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Got rivered in at least four SNGs last night. Got in with the best, ended up the worst. Did not do very well in the SNGs money wise but I think I played them okay. That’s how it goes sometimes.

Started up a $1 re-buy with a little less than 400 players. I have been testing the waters with the tourneys. I would like to get better at them. I’m working on it.

My first hand was KK. It held. Not a bad way to start a tourney, with a double up. After getting over the initial shock of the re-buy (chaos) hour, I found myself with an above average stack. I played it very TAG. Folded the crap, Jammed the goods and did some stealing. I didn’t get a lot of good starting hands but that didn’t stop me from getting chips. I folded a lot, waiting and watching for opportunities. I felt that I played my best tourney ever. I actually understood what was going on. A lot of things I have been reading about in the forums all started to make more sense. I really felt like I was in control of my game. I know you are all dying to know what happened. Okay, maybe not dying. Would mildly interested be a stretch?

Over four hours in (Midnight) and I’m 3rd in chips with about 25 players left – ITM $4.01. We have cleaned out the donks (I’m pretty sure I was the last of the Donks left) and things are getting a little harder. We are way past my bedtime, I’m old! So I start to doze off. Now I’m thinking, this could take a few more hours. That’s not good. I have work in the morning.

For the last hour, I had been picking my spots and winning. Now it got to the point where the payout was not worth sticking around. I made the decision to go LAG, big time, but not just with any two cards. I re-shoved a 3x bet with AK sooooooted. He had 88. The flop came A8rag and I’m out in 18th (My best showing so far). Sleeeeeeeep, yes.

Could I have taken it down? I’d like to think so. But the risk (I have to get some sleep!) vs. reward $$$$ wise was -EV at THAT TIME.

A little less than 5 hours.
Investment = $6.00.
Return = $4.01.
Experience/confidence = Priceless

Hit a barrier last night for some reason. Played quite a few $20 SNGs. Really wasn’t getting anywhere with them and losing a little ground. Became frustrated at the end of the session and down a little $$$$. But I really didn’t want to stop playing.  Concerned about the bleeding.  Solution – Drop down to the $10 SNGs for my last two tables of the night.

Holy freakin crap. I was in shock. I kept thinking this can’t be happening. It was like a freakin free roll or a play money game. Everyone was betting like they had the nuts. 3rd hand, some lady first in from EP raises 5X. LP goes all in. We all know what that means. She apparently did not. She called his AA with K 7 off. He flopped trip rockets and she got pooft. I thought, Okay she may have been on tilt or misclicked. No No No. First ten hands, there were probably seven all- ins. Sometimes three and four way. All with mostly crap hands. To tell the truth, I sat in the corner cowaring and folding like a little girl ( no offense ladies). My other table was a little better but not by much.

I folded ALL my crap and picked a few spots to stay in it. About 20 hands in, we burst the bubble. 20 HANDS and the BB is still 30. I was short stacked and started the shoving routine. It worked for a very short time and I crapped out third. Came in first on the second table. It was actually kinda fun. I knew what to do. I might try a few more now and then. Sure got the blood pumping.

At one point, I typed in the chat, “This entire SNG has been very disturbing” and ” I think I will need therapy after this” To which I got a few LOL and agrees.

I had fun. And that’s good.

Done Rambling, GL at the tables.

I play this game for fun and to make money (Still working on the making money part). I would prefer to do both at the same time. Sometimes I get trapped in an SNG with an Assclown. You know the type. They can’t stop telling everyone how poorly you are playing and what a poker god they are. I know some people do this as a tactic to get others on tilt, it works on some people. It still does not change the fact that it ruins the game for me. I personnaly do not engage them as this normally makes one a target. I find it is best when people do not know who you are until it’s too late.

Yes, there is the option of turning off chat. I pay attention to the chat to gain information. When I turn it off, I feel awkward, like I’m missing something in my game. I should not have to turn it off because of someone’s lack of civility.

In one of my games, the Assclown hooked a guy into getting into a pissing contest with him for the entire game, That is until he got kicked in the junk with one of his horrid plays. He did have about 70% of the table shakin in their boots. It just made for a miserable game. I don’t like that. (I won it by the way.) The guy who engaged him in the pissing contest came in 2nd. He was a good player and apoligized for losing his cool. We went 148 hands to finish it, normally these are over in 80. He was good.

The only thing worse than having an Assclown at your table is when they turn into a RailTurd after they are kicked to the curb.

Moving along.

The weekend report;

Speed bump. 5 4 off is the new nuts. Or so I have been shown. Some crazy play this weekend. No, not all of it by me. Stuck to the $20 SNGs, Good me. Rarely saw a cheap flop this weekend. Which means TAG, survive, bubble shove, coin flip, oops I lost. Had too many go the other way. I did not play great but I did not play poorly either.

