The bluff that roared, redux

Full Tilt Poker Game #_: $110 + $9 Sit & Go (Turbo) (_), Table 1 - 15/30 - No Limit Hold'em - 1:28:58 ET - 2008/08/20
Seat 1: (1,485)
Seat 2: (1,470)
Seat 3: villain (1,500)
Seat 4: hero (1,500)
Seat 5: (1,500)
Seat 6: (1,545)
Seat 2 posts the small blind of 15
villain posts the big blind of 30
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [Qs Ad]
hero raises to 105
Seat 5 calls 105
Seat 6 folds
Seat 1 folds
Seat 2 folds
villain calls 75
*** FLOP *** [6h 3d 4c]
villain bets 150

We have rockets (wink wink). Let's act like it.

hero raises to 450
Seat 5 folds
villain calls 300
*** TURN *** [6h 3d 4c] [4h]
villain checks

Well, let's continue the charade. I can't believe he'd be here if he didn't have an overpair. Maybe it's a small overpair and I can drive him off it.

hero bets 945, and is all in
villain calls 945, and is all in
hero shows [Qs Ad]
villain shows [8d 5h]

what what WHAT?

A straight draw?!

You called a pre-flop raise with an 8 and a 5 at the beginning of the SnG?!

Of course, the other question is, what's with the hero bluffing his whole stack at the beginning of a SnG? What kind of donkey shit is that? :)

*** RIVER *** [6h 3d 4c 4h] [6c]

None for you!

hero shows two pair, Sixes and Fours
villain shows two pair, Sixes and Fours
hero wins the pot (3,120) with two pair, Sixes and Fours
villain stands up
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 3,120 | Rake 0
Board: [6h 3d 4c 4h 6c]
Seat 1: (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 3: villain (big blind) showed [8d 5h] and lost with two pair, Sixes and Fours
Seat 4: hero showed [Qs Ad] and won (3,120) with two pair, Sixes and Fours
Seat 5: folded on the Flop
Seat 6: didn't bet (folded)

In San Mateo, Poker < Prostitution

You'll recall I blogged about San Mateo County Sheriff's deputies busting a home poker tournament. I've found yet more proof that law enforcement priorities are messed up in San Mateo County: The SM County Sheriff and his undersheriff were recently busted in a Las Vegas massage parlor raid by Las Vegas Police.

Chris Hanson says, "So, what are you doing here?"

Send it... a little...

6th out of 477. $50+$5->$1192.50. Fastest turn-around time between MTT cashes either online or B&M.

I hate this fucking game

That graph is my SnG finish positions for the last two days. 27 percent of the time, I've cashed. 27 percent of the time, I've come in fucking fourth. Makes me want to cry. I can't identify any mistakes at all. I've just gotten totally ass-raped.

Depressing

You know, it's cold decks like this that make me second guess myself so constantly. I spent quite some time building up a nice little stack. And then shit like this happens:

Full Tilt Poker Game #_: Turbo Hundo (_), Table 7 - 30/60 - No Limit Hold'em - 3:18:17 ET - 2008/08/12
Seat 1: (1,920)
Seat 2: (1,170)
Seat 3: (1,880)
Seat 4: (2,350)
Seat 5: (1,890)
Seat 6: (1,705)
Seat 7: villain (2,100)
Seat 8: (1,735)
Seat 9: hero (5,250)
Seat 3 posts the small blind of 30
Seat 4 posts the big blind of 60
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [As 5s]
Seat 5 folds
Seat 6 calls 60
villain calls 60
Seat 8 folds

Ok. There are a couple limpers. With a suited ace, the idea is to try and flop at least a flush draw and then see if you can finish it cheaply.

hero calls 60
Seat 1 calls 60
Seat 2 folds
Seat 3 folds
Seat 4 checks
*** FLOP *** [4c 4s Qs]
Seat 4 checks
Seat 6 checks
villain checks

I like to semi-bluff. It disguises the draw so nobody has a clue what it is. A check-call is a dead giveaway.

hero bets 330
Seat 1 folds
Seat 4 folds
Seat 6 folds
villain calls 330
*** TURN *** [4c 4s Qs] [Ks]
villain checks

And there it is. At this point, the villain is pot committed if he has any sort of hand. If he called the flop, I can't see him folding here.

hero bets 4,860, and is all in
villain calls 1,710, and is all in
hero shows [As 5s]
villain shows [4h 4d]

I mean, he sure isn't going to fold having flopped fucking quads.

Uncalled bet of 3,150 returned to hero
*** RIVER *** [4c 4s Qs Ks] [Qd]
hero shows a flush, Ace high
villain shows four of a kind, Fours
villain wins the pot (4,410) with four of a kind, Fours
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 4,410 | Rake 0
Board: [4c 4s Qs Ks Qd]
Seat 1: folded on the Flop
Seat 2: (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 4: (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 5: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: folded on the Flop
Seat 7: villain showed [4h 4d] and won (4,410) with four of a kind, Fours
Seat 8: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 9: hero showed [As 5s] and lost with a flush, Ace high

Tonight has been just a series of either bad beats or coolers. It just drives me fucking bananas.

Send it!

2nd out of 448. $50+$5 -> $3472.00.

That's my best online tournament cash, both in percentage beat and cash. I've done better a couple times at Bay 101, but never online.

Heads-up was brief. We started the last hand almost exactly equal and I went all-in with a king and was called by AJo and neither of us hit. Oh well.

Wha...?

This was very, very early in a 400 player MTT. That, in and of itself, should say something about the result of this hand.

Full Tilt Poker Game #_: Turbo Fiddy (_), Table 25 - 40/80 - No Limit Hold'em - 1:21:13 ET - 2008/08/08
Seat 1: Mario (2,037)
Seat 2: (2,685)
Seat 3: (2,610)
Seat 4: hero (4,040)
Seat 5: (2,020)
Seat 6: (3,290)
Seat 7: Luigi (2,460)
Seat 8: (2,165)
Seat 9: (1,670)
Luigi posts the small blind of 40
Seat 8 posts the big blind of 80
The button is in seat #6
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [Kc Jc]
Seat 9 folds
Mario raises to 280
Seat 2 folds
Seat 3 calls 280

Raised in early position and called. Bye.

hero folds
Seat 5 folds
Seat 6 folds
Luigi calls 240
Seat 8 folds
*** FLOP *** [7d 3d 6d]
Luigi checks
Mario bets 560
Seat 3 folds
Luigi calls 560
*** TURN *** [7d 3d 6d] [5c]
Luigi checks
Mario bets 1,197, and is all in

This has to be a big pair or a straight protecting himself from a diamond draw, and the other guy either has the flush or has a flush draw.

Luigi calls 1,197

Mario shows [9h Ah]
Luigi shows [Ts Jd]

Really? There are more than three hundred fifty players remaining. The tournament pays 45. I could almost see Mario representing the big hand. But what's with Luigi? He called with the jack-high flush draw. Setting aside the fact that he's likely a 3:1 dog to make his flush, who says that the jack-high is going to be the best one?

*** RIVER *** [7d 3d 6d 5c] [Qc]
Mario shows Ace Queen high
Luigi shows Queen Jack high
Mario wins the pot (4,434) with Ace Queen high
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 4,434 | Rake 0
Board: [7d 3d 6d 5c Qc]
Seat 1: Mario showed [9h Ah] and won (4,434) with Ace Queen high
Seat 2: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: folded on the Flop
Seat 4: hero didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: Luigi (small blind) showed [Ts Jd] and lost with Queen Jack high
Seat 8: (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 9: didn't bet (folded)

Bad beat of the year

Very. First. Hand.

