hold'em - 9 players - http://www.thehandconverter.com/hands/191431
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

UTG: $186.95
UTG+1: $62.25
UTG+2: $110.00
MP1: $45.65
MP2: $144.30
CO: $33.85
BTN: $100.00
SB: $98.00
Hero (BB): $100.00

Pre Flop: ($1.50) Hero is BB with Ah Ks
3 folds, MP1 calls $1, 4 folds, Hero checks

Flop: ($2.50) Kc Ts Ac (2 players)
Hero bets $1.25, MP1 raises to $6.25, Hero raises to $21.25, MP1 raises to $36.25, Hero ??

Have a nice day!!!

More Thoughts

• Who thinks Phil Ivey can win? This final table has to be great for poker. I'll be interested to see how they spin everything
• How many "Still Here" posts have you seen lately? Definitely a busy time of the year.
• Half way through July and I'm NOT halfway through working off my Full Tilt Bonus; but I have at least made it back to postive territory for the month.
• How much of a can of shaving cream is actually used versus washed/rinsed off your hands. 50%?
• I'm still having issues with Full Tilt updates. Now, more so with disconnecting and reconnecting. I get disconnected from FTP; but my internet is still working.
• Having recently switched to Cable from Direct TV, I miss all my HD channels (although I haven't completely gotten rid of DTV yet)
• Has anybody listened to the B Team on Poker Road Radio podcasts. They are much better than the "A" team. Stapes/Seebock/Gavin I think are kind of cashing it in and Cort/Gobbo Boy/ and I can't remember the last one are much better on all counts.... Poker Strategy / Comedy and everything in general. I know Seebock has tons going on running the thing.

Have a nice day.

Random Thoughts

Some random thoughts

• Wow, I have not been too motivated to post. I had a good month of June; but July has been a struggle.
• It seems like every time that Full Tilt has their mid year or end of year bonus, I play worse as I try to play more hands that I usually do.
• Speaking of Full Tilt. Their software really stinks. I'm still having table focus problems and lag and it seems that I have been disconnecting more lately
• Ivey and the Magician are top 10 in chips. There are a few big names left as we are starting to get down to the nitty gritty. St Louisian Dennis Phillips is also still hanging tough. Could he make two consecutive Main Event Final Tables
• My wife wants a Palm Pre. Does anybody have one of these yet?
• Turbo SNGs are fun, frustrating, fast, variance filled, addicting all at the same time. I played about 15 of them a couple days ago and was a loser. Having said that, I still may play more

That should do if for now. I am going to hopefully get back to posting hands on a semi regular basis as your comments always help.

Have a good day.

15,000 Points

Full Tilt has their mid-year bonus. I guess this is the first time that I have achieved Iron Man all 6 months and now have to clear 15K points to get the full bonus. I normally run about 7.5K points a month. I'm wondering if it is even worth it to try to play more this month to clear the whole bonus? Bonus is obviously a reduction to rakeback so I guess I could do some math; but I don't really see that happening. Chances are that I will start off trying to clear it and see how a week or so goes.

What do you think? Bonus or status quo with rakeback?

Headsup

So, I'm getting ready to call it quits on Friday. I was down a bit (maybe 1 1/2 buyins) for the night. I'm just looking around and I see that the #1 50NL PL (according to pokertable ratings) players is still playing and has an open seat. The only problem is that he only plays Heads Up. No secret that I'm not a heads up expert (even though I did win a blogger headsup challenge once upon a time); but why not play the best eh? After a couple dozen hands, I can see why this guy is successful. Pretty much unbridled aggression. His stats are:

65/58/4.7 - 3 bets 30% folds to 3 bet 35 and Cbets 91%.

The question of the day is how do you combat this? Do you play back with aggression? Do you play more passively? Leave me a comment with your thoughts.

I went with the more passive approach. I was aggressive preflop; but normally called as I 3 bet only about 20%.

Anyway, it was working as I picked off many bluffs on the river. Unfortunately, I lost 2 big hands and lost 2 buyins. I did, however, make up the 2 buyins playing others.

Well, that got my interest and was back to the heads up tables on Saturday. Ooops. Down 8 buyins. I've made back about 3 of them since then. I may continue to see if I can make it back. I know this game is a bad game at these limits as the rake just eats you up; but I'll keep at it for a while as 3 out of the top 5 players for the month are heads up players.

I also had bronchitis this weekend which also make things not so fun. Oh well, what are you going to do.

Have a nice day!!!

