(Super) nova? check.

Well, I did it.

It's been a brutal few days, but I am now a super nova. so, that's something. The games have become pretty good again. but the suckouts have been exceptional, and I am dropping cash over the last three days at a clip that is not pleasing. That said, if the games continue to be this good, it's a near certainty that I'll make it all back and then some.

Dear pokerjl,

Congratulations! You have achieved the "Supernova".

We invite you to learn about your many new PokerStars VIP privileges by
visiting http://www.pokerstars.com/vip/supernova/

Sincerely,

PokerStars Team.

moving along...

Been sticking with the plan and playing 80 min of so of oinline poker a day... as of now, I am 7.3K vpp away from becoming a supernova...
so, I should be one of those by next week sometime. Yay...

I recently started to exercise a little game selection... I used to always just play in whatever game was available... but now I look at the stats of the games to see which is the best and am willing to wait a bit before I play. I think this has helped my bottom line as I am definitely up against worse players than I had been up against.

Also, I started playing on FTP a bit more because the games are juicier there...

went to the Borgata a week ago, dropped 750 over 3 days... the last hand I played I lost a 900 pot when the card that made my flush made another guy's full house. not complaining (he had me beat all the way), just aware how the turn of a card can, in the short term, be the difference between a winning and losing trip.

Onward!

So, things continue to go well in the quest for supernova status. I seem to win for three days, then give a lot back on the fourth day. but that said, I'm at my high point for the year right now, so that's something. I now have almost 71K vpps. I've done 40K vpp in 47 days... I only have to do 29k in the last 88 days to get there. Of course, my goals have been raised now. I want to do enough vpp that PS gives me a WSOP Main Event package for next summer. I've run some spreadsheets, and it's totally doable.

I have registered to play in the PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker!

This Online Poker Tournament is a No Limit Texas Holdem event exclusive to Bloggers.

Registration code: 6785010

stars update

Ok, so last time i posted, I said I was going for being a stars supernova by the end of the year. I had, at that point, 30.7K VPP and needed to reach 100K VPP by the end of the year to get there.

It's still early days, but things are going well... I am up to 51.3K VPP in 25 days of play. I am at the point where I just need to do 450 VPP a day to get there, and I can knock that out in 60-90 min.

The games are good, but my bankroll has been all over the place. I only had about 2k in PS just before I started all this, got it up to 4k, watched it fall to about 1800, and now it's back to 3600. I have earned $810 in fpp during my play too, so overall, it's been good. While it's been a rough year poker wise, this is my current high point. While I feel I've run a little poorly, overall, the online games are not like they used to be... they are tougher for sure.

back on the stars horse...

So, back at the beginning of the year I decided I was going to be a pokerstars supernova. Then I started running bad, got disgusted, and let it go completely.

lately I've been playing almost every day and taking poker seriously again. I've been playing PS this month and noticed I had become a goldstar (which is on their frequent player bonuses, it's a medium level designation.) I found myself interested to see if I could make platinumstar by the end of the month (you have to do it in a month or start over the next month.)

I'm well on my way to Platinum, and I've started to think about bigger and better things.

First thought: Boy, at this pace, if I had played more, I would have become a supernova easily.
2nd thought: I'll do it next year!
3rd thought: Shit. The supernovas are calculated over a calendar year, so I begin the year at zero (unless I already am a supernova)... so I won't reap the benefits of it until I achieve the whole enchilada, which will take at least 6 or seven months.
4th thought: Could I just achieve the status this year? If I did, then I would get all the good stuff starting January 1st! hmmmm.

So, I have a fair amount of work ahead of me to pull it off. but it's definitely doable. I'm less than a third of the way there, and have about a third of a year to get there. I've run the numbers and think I should be able to knock it out if I play 10 hours a week 4- tabling shorthanded games. That doesn't seem like a lot to me these days... I've definitely been playing a lot more than that, although mostly full tables, which move slower and are a bit more suited to my style... I might play full tables instead... we'll see.

either way, I'm back to going for it. It's fun to have a goal.

at least I won the $3 side pot.

Ran horrifcally two days ago... the river was not my friend. played in PS' 2 freerolls for frequent players today. even though I did nothing in them, I played a little 5/10 while I was waiting and won between 400-450. So, that wins back a chunk of yesterday's bloodbath.

here's a few fun hands I lost, for the kids:
(comments follow each hand)

Full Tilt Poker Game #3280889622: Table Del Rey - $5/$10 - Limit Hold'em - 15:28:48 ET - 2007/08/17

Seat 1: ocean13 ($439.50)

Seat 2: dragonbet420 ($378)

Seat 3: bardiche ($140)

Seat 4: redmanjew ($267.50)

Seat 5: elguevon ($69.50)

Seat 6: Jryan324 ($418.50)

Seat 7: highfinance70 ($1,440)

Seat 8: Joeknick ($429.50), is sitting out

Seat 9: anna15 ($145.50)

elguevon has 5 seconds left to act

elguevon is sitting out

elguevon has timed out

Jryan324 posts the big blind of $5

elguevon has returned

The button is in seat #4

*** HOLE CARDS ***

Dealt to redmanjew [7s As]

highfinance70 calls $5

anna15 folds

ocean13 folds

dragonbet420 folds

bardiche folds

redmanjew raises to $10

Jryan324 folds

highfinance70 calls $5

*** FLOP *** [6s Kd Ac]

highfinance70 checks

redmanjew bets $5

highfinance70 calls $5

*** TURN *** [6s Kd Ac] [Jd]

highfinance70 checks

redmanjew bets $10

Joeknick has returned

highfinance70 calls $10

*** RIVER *** [6s Kd Ac Jd] [7d]

highfinance70 bets $10

redmanjew calls $10

*** SHOW DOWN ***

highfinance70 shows [4d 5d] a flush, King high

redmanjew mucks

highfinance70 wins the pot ($72) with a flush, King high

*** SUMMARY ***

Total pot $75 | Rake $3

Board: [6s Kd Ac Jd 7d]

Seat 1: ocean13 didn't bet (folded)

Seat 2: dragonbet420 didn't bet (folded)

Seat 3: bardiche didn't bet (folded)

Seat 4: redmanjew (button) mucked [7s As] - two pair, Aces and Sevens

Seat 5: elguevon (small blind) is sitting out

Seat 6: Jryan324 (big blind) folded before the Flop

Seat 7: highfinance70 showed [4d 5d] and won ($72) with a flush, King high

Seat 8: Joeknick is sitting out

Seat 9: anna15 didn't bet (folded)

that's a frickin' classic right there.

PokerStars Game #11539238576: Hold'em Limit ($5/$10) - 2007/08/17 - 15:44:32 (ET)

Table 'Gallia III' 10-max Seat #8 is the button

Seat 1: CrameKid ($112 in chips)

Seat 2: bbomirang ($229 in chips)

Seat 3: joepelt ($60 in chips)

Seat 4: marchinvest2 ($307 in chips)

Seat 5: jaliks ($59 in chips)

Seat 6: tone6688 ($253 in chips)

Seat 7: Hammiedog ($271 in chips)

Seat 8: AnthonyRPF ($294 in chips)

Seat 9: badactuary ($244 in chips)

Seat 10: pokerjl ($171 in chips)

badactuary: posts small blind $2

pokerjl: posts big blind $5

*** HOLE CARDS ***

Dealt to pokerjl [4c 3h]

CrameKid: calls $5

bbomirang: calls $5

joepelt: calls $5

marchinvest2: raises $5 to $10

jaliks: calls $10

tone6688: folds

Hammiedog: folds

AnthonyRPF: folds

badactuary: folds

pokerjl: calls $5

CrameKid: calls $5

bbomirang: calls $5

joepelt: calls $5

*** FLOP *** [Ts 5s 6h]

pokerjl: checks

CrameKid: checks

bbomirang: checks

joepelt: bets $5

marchinvest2: calls $5

jaliks: calls $5

pokerjl: calls $5

CrameKid: folds

bbomirang: raises $5 to $10

joepelt: calls $5

marchinvest2: calls $5

jaliks: calls $5

pokerjl: calls $5

*** TURN *** [Ts 5s 6h] [7h]

pokerjl: checks

bbomirang: bets $10

joepelt: raises $10 to $20

marchinvest2: folds

jaliks: calls $20

pokerjl: raises $10 to $30

bbomirang: calls $20

joepelt: raises $10 to $40 and is all-in

Betting is capped

jaliks: calls $19 and is all-in

pokerjl: calls $10

bbomirang: calls $10

*** RIVER *** [Ts 5s 6h 7h] [8h]

pokerjl: checks

bbomirang: checks

*** SHOW DOWN ***

pokerjl: shows [4c 3h] (a straight, Four to Eight)

bbomirang: mucks hand

joepelt: mucks hand

pokerjl collected $3 from side pot

jaliks: shows [Th 9s] (a straight, Six to Ten)

jaliks collected $265 from main pot

*** SUMMARY ***

Total pot $271 Main pot $265. Side pot $3. | Rake $3

Board [Ts 5s 6h 7h 8h]

Seat 1: CrameKid folded on the Flop

Seat 2: bbomirang mucked [Td Tc]

Seat 3: joepelt mucked [7c 7d]

Seat 4: marchinvest2 folded on the Turn

Seat 5: jaliks showed [Th 9s] and won ($265) with a straight, Six to Ten

Seat 6: tone6688 folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Seat 7: Hammiedog folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Seat 8: AnthonyRPF (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Seat 9: badactuary (small blind) folded before Flop

Seat 10: pokerjl (big blind) showed [4c 3h] and won ($3) with a straight, Four to Eight

at least I won the $3 side pot.

