Out in 16 AJ vs QQ

We are down to 19, with 13 spots paid. I'm nursing a short stack (as usual)

FTP Rush Poker

Giving it a go at FullTilt Rush Poker. So far so good. Not had a losing session in one week. Up approx 8-10 buy=ins, even with some very brutal rivers.

So far, I think aggression is the key. As far as the game itself, this fast format really sharpens the following skills:
-bet sizing
-reckognizing dry flops
-playing position
-effective stack and pot odds calculations
-trapping

Showboat June 18 2009

First break. Although i have not lost a hand, i only have starting stack 10k. Level 5 starting 400/800, will likely get it all in very shortly.

Second break. 30k down to 21 players from 73. Blinds will be 1.5/3k. Cannot get away from a 10bb stack. Would have won a few showdows if i call all in with weak aces. Shoving ranges very wide right now.

Busto at 11. I wake up with KK to call AT and as usual flot comes xAx. I win this i coast to ITM.

Bubbled a SnG 3/10.

June 2009 Recap

6/22/09
Main Line Poker Club
I got run over by the deck tonight. Won game #1 outright, took 2nd in game #2 (got lucky to get there), and chopped 1st in game #3. Basically I got a hand when I needed it late. Here are the results as I remember them:
Game #1: RW, MB, IB
Game #2: FB, RW, MB
Game #3: RW, JS, BS

6/8/09
2/18 ITM got my chips in good
not playing much, as you can see. concentrating on far more important things. an occasional recreational tournament is still enjoyable but other priorities have taken over.

my WSOP fantasy team seems to be holding up so far.

March 2009 Recap

3/29/09
22/180 nice run but no ITM. one hand did me in. may post it here...
4/180 ITM nice run but small ITM

3/23/09
Main Line Poker Club: i chopped-first game #1, bubbled game #2 55 < QTs, busto game #3. we should be back on track for a monthly game again.

3/18/09
3/45 ITM a little back on track. dinking around with some token frenzies too.

3/5/09
I really hit a bad streak the last week in February and have started off March just as poorly. Hoping things will turn around at Caesars. Stay tuned for updates at the breaks.

WSOPC Event #3
break #1: entering level 4 i am short 20bb,m~10. two others from the group have busted.

break #2: 360/983 left. i have 9bb.

break #3: busto just prior to dinner. i shoved KQh into a tighty/shorty with board 2h34h, did not think thighty would call of 7bb with AQo. i did not get the flush or pair so i'm out.

congrats I.B. for finishing ITM at 61/983

February 2009 Recap

2/17/09
3/45 ITM KK < AQ, standard
5/45 ITM QQ < JJ river, standard
another multi-table final table finish met with bad luck

2/12/09
1/9 ITM against a really tough heads up foe

3/45 ITM
33 vs AJs i flop a set but villain hits runner-runner flush. nice run i suppose but i needed a win.

busted a 180, missed a token, won a small token.

2/11/09
i'm embarking on a strategy to help me move up on buy-ins. i'm playing alot of FullTilt token tournaments, allowing me to lay out small buy-ins in exchange for tokens into higher tournaments. once i accumulate 10 tokens, i'm gonna see what my results are in the higher buy-ins. if i have success, i'll stay there.

i continue to lose an abnormal amount of 70/30 dominations, and i've been bubbling the token tourneys. i'm confident i will finish ITM at a regular rate.

2/9/09
7/45 bubble
down to 8, i get AA and raise, get popped all-in, get another caller, and i call. i'm up against QQ and KQo. flop xxQ case queen, busto. whine whine whine you betcha. i'm supposed to triple up there and coast into the top three.

i bubbled a token tourney shoving 55 into a 449 flop after another shorty played TT for a limp on the button. this tilted me more than anything. what good is it to not be afraid of the bubble if no one else is afraid of it either?

played NYRPS event #11 and what an uber-waste of time, plus i have to put up with some kid taking cheap shots at me in the chat. who needs that?

2/8/09
6/45 ITM
bad luck at the final table, running TT < QQ and when the bubble broke, A3s < ATo.
33/148 missed a token by 6 places. BB was courageous to call me down with A9o IMO.

2/3/09
3/45 ITM
a disappointing night again with numerous beats when dominating 70/30. don't care to revisit them here. i also had router problems as my connection went down every time the cordless phone was in use. changing the channels did not help.

homeys partagas and bdd67 continue to suffer beats as well, including a 10/1628 finish for partagas on the FT bubble in the 32K guarantee.

i think that's it for me until the conshy classic on saturday.

Conshohocken Classic Winter 2009

WHAT: Texas Holdem Freeze Out Tournament (no rebuy, no add-on)
WHERE: Wayne, PA
WHEN: February 7, 2009
WHO: top local talent and friends
WHY:


Post-tourne recap:
Well another tournament is in the books. Congratulations to PokerStars regular G.R. for taking it down over new-comer B.G. I successfully predicted bdd67 and partagas to go deep, as both made the final table along with Main Line Poker Club regulars T.R. and D.L.
The final went down as follows:
G.R.
B.G.
B.D.
D.L.
T.R.
F.A.
M.B.
A.K.

Personally, ran AA into T8o which turned a boat, and even with pot control, I lost a good deal of my stack early on. My premium hands never saw any action later in the tournament, and ultimately i ran into AA, and then at 2bb of course ATo < 94o busto.

In the aftermath, I go up a bit in a cash game, but then bust set over set. I rebuy and end up recovering my loss and my tourney buy-in.

It was good to see some new faces and to see some old faces that don't come around too much. Next time i'm sure we will max out, so more fun in store in the Fall.

Pre-tourney hoopla:
we have 37/40 registrants, and need to fill two spots.

well, it's that time of the year again. like Rocky, soon i will take my pre-tourney walk around the venue to take it all in, to make sure my promotional poster is accurate, and to meditate over whether i want to go the distance or go for the knockout. the field this time will be tougher than ever. i am one of the more experienced players for this tourney size, but anything can happen. good luck to all the Main Line Poker Club regulars - i expect a deep run from each of you. i think bdd67 will go deep this time, as he is due and he's been plugging leaks in his game. partagas also is likely to go deep, not to mention final tablists from last time S.M. S.H. W.E. we are disappointed squasher is not playing.

i hope to send blog updates during the breaks if i have time while coloring up.

my preparation will be similar as last time, which helped my 4th place finish. lots of rest, lots of study, and i've switched energy drinks (purely on taste). this time i'm going with

Villain Hall of Shame

hey pokerfans,
maybe this will be a new thread. with so many books and videos out there trying to tell you how to play poker, here are some lessons from my foes that can teach you how NOT to play poker:

the following are from the PokerStars nightly 70K:
1. here is the worst way possible to play AQo for value

2. here is the worst way possible to play TPNK

3. here is the worst way possible to try to bluff after your opponent bets into half your stack

from the FTP 45
4. How to NOT bluff the river when your opponent (me) has shown strength of every street
can this board be any more dangerous by the river to try to bluff?

horrible river bluff

Theory Corner

How to get your stack in smoothly:
% of pot to bet on each street with 2 players & 3 streets



Approximate odds that someone in later position is holding a pair stronger than yours:
C = (n * R) / 2
n = # of players left to act
R = # of pair ranks higher than yours
C = % chance player has a higher pair

Poker Homework: An ICM Calculation

Texas Holdem Probabilities