P.S. I have noticed a pattern. I usually donk off the first two or so SNGs. Then I reel myself in and concentrate. Then I take down some pretty good wins at the end of a session. (Looks like it takes me a few to get the engine warmed up) I think I may have stumbled onto a major leak of mine. possible solution; I am going to try to play the first several games at lower buy-ins. My concern is that the play is slightly different between the buy-ins and this may also hurt me if an adjustment period is needed.

Done rambling.

GL at the tables.

Okay, okay.  No need to panic.  I’ve had basic first aid.  (Stop the bleeding, Start the breathing and Treat for shock.)  Got the first two coverd.  Still working on the shock part.

Still recovering from the size 14 steel toed work boot that was kicking my arse all up and down the tables over the latter half of the weekend.  It was ugly.  So ugly, it woulda made a train take a dirt road.

It seems like all the sharks, Donkeys, calling stations and just plain Idiots were at All of the tables all the time.  No matter where I relocated, and I did quite often, I could not find a good game.  But I kept playing (Mistake #1).  I remained at several tables with the crazies for far too long trying to pick them off, bleeding along the way.  (Mistake #2).  I was not focused and actually I think I was bored.  (Mistake #3).  Okay, Blah Blah Blah, I won’t bore you with the gory details, (Your Welcome.)

Summary

I played over twenty $20 SNGs and only cashed in a handfull.  Came very close Most of the time but no CeeeeGar.  The cash tables were no better.  I put a guy all in with AAAJJ.  Of course he had AAAQQ.  Cooooooler hand.  Ouch! I don’t think I played too terribly but that aforementioned boot was allways lurking in the shadows.

Strangely I’m quite relaxed about it.  But this does not mean I won’t be anylizing my play from the weekend.  I took alot of notes on players, Some of them not so kind.  Here’s hoping this was just a downswing and not the full blown start of the dreaded “Running Bad.”

All Is Well.  The Sky is not falling and the sun will come out tomorrow.  The sun will come out tomorrow, bet your bottom dollar.  And for those of you who say you weren’t just humming that song, YOU LIE.

Done Rambling, GL at the tables

Took the family to Las Vegas this weekend to visit their Grand Dad. We left early in the morning and the kids were still half asleep. This made the four hour car trip tolerable. However, on the way home, they were all awake and my cute little five year old morphed into a verbal terrorist. I have always told my wife that we should lend him to the military to sweat the terrorists. One hour in a room with him, when he is on a roll, and anyone would crack.

Moving along.

Checked out the WSOP. Railed Negreanu for a few, He was a little twitchy. Saw Jesus and a few others. Didn’t stay long. Got the T-Shirt.

I managed to squeeze in about four hours of 1/2 NL at the Silverton. This is the first time I have played NL live. I’m hooked on live play now. It is sooooooooo much better than online. The dealers were quick and knew what they were doing. There was a wide variety of characters at the table. Good Times.

I got some really good cards and folded almost all my crap. I had KK three times, AA twice, QQ once, 1010 once. I flopped a boat with a baby pair and took a guy to the cleaners. I burned a guy with AQ off on a AKA board. I slow played the KK once and got burned. I had a guy shove his short stack into my AA and it held.

There was the old guy that couldn’t stop bleeding chips. When I say old, I mean the undertaker was railing him.

There was the guy that knew everything there is to know about poker and wasn’t shy about letting everyone know it. He lost two buy ins.

There was “sunglasses guy” and yes, he did catch crap for it from “I know everything there is to know about poker” guy. He snapped off my pocket KK with his A 3 off. I did managed to throw in a blocking bet to keep the pot low when he flopped the A. I knew he had it but I couldn’t let go.

There was a blow out at the other table and the pit boss ejected two players after a litany of profanity was exchanged. Very entertaining.

I played it tight. It was obvious not too many people were paying attention to my play. But at one point, my cover was blown. You see, there was a guy who was paying attention. He decided to throw me under the bus. I opened the pot from MP. the action got around to him and he asked everyone if I was the one who raised. He announced that if I was the one that raised it then he was folding. He said, “That guy never comes in without the nuts.” That pretty much dried up my action for a little while. Here is the funny part. On that hand, I was holding crap. HaHaHaHa. Good Times.

My buy-in $200, cashed out $605.

Done rambling, GL at the tables.

Fortunately it was at the end of my session last night and only one $20 SNG was caught in the blast wave.

I have a new appreciation for the MTT players out there. I don’t know how you people do it. It’s no wonder you are all basket cases, Kidding.

Started up my regular SNGs last night. Nothing noteworthy, average stuff. Started snooping around the site and found a $3r tourney starting in eighteen minutes. Joined it. Played TAG picking my spots and things went well. Total investment $12. Started with 700 + players. 2 1/2 hours in and I’m 50th in chips with 200 left. 2nd in chips at my table. Card dead for about an hour with a steal here and there. Started thinking I could go deep in this one (back of my mind) but there is a lot of work to be done.

