now that I have a house....

-Lawn services really cost $100/month?
-I get much better about turning off anything and everything that isn't essential to save power.
-I have to relearn all the typical, daily driving routes and get used to them.
-Comcast is utterly incompetent at any level above the service guy that actually comes to the house.
-Garages are neat, but kind of dirty and messy.
-Unpacking sucks.
-I saw my first squirrels and felt happy :-)

Heff

why I hate tournaments, part 34

I actually play a MTT Friday night while Jenn has a girls night out.
Almost 1900 runners, I actually have the chip lead with 45 players left as we make it to hour five - First is about 4K, Even the final table is a couple hundred, so good ROI if I get there.
 I can't even describe how unbelievably shitty this is.

PokerStars Game #9527296179: Tournament #47726310, $10+$1 Hold'em No Limit - Level XVII (4000/8000) - 2007/04/20 - 23:28:17 (ET)
Table '47726310 176' 9-max Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: TigerzA (43760 in chips)
Seat 2: gonza_minas (191869 in chips)
Seat 3: jampon (152902 in chips)
Seat 4: LaJune (62776 in chips)
Seat 5: izzypoky (264363 in chips)
Seat 6: john353 (116043 in chips)
Seat 7: heffmike (323535 in chips)
Seat 8: Badderz (67936 in chips)
Seat 9: dubs k thx (131368 in chips)
TigerzA: posts the ante 400
gonza_minas: posts the ante 400
jampon: posts the ante 400
LaJune: posts the ante 400
izzypoky: posts the ante 400
john353: posts the ante 400
heffmike: posts the ante 400
Badderz: posts the ante 400
dubs k thx: posts the ante 400
heffmike: posts small blind 4000
Badderz: posts big blind 8000
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [Ks Ah]
dubs k thx: folds
TigerzA: folds
gonza_minas: folds
jampon: folds
LaJune: folds
izzypoky: raises 16000 to 24000
john353: folds
heffmike: calls 20000 (thought about raising, but decided to play a small pot OOP)
Badderz: folds
*** FLOP *** [5h 7d Kc]
heffmike: checks (OK, I should have the best hand. yeah, he might have KK/77/55, or even some screwball K7/K5, but I should be good. drawless, so check it to him and let him bet)
izzypoky: bets 48000 (bingo - and so far, I don't mind the play.....)
heffmike: raises 87000 to 135000 (but once I check reraise and more than half my stack is in... cmon, I'm never folding, you're never ahead, give it up)
izzypoky: raises 104963 to 239963 and is all-in
heffmike: calls 104963 (screw this, if he has me, he has me)
dubs k thx said, "73"
*** TURN *** [5h 7d Kc] [7s]
dubs k thx said, "wtf"
*** RIVER *** [5h 7d Kc 7s] [3d]
dubs k thx said, "WOWOWOW"
*** SHOW DOWN ***
heffmike: shows [Ks Ah] (two pair, Kings and Sevens)
izzypoky: shows [7h 3s] (a full house, Sevens full of Threes)
izzypoky collected 539526 from pot
heffmike said, "WTF is right."
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 539526 | Rake 0
Board [5h 7d Kc 7s 3d]
Seat 1: TigerzA folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: gonza_minas folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: jampon folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: LaJune folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: izzypoky showed [7h 3s] and won (539526) with a full house, Sevens full of Threes
Seat 6: john353 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: heffmike (small blind) showed [Ks Ah] and lost with two pair, Kings and Sevens
Seat 8: Badderz (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 9: dubs k thx folded before Flop (didn't bet)

So, from chip lead by a lot, cruising to the final table and having a shot at a big score - instead I'm nearly toast, because I got hosed by second pair no kicker.

http://twodimes.net/h/?z=2590779
pokenum  -h ks ah  - 7h 3s  -- 5h 7d kc 
Holdem Hi: 990 enumerated boards containing Kc 7d 5h
cards  win   %win  lose  %lose  tie  %tie     EV
Ks Ah  792  80.00   198  20.00    0  0.00  0.800
3s 7h  198  20.00   792  80.00    0  0.00  0.200

Yeah, reward the donk making a move behind 4-1, drawing to five outs, and spikes two of them. Geez.