PokerStars Game #11539322925: Hold'em Limit ($5/$10) - 2007/08/17 - 15:49:56 (ET)

Table 'Gallia III' 10-max Seat #8 is the button

Seat 1: CrameKid ($72 in chips)

Seat 2: bbomirang ($169 in chips)

Seat 4: marchinvest2 ($280 in chips)

Seat 5: jaliks ($233 in chips)

Seat 6: tone6688 ($223 in chips)

Seat 7: Hammiedog ($317 in chips)

Seat 8: AnthonyRPF ($315 in chips)

Seat 9: badactuary ($172 in chips)

Seat 10: pokerjl ($206 in chips)

badactuary: posts small blind $2

pokerjl: posts big blind $5

joepelt: sits out

*** HOLE CARDS ***

Dealt to pokerjl [Qh Qs]

CrameKid: folds

bbomirang: folds

marchinvest2: folds

jaliks: folds

tone6688: folds

Hammiedog: folds

AnthonyRPF: raises $5 to $10

badactuary: folds

pokerjl: raises $5 to $15

AnthonyRPF: calls $5

*** FLOP *** [Js 9h 4h]

pokerjl: bets $5

AnthonyRPF: calls $5

*** TURN *** [Js 9h 4h] [5h]

pokerjl: bets $10

AnthonyRPF: calls $10

*** RIVER *** [Js 9h 4h 5h] [2c]

pokerjl: bets $10

AnthonyRPF: calls $10

*** SHOW DOWN ***

pokerjl: shows [Qh Qs] (a pair of Queens)

AnthonyRPF: mucks hand

pokerjl collected $79 from pot

*** SUMMARY ***

Total pot $82 | Rake $3

Board [Js 9h 4h 5h 2c]

Seat 1: CrameKid folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Seat 2: bbomirang folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Seat 4: marchinvest2 folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Seat 5: jaliks folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Seat 6: tone6688 folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Seat 7: Hammiedog folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Seat 8: AnthonyRPF (button) mucked [Qd Tc]

Seat 9: badactuary (small blind) folded before Flop

Seat 10: pokerjl (big blind) showed [Qh Qs] and won ($79) with a pair of Queens

Wow. "He called with Jack high!"

these were the guys who destroyed me yesterday. God Bless.

Funny hand that I won

Ok, check this out...

PokerStars Game #11472696032: Hold'em Limit ($10/$20) - 2007/08/13 - 19:40:33 (ET)
Table 'Phaedra IV' 10-max Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: marchinvest2 ($121 in chips)
Seat 2: KarlSpakler ($314 in chips)
Seat 3: fatbones67 ($255 in chips)
Seat 4: Mr. Klean ($431.50 in chips)
Seat 5: groundrush ($347.50 in chips)
Seat 6: S00SMOOTH ($624 in chips)
Seat 7: THE THIN MAN ($386 in chips)
Seat 8: pokerjl ($488 in chips)
Seat 10: dsrtflopper ($185 in chips)
THE THIN MAN: posts small blind $5
pokerjl: posts big blind $10
groundrush: posts big blind $10
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to pokerjl [6d 2d]
dsrtflopper: folds
marchinvest2: folds
KarlSpakler: folds
fatbones67: folds
Mr. Klean: folds
groundrush: raises $10 to $20
S00SMOOTH: folds
THE THIN MAN: folds
pokerjl: calls $10

He's raising in late position,... he could have pretty much anything. I make a bit of a loose call here, but it's not horrific.

*** FLOP *** [3c 5c 4d]
pokerjl: checks
groundrush: bets $10
pokerjl: raises $10 to $20
groundrush: raises $10 to $30
pokerjl: raises $10 to $40
Betting is capped
groundrush: calls $10


Gin! I flop the straight, and it's pretty much impossible to put him on 67. He probably has an overpair or the clubs. I love that we are capping here.

*** TURN *** [3c 5c 4d] [As]
pokerjl: bets $20
groundrush: raises $20 to $40
pokerjl: raises $20 to $60
groundrush: calls $20

That card didn't hurt me. and he is still raising me! awesome. I guess he could have a set of aces? or maybe a deuce? I guess he could have a2 and flopped the worse stright, that's pretty much the only hand that explains the action...


*** RIVER *** [3c 5c 4d As] [2s]
pokerjl: bets $20
groundrush: calls $20

Cool river! I hope and pray he doesn't have a 6, but I don't see how he possibly could... I bet, hoping he'll raise, thinking we're chopping and trying to push me off the hand.

He just calls... now we get to see what he had... it's really got to be AA or A2, right? maybe a set of 5s?

*** SHOW DOWN ***
pokerjl: shows [6d 2d] (a straight, Deuce to Six)
groundrush: mucks hand
pokerjl collected $282 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $285 | Rake $3
Board [3c 5c 4d As 2s]
Seat 1: marchinvest2 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: KarlSpakler folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: fatbones67 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: Mr. Klean folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: groundrush mucked [Ah Kh]
Seat 6: S00SMOOTH (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: THE THIN MAN (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 8: pokerjl (big blind) showed [6d 2d] and won ($282) with a straight, Deuce to Six
Seat 10: dsrtflopper folded before Flop (didn't bet)



Whoops! Just Ace king! Gotta love the guys who cap on the flop with ace high, drawing dead to a perfect-perfect chop.

Oh, here's the best part (well, second best to me winning a nice sized pot against a hand that shouldn't have given me anything like this much money), after the hand, the player wrote (in the chat box): "unreal"

I know a lot of times playing AK that strongly will work... but man, when it doesn't, you can lose a fair amount quickly.

At least he didn't cap on the turn or raise the river. that would have truly been 'unreal.'

giveth and taketh.

Yesterday I won about 1100 in 3 hours... today I lost about that much in about the same amount of time...

I played some 5/10 and 15/30 cause there was no 10/20 game on PS... the entire day went like this:

PokerStars Game #11453875743: Hold'em Limit ($5/$10) - 2007/08/12 - 18:42:22 (ET)
Table 'Euporie' 10-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: rpc106 ($124 in chips)
Seat 2: Penguin44 ($73 in chips)
Seat 3: Daibaan ($194 in chips)
Seat 4: prfssrchaos ($350 in chips)
Seat 5: DVQT ($208.50 in chips)
Seat 6: bwillraise ($727 in chips)
Seat 7: DruhLib ($268 in chips)
Seat 8: DOCTOR TAKE ($647 in chips)
Seat 9: outlaw247 ($172.50 in chips)
Seat 10: pokerjl ($161 in chips)
DVQT: posts small blind $2
bwillraise: posts big blind $5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to pokerjl [Ks Kc]
DruhLib: folds
DOCTOR TAKE: folds
outlaw247: raises $5 to $10
pokerjl: raises $5 to $15
rpc106: folds
Penguin44: folds
Daibaan: folds
prfssrchaos: folds
DVQT: calls $13
bwillraise: folds
outlaw247: raises $5 to $20
Betting is capped
pokerjl: calls $5
DVQT: calls $5
*** FLOP *** [Kh 9h 6c]
DVQT: checks
outlaw247: bets $5
pokerjl: raises $5 to $10
DVQT: folds
outlaw247: calls $5
*** TURN *** [Kh 9h 6c] [7h]
outlaw247: checks
pokerjl: bets $10
outlaw247: calls $10
*** RIVER *** [Kh 9h 6c 7h] [8h]
outlaw247: bets $10
pokerjl: calls $10
*** SHOW DOWN ***
outlaw247: shows [Qd Qh] (a flush, King high)
pokerjl: mucks hand
outlaw247 collected $122 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $125 | Rake $3
Board [Kh 9h 6c 7h 8h]
Seat 1: rpc106 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: Penguin44 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Daibaan folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: prfssrchaos (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: DVQT (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 6: bwillraise (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 7: DruhLib folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: DOCTOR TAKE folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: outlaw247 showed [Qd Qh] and won ($122) with a flush, King high
Seat 10: pokerjl mucked [Ks Kc]


15/30 was a nightmare. I played well, but got destroyed. These things happen, but still, it sucked.

Walking through a hand

Let’s walk through a poker hand which did not go the way I was expecting it too… pretty much at any point. As I (or pretty much anyone) plays, you put someone on a hand, based on their actions and history. I knew pretty much nothing about these two players, but let’s look at what I thought was going on, and then what was really going on:

we're playing 5/10 limit hold em here.

Dealt to pokerjl [Kd Jh]

cemre1: folds

WizardOfPozz: folds

JC-TheGuide: folds

pokerjl: raises $5 to $10

Oldmistyman: folds

hot daddy: folds

MrTictac: folds

badactuary: folds

therubeguy: calls $8

dacro42: calls $5

so far, nothing particularly unusual. These guys may have suited connectors, KQ, a pair, or a pretty good suited ace.