Full Tilt Poker Game #_: $28 + $2 Sit & Go (Super Turbo) (_), Table 1 - 15/30 - No Limit Hold'em - 0:03:08 ET - 2008/07/31
Seat 1: (300)
Seat 2: (300)
Seat 3: hero (300)
Seat 4: (300)
Seat 5: villain_a (300)
Seat 6: (300)
Seat 7: villain_b (300)
Seat 8: (300)
Seat 9: (300)
Seat 1 posts the small blind of 15
Seat 2 posts the big blind of 30
The button is in seat #9
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [Kd Ks]
hero raises to 300, and is all in
Seat 4 folds

Later on, Seat 4 claims he folded an ace. That will be significant later.

villain_a calls 300, and is all in
Seat 6 folds
villain_b calls 300, and is all in
Seat 8 folds
Seat 9 folds
Seat 1 folds
Seat 2 folds
hero shows [Kd Ks]
villain_a shows [Qs Ac]
villain_b shows [Jc Ad]

You just LOVE to see that when you've got kings. I didn't see Seat 4's comment that he folded an ace until later. If it were true, then that means that, barring a set, there was only one card left in the deck that would beat me. That's just a great spot to be in.

And yet...

*** FLOP *** [As Js Jd]

To quote young Eddie Murphy in "Raw,"

"And then he kicked him in the ding-ding!"

*** TURN *** [As Js Jd] [Td]
*** RIVER *** [As Js Jd Td] [2h]
hero shows two pair, Kings and Jacks
villain_a shows two pair, Aces and Jacks
villain_b shows a full house, Jacks full of Aces
villain_b wins the pot (945) with a full house, Jacks full of Aces
villain_a stands up
hero stands up
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 945 | Rake 0
Board: [As Js Jd Td 2h]
Seat 1: (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 2: (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 3: hero showed [Kd Ks] and lost with two pair, Kings and Jacks
Seat 4: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: villain_a showed [Qs Ac] and lost with two pair, Aces and Jacks
Seat 6: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: villain_b showed [Jc Ad] and won (945) with a full house, Jacks full of Aces
Seat 8: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 9: (button) didn't bet (folded)

There but for the grace of the poker gods...

I've been playing the super turbo tournaments at Full Tilt lately. It works well with my short attention span.

Full Tilt Poker Game #_: $28 + $2 Sit & Go (Super Turbo) (_), Table 1 - 15/30 - No Limit Hold'em - 23:15:54 ET - 2008/07/27
Seat 1: villain (330)
Seat 2: hero (255)
Seat 3: (300)
Seat 4: (270)
Seat 5: (300)
Seat 6: (300)
Seat 7: Luigi (300)
Seat 8: (300)
Seat 9: Mario (345)
Seat 4 posts the small blind of 15
Seat 5 posts the big blind of 30
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [Ts Td]
Seat 6 folds
Luigi calls 30
Seat 8 folds
Mario raises to 345, and is all in
villain calls 330, and is all in

Well, shoot.

Against one caller, I'd figure my tens would be good to go. I'm probably against either a smaller pair or an ace. Only if my opponent has a bigger pair am I in any real trouble.

But with two opponents, the chances are much better that one of them has a bigger pair or an ace with a better-than-ten kicker (if two opponents have an ace and neither has pocket aces, the odds go up a little - each has one of the other's outs, after all). Besides, there is the early position limper to consider. What's he gonna do?

This is a hard one, but I've got to give it up.

hero folds
Seat 3 folds
Seat 4 folds
Seat 5 folds
Luigi calls 270, and is all in

Sure enough, he did join the party.

Mario shows [7h 7s]
villain shows [4h 4c]
Luigi shows [6s 6c]

AAARRRGGGHH!!!!

FOURS?! You CALLED all-in with fours?!

I mean, being the third in with sixes is pretty dumb too, but if you're second in with fours, you're at BEST a coin-flip.

Uncalled bet of 15 returned to Seat 9
*** FLOP *** [5d Tc 4d]

Holy dog shit.

At this point, the 4s would have one out to beat me had I made the call - That's about 19:1. It has to come runner-runner 9 for the 9s to win. That's also about 19:1, it turns out.

Of course, as it happens, he's in fat city. There are 4 cards in the deck left that beat him, so he's about a 5:1 favorite.

*** TURN *** [5d Tc 4d] [4s]

Wow. Nice catch, Eeyore.

*** RIVER *** [5d Tc 4d 4s] [9d]

Had the river been a ten, and had I made the call, this hand might have gone down in history as the ultimate cooler. 4 pocket pairs all-in before the flop, two of which flopped sets, and both of which made quads.

Maybe next time.

Mario shows two pair, Sevens and Fours
villain shows four of a kind, Fours
villain wins the side pot (60) with four of a kind, Fours
Luigi shows two pair, Sixes and Fours
villain wins the main pot (945) with four of a kind, Fours
Luigi is sitting out
Luigi stands up
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1,005 Main pot 945. Side pot 60. | Rake 0
Board: [5d Tc 4d 4s 9d]
Seat 1: villain showed [4h 4c] and won (1,005) with four of a kind, Fours
Seat 2: hero didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 5: (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 6: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: Luigi showed [6s 6c] and lost with two pair, Sixes and Fours
Seat 8: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 9: Mario showed [7h 7s] and lost with two pair, Sevens and Fours

Idiot commentators on YouTube

First, we have to start with the video in question:



Oliver Hudson and Sam Farha are playing the very first hand of the WSOP main event. Hudson flops tens-full and loses. Lots of the commentators on YouTube berate Hudson for going out on hand 1, but I think they're wrong. If you don't go broke in that spot, you're not getting full value out of your monsters in the long run. Let's look at the math.

If you flop a boat with a pocket pair with your boat being an under-set and overpair, there are 3 cards left in the deck of which your opponent must have two in order to have you beat. The odds of that happening are 360 to 1. I'll bet my entire tournament on those sorts of odds every time you give me the chance.

Recently, I got a chance to do exactly that:

Full Tilt Poker Game #_: $33 + $3 Sit & Go (Turbo) (_), Table 1 - 20/40 - No Limit Hold'em - 0:25:52 ET - 2008/07/03
Seat 1: (2,385)
Seat 2: (795)
Seat 3: (1,380)
Seat 4: (1,510)
Seat 5: hero (1,520)
Seat 6: (1,500)
Seat 7: (1,500)
Seat 8: villain (1,410)
Seat 9: (1,500)
hero posts the small blind of 20
Seat 6 posts the big blind of 40
The button is in seat #4
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [Ts Tc]
Seat 7 folds
villain raises to 120
Seat 8 folds
Seat 1 folds
Seat 2 folds
Seat 3 folds
Seat 4 folds
hero calls 100
Seat 6 folds
*** FLOP *** [Th Ac As]

There's my boat.

hero checks
villain bets 160

Ok. Either he was continuation betting and he's never going to put another nickel into this pot or he has an ace or maybe pocket kings and thinks he has the best of it. If he has an ace, then the only way he's beat at the moment is if I have him out-kicked or have a boat already. If I'm in his shoes, and I have an ace, I have to call unless I have a super-weak kicker. But then, if I had a dry ace, I wouldn't have made an early position raise pre-flop.

hero raises to 1,400, and is all in

My raise is designed to look like one of those idiot bluff plays that you see pretty frequently online.

villain calls 1,130, and is all in
hero shows [Ts Tc]
villain shows [8d Ad]

I thought so. A8 is sort of weak for an early position pre-flop raise. I had him on an ace-and-a-face.

