becuase I hate sounding too much like Eeyore...

1) I actually got a programmable thermostat installed in the house w/o frying a circuit, wire, or breaker.

2) We have some grass growing in a bad, shady spot of the yard, hopefully it takes hold just fine.

3) Yesterday the kids and I went miniature golfing.... and I shot a hole-in-one on 18 to close out the round.

So yay for some things I do....

this is why I should just quit playing...

  use a token for the Blogger Big Game, play like a super nit, because everytime I get three/fourbet, even if someone is has lost their mind they are still in front of me, EVEN when I'm playing 17/15 preflop - (no shit. really. why do you guys think I never call?, just so I can make a 60/40 hero call with two live overcards if I'm lucky, then get outflopped?) I think I flopped one set, and maybe had top pair or better on the flop three times in two hours.... The ONE FUCKING TIME I call in the blinds with a meh hand that has tricky heads-up potential, I flop top pair and get stacked by T8.

Freaking cooler. Like I'm putting him on an 8, and if he has an overpair, he has to worry about me having an 8 or overpair myself, (because I'm an ubernit, I prolly flat 99-JJ there in the blind, maybe even QQ because everytime I get it in preflop from the blinds with a big pair someone spikes a two or three outer and I go home, wah wah wah) ... and I still have an open-ended straight draw anyway, which I hit....  big fucking deal - not like any villain but me folds a better hand (pretty much ALL junk Jx or Qx hands aren't folding now) or calls with a worse hand, in that spot anyway, so it's a shitty bet. I prolly stack off on the river if I'm not all in by then anyway, so it doesn't matter  - as usual, it doesn't really matter what I decide, I'm screwed anyway.

I should just fold preflop like a nit (with 10BB, I really should either fold or shove there, MORON) and just open shove AQ into the small blinds' KK for a standard elimination like I always do instead. I guess the bright side is that I wasn't actually holding 98/87/A8 for a "bad" beat. It's just a standard Heff Idiot Moment, again.

By the way, I think it's at least the third or fourth time in this BBT3 I've shoved into the virtual nutz. Just freaking bury me now.

Full Tilt Poker Game #6204925086: Blogger Big Game (41741004), Table 6 - 120/240 Ante 25 - No Limit Hold'em - 23:27:11 ET - 2008/04/27
Seat 2: UpForPoker (4,429)
Seat 4: MiamiDon (3,240)
Seat 5: wwonka69 (9,784)
Seat 6: heffmike (2,630)
Seat 7: Astin (5,481)
Seat 8: Fuel55 (5,697)
Seat 9: Loretta8 (7,584)
UpForPoker antes 25
MiamiDon antes 25
wwonka69 antes 25
heffmike antes 25
Astin antes 25
Fuel55 antes 25
Loretta8 antes 25
wwonka69 posts the small blind of 120
heffmike posts the big blind of 240
Fuel55: ode to hoy
The button is in seat #4
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [9c 7h]
Astin folds
Fuel55 folds
Loretta8 raises to 600
UpForPoker folds
MiamiDon folds
wwonka69 folds
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike calls 360
*** FLOP *** [9s 8d 8h]
heffmike checks
Loretta8 checks
*** TURN *** [9s 8d 8h] [Td]
heffmike bets 2,005, and is all in
Loretta8 calls 2,005
heffmike shows [9c 7h]
Loretta8 shows [8c Tc]
*** RIVER *** [9s 8d 8h Td] [6c]
heffmike shows a straight, Ten high
Loretta8 shows a full house, Eights full of Tens
Loretta8 wins the pot (5,505) with a full house, Eights full of Tens
wwonka69: gg
heffmike stands up
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 5,505 | Rake 0
Board: [9s 8d 8h Td 6c]
Seat 2: UpForPoker folded before the Flop
Seat 4: MiamiDon (button) folded before the Flop
Seat 5: wwonka69 (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 6: heffmike (big blind) showed [9c 7h] and lost with a straight, Ten high
Seat 7: Astin folded before the Flop
Seat 8: Fuel55 folded before the Flop
Seat 9: Loretta8 showed [8c Tc] and won (5,505) with a full house, Eights full of Tens

i need to play like...

a gigantic, wrinkly, limp cock right out of a Dali painting......  just check fold 90% of my hands and only play AA/KK and AAxx double suited, because someone ALWAYS has something against me whenever I play anything else.