*** FLOP *** [6d 2d 4d]

therubeguy: checks

dacro42: checks

pokerjl: bets $5

therubeguy: calls $5

dacro42: calls $5

OK, no one went away. We can parse the possible hands down a bit. It’s possible someone has the ace of diamonds. Someone could have a flush and be slowplaying it. Other diamond broadway cards could be out. Gutshots are also possible. An over pair between 77-99. maybe a 6, maybe a pair and a gut shot. I like my hand, with the K of diamonds and the two overcards. If someone raised, I would at least call.

*** TURN *** [6d 2d 4d] [3c]

therubeguy: checks

dacro42: bets $10

pokerjl: calls $10

therubeguy: calls $10

Uh Oh. Seems like somebody hit his gutshot. I don’t know why the rubeguy is calling unless he has a big diamond or also made a straight. Doesn’t seem like anyone has a flush, unless dacro slowplayed it in a strange way. I'm still looking for my diamond, and would call on the river if a K or J hit also.

*** RIVER *** [6d 2d 4d 3c] [5c]

therubeguy: checks

dacro42: bets $10

pokerjl: calls $10

therubeguy: calls $10

Now I’m pretty sure dacro has a flush, or a better straight than is on the board. He’s betting into two guys, not sure why he’d do that if he couldn’t beat the board… one of us could certainly have a 7, especially the rubeguy. I can't fold on that board though... I'm also hoping rubeguy doesn't suddenly raise. Then I'm certainly beat.

*** SHOW DOWN ***

dacro42: shows [4c 4h] (a straight, Deuce to Six)

pokerjl: shows [Kd Jh] (a straight, Deuce to Six)

therubeguy: shows [Ad Ac] (a straight, Deuce to Six)

And… it’s a chop. How about that… I was drawing dead on the flop except to runner runner straight with no diamond. No one played this in a way that made sense, I believe. Why did the set slowplay on the flop? Why did the aces slowplay before the flop and on the flop? We could have capped on the flop… instead we got one bet in. The aces could have raised the turn even… but no go. Very oddly played.

But considering, these were the only cards I could catch once the flop hit to get my money back, I’m happy it went the way it did.

By the way, if I ever play aces like this, please hit me lightly over the head with something metallic.

Here's another one

wow. how about the river call. it's like party poker never left town.

Full Tilt Poker Game #3113049604: Table Alexandra (6 max) - $5/$10 - Limit Hold'em - 14:57:20 ET - 2007/07/31
Seat 1: albelee ($185.50)
Seat 2: pebs44 ($62.50), is sitting out
Seat 3: GMUFKIA ($770.50)
Seat 4: itsiggy ($187.50)
Seat 5: redmanjew ($256.50)
Seat 6: 1peytonplace ($436.50)
itsiggy posts the small blind of $2.50
redmanjew posts the big blind of $5
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to redmanjew [Ad Ks]
1peytonplace calls $5
albelee folds
GMUFKIA folds
itsiggy raises to $10
redmanjew raises to $15
1peytonplace calls $10
itsiggy calls $5
*** FLOP *** [Kd Jd Js]
itsiggy checks
redmanjew bets $5
1peytonplace calls $5
itsiggy folds
*** TURN *** [Kd Jd Js] [Jc]
redmanjew bets $10
1peytonplace calls $10
*** RIVER *** [Kd Jd Js Jc] [Ts]
redmanjew bets $10
1peytonplace calls $10
*** SHOW DOWN ***
redmanjew shows [Ad Ks] a full house, Jacks full of Kings
1peytonplace mucks
redmanjew wins the pot ($92) with a full house, Jacks full of Kings
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $95 | Rake $3
Board: [Kd Jd Js Jc Ts]
Seat 1: albelee didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: pebs44 is sitting out
Seat 3: GMUFKIA (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: itsiggy (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 5: redmanjew (big blind) showed [Ad Ks] and won ($92) with a full house, Jacks full of Kings
Seat 6: 1peytonplace mucked [5d 4d] - three of a kind, Jacks

holy magoly

had to post immediately. one of the more inexplicable hands I've seen.

PokerStars Game #11212783861: Hold'em Limit ($5/$10) - 2007/07/30 - 03:37:32 (ET)
Table 'Lumen IV' 10-max Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: GoWitTheFlow ($178.50 in chips)
Seat 2: MochaMocha ($250 in chips)
Seat 3: Saraboo ($76 in chips)
Seat 6: jasonw882 ($202 in chips)
Seat 7: navynuk ($385.50 in chips)
Seat 8: pokerjl ($98 in chips)
Seat 9: Hooligan104 ($277.50 in chips)
Seat 10: badactuary ($239 in chips)
pokerjl: posts small blind $2
Hooligan104: posts big blind $5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to pokerjl [8c 9d]
badactuary: folds
GoWitTheFlow: folds
MochaMocha: folds
Saraboo: folds
jasonw882: folds
biguncle61 has returned
navynuk: calls $5
pokerjl: calls $3
Hooligan104: checks
*** FLOP *** [6c 5c 9c]
pokerjl: bets $5
GoWitTheFlow leaves the table
Hooligan104: calls $5
navynuk: calls $5
*** TURN *** [6c 5c 9c] [9s]
pokerjl: bets $10
hanpristeur5 joins the table at seat #1
Hooligan104: folds
navynuk: raises $10 to $20
pokerjl: calls $10
*** RIVER *** [6c 5c 9c 9s] [9h]
pokerjl: bets $10
navynuk: raises $10 to $20
pokerjl: raises $10 to $30
navynuk: calls $10
*** SHOW DOWN ***
pokerjl: shows [8c 9d] (four of a kind, Nines)
navynuk: mucks hand
pokerjl collected $127 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $130 | Rake $3
Board [6c 5c 9c 9s 9h]
Seat 1: GoWitTheFlow folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: MochaMocha folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Saraboo folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: jasonw882 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: navynuk (button) mucked [Js Tc]
Seat 8: pokerjl (small blind) showed [8c 9d] and won ($127) with four of a kind, Nines
Seat 9: Hooligan104 (big blind) folded on the Turn
Seat 10: badactuary folded before Flop (didn't bet)


c

an interesting day

I started today by 4 tabling FT playing short handed 5-10 and getting crushed. Everything lost, and lost, and lost. just one of those things. I made a full house with 76o on a 76436 board, and lost to 77. Yeah, that was ugly. I was down 700 in a flash. also, my internet kept dying on me, so that didn't help either.

but then I fired up PS and elected to play some full ring 10/20... just one table... three interesting and great hands here:

PokerStars Game #11130547280: Hold'em Limit ($10/$20) - 2007/07/25 - 16:10:02 (ET)
Table 'Geometria IV' 10-max Seat #9 is the button
Seat 2: King Mush ($130 in chips)
Seat 3: tlittlestone ($235 in chips)
Seat 4: sully7 ($222 in chips)
Seat 5: EmmitSmith ($982.50 in chips)
Seat 6: PROMOTERS ($870 in chips)
Seat 7: eating_Y ($1294 in chips)
Seat 8: 42DD ($177 in chips)
Seat 9: pokerjl ($547 in chips)
Seat 10: borntowin19 ($2936 in chips)
borntowin19: posts small blind $5
King Mush: posts big blind $10
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to pokerjl [As Qs]
tlittlestone: folds
sully7: folds
EmmitSmith: calls $10
PROMOTERS: raises $10 to $20
eating_Y: folds
42DD: folds
pokerjl: raises $10 to $30
borntowin19: folds
King Mush: calls $20
EmmitSmith: raises $10 to $40
Betting is capped
PROMOTERS: calls $20
pokerjl: calls $10
King Mush: calls $10
*** FLOP *** [Qh 9c 4c]
King Mush: checks
EmmitSmith: checks
PROMOTERS: bets $10
pokerjl: raises $10 to $20
King Mush: calls $20
EmmitSmith: raises $10 to $30
PROMOTERS: folds
pokerjl: calls $10
King Mush: calls $10
*** TURN *** [Qh 9c 4c] [Qc]
King Mush: checks
EmmitSmith: bets $20
pokerjl: calls $20
King Mush: raises $20 to $40
EmmitSmith: raises $20 to $60
pokerjl: calls $40
King Mush: calls $20 and is all-in
*** RIVER *** [Qh 9c 4c Qc] [4h]
EmmitSmith: bets $20
pokerjl: raises $20 to $40
EmmitSmith: folds
*** SHOW DOWN ***
pokerjl: shows [As Qs] (a full house, Queens full of Fours)
pokerjl collected $40 from side pot
King Mush: mucks hand
pokerjl collected $442 from main pot
King Mush said, "wow"
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $485 Main pot $442. Side pot $40. | Rake $3
Board [Qh 9c 4c Qc 4h]
Seat 2: King Mush (big blind) mucked [7c 6c]
Seat 3: tlittlestone folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: sully7 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: EmmitSmith folded on the River
Seat 6: PROMOTERS folded on the Flop
Seat 7: eating_Y folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: 42DD folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: pokerjl (button) showed [As Qs] and won ($482) with a full house, Queens full of Fours
Seat 10: borntowin19 (small blind) folded before Flop


OK, so while I put the 4 bettor on a hand that had me beat, I still had to go with it on the flop. Then I can't fold the turn even though I am sure at least one of these guys has a flush. I have to call the river either way, but I'm really looking for one of my ten outs to the top full house (or quads).

what could the other guy (who bet/ folds the river) have? flush? aces? He can't fold anything there. maybe he had an underpair that got counterfeited? That's the only hand I can think of that should be played that way.