In any event, he has 4 outs at this point - the case ace and 3 8s - plus the board pairing runner-runner. He's a 4.5:1 dog.

Uncalled bet of 110 returned to hero
*** TURN *** [Th Ac As] [7d]

He can also now win with any of the 3 remaining sevens. He's still a 7:1 dog.

*** RIVER *** [Th Ac As 7d] [2c]
hero shows a full house, Tens full of Aces
villain shows three of a kind, Aces
hero wins the pot (2,860) with a full house, Tens full of Aces
villain stands up
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2,860 | Rake 0
Board: [Th Ac As 7d 2c]
Seat 1: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: hero (small blind) showed [Ts Tc] and won (2,860) with a full house, Tens full of Aces
Seat 6: (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 7: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: villain showed [8d Ad] and lost with three of a kind, Aces
Seat 9: didn't bet (folded)

Don't play during the day

I have a day job, so I don't play during working hours. Even if I didn't have a day job, I think I would refrain. Here's a small example of why:



This is the SharkScope dump of a $33+$3 tournament that started at about 12:30 PM PDT today. There are 4 players with positive ROIs and 1000+ tournaments of experience, and one of those has a 20% ROI. Two out of the three negative ROI players have too small a sample size to be significant, and one of the players at the table is a fish.

If I've learned anything as I've improved it's to recognize when it's best wait for a better opportunity.

Sharkscope and Safari

So for a while now, I've had to use SharkScope in Camino. It turns out, though, that if you use the "Develop" menu in Safari to change the user agent to Opera for mac, the page will work correctly. I managed to get the page sort-of working with the IE5 user agent as well, but the login widget wouldn't work. Opera for mac, however, seems to do the trick.

It's also possible, however, that the whole thing is just a heisenbug, and that it just happened to work best when I picked Opera. I rather doubt that the SharkScope developers test their site with Safari (though now that they can get Safari for Windows, they have less of an excuse).

All rise for the royalty, redux

PokerStars Game #_: Tournament #_, $15+$1 Hold'em No Limit - Level II (15/30) - 2008/06/19 - 21:37:59 (ET)
Table '_ 1' 9-max Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: (1545 in chips)
Seat 2: hero (1460 in chips)
Seat 3: (1515 in chips)
Seat 4: (1390 in chips)
Seat 5: (2955 in chips)
Seat 6: (1250 in chips)
Seat 8: (1600 in chips)
Seat 9: (1785 in chips)
hero: posts small blind 15
Seat 3: posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [Ad 6d]
Seat 4: calls 30
Seat 5: folds
Seat 6: folds
Seat 8: folds
Seat 9: folds
Seat 1: calls 30

Ordinarily, this is supposed to be a fold so early on in the tournament, but for half price, let's see if we can see a cheap flop.

hero: calls 15
Seat 3: checks
*** FLOP *** [Jd 8h Kd]

The nut flush draw? Sure!

hero: bets 90
Seat 3: calls 90
Seat 4: folds
Seat 1: calls 90
*** TURN *** [Jd 8h Kd] [Td]

And there it is.

hero: checks
Seat 3: checks
Seat 1: bets 90

Let's not scare anyone away.

hero: calls 90
Seat 3: calls 90
*** RIVER *** [Jd 8h Kd Td] [Qd]

WHOMBA!!!!!

And, of course, we're out of position. What to do? Value-bet here or hope that one of these two bluffs at it? Let's try the slow-play.

hero: checks
Seat 3: checks
Seat 1: checks

ARRGGGHHH!!!!!

*** SHOW DOWN ***
hero: shows [Ad 6d] (a Royal Flush)
Seat 3: mucks hand
Seat 1: shows [Ts Qs] (two pair, Queens and Tens)

Well, the board was four-flushed. Nobody was going to call a value-bet without a diamond.

hero collected 660 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 660 | Rake 0
Board [Jd 8h Kd Td Qd]
Seat 1: (button) showed [Ts Qs] and lost with two pair, Queens and Tens
Seat 2: hero (small blind) showed [Ad 6d] and won (660) with a Royal Flush
Seat 3: (big blind) mucked [Kh Ac]
Seat 4: folded on the Flop
Seat 5: folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: folded before Flop (didn't bet)

WPT Champions Boot Camp

I just spent 3 days at the WPT Boot Camp Champion's camp. There they teach advanced no-limit hold'em tournament strategy. I won't spill the beans on everything I've learned, but I did pick up a few tweaks to my game that I hope will make the difference. I came in 3rd in the STT, and made an early exit in the MTT, but both of those were just cold decks. I've learned first and foremost that you have to have a plan. Chance favors the prepared mind, and all that.

Let's see if things will be a little different now.

Don't ever limp

In general, far too many people limp in in early tournament play. The only excuse for limping - particularly in early position - is as the first part of a limp-reraise play. Other than that, you should only limp with a hand that you'd be willing to call a raise with. And there aren't many of those given that with tournament poker there is the gap rule, which says that you should call a raise only with a hand better than that with which you'd be willing to make the same raise.

Full Tilt Poker Game #_: $10 + $1 Sit & Go (_), Table 1 - 20/40 - No Limit Hold'em - 22:34:09 ET - 2008/05/06
Seat 1: (1,400)
Seat 2: (2,170)
Seat 3: (1,260)
Seat 4: (2,445)
Seat 5: (525)
Seat 6: (3,180)
Seat 8: (1,270)
Seat 9: hero (1,250)
Seat 1 posts the small blind of 20
Seat 2 posts the big blind of 40
The button is in seat #9
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [Ad 4d]
Seat 3 calls 40
Seat 4 calls 40
Seat 5 calls 40
Seat 6 calls 40
Seat 8 calls 40

Come on. Everybody limping? None of that!

hero raises to 340
Seat 1 folds
Seat 2 folds
Seat 3 folds
Seat 4 folds
Seat 5 folds
Seat 6 folds
Seat 8 folds

Uh huh.

Uncalled bet of 300 returned to hero
hero mucks
hero wins the pot (300)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 300 | Rake 0
Seat 1: (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 2: (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 3: folded before the Flop
Seat 4: folded before the Flop
Seat 5: folded before the Flop
Seat 6: folded before the Flop
Seat 8: folded before the Flop
Seat 9: hero (button) collected (300), mucked

An important lesson in tournament strategy

The setup:

This is a super-satellite tournament. We are 5 handed. 6th place was the bubble. 5th place gets a booby prize. 4th through 1st tie for the win.

Full Tilt Poker Game #_: Super Sat to FTOPS Event #16 (_), Table 2 - 60/120 - No Limit Hold'em - 0:09:21 ET - 2008/05/05
Seat 1: victim (910)
Seat 2: hero (11,925)

Heh. Nice stack, dude. :) I caught lucky once or twice, but for the most part, I played a good game and didn't get screwed.

Seat 3: (3,625)
Seat 4: (3,870)
Seat 5: villain (3,670)
hero posts the small blind of 60
Seat 3 posts the big blind of 120
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to nsayer [Qd 8d]
Seat 4 calls 120
villain raises to 240
victim raises to 910, and is all in
hero calls 850

What?! With a suited queen?