I swear, I pick the worst times to play a tricky, strong line, and have a guy spike TPTK on the turn and call down for a huge pot that puts one of us top 5 in chips. I can probably get a fold with any other turn card (huge tank before calling the check raise, most other one pair hands prolly fold, bigger hands probably just get it in now with a threebet...)

Not to mention I fuck up not leading the flop, fuck up check raising the turn, and shove the river to follow through - I'd already noted this guy could play for stacks with just one pair, so the whole line was an abomination.

 Every freaking time I try to do this with a strong holding that can beat TPTK or even two pair, I get a fold - so my timing royally sucks.  Why can't I be a dumbass that openraises QT there, or actually have an overplayed AA/KK or something?

35 of 76 in Skillz.

Full Tilt Poker Game #6141272177: Skill Series (44660140), Table 2 - 120/240 - Pot Limit Hold'em - 23:19:39 ET - 2008/04/22
Mattazuma: nh
Seat 1: heffmike (6,326)
Seat 2: pvanharibo (8,925)
Seat 3: JCutt03 (6,793)
Seat 4: Mattazuma (5,942)
Seat 5: Astin (8,900)
Seat 6: hoyazo (8,544)
Seat 7: Donkette (8,950)
Seat 8: TripJax (3,537)
Seat 9: RecessRampage (3,597)
Astin posts the small blind of 120
hoyazo posts the big blind of 240
The button is in seat #4
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [6s 6d]
Astin: nh donk :)
Donkette folds
TripJax has 15 seconds left to act
TripJax folds
RecessRampage folds
heffmike raises to 840
Astin: hey schaubs - GOOOO PHILLY!
pvanharibo folds
Schaubs (Observer): that was nuts
JCutt03 calls 840
Mattazuma folds
Astin folds
ck31 (Observer): flyers won?
Schaubs (Observer): yep
hoyazo has 15 seconds left to act
Astin: the Flames-Sharks game is great too
hoyazo folds
*** FLOP *** [4h 3c Td]
Schaubs (Observer): ot
pvanharibo has been disconnected
heffmike checks
Schaubs (Observer): yep
JCutt03 checks
*** TURN *** [4h 3c Td] [Qc]
heffmike checks
hoyazo: 6 minutes left in first OT, ck.
JCutt03 bets 1,000
Astin: Lupul scoring the winner..whoda thunk?
pvanharibo has reconnected
ck31 (Observer): cool, i am watching the baseball
hoyazo: it was awesome
heffmike raises to 3,000
JCutt03 has 15 seconds left to act
Zeem (Observer): how come uncle chuck's wasn't Pot limit?
Astin: wow... JR gives Sharks the lead
JCutt03 has requested TIME
ck31 (Observer): coolio hoy
JCutt03 calls 2,000
*** RIVER *** [4h 3c Td Qc] [7d]
Schaubs (Observer): it was a rebuy
heffmike bets 2,486, and is all in
JCutt03 calls 2,486
*** SHOW DOWN ***
heffmike shows [6s 6d] a pair of Sixes
JCutt03 shows [Ad Qs] a pair of Queens
JCutt03 wins the pot (13,012) with a pair of Queens
heffmike stands up

this happens to me a lot

Open raise AQ. Get reraised from the blinds. Decide to shove instead of fold or flat call for 15-25BB, get shown KK and don't get there.