PokerStars Game #11130857799: Hold'em Limit ($10/$20) - 2007/07/25 - 16:29:20 (ET)
Table 'Geometria IV' 10-max Seat #3 is the button
Seat 1: iamhammer ($353 in chips)
Seat 2: King Mush ($169 in chips)
Seat 3: GFL605 ($278 in chips)
Seat 4: sully7 ($285.50 in chips)
Seat 5: EmmitSmith ($1188.50 in chips)
Seat 6: Archangelele ($252.50 in chips)
Seat 7: eating_Y ($1247 in chips)
Seat 8: 42DD ($117 in chips)
Seat 9: pokerjl ($999 in chips)
sully7: posts small blind $5
EmmitSmith: posts big blind $10
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to pokerjl [Kh Kd]
Archangelele: calls $10
eating_Y: folds
42DD: folds
pokerjl: raises $10 to $20
iamhammer: folds
King Mush: folds
GFL605: folds
sully7: folds
EmmitSmith: calls $10
Archangelele: calls $10
*** FLOP *** [9c Qs 9d]
EmmitSmith: checks
Archangelele: checks
pokerjl: bets $10
EmmitSmith: raises $10 to $20
Archangelele: calls $20
pokerjl: raises $10 to $30
EmmitSmith: calls $10
Archangelele: calls $10
*** TURN *** [9c Qs 9d] [Jd]
EmmitSmith: bets $20
Archangelele: calls $20
pokerjl: calls $20
*** RIVER *** [9c Qs 9d Jd] [Tc]
EmmitSmith: checks
Archangelele: checks
pokerjl: bets $20
EmmitSmith: calls $20
Archangelele: calls $20
*** SHOW DOWN ***
pokerjl: shows [Kh Kd] (a straight, Nine to King)
EmmitSmith: mucks hand
Archangelele: mucks hand
pokerjl collected $272 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $275 | Rake $3
Board [9c Qs 9d Jd Tc]
Seat 1: iamhammer folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: King Mush folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: GFL605 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: sully7 (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 5: EmmitSmith (big blind) mucked [Qc Ad]
Seat 6: Archangelele mucked [Jh Td]
Seat 7: eating_Y folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: 42DD folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: pokerjl showed [Kh Kd] and won ($272) with a straight, Nine to King

I was pretty damn sure I was ahead the whole way here, but that bet out on the turn confused me. I though the guy had QJ, and I was still winning, but with the other guy calling, the possible st8, and the board paired, I just called. Luckily, I got 2 calls on the river.

PokerStars Game #11130914080: Hold'em Limit ($10/$20) - 2007/07/25 - 16:32:52 (ET)
Table 'Geometria IV' 10-max Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: iamhammer ($345 in chips)
Seat 2: King Mush ($169 in chips)
Seat 3: GFL605 ($168 in chips)
Seat 5: EmmitSmith ($1245.50 in chips)
Seat 6: Archangelele ($67.50 in chips)
Seat 7: eating_Y ($1222 in chips)
Seat 9: pokerjl ($1283 in chips)
Seat 10: borntowin19 ($2809 in chips)
Yesbo will be allowed to play after the button
pokerjl: posts small blind $5
borntowin19: posts big blind $10
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to pokerjl [Ks Kc]
iamhammer: raises $10 to $20
King Mush: calls $20
GFL605: folds
EmmitSmith: folds
Archangelele: folds
eating_Y: folds
pokerjl: raises $10 to $30
borntowin19: folds
iamhammer: calls $10
King Mush: calls $10
*** FLOP *** [5c Ad 2c]
pokerjl: bets $10
sully7 has returned
iamhammer: calls $10
King Mush: folds
*** TURN *** [5c Ad 2c] [4s]
pokerjl: checks
iamhammer: bets $20
pokerjl: calls $20
*** RIVER *** [5c Ad 2c 4s] [4h]
pokerjl: checks
iamhammer: checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
pokerjl: shows [Ks Kc] (two pair, Kings and Fours)
iamhammer: shows [Tc Th] (two pair, Tens and Fours)
pokerjl collected $157 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $160 | Rake $3
Board [5c Ad 2c 4s 4h]
Seat 1: iamhammer showed [Tc Th] and lost with two pair, Tens and Fours
Seat 2: King Mush folded on the Flop
Seat 3: GFL605 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: EmmitSmith folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: Archangelele folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: eating_Y (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: pokerjl (small blind) showed [Ks Kc] and won ($157) with two pair, Kings and Fours
Seat 10: borntowin19 (big blind) folded before Flop

This was probably the easiest hand, though I thought I was probably losing until he checked the river. We were heads up... I had Kings... that was that.

Anyway. with the run I made at PS, I ended up making about 200 bucks in the session, so that was nice, especially since I was down 700 early. Yay kings!

and we're back...

well, the first day back and playing online poker again, i dropped 1k. It was just ugly. I hit 2 sets on the day, and one of them lost to quads while the other lost to a str8.

I also made no str8s, no flushes... just plain brutal.

Luckily, the past few days i've won that back... the games are still good online and I think I'm a better player than I was before I left for the Vegas trip. I make more and better value bets, I don't make a bet that has a very little chance of having a positive expectation, I call a little more on the flop, etc.

I'm psyched to play a bunchy more.

a bone, thrown.

have been doing actual work lately. interesting to do something where you are certain to get paid instead of what I've been doing over the past five weeks.

all I've had time to do is play some heads up matches over the past few nights on FTP. I'm up about 350 doing that, though they have been relatively low limit matches (20-30 bucks).

i'm thinking tomorrow is when i'm getting back on the poker horse...

Back in Brooklyn

I arrived home yesterday... the day before, I lost a big Pot playing 30-60 at Bellagio when my turned set of nines lost to a rivered set of aces... what sucked about it was not losing the pot, but that the way it came down, it was one of the ways I was likely to lose the most possible money... maybe if I flopped the set. perhaps I would have lost more, but I don't think so, not against that particular player... anyway, it was a 900 pot that went the wrong way, and meant I had a losing session instead of a winning one that night.

The day of my flight, i played at the Rio, and they only had a 4-8 game going, but with a kill. I figured, what the hell, I'm leaving in 40 minutes anyway... I only won three pots, but I won both kill pots (which means we were playing 8-16 instead)... on the first (non-kill) pot I won, I had posted and the under the gun player raised. I called in late position with j2suicted. The bb also called. the flop was J33. i check raised any everybody called. I bet the turn and they both called... The river came an ace... the bb checked, the raiser bet and clearly looked confident... I called anyway, and the bb folded. The utg guy showed 78 of clubs and I won the pot. the BB said he folded pocket kings... I was sort of amazed at how I needed things to go to win that pot... an ace had to come, the original raiser had to bet, and I had to call even though iw as pretty sure I was beat, even with the guy behind me still to act. He said he folded because I called. it's rare to have the worst hand bet, the 2nd best hand call and the best hand fold... but it happened! if he had taken control of the pot pre-flop or even on the flop, he certainly would have won... but we were playing 4-8, so I guess that's not really fair of me to say. i won 155 in about 40 min, and had to jump on my plane.... and now I am back form five weeks fo poker mayhem.


Not sure what's next poker wise... thinking about playing some home games in the city...

last day...

So, I played today, for what was likely my last time in Vegas. yesterday, i was in a great 30-60 game at Bellagio, but was never up or down more than 300 bucks. i had a guy raise me on the turn with a gutshot and get there (when I had QQ). It was a spectacular game, and now i can say, for the first time, i am totally comfortable in a 30-60 game.

Today, I was at the Rio and they had 0 limit games going. i was here to rail Matt and Action bob
(they both busted out)... I actually sat in a 4-8 game for 8 hands (won both hands I played...to the tune of 38 bucks! schweet!)

Then they opened up a 10-20 game and it was a blast. we played 3 handed for a while, and I did well. the guy on my left kept straddling and raising, but i had a good sense of how he was playing, so it didn't bother me... I ended the day up 874, which is pretty good. for the trip, playing limit hold em, I am up about 3k (even after the first day where i was down 1.5 k), but because of nl cash and the sats, i am down a bit for the trip. nothing terrible, i am happy to say.
it makes it even clearer to me I should be playing limit hold em or tournaments with quality structures only. everything else my edge is weaker...

No more NL cash!

Played at the rio last night. I had to wait a LONG time for a table, they were only spreading 2 limit games… eventually, I sat at a NL table to kill time. What I learned is that it’s been a long, long time since I played NL cash games, and that my bet sizing is way off. I was raising too much or not enough, and dropped 1.1k pretty quickly. I also got unlucky when a guy hit his five outer on the river to beat me (we would have chopped otherwise, we were all in on the turn on that one).

I got moved to a 10-20 table, dropped a little more cash there, then to a 20-40 table where everything suddenly started going right:

I flop top pair and an open ender, pick up a flush draws on the turn, get raised on the turn, make the flush on the river.

Three bet on the button a late position (hijack) raiser and caller (cut-off)with kj of diamonds, get four bet by the cut-off (!), and flop a jack. He’s all in on the turn… I hit another J on the river… he turns over 2 queens and curses his luck. I didn’t say anything to him about how if he played it correctly I never would have been in the hand.