Well, it hardly costs me anything to make the call, and tripling him up, if that's what happens, doesn't really change the table significantly from my point of view. On the other hand, if I catch, it's over. But the villain may have a better hand than me. It is in our joint interest that one of us have a better hand than the victim.

Seat 3 folds
Seat 4 folds
villain calls 670

Remember this moment carefully. I tip my hat retroactively to the villain here.

*** FLOP *** [4c 7s 4d]
hero checks
villain checks
*** TURN *** [4c 7s 4d] [Qs]

*DING*

But what if the victim has pocket kings, the villain has ace high, and an ace is coming on the river? It is still better to simply check it down.

hero checks
villain checks
*** RIVER *** [4c 7s 4d Qs] [6d]
hero checks
villain checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
victim shows [Th Td] two pair, Tens and Fours
hero shows [Qd 8d] two pair, Queens and Fours
villain shows [Ad As] two pair, Aces and Fours

Oh ho!

The villain would normally have been perfectly justified in re-raising pre-flop to make me go away. I certainly would have folded. But my hat goes off to this villain - he recognized the situation perfectly. What if the victim had A4 and I had 58o? The villain would have had the 3rd best hand, the victim would have been chipped up, I would still have been a monster chip lead, but he would have been seriously wounded. By letting me draw all the way to the river, I might have won the pot instead of the victim, and it would have been over.

villain wins the pot (2,970) with two pair, Aces and Fours
victim stands up
villain stands up
hero stands up
Seat 4 stands up
Seat 3 stands up
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2,970 | Rake 0
Board: [4c 7s 4d Qs 6d]
Seat 1: victim (button) showed [Th Td] and lost with two pair, Tens and Fours
Seat 2: hero (small blind) showed [Qd 8d] and lost with two pair, Queens and Fours
Seat 3: (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 4: folded before the Flop
Seat 5: villain showed [Ad As] and won (2,970) with two pair, Aces and Fours

What REALLY sucks about poker

I guess the worst thing of all about poker is that literally nobody I know really well cares about it. So I have nobody to talk to about it. I am on a cold streak that, as all cold streaks do, seems to stretch back as far as I can remember. I can tell them about the fact that your heads-up opponent has 20:1 odds of holding a pocket pair, and that losing because you've held the under-pair 6 times in one day is spooky bad luck, not bad play, but they don't get it. I am playing as correctly as I know how, and getting screwed. And there's no one I can have a conversation about it with. I think that, more than anything, is why I keep going to boot camps and trying to find a tutor. At least there I can have a conversation with someone. You can't do that at Bay 101 or Garden City - you go there to take people's money.

Sigh.

This just sucks.

The problem with poker

Alright. It's finally become clear that people who play online are just too stupid to fold. You can tell them a consistent story all the way to the river and you can see through the screen as they shrug their shoulders and toss in their last chips, knowing that they're beat.

Full Tilt Poker Game #6005794296: $20 + $2 Sit & Go (45724711), Table 1 - 15/30 - No Limit Hold'em - 14:13:39 ET - 2008/04/12
Seat 1: (1,470)
Seat 2: hero (1,470)
Seat 3: (1,500)
Seat 4: villain (1,545)
Seat 5: goat (1,545)
Seat 6: (1,470)
hero posts the small blind of 15
Seat 3 posts the big blind of 30
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***

I'm going to keep my cards secret for now.

Dealt to hero [?? ??]
villain calls 30
goat calls 30
Seat 6 folds
Seat 1 folds
hero raises to 150

Standard raise - 2 limpers = 5xBB

Seat 3 folds
villain calls 120
goat calls 120
*** FLOP *** [9d 6s 4d]
hero checks
villain bets 270
goat calls 270
hero raises to 600

3x check-raise

villain calls 330
goat calls 330
*** TURN *** [9d 6s 4d] [2h]
hero bets 720, and is all in

Now let's just pause here. If you were in their spot, what is the WORST possible hand I could reasonably have (if I'm not bluffing with nothing at all).

Remember: I raised pre-flop, I check-raised the flop and went all-in on the turn.

A9?

I could have an overpair, I could have flopped a set.

villain calls 720
goat folds
hero shows [Kh 7h]
villain shows [Ac 4c]

WTF?!?! SECOND TO BOTTOM PAIR?!

*** RIVER *** [9d 6s 4d 2h] [Qd]
hero shows King Queen high
villain shows a pair of Fours
villain wins the pot (3,720) with a pair of Fours
hero stands up
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 3,720 | Rake 0
Board: [9d 6s 4d 2h Qd]
Seat 1: (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: hero (small blind) showed [Kh 7h] and lost with King Queen high
Seat 3: (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 4: villain showed [Ac 4c] and won (3,720) with a pair of Fours
Seat 5: goat folded on the Turn
Seat 6: didn't bet (folded)

Crispin is right. Bluffing online just doesn't work.

Still here

No, I'm not going to be one of those folks who abandons their blog. I just don't have anything interesting to post about of late. I've decided everybody is tired of me whining about bad beats and cold decks, and there really isn't anything interesting on the mac front.

I did get a chance to play the Thursday morning tournament at Bay 101 last week and came in 9th. I didn't have to rebuy, but I did buy the add-on, so that $80 turned into $170. w00t.

As soon as anything interesting happens, I'll post about it.

Nice call, damnit

What a night. 0 for 3. KK over QQ, an idiot rivering two pair to beat my overpair, and then there's this hand:

Full Tilt Poker Game #_: $10 + $1 Sit & Go (_), Table 1 - 30/60 - No Limit Hold'em - 21:18:22 ET - 2008/02/27
Seat 1: hero (2,060)
Seat 2: villain (1,900)
Seat 3: (5,040)
Seat 3 posts the small blind of 30
hero posts the big blind of 60
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [Ah 5c]
villain raises to 210
Seat 3 folds
hero calls 150
*** FLOP *** [8s Tc Jc]
hero bets 400
villain calls 400
*** TURN *** [8s Tc Jc] [8d]
hero bets 1,450, and is all in

Now, look at it from his point of view. What might I have that would allow me to be so aggressive? We're 3 handed, 9Q is not out of the question. 97 is maybe pushing it, but how about AJ, KJ, AT? Maybe an 8?

villain calls 1,290, and is all in
hero shows [Ah 5c]
villain shows [Kc Qc]
Uncalled bet of 160 returned to hero

Unbelievable. Ace high is the winner at the moment. But he has a straight-flush draw and over-cards. So he has 6 outs for the overs, 6 9s and aces that aren't clubs, and 9 clubs. 21 outs. Since we're on the turn, though, that's still less than 2:1 odds, and if the river is a red deuce, he's gone. Using strict pot odds, any call on the flop is correct, since he's the favorite. And on the turn, he has to call 1290 to win over 3800, so that's correct. But this is a tournament. If he fails to suck out, or if I've already got a boat or quads (in which case he has exactly two outs), he's out on the bubble. Since he was the favorite on the flop, he should have pushed immediately. I, of course, would have folded my bluff hand, but if I had the AJ I was representing, I would have called.

Of course, as it turns out...