Finished 28th. Unreal. I hates pokah sometimes.

Heff

freaking hilarious

Ok, so Wednesday is time for the weekly Mookie.
I've played, so, so bad in this tourney lately. Last night, no exception.
First level, I open complete in the SB with A6, and I get pwned like an idiot - I'm thinking I'm up against a missed draw or pocket pair and completely screw this up. No worse hand calls the river push, and no better hand folds. Horrible.

Full Tilt Poker Game #2238706975: The Mookie - Big Boned Poker (16757821), Table 6 - 15/30 - No Limit Hold'em - 22:03:10 ET - 2007/04/18
pushmonkey72: congrats on knocking out hoy last one smokkee
Seat 1: Bellyvilly (1,485)
Seat 2: smokkee (1,395)
Seat 3: Mike_Maloney (1,500)
Seat 4: heffmike (1,710)
Seat 5: leftylu (1,410)
Seat 6: aebooth37 (1,500)
Seat 7: pushmonkey72 (1,500)
Seat 8: katitude (1,500)
Seat 9: bdidde (1,500)
heffmike posts the small blind of 15
leftylu posts the big blind of 30
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [Ad 6c]
aebooth37 folds
pushmonkey72 folds
katitude folds
bdidde folds
smokkee: ez money
Bellyvilly folds
smokkee folds
Mike_Maloney folds
heffmike calls 15
pushmonkey72: K5, sweet
leftylu checks
*** FLOP *** [8h As 3h]
heffmike checks
leftylu bets 60
pushmonkey72: ;-)
heffmike calls 60
*** TURN *** [8h As 3h] [9c]
heffmike checks
leftylu bets 180
heffmike calls 180
*** RIVER *** [8h As 3h 9c] [9s]
heffmike checks
leftylu bets 540
heffmike raises to 1,440, and is all in
smokkee: K5 is a good starting hand
leftylu calls 600, and is all in
Uncalled bet of 300 returned to heffmike
*** SHOW DOWN ***
heffmike shows [Ad 6c] (two pair, Aces and Nines)
leftylu shows [9d Ac] (a full house, Nines full of Aces)
leftylu wins the pot (2,820) with a full house, Nines full of Aces
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2,820 | Rake 0
Board: [8h As 3h 9c 9s]
Seat 1: Bellyvilly didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: smokkee didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: Mike_Maloney (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: heffmike (small blind) showed [Ad 6c] and lost with two pair, Aces and Nines
Seat 5: leftylu (big blind) showed [9d Ac] and won (2,820) with a full house, Nines full of Aces
Seat 6: aebooth37 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: pushmonkey72 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: katitude didn't bet (folded)
Seat 9: bdidde didn't bet (folded)

And then I go on complete monkey tilt the next hand and piss off Smokee. I was so ticked off I just jammed hoping to be drawing live vs. AK/99 and suck out. Which I did, kind of.


Full Tilt Poker Game #2238717799: The Mookie - Big Boned Poker (16757821), Table 6 - 15/30 - No Limit Hold'em - 22:04:29 ET - 2007/04/18
Seat 1: Bellyvilly (1,485)
Seat 2: smokkee (1,395)
Seat 3: Mike_Maloney (1,500)
Seat 4: heffmike (300)
Seat 5: leftylu (2,820)
Seat 6: aebooth37 (1,500)
Seat 7: pushmonkey72 (1,500)
Seat 8: katitude (1,500)
Seat 9: bdidde (1,500)
leftylu posts the small blind of 15
aebooth37 posts the big blind of 30
The button is in seat #4
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [Qd Ts]
pushmonkey72 folds
katitude folds
bdidde folds
Bellyvilly folds
smokkee raises to 90
Mike_Maloney folds
heffmike raises to 300, and is all in
leftylu folds
aebooth37 folds
smokkee calls 210
heffmike shows [Qd Ts]
smokkee shows [Ah Ac]
*** FLOP *** [Kc Jh Ad]
Mike_Maloney: ouch
*** TURN *** [Kc Jh Ad] [6c]
*** RIVER *** [Kc Jh Ad 6c] [3h]
Mike_Maloney: ha
heffmike shows a straight, Ace high
smokkee shows three of a kind, Aces
smokkee: LOL
heffmike wins the pot (645) with a straight, Ace high
iam23skidoo (Observer): oof
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 645 | Rake 0
Board: [Kc Jh Ad 6c 3h]
Seat 1: Bellyvilly didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: smokkee showed [Ah Ac] and lost with three of a kind, Aces
Seat 3: Mike_Maloney didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: heffmike (button) showed [Qd Ts] and won (645) with a straight, Ace high
Seat 5: leftylu (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 6: aebooth37 (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 7: pushmonkey72 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: katitude didn't bet (folded)
Seat 9: bdidde didn't bet (folded)