It happened in the Hoy (50 of 64, ick, to winnerwinner chicken dinner wormmsu) - and three other times in tourneys/SnGs last night - the one time I spiked an Ace, there was a King on the turn...

It seems really, really weak to sit there and raise/fold AQ, open limp it, or flat call in position when the threebet comes from someone out of position... but I guess the chances villains are restealing with AJ/JJ/TT/99/random garbage are slim vs. them repopping for value with AK/AA/KK/QQ.

Anyhow, the wife is leaving town over the weekend for a few days on a business trip, and I've got some random work and kids schedules this week, so may let BBT3 slide for a bit (as if I can actually win anything, natch)

<

for your amusement..

because playing an LHE tournament is like trying to figure out how many mosquito bites it takes to drain all your blood, no Riverchasers for me Thursday-  just watching the Caps lose in double OT, and these amusing $5 tourney hands....

*Early in a PLO8 tourney. Yeah, my hand is pretty narrowly defined - but I really should only have one caller here and lose a heads-up pot, not three for a four way pot. Not that AA2x single suited would ever hold in a four way pot, lolz.

Full Tilt Poker Game #6075645694: $5 + $0.50 Tournament (46155431), Table 4 - 25/50 - Pot Limit Omaha H/L - 21:15:55 ET - 2008/04/17
Seat 1: TSURIS (1,338)
Seat 2: elm3838 (1,350)
Seat 3: masterwabbit (3,666)
Seat 4: JJRollo (1,361)
Seat 5: erinsmomm (4,450)
Seat 6: wjdjr (1,380)
Seat 7: jofabitz (1,288)
Seat 8: heffmike (1,560)
Seat 9: JBuffa9 (1,502)
masterwabbit posts the small blind of 25
JJRollo posts the big blind of 50
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [Ac Ad 2c 6c]
erinsmomm has 15 seconds left to act
erinsmomm folds
wjdjr folds
jofabitz calls 50
heffmike raises to 225 (standard repot)
JBuffa9 folds
TSURIS has 15 seconds left to act
TSURIS calls 225 (already coldcalled in position once with cheese)
elm3838 raises to 1,025
masterwabbit calls 1,000 (uh, ok)
JJRollo folds
jofabitz folds
heffmike raises to 1,560, and is all in (let's go already)
TSURIS has 15 seconds left to act
TSURIS calls 1,113, and is all in (really?)
elm3838 calls 325, and is all in
masterwabbit calls 535
heffmike shows [Ac Ad 2c 6c]
TSURIS shows [8s 7d 2d 6d] (el...o...el...)
elm3838 shows [Ah 3c Tc Jh] (at least it's something reasonable, although a little loose)
masterwabbit shows [3s 9c 2s Ts] (el...o...el... part deux)
*** FLOP *** [2h Jd 7h]
*** TURN *** [2h Jd 7h] [Qc]
*** RIVER *** [2h Jd 7h Qc] [Kc]
heffmike shows a pair of Aces, for high
masterwabbit shows a straight, King high, for high
masterwabbit wins side pot #2 (420) with a straight, King high
elm3838 shows a straight, Ace high, for high
elm3838 wins side pot #1 (36) with a straight, Ace high
TSURIS shows two pair, Sevens and Twos, for high
elm3838 wins the main pot (5,452) with a straight, Ace high
TSURIS stands up
heffmike standsup
The blinds are now 30/60
No low hand qualified


* First hand of a SnG. Notice the brilliant cold call twice, the second with two shoves in front, with the monster KJs. gg me.