*** RIVER *** [8s Tc Jc 8d] [9h]

Grumble.

hero shows a pair of Eights
villain shows a straight, King high
villain wins the pot (3,830) with a straight, King high
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 3,830 | Rake 0
Board: [8s Tc Jc 8d 9h]
Seat 1: hero (big blind) showed [Ah 5c] and lost with a pair of Eights
Seat 2: villain (button) showed [Kc Qc] and won (3,830) with a straight, King high
Seat 3: (small blind) folded before the Flop

Bad beat du jour

Seriously. Can I please have a 3 day period go by without one of these? I don't think I'm asking for much.

Full Tilt Poker Game #_: $10 + $1 Sit & Go (_), Table 1 - 30/60 - No Limit Hold'em - 22:51:00 ET - 2008/02/13
Seat 1: hero (3,230)
Seat 2: (1,170)
Seat 3: villain (2,900)
Seat 4: (1,700)
hero posts the big blind of 60
The button is in seat #5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [9c Kd]
Seat 2 folds
MrStrehl raises to 180
Seat 4 folds
hero calls 120
*** FLOP *** [Qd Th Jc]
hero checks
villain bets 360
hero raises to 1,200
villain raises to 2,720, and is all in
hero calls 1,520
villain shows [Qc Qs]
hero shows [9c Kd]

Get all your money in with the best hand....

*** TURN *** [Qd Th Jc] [3c]
*** RIVER *** [Qd Th Jc 3c] [Td]

And then get fucked up the ass.

villain shows a full house, Queens full of Tens
hero shows a straight, King high
villain wins the pot (5,800) with a full house, Queens full of Tens
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 5,800 | Rake 0
Board: [Qd Th Jc 3c Td]
Seat 1: hero (big blind) showed [9c Kd] and lost with a straight, King high
Seat 2: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: villain showed [Qc Qs] and won (5,800) with a full house, Queens full of Tens
Seat 4: didn't bet (folded)

Maybe my luck is turning around

Although one hand does not a swing make, all in all this was a refreshing tournament. I wasn't party to any hands where someone sucked out. Incredible.

But the capper was the last hand, which offers the lesson that it is not simply necessary to get a monster hand, it is also necessary for your opponent to have a hand almost as good:

Full Tilt Poker Game #_: $10 + $1 Sit & Go (_), Table 1 - 60/120 - No Limit Hold'em - 19:32:34 ET - 2008/02/09
Seat 5: hero (4,840)
Seat 6: villain (4,160)
villain posts the small blind of 60
hero posts the big blind of 120
The button is in seat #6
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [Ac Td]
villain calls 60
hero raises to 360
villain calls 240
*** FLOP *** [Qh 2s As]

That board doesn't bother me. Let's slow-play it.

hero checks
villain checks
*** TURN *** [Qh 2s As] [Ah]
hero checks
villain bets 400

Here I let the timer run a little before calling.

hero calls 400
*** RIVER *** [Qh 2s As Ah] [Ad]
hero bets 300

Gosh, how could that 3rd ace have helped me at all? I must be completely bluffing. Tee hee. If he has a queen, then the only hand that beats him is pocket kings or the case ace. If he has a queen, you can be sure that if he has his way, all the money is going in the middle.

villain has 15 seconds left to act
villain raises to 1,000
hero raises to 4,080, and is all in
villain calls 2,400, and is all in
Uncalled bet of 680 returned to hero
*** SHOW DOWN ***
hero shows [Ac Td] four of a kind, Aces
villain mucks
hero wins the pot (8,320) with four of a kind, Aces
villain stands up
hero stands up
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 8,320 | Rake 0
Board: [Qh 2s As Ah Ad]
Seat 5: hero (big blind) showed [Ac Td] and won (8,320) with four of a kind, Aces
Seat 6: villain (small blind) mucked [Qd Ks] - a full house, Aces full of Queens

Too bad for him we weren't at a cash table at Lucky Chances. That hand would have scored him the bad beat jackpot (aces-full or better getting beat).

Happy birthday to me

It's my birthday. Look what I got for it:

PokerStars Game #_: Hold'em No Limit ($0.10/$0.25) - 2008/01/27 - 21:37:58 (ET)
Table '_' 9-max Seat #5 is the button
Seat 1: ($17.95 in chips)
Seat 2: ($26.80 in chips)
Seat 3: ($54.65 in chips)
Seat 4: hero ($25 in chips)
Seat 5: villain ($58.70 in chips)
Seat 6: ($22.40 in chips)
Seat 7: ($17.55 in chips)
Seat 8: ($10 in chips)
Seat 9: ($8.30 in chips)
Seat 6: posts small blind $0.10
Seat 7: posts big blind $0.25
hero: posts big blind $0.25

Yup. First hand. Just sat down. The button just passed, so I decided to post.

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [9c 8c]
Seat 8: calls $0.25
Seat 9: folds
Seat 1: folds
Seat 2: calls $0.25
Seat 3: folds
hero: checks
villain: raises $1.25 to $1.50
Seat 6: folds
Seat 7: calls $1.25
Seat 8: calls $1.25
Seat 2: folds
hero: calls $1.25

A suited connector is in relatively good shape against the sort of hand that would raise, and there's 4.50 in the pot and it costs me a buck and a quarter to call, so the odds are right.

*** FLOP *** [2s Js Td]
Seat 7: checks
Seat 8: bets $0.50
hero: calls $0.50
villain: raises $3 to $3.50
Seat 7: folds
Seat 8: calls $3
hero: calls $3

With two others in the pot, whatever the bet is, I have odds to call with my outside straight draw.

*** TURN *** [2s Js Td] [Qh]
Seat 8: checks

There's my straight. There's a flush draw, though, so time to pull the trigger.

hero: bets $20 and is all-in
villain: raises $33.70 to $53.70 and is all-in
Seat 8: folds
*** RIVER *** [2s Js Td Qh] [6d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
hero: shows [9c 8c] (a straight, Eight to Queen)
villain: shows [Ac Kc] (a straight, Ten to Ace)

Ouch.

villain collected $54.05 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $56.85 | Rake $2.80
Board [2s Js Td Qh 6d]
Seat 1: folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: folded before Flop
Seat 3: folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: hero showed [9c 8c] and lost with a straight, Eight to Queen
Seat 5: villain (button) showed [Ac Kc] and won ($54.05) with a straight, Ten to Ace
Seat 6: (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 7: (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 8: folded on the Turn
Seat 9: folded before Flop (didn't bet)

The bluff that roared

PokerStars Game #_: Tournament #_, $12+$1 Hold'em No Limit - Level I (10/20) - 2008/01/24 - 21:52:51 (ET)
Table '_ 1' 6-max Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: (1850 in chips)
Seat 2: hero (1140 in chips)
Seat 3: (1500 in chips)
Seat 4: (1360 in chips)
Seat 5: (1760 in chips)
Seat 6: (1390 in chips)
Seat 3: posts small blind 10
Seat 4: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [5d As]
Seat 5: calls 20
Seat 6: calls 20
Seat 1: calls 20
hero: calls 20
Seat 3: calls 10
Seat 4: checks

Family pot. We have almost no chance at this.