Raise with AK, flop an ace, get called all the way and win!

Raise with AQ, flop a gutshot wheel draw, turn and ace, river a Q and get called the whole way.

In about 70 min, I won 900… which made the session, while still a loser, not nearly as bad.

No more NL cash!

well, I ended up getting crushed in online play (three hands in a row where I was way ahead and lost... 600 bucks right there... poof.) but then the girl and I went to bellagio at 3:30 am and played for a few hours, and I got some cards... I left up 760 even though I lost a 750 pot with AA to KK.

Today I played in a main event sat. , but could pick up no real hands... everyone around me seemed to be turning over wired kings, while I had to do my winning with A4 offsuit. Still, about three hours in, i had 3x my starting chips and was an above average stack. Then the blinds got high, everyone kept raising and I never had anything... till I looked down at AJ, moved in and the big blind woke up with AK.

I think I played well... and if anything, i was very aware of how well i played post flop... and think I should be trying to play more tourneys where there is significant post flop play.

So, while tghe trip ins't over yet, i am up in cash games but down about 3k in sats... having lost my last 6 in a row after winning the first one. Boooo. Down for the trip as of now... I still have some time to try to rally.

the 4th of July has passed.

happy 4th and all that.

I'm trying to decide how long to stay in Vegas. I'm not playing the main event this year, and the cash games should be pretty jammed up over the next few days, with the main event beginning.

the last few days have been slow... three days ago i lost about 900 where a guy just had my number. Everytime I folded I had the ebst hand, every time I called he did. It was just bizarre.

Then, the next day, i won a few big pots early, went up 700, and never saw anopther hand a agiain. ended up 60 for the session. I did meet a girl at the table and that's been fun.

Yesterday, the 4th, I didn't play. today, I've been playing online for a bit, am doing well.

I'm trying to figure out how much longer I'm going to stay in vegas... I figure I'm leaving sometime between sunday and thursday... we'll see.

yay.

Another good day today, playing 20-40 at the Rio. I played for less than 4 hours, and left up 1k. I only had three pocket pairs in the entire session (QQ, JJ, and 44) but won with all three of them. i even flopped a set of fours! (first set in at least 3 days.)

Besides that, things just went pretty fine. When the flush card came, and i had a good hand with no flush, and I called the bettor, they didn't have the flush either time. I did make one fold that i regretted, where i flopped a gutshot and called a bet (the pot was big enough), then turned a flush draw, but it paired the board. a woman who had not raised once raised when a guy bet and I was concerned that I was drawing dead. it was clear she thought she was strong, but i wasn't sure if strong to her was trips or a boat. in the end, i folded, thinking the odds were against her only having trips. river did make my flush, and she showed trips with a deuce kicker. I was not happy about it. I gave her too much credit. Lesson learned.

Besides that, things went well. I check raised a pre flop raiser with a gut shot, he 3 bet me and I called. The turn brought my str8, and I check raised him again. Sadly, he folded... but at least I didn't have to show what I was check raising with.

I'm getting closer to getting even than I've been since the 'day of blood', when i dropped 3 k on sats. The last four days have been great, with me up almost 2.8k. Limit hold em! yay...

Today I run goot.

I guess it had to happen eventually. I ran good today. by this, I mean, i actually got there on some of my draws (2 open ended straight draws turned into straights! awesome!). after yesterday, where literally, the best hand i made was flopping trips one time (and not getting any money out of them), no sets, no str8s, no flushes, no nothing... today i flopped trip 8s and got paid off, flopped a flush and got paid off (even made a str8 flush by the river), and got there on two open enders. awesome. no sets, but I'm not complaining.

I think my big pairs held up alright today too... though not usually for big pots... still, in about 5 hours I was up 550, and that's pretty good for 15-30.

we just need more days like this, and less days like yesterday is all.

I even won both times with AA, though both were tiny pots (one time the blinds, the other the guy called my pre flop raise and folded on the flop)... i am not complaining. i'm just happy to have it hold up.

the play was pretty dreadful again, with people cold calling a raise with a suited Q6, limping with k7 offsuit, etc. i love playing with people like that. It reminds me of the old days online.

well, it was a bit of a brutal day yesterday...

I won two pots in the first three hours, and also won the blinds 3 times. The hand of the day: all but one person limps. I'm in the small blind with A5. Flop A 5 2, with 2 diamonds. I check, BB bets, someone raises, I three bet.

Turn: 3. I bet, BB calls, other guy folds.

river: 2 of diamonds. I check, BB bets, I call, figuring the diamonds got there. BB turns over 52. he hit a 2 outer to win the 400 pot. I mean, come on! that one had me talking to myself... not because I faulted his play, just because I had to be pretty unlucky for that to happen.

The game was wonderful last night, lots of terrible players, but i just couldn't make any hands and ended up down about 700.

I did win the one time i had aces! course, i lost the one time I had Kings. And, one time with qq I won the blinds, the other time i ran into aces. Big pairs and i didn't get along to well. big aces weren't so hot for me either.

I did win a pot with 53 and another one with 46... so I had that going for me.

Anyway, it's back to the tables today...

wednesday

Played 20/40 at the rio for a bunch of hours. didn't seem like I played a lot of hands, but I kept winning big pots... I flopped top set of jacks on an all spade board, and capped (5 bets) with 2 other players. By then, i knew I needed the board to pair for me to win. Happily, it did pair on the end and I won a pot that had 736 in it.

Two open enders made straights and they held up, though one time I had tens against eights and then she flopped quads. Also, i made a flush only to lose to a straight flush... i also made a marginal fold that cost me a big pot.

Still, I ended up 1k for the session, which is great. I'm still down for the trip, but I'm on the comeback trail.

hi-Ya!

day: yesterday

played 20-40 yesterday for a few hours, finished 15 bucks to the good (schweet!)

Then, matt and I went to Russell rosenblum's (2002 WSOP ME final table) place and played chinese poker with him till 1:00 am. it was a blast and i crushed them both... sadly we onl;y played a buck a point so crushing them = 25 bucks.

But still, it was fun.

We're talking about throwing a chinese tournament at our apartment and inviting Russell, Bill Chen (2 bracelets last year), some other really good players. let's just say I'm not a favorite to make the money in this one.

Anyway, it's back to the rio today for more LIMIT HOLD EM MADNESS!

happy days

I went to Bellagio and played 15-30 for 3 and a half hours. I walked out 1k richer then when I went in. so that was good.

Finally, my big hand held up. i flopped top set of jacks and capped on the river (5 bets ) with a guy.

then, i 3 bet with aces and a woman called 3 bets and the original raiser (O.R.) called. the flop came out A 34 rainbow. i bet, woman called, OR raised, I three bet, woman called, OR raised, i capped, woman called.

turn, k of spades 92 spades on board). woman checks, OR bets I raise, woman calls, OR calls, he's all in. I have 2 outs, woman says. i figure she means she need one of two types of cards... i immediately put her on pocket fives and am rooting for anything besides a 2.

River is the seven of spades... she checks, i bet, she folds. she says she folded pocket fives. OR turns over AK. I win a big pot.

The game was tremendous... and I caught a bad beat to not be up a fair amount more. (you don't want to hear it... suffice to say the guy was drawing very thin and caught his 5 outer on the river. it happens.)

Anyway, most of my good hands held up, and that was really nice. Yay, AA, KK, JJ all win for once!

well, i played a lot of satellites today. played 2 1k sats, a 500, a 225, and a 175.

Let's just say i lost them all.

so, that would be my worst day ever. i don't feel that bad, only because the last two sats (a 500 where I lost all in with ak vs 68 and a 1K where i lost KK vs AK, both hands all in pre flop) meant there was basically nothing I could do about it all.

Sigh. it sucks to pick up kings, the best hand i saw all day, get it all in before the flop and lose to a two outer (the guy next to me said "i folded an ace" when we turned over our cards). If I win that showdown then I have a fair amount of chips and have a shot at winning the thing. as it was, I just went home a broken man. (you know... give or take).

so, i might play some more 500 sats, but no more 1ks for me, not for a while. Even though the game is good, I could pretty easily run through all my money out here and that would suck.

Anyway, at least i don't feel like an idiot or anything... I had the guy crushed and he beat me. Nothing I can do about that.

we'll see what i do tomorrow. i'll probably go back to Bellagio... take a break from the Rio

a Day without poker

PLayed no poker yesterday for the first time since i arrived in vegas... that was 12 days in a row in case you were keeping track. I was pokered out, so it was a good thing. I watched Matt play day 2 of the limit hold em event for about 15 minutes, then he busted out and we went back to our place to hang out with ivy, matt's girlfriend. we were going to see a midnight movie but I fell asleep at 10... I guess all those days of going asleep at 6 am caught up with me.

Of course I am writing this, wide awake, at 5 am. (though I did have to wake up to do a radio interview (it was a good interview, but man... being on the west coast makes it tough to do a morning radio show in the east.)

Anyway, it's back to the tables today.

day whatever

Interesting day today... didn't make many hands in 20-40, was down about 350. then , to kill time while I waited for Matt to finish day one of his WSOP event, i played a one table 175 satellite.

