Main Line Poker Club Feb 18 2008

Results from tonight's home game:

Game #3: 1) I.B. & R.W. 3) M.B.
Game #2: 1) B.D. 2)B.L. 3) M.B.
Game #1: 1) B.L. & R.W. 3) B.D.

I've forgotten nearly everything I wanted to write about. Aside from chopping first two times, which is a great outcome for this game, I can say that for me poker is fun right now, and I can't get enough. Maybe winning has helped, but I think I'm making reasonably good decisions, and when my chips go in, I'm usually the favorite. Not all outcomes are in my favor, but I'm playing each hand the best I know how and I'm growing in my understanding and reading ability. I experienced a major growth spurt during tonight's session by
1. calling an all in without looking at my cards because I knew I was priced in with ATC
2. calling an all in with a weakish holding (A8o) after having estimated OP's pushing range (actual hand here A7o). this nearly backfired as one player behind me (nemesis) woke up with a hand (99) and I was behind until the turn but I hit runner runner 8s to knock him out. A particularly bad beat for him since it was precisely the nature of beat that knocked him out of the Borgata tournament from the prior day. I faintly heard his contempt for my play over the jingle jangle of his championship bracelets dangling from his wrist. From my perspective, I had reason to believe I was ahead of OP1 and did not think OP2 (nemesis) would play the hand given the action before him. Hey, I'm entitled just like anyone else. The good news is I used this outcome to finish ITM.

I also recall limping with AA from a blind while eating a sandwhich with 4 limpers ahead of me. Had I been thinking I would have raised to isolate, but luckily the flop came xKx and J.S. to my left bet out and it folded back to me. I pushed AI and was called by his paired K, but my AA held up. Not the way to play it but it worked out for me.

Another consistent showing for B.D., B.L., & M.B. Finishing ITM more than once is not easy to do in this game, not to mention cashing regularly month-to-month. Recently only J.S. has had this strong of a showing.

Homeys M.B., B.S., and B.D. continue to do nicely online. J.S. seems to have a new-found interest in the 45s, winning one and placing second in another

I'm getting a poker table from craigslist with free delivery! Maybe one day I'll get to host the game. Many thanks to W.E. for finding this gem. Here's the original craigslist post:
Original price was $500. Still in box - never used.
Cup holders and poker chip trays at each seat. pecan solid wood finish, with tan grained leather center.
This is a great table with retractable legs to store away when needed.

2008 Conshohocken Classic

There are good poker players, then there are great ones. And then there's us - good poker players who think they're great. One of us just took one step closer towards truly being great. S.H. won his second Conshy bracelet in 5 tries and in doing so, etched his name in the local poker hall of fame. I can't imagine this feat ever being repeated, as the field in this tournament will only get stronger.





W.E. and M.B. did an amazing job organizing and hosting the tournament. Most noobies were impressed with the quality, but we are accustomed to such. We were slightly over budget for food and drinks, but thankfully QueenPrussia came through with some home-made chili. We were also able to broadcast the tournament live on the internet using a Windows Media Server. I know of at least two people that watched from out of state.



Major hands for me:
1. Near round 4 UTG limps with a shortish stack, I'm in MP1 and flat with AQo to disguise, and there is another LP caller. Flop comes AK4, shorty pushes all in UTG and I call with a smile, only to see shorty show K4o. Not the way I play K4o UTG but that's just me. Would have been a nice addition to my stack.
2. Near round 8 UTG+1 raises, folds to shorty OTB who shoves. I look down at AQo and fear that EP has a pair and will RRAI. I sheepishly fold, only to see EP call with KTo while B has AQ. I chopped pot would have done me well there but I thought I was behind at least one of the OPs.
3. Round 9 I pick up AKo in MP and raise to 3BB, one called behind, then BB shoves. I come over the top and LP calls again. BB shows A9s and LP shows Q9s. LP calls two AI in front with Q9o. His 9 is counterfeited but he flops a Q to bust us both. I was visibly upset and it's not until later that I realize our tournament needs players like this and I have no business reacting like I did. As I wrote in a prior blog entry, if you can't handle a beat or grow as a result of the downs, then poker is not the game for you. But when you realize it's not likely that you will play an infinite number of hands in your short lifetime, you sort of hope that these outcomes will go your way.

My predicted winner actually finished 3rd, so congrats to B.S. on a "strong" finish. I also predicted at least four of our home team would make the final table, and four were there if you consider B.W. (one of the original members who has not played with us in a long time). In looking over the historical results that we have, our home game has done decently in this tournament. Here are some average finishes among players with at least 3 entries:
1. S.H. average finish 8.33
2. R.W. average finish 11.67
3. T.R. average finish 12.33
It's also worth noting that in 2005 and 2008 we had 4 of us at the final table.

2008 Conshohocken Classic Realtime Texting Updates

AK lost to Q9 to bust.

2008 Conshohocken Classic Preview

The Conshohocken Classic Poker Tournament is a premier 4 table venue showcasing some of the finest players in the greater Philadelphia area. It has been RESCHEDULED for February 16.