*** FLOP *** [8s 6h 4c]
Seat 3: checks
Seat 4: bets 20
Seat 5: calls 20
Seat 6: calls 20
Seat 1: folds

Minimum bets are suspicious to me. They're weak as hell. Besides, now there's 180 chips in the pot and it costs me 20 to call. That's more or less correct odds to try and catch my inside straight draw.

hero: calls 20
Seat 3: folds
*** TURN *** [8s 6h 4c] [3d]
Seat 4: bets 20
Seat 5: calls 20
Seat 6: calls 20

Oh, come on. There's 260 chips in the pot now and nobody's going to make a try for it? Screw that! Now there's a whole bunch of potential hands that made a straight. Let's pretend we have one.

hero: raises 130 to 150
Seat 4: calls 130

just call?! That's suspicious, in retrospect, but at the time I put him on a straight draw still.

Seat 5: folds
Seat 6: folds
*** RIVER *** [8s 6h 4c 3d] [Kh]
Seat 4: checks

Well, my ace-high is for sure a loser. Let's try and make something that looks like a value bet.

hero: bets 200
Seat 4: calls 200

Crap.

*** SHOW DOWN ***
hero: shows [5d As] (high card Ace)
Seat 4: mucks hand

WHAT?! He called my river bet with a hand that lost to ACE HIGH?!

That may be the stupidest thing I've seen all week.

hero collected 940 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 940 | Rake 0
Board [8s 6h 4c 3d Kh]
Seat 1: folded on the Flop
Seat 2: hero (button) showed [5d As] and won (940) with high card Ace
Seat 3: (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 4: (big blind) mucked [7c 9h]

He called my river bet with a brooklyn straight. A word to the wise: If you miss your flush or straight draw, you probably have the worst hand.

Meanwhile, I bet seats 5 and 6 were... a bit upset. :)

Seat 5: folded on the Turn
Seat 6: folded on the Turn

All rise for the royalty

PokerStars Game #_: Tournament #_, $12+$1 Hold'em No Limit - Level II (15/30) - 2008/01/23 - 22:19:27 (ET)
Table '_ 1' 6-max Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: (2095 in chips)
Seat 4: hero (3310 in chips)
Seat 5: (1965 in chips)
Seat 6: (1630 in chips)
hero: posts small blind 15
Seat 5: posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [Qc 4c]
Seat 6: folds
Seat 1: calls 30
hero: calls 15
Seat 5: checks
*** FLOP *** [Jc 2c Kc]
hero: checks

Now, trapping here can be considered dangerous. You're potentially letting the singleton ace get a free card.

Seat 5: checks
Seat 1: checks
*** TURN *** [Jc 2c Kc] [Tc]

Damn! Sure enough. Now I have to worry about that ace, so I have to be prepared to fold the 2nd-to-nut flush if I get serious action.

hero: checks
Seat 5: checks
Seat 1: checks
*** RIVER *** [Jc 2c Kc Tc] [Ac]

HOLY MOTHER OF GOD!!!

The problem now is getting value. There's only 90 chips in the pot because I tried to trap on the flop and got scared on the turn.

hero: bets 50
Seat 5: calls 50
Seat 1: calls 50
*** SHOW DOWN ***
hero: shows [Qc 4c] (a Royal Flush)
Seat 5: mucks hand
Seat 1: mucks hand
hero collected 240 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 240 | Rake 0
Board [Jc 2c Kc Tc Ac]
Seat 1: (button) mucked [3c 9d]
Seat 4: hero (small blind) showed [Qc 4c] and won (240) with a Royal Flush
Seat 5: (big blind) mucked [6c 5h]
Seat 6: folded before Flop (didn't bet)

So that's how tonight has gone. Since it wasn't a cash game, I didn't get any sort of bonus for my Royal. And I netted a grand total of 160 chips on the deal. I wound up getting 2nd place - my only cash for the whole night - when I flopped top 2 and the other guy flopped a set. Every other time I got my money in good all night long, I got screwed. 2008 has been the suck so far, no doubt.

San Mateo county home poker tournament busted up by police

Clearly having solved all other higher priority issues on their to-do list, sheriff's deputies in San Mateo county raided a home game and arrested two people and took a 13 year old away from his parents. According to the complaints, the tournament proceeds were being skimmed by the organizer (he denies this), and a "refreshment fee" was charged the participants, which amounts to an illegal rake for a home game.

Congratulations, super cops, you've clearly made the world a better place by not allowing our neighbors to play poker at home for low stakes.

There is, however, a lesson to be learned. If you want to advertise a home game outside of a circle of personal friends, take some time to familiarize yourself with the law. If you don't want to be stuck with the bill for refreshments, make a point of describing the event as BYOB. Never ever rake the pot in any way, don't open the game to minors, and do whatever you have to do to make sure that the game is completely honest (if someone catches someone cheating, the cheater can ruin your life if they claim you were in cahoots with them).

The cops will have a much, much harder time justifying wasting the courts' and DAs' time with your home game if there are no grey areas they can use to hassle you.

Donkeys upset me

PokerStars Game #_: Tournament #_, $6.00+$0.60 Hold'em No Limit - Level II (15/30) - 2008/01/13 - 17:38:57 (ET)
Table '_' 6-max Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: (255 in chips)
Seat 2: villain (2865 in chips)
Seat 3: hero (1655 in chips)
Seat 4: (720 in chips)
Seat 5: (1900 in chips)
Seat 6: (1605 in chips)
villain: posts small blind 15
hero: posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [Ad 9s]
Seat 4: folds
Seat 5: folds
Seat 6: calls 30
Seat 1: folds
villain: calls 15
hero: checks
*** FLOP *** [5d 8d 9d]
villain: bets 30

This guy is the worst player I can remember seeing. He has repeatedly made terrible, terrible calls, and has made these minimum bets whether he hit or not. With top pair and the nut flush draw, it's time to teach this guy a lesson.

hero: raises 1595 to 1625 and is all-in
Seat 6: folds
villain: calls 1595

At this point, we turn 'em up, and he had T7o with no diamonds - an outside straight draw with a flush showing.

Retard.

*** TURN *** [5d 8d 9d] [Tc]

Oh, of fucking course!

*** RIVER *** [5d 8d 9d Tc] [Qs]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
villain: shows [7c Th] (a pair of Tens)
hero: shows [Ad 9s] (a pair of Nines)
villain collected 3340 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 3340 | Rake 0
Board [5d 8d 9d Tc Qs]
Seat 1: (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: villain (small blind) showed [7c Th] and won (3340) with a pair of Tens
Seat 3: hero (big blind) showed [Ad 9s] and lost with a pair of Nines
Seat 4: folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: folded on the Flop

I shot the sheriff

PokerStars Game #_: Tournament #_, $10+$1 Hold'em No Limit - Level I (10/20) - 2008/01/11 - 17:32:47 (ET)
Table '_' 9-max Seat #9 is the button
Seat 1: (3180 in chips)
Seat 2: villain (1550 in chips)
Seat 3: hero (1760 in chips)
Seat 4: (1470 in chips)
Seat 6: (1430 in chips)
Seat 7: (1280 in chips)
Seat 8: (1380 in chips)
Seat 9: (1450 in chips)
BSUfan41: posts small blind 10
rocton: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [Kd 9s]

I've decided to bluff here, I've got aces, and I'm going to the wall with it.

hero: raises 40 to 60
Seat 4: folds
Seat 6: calls 60
Seat 7: folds
Seat 8: folds
Seat 9: folds
Seat 1: folds
villain: calls 40
*** FLOP *** [8d 5s 7h]
villain: bets 80

If I had aces, I'd be afraid of that flop. Any one with a would have a straight draw, and the 45 or 9T hands have an outside draw. So I can't give a free card.