I picked up QQ 3 times, and got 99 to call my all in one of those times, then got 77 to call it another. I also had 99 and won a race with AK (though I had chips at that point and could afford to lose)... then I was the big chip leader. I sat back, waited for good hands and cruised to a chop with one other guy. I got 370 in cash and a 500 WSOP lammer, which I may use to play in an event or I may just sell it to Matt.

Anyway, I may have to play more satellites, because I think I have a legitimate edge there. The last time I played a single table sat, it was at Foxwoods. It cost me 350, but I came in 3rd and won 900. So, perhaps I ought to do more of them. Good times.

Day 11? day 12? They all run together

I broke my AA string yesterday, winning heads up with 2 black rockets. yay! The maddness has come to an end.

I didn't see them again since, in about 9 hours of play. But hey,m at least I won that pot.

i was in a fantastic game tonight at the Rio, sat for several hours, but couldn't pick up a hand. I literally was dealt 2 pocket pairs in that time, 33 and QQ. Happily, QQ held up.

The chips were flying all around and the play was poor, but you gotta have something to beat these people and I couldn't pull it off. while I am up for the day (a little), i dropped about 150 trying to win a lot of money in this fantatsic game.

The games have gotten tougher lately until i saw this one. I just felt i couldn't get up from it, so I played until 4 in the morning.

lost a big pot yesterday at Bellagio 30-60 when my KK was up against 5 players and an ace flopped with 2 clubs (the ace was one of the clubs). We all checked and a third club came on the turn, giving me the nut flush draw. Some guy bet and I called, but another guy raised. i figured he had the flush and i would fold if i didn't get there.

river: K.

I check, he bets, I call.

that's a 720 pot, sadly going his way. i just was trapped throughout the hand. It kinda blew.

i also tried to make a move on a guy who doesn't fold... I've really learned that lesson now.

i played well today, but only won a little bit. i am still down a fair amount for the trip. but if I keep playing like I did today, I think good things will eventually happen.

We Shall See.

day 10

I swear, one of these days I'm going to win with pocket aces.

it didn't happen today, either time I got them. it didn't happen yesterday either. And, interestingly, it was heads up each time. one time a Q flopped for QQ, another time a J turned for JJ, and two nines on the flop for K9.

those were my three pocket aces hands I got over the last 48 hours... I'm down about 1K on the trip, but if I win 2 of those three hands I'm showing at least a little profit.

I'm going to lose those three confrontations in a row (i.e., the last three times i had aces)about 1/3 of one percentage point of the time. More than half the time I win all three.

Anyway, I just can't continue to run this bad, this is what I tell myself.

I am here for a while yet, we'll see if this can turn around.

Day 9: surviving Bellagio

Played 30-60 again at Bellagio.

bought in for 1500, then I bought another 600 in chips when most of that was gone... soon i was down about 17 or so. I hung in there, came back and even was profitable for about 5 min... then the swings began: I would be down 500, the n it would be 1400, then 800... most of the evning the deficit was 4 figures... I was exhausted and played for about ten hours through to 6 in the morning. The game was only fair, but still, I hung in there. I won two pots in a row where I flopped the nut flush heads up and got paid off on every street by the pre-flop raiser, and then when I called a raise with 76s and turned trip 7s. this got me back to being down only 600. I decided that was pretty good (as , every time I was down 1400, I would wonder why i hadn't gotten up to leave when i was only down 700 or so) and got the hell out of there. It was about 6:30 in the morning when I did so...
It was a long fun session. and while I lost, and am back to being down for the trip, it sure could have been worse.

2 more goodies from day 7

1. I won with KK for the first time since I got here! yes! It only took seven days to win with kings. Granted it was a small pot... but I'll take what I can get.

2. Two guys got into it at Bellagio last night... both older men. one guy (sitting to my immediate right) was unhappy that the button open raised with k2s and made a flush against his JJ. He called the flusher a donkey twice and then offered/threatened to play him 50/100 heads up at the Rio. (flusher's response; i wouldn't play with someone as rude as you, etc etc.) Me and the only other internet kid at the table were laughing, both because it was ridiculous and because it is exactly the kind of thing that happens online all the time... just like online, they did not actually go and play heads up.

Bonus goodie: when I left the table at 3 am, the guy on my right shook my hand and announced to the table that I was the nicest poker player he had played with since he'd come to Vegas a week before. "Most people are punks," he said.

day 7

I played at Bellagio for the first time tonight. It was 30-60, which was interesting only because it's the highest I've played. I bought in for 1600, and watched half of it trail away in the first two hours or so. It is a testament to something that I have no emotional reaction to this anymore. I know where I made mistakes, and where i just got unlucky (I lost a big pot (750 or so)when I flopped an open ended straight draw and a flush draw, made the straight on the turn, made the flush on the river but lost to the nut flush). It was a crazy game: one guy was raising constantly and calling raises constantly, a woman to my immediate right was three betting pre-flop seemingly all the time as well.

people started to respect my raises and suddenly, we were playing six handed. I beat the table up a bit... both three betting the woman with pocket 3's, but also I had a fortunate instance where three people limped in and I had AA in the big blind. I raised, and another guy re-raised. I four bet it and it got everyone else out. Two guys were trapped for two bets pre-flop... there was 390 in the pot before the flop... and I was heads up with a guy who folded to my flop bet (now that's a little weird... I'm thinking J10 suited. He did say "I wanted everyone else to come along too," as he folded.)

Anyway, I ended up just a little for the session, but I came back and even made some money. It's nice to be comfortable at 30-60... I guess I'll play some more and see what happens. I certainly felt like one of the best players at the table.

The lifestyle is fun too... Wake up whenever, chill out, decide what casino I'm going to, and cruise on over. The casinos buy me dinner because I'm playing there, so that's nice too.

FREE FOOD! Love it.

day 6

I have to amend the last sentence of the last post. they really aren't a lot of cute girls out here. There are a lot of women who really need to be thought of as hot, but something about that is mildly unattractive.

anyway, I played 20-40 at the rio and was down 500 almost instantly. I hung in there, won some big pots, and ended up 870.

Later, I was waiting / checking on matt (he went deep in the pot limit omaha world series event) and played some 10-20 just to kill time and dropped 300. i ran into the nuts repeatedly there. i made a straight, someone made a better straight. i made a flush, someone made a full house. i had 2 pair, someone had broadway. It was a miracle I only lost 300, to tell you the truth. (yay!)

Day 4

Day three was relatively uneventful, except for one 20-40 hand at the Mirage:

I raise in early position with KQ offsuit. I get called by the big blind.

Flop is Q 5 Q, rainbow. check, I bet, he calls.
turn: 2. still rainbow. check, i bet, he calls.
river: A. check, i bet, he raises. I look at him and say, "do you have 3-4? I'm just gonna call. I have three queens. " my man rolls over 3-4 offsuit. He called on the flop with 4 high and literally no draw! wowza. I dropped about 150 yesterday... not a lot.

today was 20-40 at the rio. I started off winning a big pot when i flopped a set of aces and made a boat on the river, and I had a guy raise me on the end, so i got three bets out of him.

Then i lost a huge pot when my aces were cracked by 4-5 offsuit (she made quads), and her and some other guy were raising like crazy on the turn. I beat the other guy out of a side pot, but it was a small one. we capped on the turn, so that's 200 right there.

Flopped a set of 9s and won a very big pot from the 4-5 woman (who was so insane that i just had to keep playing, even though i was feeling kinda done... it was clearly a very profitiable table when she was around. she 3 bet the turn on a K high board with KQ, with 2 other players in the hand, and then was upset when it turned out she was beat (which she really had to be).

I also won a big pot at the end when I limped with 89 of clubs and the flop came Qc 7c 8. I turned a 9 and rivered another eight for a boat, and had a guy bet into me. I guess he made a straight on the turn, but he checked the turn and then just called, and then bet the river when he was behind. that was a nice pot too... I left up 700 or so for the session.

I'm still down for the trip, but now it's a relatively small amount...

Oh yeah... there are a bunch of cute girls out here too.

Day 2

Day 2 went better than day one. I was in the Rio all day. Matt was in the HORSE tourney, but didn't have many chips at the start of day 2, so i was going to hang around and wait and see if he survived. I wanted to play 20-40, but the line was so long that I played 10-20 instead. i had a great time, and matt busted quickly, and went to play golf. I decided to wait for the spurs game(which was only about 2 hours from then.), so i hung out and played. Then the game was on in the poker room so i stayed for a while longer... then the spurs were winning big so i kept playing. 6 or so hours after i sat down, Matt called and wanted to eat, so i finally left. i was up about 25 big bets, which is good, but only knocks out about a third of what i lost yesterday. these games are so good though. and still, i didn't run very well. I got aces three times in about 30 minutes, and lost with all three, all to 2 outers, once on the turn, twice on the river. Even so, i had a great time hanging out, guessing people's ages (I was betting with a women about who could get clsoer to the correct guess, i won or choped literally every time, and we did it like ten times...) it was really a blast.

i truly enjoy just hanging out at a poker table, talking to people, messing around, and winning. It's good times.

Day 1 in vegas

Well, we got here at about 5 in the morning. slept for a while, and went to the Rio for matt to play in the WSOP. I went to the Mirage and played 20-40 for several hours. the game was fantastic, but I got killed. sample hand:

raise, call, I 3 bet with AK, call, call.
flop: A 9 7 check, bet, i raise, call, 3 bet (and now he's all in), i four bet(trust me, against these guys, it was the right move), call.
turn K. check, i bet, call.
river 9. he bets, i call. he turns over 910 off and rakes the pot.