Needless to say, I didn't last very long after that clownishness. 52nd of 69. I did get Jenn to play, though, and as usual when we play the same tourney, she lasted longer (22nd)  - It was almost 11:30 when she busted, so I suggested we play the Dookie, a $5.50 second chance, NL Heads Up tourney.
She joked, "Yeah, we'll probably end up playing each other..."

Which, we did.

Ah, battleship poker! We turned our laptops against each other and prepared for battle. We do this every now and again for fun. Usually I win, but she is a pretty good heads up player.

It lasted two hands. It helps when you flop a boat.

Basically, I overbet the river, she raised, I jammed, she called with the other deuce.
It happens. She'll still love me tomorrow. House/upcoming marriage will do that. -)

Then I played Instant Tragedy after waiting five minutes - I'm a pretty LAG donk heads up, so I pretty much ran over him early, then he started playing back at me, then I had him down 5-1, then we were even again. Basically, we got it all in with top pair on the flop, I had the better kicker and spiked it on the turn to seal the deal.

Third match, I get aebooth37 - and I thought this would be set up with equal stacks, but I have him outchipped 6000-3000, which doesn't seem very fair. Then again, I donk chips off quickly to even us up, and we parry for a bit, until I screw this hand up.

Full Tilt Poker Game #2239860749: The Dookie - Heads Up (16758228), Table 7 - 150/300 Ante 25 - No Limit Hold'em - 0:24:41 ET - 2007/04/19
Seat 1: aebooth37 (4,785)
Seat 2: heffmike (4,215)
aebooth37 antes 25
heffmike antes 25
aebooth37 posts the small blind of 150
heffmike posts the big blind of 300
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [9c Tc]
aebooth37 raises to 600
heffmike calls 300
*** FLOP *** [5s Qc 9d]
heffmike checks
aebooth37 checks
*** TURN *** [5s Qc 9d] [7s]
heffmike checks
aebooth37 checks
*** RIVER *** [5s Qc 9d 7s] [Ad]
heffmike checks
aebooth37 bets 750
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike: should've bet the turn.
heffmike calls 750
*** SHOW DOWN ***
aebooth37 shows [Ah Jh] (a pair of Aces)
heffmike mucks
aebooth37 wins the pot (2,750) with a pair of Aces
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2,750 | Rake 0
Board: [5s Qc 9d 7s Ad]
Seat 1: aebooth37 (small blind) showed [Ah Jh] and won (2,750) with a pair of Aces
Seat 2: heffmike (big blind) mucked [9c Tc] - a pair of Nines

Like I said I should have bet the turn.

Anyhow, I go completely carddead, we're on the cash bubble now (two HU matches, three places pay)  - aebooth37 runs me over, but somehow Q4>AT, 96>K4, and 89>Q9 all in preflop, I suck out three times, and we're even again. Meanwhile the bubble burst, and I lock up third. I open shove for 9BB with A8, get called by AT, and a KT8 flop is completely unhelpful, and I bust out.

So, I played like garbage, but broke even for the night. whee.

I wish I could play like I did last year. It seems so long ago....

Heff

opinion, not that it really matters, but

Since many people have many opinions on the Virginia Tech tragedy, especially regarding America "guns and violence" culture, my two cents.