At this point I actually said in the chat window, "No draws allowed!"

hero: raises 120 to 200
Seat 6: folds
villain: calls 120
*** TURN *** [8d 5s 7h] [7d]
villain: checks
hero: bets 600
villain: calls 600
*** RIVER *** [8d 5s 7h 7d] [9h]
villain: bets 140
hero: raises 580 to 720
villain: calls 550 and is all-in
*** SHOW DOWN ***
hero: shows [Kd 9s] (two pair, Nines and Sevens)
villain: shows [8c Tc] (two pair, Eights and Sevens)

Now, if you were in his shoes, would you honestly think your 2nd pair was good at this point? I've had a pretty good image at this point, so I think the full bluff would have been unexpected.

hero collected 3170 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 3170 | Rake 0
Board [8d 5s 7h 7d 9h]
Seat 1: (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 2: villain (big blind) showed [8c Tc] and lost with two pair, Eights and Sevens
Seat 3: hero showed [Kd 9s] and won (3170) with two pair, Nines and Sevens
Seat 4: folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: folded on the Flop
Seat 7: folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Table sheriff

Full Tilt Poker Game #_: $10 + $1 Madness (_), Table 1 - 15/30 - No Limit Hold'em - 12:30:44 ET - 2008/01/05
Seat 1: villain (675)
Seat 2: (1,455)
Seat 3: (1,455)
Seat 4: (2,325)
Seat 5: hero (1,590)
Seat 6: (1,500)
Seat 4 posts the small blind of 15
hero posts the big blind of 30
The button is in seat #3

So first, a bit of setup. This is the fourth hand in the tournament and I've just raised the last 3 and picked them up before the flop.

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [Qs Ac]
Seat 6 folds
villain calls 30
Seat 2 folds
Seat 3 calls 30
Seat 4 folds
hero raises to 135
villain raises to 240

There's a new sheriff in town. Too bad he's a short stack.

Seat 3 folds
hero raises to 1,590, and is all in
villain calls 435, and is all in
hero shows [Qs Ac]
villain shows [6c Th]

The downside of wearing a tin star is that it gives the other fellow a nice mark to shoot at.

Let's pretend he thought I was stealing. Was it worth a third of his stack (with a crap hand) to write me a speeding ticket?

I've spoken before about pot commitment and tournaments. Yes, he only had to cal 435 to win 1395, but it was his last 435 and he had ten high! Even if I was stealing, wouldn't I have done it with, oh, say, KJo perhaps? Maybe even QTo? either of those has him crushed pre-flop. Even a suited connector is in pretty good shape against a 3-gap hand.

Uncalled bet of 915 returned to hero
*** FLOP *** [As 5c 9s]
*** TURN *** [As 5c 9s] [8d]
*** RIVER *** [As 5c 9s 8d] [Kd]
hero shows a pair of Aces
villain shows Ace King high
hero wins the pot (1,395) with a pair of Aces
villain stands up
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1,395 | Rake 0
Board: [As 5c 9s 8d Kd]
Seat 1: villain showed [6c Th] and lost with Ace King high
Seat 2: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: (button) folded before the Flop
Seat 4: (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 5: hero (big blind) showed [Qs Ac] and won (1,395) with a pair of Aces
Seat 6: didn't bet (folded)

Suck and re-suck

Full Tilt Poker Game #_: Table Camino Del Santo - $0.10/$0.25 - No Limit Hold'em - 0:29:51 ET - 2007/12/29
Seat 2: ($32.40)
Seat 3: ($24)
Seat 4: ($3.10)
Seat 5: ($23.30)
Seat 6: villain($11.05)
Seat 7: ($9.75)
Seat 8: hero ($25)
Seat 9: ($53.35)
Seat 3 posts the small blind of $0.10
Seat 4 posts the big blind of $0.25
hero posts $0.25

The button has just gone by, so I decided to post rather than wait. So this is the first hand at this table for us.

The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [5h 8h]
Seat 5 folds
villain raises to $0.75
Seat 7 folds

Well, the odds we're being offered here are 2:1. That's actually about right for this hand. You see pros make these kind of calls on TV. They don't make them because "any two cards can win," they make them because a combination of the immediate pot odds and the implied odds are favorable. But you have to play it right - either it flops a monster catch or you check-fold.

hero calls $0.50
Seat 9 folds
Seat 2 folds
Seat 3 calls $0.65
Seat 4 folds
*** FLOP *** [4c 8d 5d]

Nice!

Seat 3 checks
villain bets $1

Not only is this likely to be nothing more than a continuation bet, but even if it wasn't, look at the flop: the best hand he could likely have is a big pair, which we have crushed. We can't give the flush draw a free card, but there's no need to go crazy.

hero raises to $3
Seat 3 folds
villain calls $2
*** TURN *** [4c 8d 5d] [Qh]
villain checks

With that last call, he is now pot committed. Time to make him pay.

hero bets $8
villain calls $7.30, and is all in
hero shows [5h 8h]
villain shows [Qd Ac]
Uncalled bet of $0.70 returned to hero
*** RIVER *** [4c 8d 5d Qh] [Ah]

ARGH!!! I hate it when 5-outers catch on the river.

hero shows two pair, Eights and Fives
villain shows two pair, Aces and Queens
villain wins the pot ($21.95) with two pair, Aces and Queens
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $23.10 | Rake $1.15
Board: [4c 8d 5d Qh Ah]
Seat 2: (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 4: (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 5: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: villain showed [Qd Ac] and won ($21.95) with two pair, Aces and Queens
Seat 7: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: hero showed [5h 8h] and lost with two pair, Eights and Fives
Seat 9: didn't bet (folded)

PokerStars native Mac client!

It's finally here! PokerStars now has a native Mac client. If you're familiar with P* on Windows, you won't find anything out of place here.

Of course, my first two tournaments with it were met with unbelievable cold deck losses, but it's been a bad night all 'round. I'm just happy to be able to get back on P* without the hassle of firing up Windows.

Just go to PokerStars (no, I don't get a kickback for the link) and click download. If you're using a Mac, you'll get sent to the mac download page. Like most Mac software, you just open the disk image and drag the application to wherever you want.

Nuisance bets

Full Tilt Poker Game #_: $10 + $1 Sit & Go (_), Table 1 - 15/30 - No Limit Hold'em - 2:36:26 ET - 2007/12/17
Seat 1: villain (1,395)
Seat 2: (1,695)
Seat 3: hero (1,680)
Seat 4: (1,500)
Seat 5: (1,230)
Seat 6: (1,500)
hero posts the small blind of 15
Seat 4 posts the big blind of 30
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to nsayer [Jd 3s]
Seat 5 folds
Seat 6 folds
villain calls 30
Seat 2 folds
hero calls 15
Seat 4 checks
*** FLOP *** [Js 7d 7h]
hero bets 90
Seat 4 folds
villain calls 90
*** TURN *** [Js 7d 7h] [Ts]
hero checks
villain bets 30

Oh come on! There's 270 chips in the pot. Why would you bet a ninth of the pot? A bet should always have a purpose behind it. What purpose could possibly be served by offering your opponent such ridiculous odds? Normally, I take nuisance bets (as I like to call them - bets that are, say, less than a quarter of the pot) as a sign of weakness and make a pot-sized raise, but here I decided that since he called a pot-sized bet on the flop that he had at least a 7 or a jack, and I'd either be throwing chips away or wouldn't be able to chase him away from the split-pot.