That's how it went. i'm not complaining... It's the kind of game where i can win a lot... hopefully that will start happening soon. I'm almost certainly going back tomorrow... though the spurs game is on, and since i win 1200 if they win the title, you bet i'm watching that one.

Meet me at Fox -Woods.

Foxwoods was fun and went well. We got in late wed. night so I didn’t play at all and we just hung out and went to sleep.

Thursday, Matt went and played the 3K tournament and I played about 5 hours of 20-40 limit hold em. Then we went home. Last time (and the only time, I should add) I played this high matt took 50% of my wins and losses. But this time, all the money was mine to win or lose.

I did pretty well… won a little more than 570 in that time… I fluctuated a few times to up about 500, down 150 and did that at least 1 or 2 more times…

I won one big pot where it was raised and called, and I called in the big blind with AJ. Flop: 910Q rainbow. I check, pf raiser bets, 3^rd guy raises, I call with my open ended straight draw. Pf raiser 3 bets, 3^rd guy caps, I call. Pot is already kinda big now (370). Turn is a lovely King. I’ve got the nuts. I bet out, pf raiser looks upset but calls, 3^rd guy raises (!) I rereaise. Pf raiser looks sick. “I flopped the nuts,” he says. I know you have ace jack. Then he calls. I am sitting there, sure the 3^rd guy has a set, just praying the board doesn’t pair. The river is a 10, pairing the board. Now I’m losing to a full house, which I’m sure the 3^rd guy has. I check. Pf raiser checks. 3^rd guy checks!

They both have KJ. They flopped the best possible hand… and I had only the two remaining kings in the deck to win… but hit it I did… and raked a 730 pot. That was a cool hand.

Don’t worry, I got sucked out on a lot… but that was a cool hand.

The play was horrific. I can’t believe how good the table was… There’s no way a normal 20/40 game is that good… guys calling raises with 105 suited, and then calling bets on the flop needing runner-runner clubs to win, with 10 high. That happened a fair amount.

Seriously, I could play this game for the rest of my life and do well.

I’m psyched to go out to vegas next month…matt says there are some fantastic 30-60 games out there… I’m psyched to play them. It will be another jump for me, but I can certainly beat a 20/40 game, and I imagine the 30-60s aren’t much better (though nothing will be as good as today…).

no more hate

Ok, I'm over all my crying. I am no longer going out of my mind, which is nice. I had a good day today, and did alright the past few, after taking about 3 days off.

I'm going with Matros to Foxwoods this week and am bring a bunch of my own money, more then I've ever brought ot a casino before... in fact. more than I've ever held in my hand before (cash anyway). So that's kinda neat, as long as I don't lose it all...

I feel ready to go...

We're also planning on going to vegas next month for a while, he's going to play the world series while I play cash games... hopefully sucessfully. I might also play an event or two... we'll see.

I hate poker

It's been four days of running bad. four days of losing to complete idiots. people who constantly put their money in bad and win anyway. I am going out of my mind.

a few examples:

heads up tourney, 100 buck buy in: I have KK. villian raises. I reraise. he calls. There's maybe 320 in the pot, we both have around 1300 left. flop: 356. I bet, he goes all in. I call. he has ace five. turn: 7. river 4. we split with the straight on the board.

today, i just finished with a guy where I lost, in consecutive all ins: 76s (me) against KQ (him). AQ(me) vs K6 (him), AQ (me) vs. 77(him), k7 (me) againstA5 him.

I just want to win one of those. just one.

yesterday, I had 810 flopped top pair, one guy bet, I raised, some other guy called, original bettor folded. turn 10. I have top two. That guy bets into me. there are three flush cards out there, so I call. river ace. he bets, I call. he has ace ten. if the moron is going to call 2 bets on the flop with nothing, I really need the poker gods to make him pay for that a fair amount of the time... I am literally in day four of this. I've dropped well over a thousand maccaranas with all the idiocy and it's driving me crazy.

I wasn't gonna play at all today, decided to play one $50 heads up match. near the end, the pot has about 360 in it. On the turn I go all in for over 700 . He calls me with a king high flush draw, no straight draw, no hand of any kind. lordie.

anyway, this was supposed to be cathartic, but it hasn't been.


So that's it. i'm offcially taking a break from poker. Maybe a day, maybe more. at least 24 hours. period. I gotta excise this crap, asap.

why we love poker.

So, I'm playing a heads up cash game, 5/10 limit. There's no betting cap. we put in - I kid you not - 17 raises before the flop. it's about half of our stacks (give or take). This means that , a pot that started out with 7.50 in it now has 200 in it, before the flop.

I had the only hand I could have there, pocket aces. After a while, maybe around raise # 10, I start to think he has the other two aces. if it was someone else, maybe I would have given him credit for aces earlier... but he wasn't very good and I really didn't think he had the other 2 aces (not that it mattered anyway, I want to get as much money in the pot as it humanly possible there, since if he has 2 aces, it's almost certainly a split pot))

He didn't.

Oh yeah, he didn't have 2 kings either.

Needless to say,. he was out of money not long after that.

There's no question the internet is a much tougher place to play than it used to be. The games are harder, for sure. But, as long as there is a guy like this around... it's still pretty good.

playing for dough at foxwoods

Well, I went to Foxwoods with Matt Matros and "Action Bob", a cool guy who finished 5th in a Borgata WPT event...

I played 2-5 No limit hold em for the first two days... won 380 the first day, most of it on 2 hands... one where i flopped quads and the other where I flopped a flush... the original raiser bet 25 bucks, another guy made it 50, i made it 150... they BOTH called. the turn was a blank, i moved in and they folded.

The next day, i just couldn't make a hand and lost about 520...

During all of this, Matt and rob are playing $1100 super sats trying to win their way into Friday's WPT event. Also, they both played the 2k and 3k tourneys this week. Matt got a lot of chips in the 3k, but busted near the bubble.

Meanwhile, I played an act 2 (250 buy in), where the top 2 finishers (out of 10) get seats into a 1100 super sat. when i sat down, everyone wanted to put in another hundred for 3rd... so, 3rd got 900 bucks (one guy wouldn't do it). we got down to 3, and all decided we wanted a seat, so we played it out. (I was actually pretty indifferent, but figured i should at least try to win the 1100 seat)... I was in the BB, the SB went all in, i had 1010 and called. he had AJ, ace on the flop, and I have nine hundy in my pocket.

I played some 10-20 limit as well for a few hours... basically borke even (even though the play was pretty weak).

The next day (wed), Matros encouraged me to play 20-40 limit hold'em, but I told him i didn't think i had the bankroll to do it... he told me he'd take half my action... splitting the wins and losses up evenly. that was all I needed... so I sat down with a thou in chips at a table and got going...

the play was pretty bad, even at this level. sadly, I kept flopping sets and losing $500 pots... so I went back to the well and bought in for another thou. I was soon down to 300 of the second thou went I made a little comeback... still, me and matros were down over 1200 for the day... not ideal, but I was convinced I was just running bad and I had a significant edge in the game.

I played again today, buying in for 900. i played for a few hours and left with 1755. that was much more like it! I got very lucky once (saving me 160) where i hit a 3 outer on the river,a dn one other time where I went runner runner flush... (probably worth about 200), but besides that, i just ran average. i won a big pot with KK where four of us capped the betting preflop, and the flop was 234. I bet, 2 calls. turn 4. i bet, 2 calls. river 4. I bet, they muck. as the dealer was putting out the river, I'm thinking... no ace, no five, no queen (cause I put the one good player in the hand on queens). He claimed later to have jacks, but i don't see how he could have folded on the river with JJ with 540 in the pot and it only costing him 40. if i had 1010 or AK he could have won... it certainly was worth a call there.

besides that, it was all pretty normal. I didn't receive any really bad beats and so i was pretty far up after just a few hours. good times.

My new thought is to take some serious cash out of my savings and play 20-40 for a week at "The Woods" (or, really, at any casino)... I am now very confident that I'll do just fine. as it stands right now, I'm only up a few hundred bucks for the trip, but I know where my edge is... no limit is fine, but i can see all the mistakes the limit players are making, so i know I have a clear edge in that game...

wow, the most cash chips I have ever had in front of me was about 800 back when i played a lot of no limit... today i had over 1700 in chips in front of me... that was pretty cool.

You gotta feel for this guy.

This is one of those hands that just sucks for him. sometimes I get on a roll posting bad beats, so I thought I'd post a good beat, for once.


I'm not sure there was anything more he could do... maybe if he 3 bet the flop?
naw, I'd call hoping to improve. Bet out on the turn? I can't fold there. Really, once I called pre flop with my sorry hand (which I did only because I'd been raised by people in the small blind all day (not him though, this was my first hand at the table) and I had position...)


He played it great.... and how can he put me on a flush? He's gotta be putting me on the case ace, or maybe two pair...

Anyway, I'm going on record as this is exactly the kind of play that I complain about when I'm running bad.