Woke up with KK. BBs are at 600 with an ante. UTG min raises. UTG + 1 flat calls and I’m thinking this is pretty normal with what people have been doing to see a flop. The min raise UTG did spike my radar. So, I figured I would have to clear some people out to see where I stood. I made it 4200 to go (A little on the low side in retrospect). Everyone folded around to the UTG raiser and he shoved all in. Our stacks were about even. I thought for a moment that he’s screaming AA. But then I thought he had a lot of people to get through and from what HAS been happening, he would get alot of callers. I was thinking if he had AA, he would not want everyone calling. I eventually put him on AK or a middle pair. I called.

He showed AcQx. I’m thinking this could be good. Flop came rags with two clubs. Still no problem. Turn, rag club.

NOW I’m screaming at the screen “Hold, Hold you $^%&*# HOLD! No aces, no clubs you %$&*%^ ^%$*#. HOLD!

YEP. Rag club falls on the river and the &$%#^ caught his nut flush with four on the board. I was crippled and out soon after. But not before making a few notes on the guy that can’t be repeated. Suffice to say it was a litany of profanity followed by a little synopsis of how he violated me.

The Aftermath;

I had the sinking feeling that I just pissed away 2 1/2 hours. I was not happy. I still had one SNG open and I knew how that was going to go. But then I attempted to real myself in and blow it off. I did a TILT Stop N Go. I said to myself, “Self” you need to forget about that and consentrate on what you have in front of you. I did. Then, between hands, I would start thinking…2 1/2 hours wasted, that stupid
%$#^ing  jack#@$.  Rinse and repeat, (Tilt Stop N Go = Donkey.)

After I donked off the only table I had up, I had the strength to realize I was on Tilt and shut it down for the night. Good Me. And only down -$30ish for the session.

I finally understand the MTT player pain = Respect.

Done rambling, Gl at the tables.

They had a casino (Oh Dear). They only offered one table for holdem. It was limit holdem. Never played live before. Never played limit before. Gave it a shot. Shaky start. Those people were out of control. I played three nights in a row with mostly the same players. It was hilarious and very disappointing at the same time.

The Players;

1)The self proclaimed porn star.
2)The comedian.
3)The chip splasher.
4)The quiet (but deadly) one.
5)The mouth.
6)The old Lady.

I found that it was very difficult to actually play what I considered proper poker, even for limit. Any two cards, anytime, all the way to the river. It was amazing. You would think this would be an easy game to beat. I folded alot. The dealers were very annoyed by the shenanigans, the cursing, the chip splashing. But this was a cruise ship and some of them were not capable of maintaining control.

The Shenanigans

The porn star kept telling us that he didn’t care about the money. The second night, he got into it with his Girlfriend (the porn producer) about fifteen feet from the table. The comedian coudn’t resist and started yelling at the guy to say he was sorry and that he was not going to win the argument. This went on for several minutes until the comedian felt it was necessary to go over there and get them to play rock paper scissors to see who the winner of the argument would be. Yes, it was funny. Especially when the waiter walked by. They both stopped mid-stream of a heated argument and ordered a drink.

The mouth was extremely intoxicated the first night. He was “The Man” and said it repeatedly. He got into it with just about everybody at the table. He was a pain in the ****.

The old lady beat the pants off everyone and left early with a profit.

The comedian had ample material with the cast of degenerate drunk bozo’s that were at the table and was actually pretty damned funny. I Found out the second night that he used to do stand up for a living.

The Chip Splasher sat to my right and had to have been the most annoying. He was one beer from falling off his chair. Every single hand he had to ask, “what’s the maximum bet?” He almost played every hand and to the dismay of everyone, actually won quite a few pots with his crap hole cards by sucking out. He would grab a stack of chips every hand and basically fling them in the direction of the pot. They went everywhere, everytime. He never got the bet right and this slowed the game down quite a bit.

The first two nights I left with a very small profit and had a pretty good time. The last night, most of the players were there again. This time most of us were sober. It was an enjoyable game. I continued to fold alot and pick my hands. I actually was able to bluff a guy into folding on the river for twenty more on a 150 pot. That was cool.

The Cooler Hand

A 10 off. KJQ rainbow flop. I’m not going anywhere. We do the raise re-raise cap thing all the way to the river with just about everyone staying in. I flip my straight. Villain (New to the table and unknown to any of us) flips his cards up and declares pair of jacks. Dealer places his cards into the muck and starts to shove the chips my way 300+ pot. Villain says, “Wait!, I think I had a flush.” Dealer stops and pulls his cards out of the muck. The two cards he pulled out did make the flush. Dealer starts to shove the chips to villain. I protested. Dealer said it was his own fault and the “Cards speak.”

Look, if the guy did win then so be it. I did not see his cards clearly before the dealer mucked them. I just didn’t like the way it went down. I waited a long time for that hand.

All in all, it was a good time.