Full Tilt Poker Game #6077490713: $5 + $0.50 Sit & Go (46265620), Table 2 - 15/30 - No Limit Hold'em - 23:46:34 ET - 2008/04/17
Seat 1: heffmike (1,500)
Seat 2: HC Rancher (1,500)
Seat 3: butcher4hire (1,500)
Seat 4: techrx (1,500)
Seat 5: friedbergboy (1,500)
Seat 6: XVZ1300 (1,500)
Seat 7: Monroeboyz (1,500)
Seat 8: sagel215 (1,500)
Seat 9: mtslammer (1,500)
heffmike posts the small blind of 15
HC Rancher posts the big blind of 30
The button is in seat #9
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [Ac Ad]
butcher4hire has 15 seconds left to act
butcher4hire folds
techrx folds
friedbergboy folds
XVZ1300 folds
Monroeboyz raises to 105
sagel215 calls 105
mtslammer folds
heffmike raises to 1,500, and is all in (overbet shove for value, make it look like AK or TT)
HC Rancher has 15 seconds left to act
HC Rancher calls 1,470, and is all in (bing)
Monroeboyz folds
sagel215 calls 1,395, and is all in (huh?)
heffmike shows [Ac Ad]
HC Rancher shows [Qh Qc]
sagel215 shows [Ks Js]
*** FLOP *** [9c 7s Jc]
*** TURN *** [9c 7s Jc] [Tc]
*** RIVER *** [9c 7s Jc Tc] [Jd]
heffmike shows two pair, Aces and Jacks
HC Rancher shows two pair, Queens and Jacks
sagel215 shows three of a kind, Jacks
sagel215 wins the pot (4,605) with three of a kind, Jacks
HC Rancher stands up
heffmike stands up

damn, almost did something right part II.

Mookie time tonite. 102 runners.

I made BBT points. (yay, two in a row)
I made money. (yay, second time)
I made final table. (huh, what's that?)



I did not make TOC. boo. Out in 6th, gg me.

So how did I pull this off? I had a mantra tonite. a vision, if you will....

Ferris:Pardon my French, but Cameron is so tight that if you stuck a lump of coal up his ass, in two weeks you'd have a diamond.     



God, I was SUCH the nit. It's the only way I can play you guys - LAG doesn't work, I get looked up with second pair no kicker too much, lol. Especially at the final two tables, I know dwal78 was restealing with ATC on me, and yet I never had a hand I could catch him with...

Anyhow, was running great, making minimal moves, won a AQ v. 99 race to double through after not seeing a showdown for the first 90 minutes, then started chipping up nicely when this happened.. it's to the point now when I have a big hand in the blinds, I KNOW I'm getting coolered, it's just a matter of when...

Full Tilt Poker Game #6065173497: The Mookie (42846003), Table 7 - 150/300 Ante 25 - No Limit Hold'em - 23:53:25 ET - 2008/04/16
Seat 1: kevin_with_AK (2,160)
Seat 2: Fuel55 (6,165)
Seat 3: dnasty13 (1,780)
Seat 4: NewinNov (3,390)
Seat 5: UnTiltable15 (11,470)
Seat 6: on_thg (3,687)
Seat 7: heffmike (6,554)
Seat 8: jeciimd (4,450)
Seat 9: rmbj494 (3,555)
kevin_with_AK antes 25
Fuel55 antes 25
dnasty13 antes 25
NewinNov antes 25
UnTiltable15 antes 25
on_thg antes 25
heffmike antes 25
jeciimd antes 25
rmbj494 antes 25
on_thg posts the small blind of 150
heffmike posts the big blind of 300
The button is in seat #5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [Kh Kd]
jeciimd folds
rmbj494 raises to 600
kevin_with_AK folds
Fuel55 folds
dnasty13 folds
NewinNov folds
UnTiltable15 folds
on_thg raises to 3,662, and is all in
heffmike raises to 6,529, and is all in
rmbj494 calls 2,930, and is all in
heffmike shows [Kh Kd]
rmbj494 shows [Ah As]
on_thg shows [8s 8h]
Uncalled bet of 2,867 returned to heffmike
*** FLOP *** [Js 4h 4s]
*** TURN *** [Js 4h 4s] [2s]
*** RIVER *** [Js 4h 4s 2s] [2h]
heffmike shows two pair, Kings and Fours
on_thg shows two pair, Eights and Fours
heffmike wins the side pot (264) with two pair, Kings and Fours
rmbj494 shows two pair, Aces and Fours
rmbj494 wins the main pot (10,815) with two pair, Aces and Fours
heffmike: geez
PirateLawyer (Observer): standard
on_thg stands up
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 11,079 Main pot 10,815. Side pot 264. | Rake 0
Board: [Js 4h 4s 2s 2h]
Seat 1: kevin_with_AK folded before the Flop
Seat 2: Fuel55 folded before the Flop
Seat 3: dnasty13 folded before the Flop
Seat 4: NewinNov folded before the Flop
Seat 5: UnTiltable15 (button) folded before the Flop
Seat 6: on_thg (small blind) showed [8s 8h] and lost with two pair, Eights and Fours
Seat 7: heffmike (big blind) showed [Kh Kd] and won (264) with two pair, Kings and Fours
Seat 8: jeciimd folded before the Flop
Seat 9: rmbj494 showed [Ah As] and won (10,815) with two pair, Aces and Fours