Full Tilt Poker Game #1939718267: Table Alto (6 max) - $5/$10 - Limit Hold'em - 15:00:28 ET - 2007/03/07
Seat 1: diz73 ($415.50)
Seat 2: maxfbp2k ($57.50)
Seat 3: Callz_w_air ($588)
Seat 4: eazy on the ice ($67)
Seat 5: Nilandros ($385)
Seat 6: redmanjew ($300)
Nilandros posts the small blind of $2.50
redmanjew posts the big blind of $5
The button is in seat #4
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to redmanjew [2c Jc]
diz73 folds
maxfbp2k folds
Callz_w_air folds
eazy on the ice folds
Nilandros raises to $10
redmanjew calls $5
*** FLOP *** [8s Ac 2d]
Nilandros bets $5
redmanjew raises to $10
Nilandros calls $5
*** TURN *** [8s Ac 2d] [7c]
Nilandros checks
redmanjew bets $10
Nilandros raises to $20
redmanjew calls $10
*** RIVER *** [8s Ac 2d 7c] [Kc]
Nilandros bets $10
redmanjew raises to $20
Nilandros raises to $30
redmanjew raises to $40
Nilandros calls $10
*** SHOW DOWN ***
redmanjew shows [2c Jc] (a flush, Ace high)
Nilandros mucks
redmanjew wins the pot ($157) with a flush, Ace high
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $160 | Rake $3
Board: [8s Ac 2d 7c Kc]
Seat 1: diz73 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: maxfbp2k didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: Callz_w_air didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: eazy on the ice (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: Nilandros (small blind) mucked [As Ad] - three of a kind, Aces
Seat 6: redmanjew (big blind) showed [2c Jc] and won ($157) with a flush, Ace high

I've been very very bad

Sorry for the long delay between posts.

The biggest news is that Matt Matros has convinced me that I should be playing bigger buy in tournaments with more regularity... (this means $100 and $200 buy in tourneys, which happen weekly online).

I satillited into the Full Tilt Online POker series event #3, which was a $322
buy in... there were 2800 players, and I finished 85th, for about 1K. there were a number of memorable hands... here's a few:

With about 1000 players remaining, I was in the top five.

just before 11pm, I was still in the top ten when this hand came up:


Full Tilt Poker Game #1779579187: FTOPS Event #3 (11292129), Table 99 - 600/1200 Ante 150 - No Limit Hold'em - 22:50:32 ET - 2007/02/11
Seat 1: tranquilo (25,496)
Seat 2: inocencio1977 (17,171)
Seat 3: redmanjew (71,676)
Seat 4: PickyTooth (37,897)
Seat 5: knivar3n (41,646)
Seat 6: slyfoxtbb (82,153)
Seat 7: stone_snake (62,030)
Seat 8: 808Rounder (21,722)
Seat 9: KrustytheClown (52,480)
tranquilo antes 150
inocencio1977 antes 150
redmanjew antes 150
PickyTooth antes 150
knivar3n antes 150
slyfoxtbb antes 150
stone_snake antes 150
808Rounder antes 150
KrustytheClown antes 150
inocencio1977 posts the small blind of 600
redmanjew posts the big blind of 1,200
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to redmanjew [10♦][10♥]
PickyTooth folds
knivar3n raises to 4,444
slyfoxtbb folds
tranquilo: Kvin doeesn't bluff either
stone_snake folds
808Rounder folds
KrustytheClown folds
tranquilo folds
inocencio1977 folds
redmanjew calls 3,244
*** FLOP *** [10♣][K♣][5♣]
redmanjew checks
knivar3n bets 8,555
redmanjew raises to 22,800
knivar3n raises to 37,052, and is all in
redmanjew calls 14,252
knivar3n shows [A♠][K♠]
redmanjew shows [10♦][10♥]
*** TURN *** [10♣][K♣][5♣] [5♥]
*** RIVER *** [10♣][K♣][5♣][5♥] [K♦]
knivar3n shows a full house, Kings full of Fives
redmanjew shows a full house, Tens full of Kings
knivar3n wins the pot (84,942) with a full house, Kings full of Fives


That wrecked me for a bit... but I got a little lucky and hung in there... won a race and was back in the top 15.

then i made a bad fold:
Full Tilt Poker Game #1780151402: FTOPS Event #3 (11292129), Table 57 - 1700/3400 Ante 400 - No Limit Hold'em - 0:14:05 ET - 2007/02/12
Seat 1: bigskinnyexp (52,166)
Seat 2: JamesPK (86,250)
Seat 3: Bwandon (85,159)
Seat 4: KingDan23 (33,787)
Seat 5: PSTARFISH (138,867)
Seat 6: redmanjew (134,441)
Seat 7: Narciso (42,423)
Seat 8: UgottaBkiddin (56,707)
Seat 9: DontBluffMePLZZ (35,938)
bigskinnyexp antes 400
JamesPK antes 400
Bwandon antes 400
KingDan23 antes 400
PSTARFISH antes 400
redmanjew antes 400
Narciso antes 400
UgottaBkiddin antes 400
DontBluffMePLZZ antes 400
Narciso posts the small blind of 1,700
UgottaBkiddin posts the big blind of 3,400
The button is in seat #6
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to redmanjew [10♦][10♣]
DontBluffMePLZZ folds
bigskinnyexp folds
JamesPK folds
Bwandon folds
KingDan23 folds
PSTARFISH raises to 9,000
redmanjew raises to 27,200
Narciso folds
UgottaBkiddin folds
PSTARFISH has 15 seconds left to act
PSTARFISH calls 18,200
*** FLOP *** [K♣][8♥][K♦]
PSTARFISH bets 111,267, and is all in
redmanjew folds
Uncalled bet of 111,267 returned to PSTARFISH
PSTARFISH mucks
PSTARFISH wins the pot (63,100)


Partially this was a result of not having much time to think the hand through. if I had five minutes, I believe I likely would have called. Looking back on it, I figure he had a small pair or AQ. so, that was an opportunity lost.

Even so, i was still in the top twenty or so without 90 left.

but 12 minutes later, my fate was decided:



Full Tilt Poker Game #1780171474: FTOPS Event #3 (11292129), Table 57 - 1700/3400 Ante 400 - No Limit Hold'em - 0:17:18 ET - 2007/02/12
Seat 1: bigskinnyexp (45,466)
Seat 2: JamesPK (81,250)
Seat 3: Bwandon (83,559)
Seat 4: KingDan23 (32,187)
Seat 5: PSTARFISH (173,167)
Seat 6: redmanjew (104,341)
Seat 7: Narciso (39,123)
Seat 8: UgottaBkiddin (68,707)
Seat 9: DontBluffMePLZZ (37,938)
bigskinnyexp antes 400
JamesPK antes 400
Bwandon antes 400
KingDan23 antes 400
PSTARFISH antes 400
redmanjew antes 400
Narciso antes 400
UgottaBkiddin antes 400
DontBluffMePLZZ antes 400
JamesPK posts the small blind of 1,700
Bwandon posts the big blind of 3,400
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to redmanjew [A♥][K♠]
Narciso: mate. win the pot , get lucky.
dmbry3 (Observer): yay
Narciso: then shut up
KingDan23 folds
PSTARFISH raises to 10,000
JamesPK: relax man
redmanjew raises to 103,941, and is all in
Narciso folds
UgottaBkiddin folds
DontBluffMePLZZ folds
bigskinnyexp folds
JamesPK folds
PSTARFISH: wow
Bwandon folds
PSTARFISH: ok i call
PSTARFISH calls 93,941
redmanjew shows [A♥][K♠]
PSTARFISH shows [Q♠][Q♥]
*** FLOP *** [4♣][10♦][3♦]
aelredx (Observer): Ace me
*** TURN *** [4♣][10♦][3♦] [4♠]
ADK Rick (Observer): classic
*** RIVER *** [4♣][10♦][3♦][4♠] [3♠]
redmanjew shows two pair, Fours and Threes
PSTARFISH shows two pair, Queens and Fours
PSTARFISH wins the pot (216,582) with two pair, Queens and Fours
KingDan23: gg
JackTen41 (Observer): wow
Narciso: 88 here
JamesPK: gg jew
UgottaBkiddin: gh
redmanjew stands up
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 216,582 | Rake 0
Board: [4♣][10♦][3♦][4♠][3♠]
Seat 1: bigskinnyexp (button) folded before the Flop
Seat 2: JamesPK (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 3: Bwandon (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 4: KingDan23 folded before the Flop
Seat 5: PSTARFISH showed [Q♠][Q♥] and won (216,582) with two pair, Queens and Fours
Seat 6: redmanjew showed [A♥][K♠] and lost with two pair, Fours and Threes
Seat 7: Narciso folded before the Flop
Seat 8: UgottaBkiddin folded before the Flop
Seat 9: DontBluffMePLZZ folded before the Flop

Wow. I win that flip and I would have been in the top three and with a chance to win some real money.
As it was, I finished in 85th place for 1K. While I am happy with that, the pocket tens hand haunted me for a few days.
And we were just about to start moving into the very serious cash...
Even so, it was my best day of 2007, so I got no complaints. and I am reminded that I can play with these guys.
Also, I am reminded that I never feel great about the end of a poker tournament unless I win the thing.

I bought into a $216 event friday night and busted out early, but then satellited into the FTOPS Main event, which is a $535 event in which they are expecting at least 3000 players... first place will be a minimum of 200K.

So, I'll take my shot at that tomorrow.