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.