And then sometimes it doesn't work

This goes into the oops category. Similar to yesterday, I played the min raise game. Oops.


Full Tilt Poker $0.25/$0.50 Pot Limit Hold'em - 9 players - http://www.thehandconverter.com/hands/161230
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

UTG: $17.00
UTG+1: $49.75
UTG+2: $9.75
MP1: $5.50
MP2: $72.60
CO: $59.15
BTN: $49.25
SB: $103.00
Hero (BB): $50.00

Pre Flop: ($0.75) Hero is BB with 4h Ts
1 fold, UTG+1 calls $0.50, 2 folds, MP2 calls $0.50, 3 folds, Hero checks

Flop: ($1.75) 4d 4s As (3 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 checks, MP2 checks

Turn: ($1.75) Tc (3 players)
Hero bets $1, UTG+1 raises to $2, MP2 folds, Hero raises to $3, UTG+1 raises to $4, Hero raises to $5, UTG+1 raises to $7, Hero raises to $14.85, UTG+1 raises to $25, Hero raises to $49.50 all in, UTG+1 calls $24.25 all in

River: ($100.25) 2h (2 players - 2 are all in)

Final Pot: $100.25
UTG+1 shows Ad Ac (a full house, Aces full of Fours)
Hero shows 4h Ts (a full house, Fours full of Tens)
UTG+1 wins $97.25
(Rake: $3.00)

Oh well,

Have a nice day!!!

Still Can't figure out the big difference

I continue to play mostly Pot Limit; but I also mix in NL tables when there aren't enough PL tables running. I've also starting mixing in some PL/NL 100 games as I have the bankroll to do so. So, what is the difference?

This weekend, I was positive for PL and negative for NL:

100PL ; 105.73 bb/100 .. OK, I obviously ran well
100NL ; -39.18 bb/100
50PL; 26.01 bb/100
50NL; -3.58 bb/100

I took a look at PokerTableRatings at one point over the weekend and I was:

6th for the week at 50PL
13th for the month at 50PL
13th for the year at 50PL

These lists include all games such as Heads-up and Short handed so it is really hard to really compare how I am doing against people playing at my games.

Here is one reason that I like PL:

http://www.holdemmanager.net
NL Holdem $0.50(BB) Replayer Game#12952819221

grouchoM ($69.90)
Danboi8 ($93.05)
sexycomadina69 ($139)
wphwpi ($50.50)
willwonka ($64.15)
kewer111 ($53.90)
FernandoFreitas ($25)
SchruteFarms ($50)

grouchoM posts (SB) $0.25
Danboi8 posts (BB) $0.50

Dealt to willwonka 3c 3s
sexycomadina69 raises to $1.75
fold,
willwonka calls $1.75
kewer111 calls $1.75
fold, fold, fold, fold,

FLOP ($6) 8s 3d 5c
check,
willwonka bets $3
kewer111 calls $3
sexycomadina69 folds

TURN ($12) 8s 3d 5c 8d
willwonka bets $6
kewer111 raises to $12
willwonka raises to $18
kewer111 raises to $24
willwonka raises to $30
kewer111 raises to $49.15 (AI)
willwonka calls $19.15

RIVER ($110) 8s 3d 5c 8d 2h

willwonka shows 3c 3s
(Flop 98.4%, Turn 100.0%)

kewer111 shows As Td
(Flop 1.6%, Turn 0.0%)

willwonka wins $107

Oh well, I guess it isn't important. I'll just keep doing what I'm doing for now.

Have a nice day!!!

Casino Tourney and Mook #4

So I went to the casino today and finished about break even on cash (down $3). I went to the tourney. They had 70 runners today. I saw somebody I knew and I mentioned that I had finished around 12th the last two Wednesdays and I said I would probably be one of the first ones out. That almost came true. Early on, I called a small raise from BB with 98s. I flop 2 pair and check raise and he 3 bets so I know he has an over pair. I went ahead and pushed the rest of my chips and sure enough he had aces and I'm in good shape. That is until he gets runner, runner spades (they are indeed gold) to take the pot. I got up and told him nice hand and started to walk away when the dealer stopped me and said I have a couple more chips left. Oh boy. Just what I need... to spend more time in the tourney instead of nice cash game. But then, double up, triple up and I'm back in this thing.

Short story. I remained short stacked the entire time; but picked up pots when I needed them. Eventually, it came down to a bad call that put me out. A raise and a reraise in front of me and I can't lay down JJ? What is my problem?? Anyway, 8 places paid and I finished 8th which was about 2 1/2 times the buyin. Oh well. Cashing is nice. I even went home afterwards and didn't locate the table games although part of me wanted revenge from last week.

