Sunday, August 19, 2007
back on the stars horse...
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.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
at least I won the $3 side pot.
here's a few fun hands I lost, for the kids:
(comments follow each hand)
Full Tilt Poker Game #3280889622:
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,
bbomirang: mucks hand
joepelt: mucks hand
pokerjl collected $3 from side pot
jaliks: shows [Th 9s] (a straight,
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
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
Wow. "He called with Jack high!"
these were the guys who destroyed me yesterday. God Bless.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Funny hand that I won
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.'
Sunday, August 12, 2007
giveth and taketh.
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.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
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:
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.