After that, it was short-stack ninja time to the final table. I never shoved a weak ass holding, and I never got called but once, and KK>66.... Anyhow, I get there, Memphis00 runs like freaking Allah, Yahweh, and Buddha, it's him and the five munchkins, and I decide to gambool in this spot...

Full Tilt Poker Game #6065862617: The Mookie (42846003), Table 7 - 600/1200 Ante 150 - No Limit Hold'em - 0:57:10 ET - 2008/04/17
Seat 2: STeelerJosh (17,508)
Seat 3: pureprophet (10,377)
Seat 4: MorningThunder (11,670)
Seat 6: Astin (17,970)
Seat 7: heffmike (19,820)
Seat 8: MEMPHIS00 (75,655)
STeelerJosh antes 150
pureprophet antes 150
MorningThunder antes 150
Astin antes 150
heffmike antes 150
MEMPHIS00 antes 150
pureprophet posts the small blind of 600
MorningThunder posts the big blind of 1,200
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [Ks Qs]
Astin folds
heffmike: he would have to miss a LOT of freethrows.
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike raises to4,000 (this was dumb. shove or fold, don't raise like you have a huge hand, no one will believe it)
Astin: I plan to switch the game to tiddlywinks HU
MEMPHIS00 has 15 seconds left to act
MEMPHIS00 raises to 14,000 (shit)
STeelerJosh folds
pureprophet folds
MorningThunder folds
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
meanhappyguy (Observer): did you SEE the championship game, heff? :)
Astin: maybe Yahtzee
heffmike has requested TIME (fawk, prolly crushed, but he could be doing this with 88-JJ, trying to isolate, - maybe AJ if he's insane... well, I'm suited and need to double through, did not want to raise/fold this hand AWWWRRRR ENNNNN)
smokkee (Observer): switch to roshambo
heffmike: a lot.
heffmike: gambooooooool
heffmike raises to 19,670, and is all in
MEMPHIS00 calls 5,670
heffmike shows [Ks Qs]
MEMPHIS00 shows [Qc Qd] (gee, at least have AA so I can spike two pair... fawk)
Astin: too complicated... how about Operation?
*** FLOP *** [7h Qh 4c] (uh, yeah, that's nice)
*** TURN *** [7h Qh 4c] [Th]
*** RIVER *** [7h Qh 4c Th] [3c]
Astin: oof
heffmike shows a pair of Queens
MEMPHIS00 shows three of a kind, Queens
MEMPHIS00 wins the pot (42,040) with three of a kind, Queens
MEMPHIS00: gg
heffmike stands up
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 42,040 | Rake 0
Board: [7h Qh 4c Th 3c]
Seat 2: STeelerJosh (button) folded before the Flop
Seat 3: pureprophet (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 4: MorningThunder (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 6: Astin folded before the Flop
Seat 7: heffmike showed [Ks Qs] and lost with a pair of Queens
Seat 8: MEMPHIS00 showed [Qc Qd] and won (42,040) with three of a kind, Queens

I was actually second in chips, lol. Anyways, to manage to slice and dice my way to 6th was an accomplishment in and of itself, and at that point, I knew I needed to double through to have a shot at first....