---------------

Online Cash was also break even today (+$9) in an up and down session.

Speaking of runner, runner spades, does anybody make this call on river?

Villain was 31/5/2.4 over about 400 hands.

Full Tilt Poker $0.25/$0.50 Pot Limit Hold'em - 9 players - http://www.thehandconverter.com/hands/150183
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

MP2: $58.80
CO: $55.50
Hero (BTN): $50.00
SB: $26.75
BB: $11.00
UTG: $52.70
UTG+1: $44.20
UTG+2: $50.00
MP1: $19.50

Pre Flop: ($0.75) Hero is BTN with Kh Ad
UTG calls $0.50, UTG+1 calls $0.50, 1 fold, MP1 calls $0.50, MP2 raises to $3, 1 fold, Hero calls $3, 2 folds, UTG calls $2.50, 2 folds

Flop: ($10.75) 8h 2s Ah (3 players)
UTG checks, MP2 checks, Hero checks

Turn: ($10.75) 6s (3 players)
UTG checks, MP2 checks, Hero bets $6.35, UTG calls $6.35, MP2 folds

River: ($23.45) As (2 players)
UTG bets $23.45, Hero ??

Regardless of call or not, it is yet another lesson on how not to play Big Slick.

-------------------

While playing cash, I looked down at the clock and it was 9:09. YIKES!!! The Mook started at 9. I looked just in case there was still Late Registration and sure enough there was. I don't remember alot of details other than the turnout was understandably light (32 players) post BBT4; but I made it to the final table in fine shape. I got Heads Up with Bodee201 and lucked my way to my 4th Mookie title. I believe I was outmatched got the lucky hands when I needed them.

GG ALL

Have a nice day!!

Casino Shell Shocked And Extended Vacation Comes to an End

I apologize for the lack of posts lately. Following the fiasco from the Big Game bubble finishes, I went to the local casino (Harrah's) and played in their daily tournament. 80 runners. One preface to the story. The preceding week, I had finished 13th out of 90 (10 paid out) when my pocket Kings lost to AQ. Fast forward one week and we are again down to 15. I am comfortably above the average. Then... AK loses to AJ and QQ loses to JJ and I am out in 12th. To say that I was once again shell shocked would be an under statement. What to do now? I had to plenty to do outside of the casino as I had to help my father in law with some stuff. I was still up on the day due to the cash games preceding the tourney. Did I go home? What do you think? I preceded to drop another hundy at the Black Jack table and then over two hundy at the craps table and to put the icing on the cake. I even burned $10 at a slot machine.

Fast forward one day at home. I lose 8 buyins on bad beat, coolers, etc.... I am way past steaming now.

The story does have a somewhat happy ending as I have made up for the online losses. I'm headed back to Harrah's today to hopefully make amends for the last two tournies.

Well, as you may or may not know, I lost my job around 5 weeks ago; but I'm hear to thank the Lord as my "extended vacation" will be coming to an end on Monday. Talking about all the aligning:

My severance from my previous job ends on Monday (the same day I start my new job).
My third interview was with somebody that graduated the same year I did from my same college. Go Bears!!!!
One of references worked as a senior auditor to my new boss so they already knew each other.

Anyway, I've enjoyed my time off (obviously); but I am ready to get back to a more normal life as crazy as that sounds.

I'll start posting some more hands tomorrow.

Have a nice day!!!

Shell Shocked (aka Bubble Boy)

I don't play many tournaments; but I decided to concentrate and only play 2 tables. The Big Game and the Big Game Mulligan.

Big Game... 7 Pay.. 1st place is 1,284.78. We are on the bubble. All in Preflop. I have KK vs AQ. Ace on the Turn and I am out on the bubble in 6th place.

Big Game Mulligan. 3 pay. 1st place $500. We are on the Bubble. All in Preflop QQ vs AKs. Runner Runner clubs for Smokee and I am out on the bubble (4th) AGAIN!!!!!!

I can't remember feeling this shell shocked in a long, long time.

How Not to play pocket eights

I had a good session yesterday mostly on a few good hands towards the end of the day. I'll still take it.

Looking at my stats, the blinds continue to me my biggest problem. Of course, it is not unusual to lose money in the blinds; but I believe that I am losing too much and need to work on that. I've started a 3 part video on Holdem Manager from Stoxpoker by Jason Ho. Hopefully, that will help a little bit.

Speaking of the blinds, here is how not to play a mid pocket pair from the blinds.