Gun control is a grand idea. Life would be much simpler without having to worry about firearms, whether a .22 revolver or an AK-47.

Unfortunately, history shows us eradication almost never works - evil elements will always find a way to arm themselves as strongly as possible, and the strong always prey on the weak first - it takes five minutes watching nature to figure that out.

If I've got to choose between no guns and everyone carrying a concealed weapon, put me in the "responsible adults can handle lethal weapons without using them unless absolutely necessary" camp.

I went to school up the interstate from Blacksburg, at James Madison University.
Anything can happen anywhere.
Be prepared, and cherish what you've got.
I just hope all the victims and people affected by Monday's events can find enough sense of peace, hope, and compassion to repair their lives someday, something that shooter never had in his life.

live poker=rigged.

to amuse, from one of the freebie bar tourneys last week.

Ridiculously loose-passive girl just took a beat overplaying second pair no kicker and has T1000 left at 300/600 level. She blind jams under the gun six-handed, five of us call, including the big blind, when we all realize the dealer forgot to deal in a player. Misdeal, big blind guy in Steelers gear flips over an king, he grumbles, we rack it up again.

Again she blind jams, four of us call, flop K98, Steelers bets, says he has a better hand this deal -  the rest of us fold, big blind shows KQ, girl rolls over 88 for the flopped set that holds up.

Next hand, Steelers jams over two limpers from the small blind, girl calls all in.
Steelers AA, girl 66, 6 on the flop.
He starts steaming, I mention to the previous dealer that none of this happens if he doesn't misdeal to begin with.

VERY next hand, under the gun limps, Steelers jams again, girl actually folds, limper calls.
Steelers AA, limper QQ.
 I tell Steelers (who is dealing now on the button) to just put the Queen out on the flop and save himself some pain.
Flop blanks. Turn blanks. River Q.

I can't stop laughing as he steams and heads out.
It's only funny when it happens to someone else.

Oh, and like I figured, HugoChavezlovechild! is a steaming pile of dogshit.  Oh well.

and back in VA now.....

OK, back in Va. Whee. From 80 degrees to snow flurries.

Yes, there was fun to be had in Florida this week - go here for more details.

Apparently I fooled the NPPA, they liked this gallery.

And in poker news... there is none at the moment. Jenn and I did stop in at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood to pay our respects to Anna Nicole's final stop, and check out their poker.... area, because it's not a room.

Yes, it sucks. There are a lot of tables and games... full of the $2 limit poker most serious players hate, and the overly raked tournaments with way too fast structures. It was disorganized, the floor was barely sentient, and yadayadayada. At least the beer was only a two spot, and I left after 20 minutes up five bucks. God help anyone stuck in Florida who wants gaming action.... all there is is slot machines, bingo, and "Lotto" poker. If they ever try to be another Mississippi or AC, though.....

Anyhow, more TK as it's less than three weeks to closing on a new home.

Heff

ah, greetings from florida

as a quick aside to some of the pleasantly sunny weather we're experiencing in Florida after a choppy but fun ride on a Waverunner in the Gulf of Mexico...

1) finally bounced out of the WRGPT in about 133rd. Built up a decent stack, then made a couple of loose calls after open raising and calling a short stack's all-in, then losing the race. Oh well, that'll happen. Still top 10% of the field.

2) Jenn and I decided to check out One-Eyed Jacks in Sarasota and their nightly $32+13 (yes, it's raked that much in Florida) tournament. 142 runners, T3500 to start with, 20min levels that double, so it's pretty shortstacked poker in the second hour. I cashed and finished 14th three hours later for a glorious $72. It helps when you get AA twice, KK one, AK-AJ five times, and hold up every time.
   It's a pretty nice room, actually, if you can get past the facts that
1) it's at an old dog track
2) the $2 betting maximums for cash games make them an exercise in futility.
3) pots are raked 10% to $5
4) gotta pay for beverages, $4 for a beer..... :-(

All that being said, dealers and floor were solid, and I'd agree with most who say it's the best cardroom in Tampa Bay.

Anyway, checking in later in the week with pix (maybe) and other stuff.

Heff