hero calls 30
*** RIVER *** [Js 7d 7h Ts] [8h]
hero checks
villain bets 30

This bet represents less than a tenth of the pot. That bet gives ace-high proper odds to call. A better play is to just check. That, at least, can look like step 1 of a check-raise. But a wimpy little 30 chip bet just looks like stupidity.

hero calls 30
*** SHOW DOWN ***
villain shows [Jh 5s] two pair, Jacks and Sevens
hero shows [Jd 3s] two pair, Jacks and Sevens

Figures.

hero ties for the pot (195) with two pair, Jacks and Sevens
villain ties for the pot (195) with two pair, Jacks and Sevens
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 390 | Rake 0
Board: [Js 7d 7h Ts 8h]
Seat 1: villain showed [Jh 5s] and won (195) with two pair, Jacks and Sevens
Seat 2: (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: hero (small blind) showed [Jd 3s] and won (195) with two pair, Jacks and Sevens
Seat 4: (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 5: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: didn't bet (folded)

Checking the river

Full Tilt Poker Game #_: $10 + $1 Sit & Go (_), Table 1 - 15/30 - No Limit Hold'em - 1:58:52 ET - 2007/12/17
Seat 1: (3,435)
Seat 2: (975)
Seat 3: hero (1,620)
Seat 4: villain (1,470)
Seat 5: (1,500)
Seat 4 posts the small blind of 15
Seat 5 posts the big blind of 30
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [5d Kd]
Seat 1 folds
Seat 2 folds
hero calls 30

In position with a suited king and no limpers or raisers. I suppose I could have raised here, but it's early yet.

villain calls 15
Seat 5 checks
*** FLOP *** [9d 2d 4d]
villain bets 90
Seat 5 folds

Nice. The 2nd-to-nut flush and the opposition is betting into me. Let's trap.

hero calls 90
*** TURN *** [9d 2d 4d] [Tc]
villain bets 270
hero calls 270
*** RIVER *** [9d 2d 4d Tc] [Jd]
villain checks

There are two possibilities. Either he has the ace of diamonds and is getting ready to check-raise, or we have him beat. But look at it from his perspective: There are four diamonds on the board and no pairs. If he has either a small diamond or no diamond at all, is he going to call a bet here? What's the upside if I make a bet here? Nobody is likely to just call. Either they're going to raise with the ace of diamonds or fold. If the ace of diamonds is trying to check-raise, then I save chips by not falling into the trap, and if nobody else is going to call, I gain nothing by betting. What do I do if he raises? Fold, having probably lost another 600 chips or so? At the very least, checking it down let's me show that I was trapping with a good hand when I called on the flop and turn and will hopefully improve my table image.

hero checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
villain shows [9c Ah] a pair of Nines
hero shows [5d Kd] a flush, King high
hero wins the pot (810) with a flush, King high
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 810 | Rake 0
Board: [9d 2d 4d Tc Jd]
Seat 1: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: hero (button) showed [5d Kd] and won (810) with a flush, King high
Seat 4: villain (small blind) showed [9c Ah] and lost with a pair of Nines
Seat 5: (big blind) folded on the Flop

So close, and yet so far.

More cash game action.

Full Tilt Poker Game #_: Table Ann - $0.10/$0.25 - No Limit Hold'em - 21:24:39 ET - 2007/12/13
Seat 1: villain ($25.10)
Seat 2: ($25)
Seat 3: ($11.45)
Seat 4: ($15.15)
Seat 5: ($29.75)
Seat 6: ($5.15)
Seat 7: ($9)
Seat 8: hero ($25.35)
Seat 9: ($78.65)
Seat 9 posts the small blind of $0.10
Seat 1 posts the big blind of $0.25
The button is in seat #8
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [Td Ad]
Seat 2 folds
Seat 3 raises to $1
Seat 4 folds
Seat 5 folds
Seat 6 folds

Early position raise. We have a medium-to-big suited ace. Let's see as cheap a flop as possible, especially being on the button, and see how we fare.

hero calls $1
Seat 9 calls $0.90
Seat 1 calls $0.75

The blinds came along. That's a bit unfortunate, since it raises the possibility we'll flop an ace and be out-kicked. But the ten wasn't a big enough kicker to re-raise with before the flop.

*** FLOP *** [Jd Kc Qd]

Lawdamighty!!!

The nut straight and the royal flush draw!

Seat 9 checks
villain bets $2.50
Seat 3 calls $2.50

We've got this one. The goal here is to try and get as much money into the center as possible. My thinking here is that at least one of these two limped with a bigger ace and thus has two pair [Stupid Nick, there was no ace on the flop]. If I raise, I'm sure to get at least one caller.

hero raises to $10

It's a slight over-raise because it's designed to put one of the two of them all-in.

Seat 9 folds
villain calls $7.50
Seat 3 folds

Seat 3 later claimed in the chat window to have AQ. I'm rather surprised he got away from it, but perhaps that's a consequence of my over-raise [Of course he got away from it, dummy, he had 2nd pair with an ace kicker].

*** TURN *** [Jd Kc Qd] [8h]
villain checks

We're both committed now. No point waiting.

hero bets $14.35, and is all in
villain calls $14.10, and is all in
hero shows [Td Ad]
villain shows [Kd Qh]

Aaaaaaw!!!! He had my Kd for the royal flush! Too bad.

I still have him crushed. He has 4 outs for a boat. If he had any other king but the king of diamonds, he'd have only 3 outs, since the Kd would give me my royal.

Uncalled bet of $0.25 returned to hero
*** RIVER *** [Jd Kc Qd 8h] [9s]
hero shows a straight, Ace high
villain shows two pair, Kings and Queens
hero wins the pot ($52) with a straight, Ace high
villain is sitting out
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $54.70 | Rake $2.70
Board: [Jd Kc Qd 8h 9s]
Seat 1: villain (big blind) showed [Kd Qh] and lost with two pair, Kings and Queens
Seat 2: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: folded on the Flop
Seat 4: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: is sitting out
Seat 8: hero (button) showed [Td Ad] and won ($52) with a straight, Ace high
Seat 9: (small blind) folded on the Flop

I hate donkeys

It's been another ridiculous week for me. Shit like this. By the way, this was the very first hand of the tournament:


Full Tilt Poker Game #_: $10 + $1 Sit & Go (_), Table 1 - 15/30 - No Limit Hold'em - 19:05:26 ET - 2007/11/17
Seat 1 posts the small blind of 15
Seat 2 posts the big blind of 30
The button is in seat #6
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [Ad Ah]
Seat 3 calls 30
Seat 4 calls 30
villain raises to 165
nsayer raises to 450
Seat 5 folds
Seat 6 folds
Seat 1 folds
Seat 2 folds
villain calls 285
*** FLOP *** [9c 5d Qd]
villain bets 1,050, and is all in
hero calls 1,050, and is all in
villain shows [Kh Td]

Stupid donkey.

hero shows [Ad Ah]
*** TURN *** [9c 5d Qd] [Jh]

And I get fucked again.

*** RIVER *** [9c 5d Qd Jh] [Jd]
villain shows a straight, King high
hero shows two pair, Aces and Jacks
villain wins the pot (3,105) with a straight, King high
hero stands up
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 3,105 | Rake 0
Board: [9c 5d Qd Jh Jd]
Seat 1: (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 2: (big blind) folded before