The villain in BB is a 12/8/4.3 player over 2.1K hands.

Full Tilt Poker $0.25/$0.50 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players - http://www.thehandconverter.com/hands/136814
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

MP2: $50.00
CO: $29.95
BTN: $81.95
Hero (SB): $50.75
BB: $55.30
UTG: $24.10
UTG+1: $90.70
UTG+2: $49.05
MP1: $58.00

Pre Flop: ($0.75) Hero is SB with 8h 8s
6 folds, BTN calls $0.50, Hero calls $0.25, BB checks

Flop: ($1.50) 6s 7d 2d (3 players)
Hero bets $1.50, BB raises to $6, BTN folds, Hero calls $4.50

Turn: ($13.50) 9s (2 players)
Hero checks, BB bets $10.40, Hero calls $10.40

River: ($34.30) 2h (2 players)
Hero checks, BB bets $21.95, Hero ??

Does the BB have a set? two pair? Is there anything here that I beat? Thoughts on the hand?

Have a nice day!

A Tale of Two Tournies

Later in the year, I am going to be doing a monthly WSOP tourney thing with 32 people including our St Louis Blog Buddy, Jamyhawk. He is actually heading out to the WSOP soon to try his luck due to this monthly game. Best of luck to you Jamy.

Anyway, I don't play live very much anymore so I decided to head down to Harrahs for their daily $40 tourney. As an aside, how much of the $40 goes to the tourney? Any guesses? I'll leave the answer in the comments at a later time. Anyway, there were 90 players and to make a longer story short, we got down to 2 tables where I proceeded to lose to coin flips, one with the pair and one with the over cards and I go out in 13th. Ten people paid.. Dang.

Conversely, I played in the Mook last night and was one of the first ones out when I get set over setted. Truthfully, I should not have called the reraise preflop with pocket sixes; but I was tilting a bit.. see below.

After I lost the tourney, I wondered over to the Blackjack pit. I had won $100 there last week and thought I would try my luck again. Down to my last $10 bet, I build it back to $100, 3 straight 21's for the dealer including a hand where I split and doubled more than doomed me and I lost the hundo as well. I did win $20 playing 1/2 so I have that going for me.

After that I was heading towards the exit and somehow gravitated over to the craps table. I had about $25o on me and was thinking about it. There was definitely a couple of high rollers there (now that we don't have loss limits in Missouri). He would start by spreading $235 over all the numbers and put down something like $15 on the pass line and then putting odds on top of that for a couple hundy. He just kept building his number bets as they hit (sorry, I don't know the terminology). There were a couple of good rolls and this guy was just raking it in. In fact, they brought out the pumpkin chips for him ($500 chips). At one point, he had to have over $2,000 on the table. After the 2nd crapped out, I almost said, I'll do what he is doing... only greatly minimized; but it was getting late in the afternoon and I needed to leave.

One thing we talked about was the tale of the person in Atlantic City who had one roll that lasted 4 or 5 hours. That is incredible. This guy at Harrah's said he would have easily made 2 or 3 million dollars on that roll with the AC stakes. I actually believe him after watching how he was betting. Of course, I didn't understand what he was doing; but it was fun to watch.

So I went home a loser for that day. Oh well.

Here is the hand that put me on tilt.

The villain here was a 76/37/4.3 over 167 hands.

Full Tilt Poker $0.25/$0.50 No Limit Hold'em - 8 players - http://www.thehandconverter.com/hands/136231
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

Hero (BTN): $50.00
SB: $109.25
BB: $54.25
UTG: $66.90
UTG+1: $149.15
MP1: $82.05
MP2: $50.00
CO: $55.20

Pre Flop: ($0.75) Hero is BTN with Ac Kc
2 folds, MP1 calls $0.50, MP2 raises to $2.50, 1 fold, Hero calls $2.50, 2 folds, MP1 calls $2

Flop: ($8.25) Td 6c Kh (3 players)
MP1 bets $1.50, MP2 folds, Hero raises to $4.50, MP1 calls $3

Turn: ($17.25) Kd (2 players)
MP1 bets $2.50, Hero raises to $8, MP1 calls $5.50

River: ($33.25) 3d (2 players)
MP1 bets $33.25, Hero calls $33.25

Final Pot: $99.75
Hero mucks Ac Kc
MP1 shows 3h 3c (a full house, Threes full of Kings)
MP1 wins $96.75
(Rake: $3.00)

I got some of it back from him; but not near all of it.

Dang!

Queens, Have a nice day!!