MAIN LINE POKER CLUB TO HAVE PLAYERS' LOUNGE

Come by and chat with any of the Main Line Poker Club regulars prior to the tournament and during breaks. We are sponsoring a lounge exclusively for our players. Look for us between tables 1 and 2, near the television and couches (If you reach the basketball toss, you've gone too far). We are happy to discuss a wide variety of topics, including poker, sports, stocks, or travel. Photo opportunities are available as time permits.

R.W. talks about his preparation for this event in December 2007.



The bracelet for the 2008 Conshohocken Winter Classic has arrived. W.E. stopped by to make sure it fits me. There are 35 links in it, one for each opponent that will fall by the wayside. It's engraved, yet too bright and shiny to be read with unprotected eyes. Sterling silver with a gold middle strand, signifying a continuous stream of races which must be won to wear it. The satchel signifies royalty and the exalted status that the winner will attain. Seems fit for a king - a King of Prussia perhaps.



The main event is tommorow. The anticipation is just too much to bear. We've increased the field to 40. I am in the final phase of selecting my tournament drinks. I will choose some subset of the following, and each has it's advantages:
1. Earl Grey tea. Clearly my longtime favorite since my brief stint in London. I will likely start off with this warm, morning drink.
2. Rockstar energy drink. This one is a question mark, since I have been getting good sleep thanks to Nyquil. If things blow up tonight, I'll use two of these to get me through the day (in addition to the Earl Grey, which is a given).
3. Orange Mango Nantucket Nectars. My new drink of choice. I'm not crazy about orange juice, but the mango addition is just perfect. A smooth blast of vitamin C, great for morning but equally as enjoyable anytime if served cold. I will certainly have one of these on hand. The only downside is that the factoid under the cap is confined to Nantucket, so a lot of redundancy and not a lot of new information being added to my useless facts database. I can understand why Snapple has a larger market cap.



Problem: non-standard tournament colors.
Solution: custom-printed labels



[ ] S.M. DOES NOT DELIVER
[x] S.M. DELIVERS

Not only does the guy drive up from D.C. to play, but he also supplies the chips. This year he goes the extra mile to help avoid problems with non-standard tournament colors by printing labels and affixing them to the chips.

The field is impressive. Former winners S.H. and E.M. would attain instant Hall of Fame status with repeat victories. S.M. & I.B. are tearing up A/C, in fact, I.B. has abandoned tournaments in favor of ring games because his tournament victories are too numerous. Main Line Poker Club regulars M.B., B.S., B.D.,and J.S. continue their on-line success.

Me? I'm hoping to go the distance. I couldn't sleep the night before the main event, so I took a walk down to the venue and walked around, just like Rocky did when he noticed the promotional poster had his colors reversed. Sure enough, my promotional shot had the bracelet on my right wrist, when I clearly will wear it on my left. "Don't worry about it King," I could hear Mr. Jurgenson say, "I'm sure you'll give us a good show." A good show? He's right, who am I kidding. I can't go toe-to-toe with these giants. But if I could just go the distance and make the TV table, then I'll know I'm not just another bumb.

Actually my son woke me up at 3:30 and slipped into bed, then proceeded to wet. It never fails that before a big event, my sleep is interrupted. It looks like I'll be bringing two energy drinks rather than one.

Main Line Poker Club February 12 2008

Once again I bring my meger public school education into the lair of the private school giants to do battle at the felt. We started 6-handed because our game is still not a priority for some of the members. I.B. and M.B. were notably absent, but M.B. played online so his excuse is suspect and under investigation.

Upon entry I was pleasantly surprised to find a new octogon table with leather surface providing the dealer with a nice "zing" to the far reaches of middle position. We were happy to have one new player fill in, having declined an offer to play in a $25,000 game, and we hope to see more of him in the future. We played our usual 3 SnGs, and the table talk was very much centered around the upcoming Conshohocken Classic. We are confident we will have a good ITM showing from our group there on Saturday.

Here are some observations and summaries.

Game #1: I achieved an early lead based on good, solid starting hands and flops that hit. I dried up in the middle while J.S. got a great rush of cards to bust me on the 2-person bubble (a feat highly enjoyed), precisely as B.D. arrived with his KingPrussia jinx. Newly married S.L. takes second place.

Game #2: Again I get great cards and hit nice flops for an early lead, and again the middle game dries up. It is here that I mention some of my online woes and beats, but decline the advice to revert to 1$ heads up matches. When I'm not getting my chips in good anymore, I'll just walk away. Of course B.D. playes the short stack superbly and overtakes the lead, and ends up chopping with W.E. for 1st while S.L takes another respectable 3rd.

Game #3: Again I mount an early lead with great cards and flops. I win a key race JJ vs S.L. A7 and I'm chip leader near the bubble. B.D. makes a gutsy call AI with 55 at UTG+2 against S.H. at UTG and the 55 holds up. W.E. busts on the bubble with a close hand (can't remember), leaving B.D., noobie B.L. and R.W. down to three-handed. Here B.D. turns up the heat and executes his end-game fearlessly, knowing I am a whimp in the blinds. I suspect collusion with his buddy B.L. to bust me but he shows mercy and makes a key fold. This act of kindness deserves a link to his sports blog, which now features a podcast. Kudos for forging ahead with new technology. I'm a regular reader even though he has yet to interview me about my hole-in-one that landed in the cup or being the only person in the history of Wall High School to hit a baseball onto the roof. Anyway I have B.L outchipped when he shoves 55 to my 44 and it holds up. A few hands later I pick up AA but get no action. B.D. continues to pilfer my kids' lunch money until he shoves TJo into my 99 and flops a J. My useless public school class rank of 4 and my Most Likely To Succeed award cannot help me here against this Blue Devil and I bust in 3rd.

Results
Game #1: 1) J.S. 2) S.L.
Game #2: 1) B.D. & W.E. 3) S.L.
Game #3: 1) B.D. 2) B.L. 3) R.W.

Poker Bowl I

Looks like PokerStars has given our Poker Bowl private tournament more attention than we thought. I logged in last night and noticed the lower left portion of the main screen.

Online Recap February 2008

Feb 5, 2008

WANTED - "VCDuke"

If you encounter the above individual, move to another table and/or tournament. This individual is dangerous and is wanted in 5 local counties for

1. misrepresenting hands (bluffing)


2. repeatedly inviting people to his house, only to pilfer their chilren's lunch money


3. miscalculating pot odds


4. integrating ring-game strategies into a tournament context


5. exceeding one's suckout quota


6. winning the Poker Bowl I private PokerStars tournament using a new account and borrowed money
   

I was hoping to join some homeys in a PokerStars private tournament tonight. Family obligations almost interfered due to the half life of polyethylene glycol. However I pulled it off by starting the tournament using a WiFi modem in a car until I got home. I played straight forward until I went amateur with this hand: http://www.pokerhand.org/?2054740 after which I tilted and busted.

From a starting field of 20, the final table was mostly our Main Line Poker Club home game. Results: 1) S.H. 2) M.B. 3) B.S. 9) me

Feb 2, 2008
A Tale of Two Tournaments

Tonight was strange. I was multi-tabling 2 45 entry tournaments and my rank was the same all the way down to the final table, where I found myself in 9th place in each.
9/45 run AJ into AK and bust
9/45 run AQ into 66 and bust

Wanting to get back ITM which has eluded me for a while.

3/9 ITM
Not for the weak-hearted: http://www.pokerhand.org/?2040147

227/1599
after break 2. dropped from 45 to 82 by donking off 7% of stack on a steal attempt but SB RR me heavy. something about my moves that never work. how do i get help in this area?
i bust on the bubble at 227 with this: http://www.pokerhand.org/?2040493
followed by: http://www.pokerhand.org/?2040498
poker is such a waste of time.

3/9 ITM

Feb 6, 2008

11/45 I get it in good here http://www.pokerhand.org/?2060190 but as usual 2 pair slams the door shut.

2/18 ITM for a token.

Feb 8, 2008
Sorry blog fans, it's getting too tedious to just plaster results here and whining about bad beats. I'm playing pretty decently, making good decisions, but on the short end of showdowns as the favorite. I'm busting with no results to show so until there is an interesting and instructive outcome, I'll lay off the blog.

Feb 12, 2008

Busted 3 45s on bad beats.2/45 ITM
was a massive chip leader in my last one, only to suffer these two beats:

85% to win:

then 75% to win:

I end up taking second place. I then send a tilted, frustrated email to my homeys because I'm so fed up hearing of their successes while my results are inferior as I can't actually win a tournament. I'm still stuck with a negative ROI. I didn't expect or even want any responses, but those that responded were actually encouraging, although I am probably beyond encouragement.

I'm on forced rest until Saturday. I will also be trying to integrate these thoughts into my game.

2/20/08
busted my tournies with these beats:
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2138541
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2138369
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2138216
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2132295
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2119924
they say i should be happy getting my chips in good. i say if you want to be happy, find another hobby. poker doesn't make you happy.

2/24/08 Not running good at all.
0/2 tonight although I played ok. One key hand: with two all ins ahead of me, I predict my AK is ahead of one OP and face a PP for a race. I decide to race but I do not improve over either the JJ or 88 and I bust. In the other tournament, I take AQs into 99 and lose that race as well.

2/26/08
7/45 bubble
7/45 bubble was multi-tabling and bubbled two tourneys. this probably finishes my month. not enjoying playing right now.

2/27/08
Started off playing a 45 and bust with this horrible beat: http://www.pokerhand.org/?2179888.
3/45 ITM
I immediately start another one and suffer this beat: http://www.pokerhand.org/?2179986 however I fight back with some good hands for good pots (KK, AA back-to-back, QQ all hold up nicely). Down to 3, I bust with this beat: http://www.pokerhand.org/?2180414 otherwise I'm in a good spot to do battle.

Next stop: Poker Bowl II private tourney on PokerStars