Still, maybe the worm is turning...... Frye.... Frye...... Frye..

damn, ALMOST did something right...

Anyhow, was feeling so annoyed with everything, didn't even bother to play the Hoy on Monday, but since Skillz was Stud/8, I had to make a run...  and run I did - two off the final table and money bubble, in 10th, out of 70. Sigh.

I will say this, though. I played really well, was smart about things, tried not to spew too much - had the chip lead in the middle stages of the tourney - but when we went to three tables, I noticed there were a lot of deep stacks at the table, between Bone_Daddy84, ck31, and budohorseman - and god, they just owned my shit.... I went from chip lead to sucking oxygen in an orbit between them spiking and me whiffing just when I needed to NOT do that.

anyhow, I shortstacked ninja'd for a while, then went busto here - which really sucks, because the only way this happens is

1) try to steal with junk, but junk that can go both ways...
2) Bone has a big pair and flats (I'm done with the hand at this point)
3) he checks on fourth for some strange reason, like I can ever bet.
4) I catch an Ace with a wheel draw on fifth, and feel like I have to lead out.
5) He calls, and we both catch open pairs on sixth, him a K, me an Ace. I KNOW he has trip Kings, but I'm too live for low and too committed to quit now.
7) I don't get there - freaking setup. ARRRGH.

Full Tilt Poker Game #6053122244: Skill Series (40521504), Table 4 - 1500/3000 Ante 250 - Limit Stud H/L - 0:37:21 ET - 2008/04/16
Seat 4: Tom Jefferson (28,627)
Seat 5: RecessRampage (7,520)
Seat 6: heffmike (9,110)
Seat 7: Bone_Daddy84 (31,761)
Seat 8: pokerenthusiast (24,812)
Tom Jefferson antes 250
RecessRampage antes 250
heffmike antes 250
Bone_Daddy84 antes 250
pokerenthusiast antes 250
*** 3RD STREET ***
Dealt to Tom Jefferson [Ts]
Dealt to RecessRampage [9d]
Dealt to heffmike [2h 5s] [Qh]
Dealt to Bone_Daddy84 [Ks]
Dealt to pokerenthusiast [9s]
RecessRampage is low with [9d]
Bone_Daddy84: brick
RecessRampage has 15 seconds left to act
RecessRampage brings in for 500
heffmike completes it to 1,500
pokerenthusiast: stupid razz
Bone_Daddy84 calls 1,500
RecessRampage: lol
pokerenthusiast folds
Tom Jefferson folds
RecessRampage has 15 seconds left to act
RecessRampage folds
*** 4TH STREET ***
Dealt to heffmike [2h 5s Qh] [3c]
Dealt to Bone_Daddy84 [Ks] [9c]
Bone_Daddy84 checks
heffmike checks
*** 5TH STREET ***
Dealt to heffmike [2h 5s Qh 3c] [As]
Dealt to Bone_Daddy84 [Ks 9c] [Td]
heffmike bets 3,000
Bone_Daddy84 has 15 seconds left to act
Bone_Daddy84 calls 3,000
*** 6TH STREET ***
Dealt to heffmike [2h 5s Qh 3c As] [Ah]
Dealt to Bone_Daddy84 [Ks 9c Td] [Kd]
heffmike bets 3,000
Bone_Daddy84 raises to 6,000
heffmike calls 1,360, and is all in
Bone_Daddy84 shows [Kh 5c Ks 9c Td Kd]
heffmike shows [2h 5s Qh 3c As Ah]
Uncalled bet of 1,640 returned to Bone_Daddy84
*** 7TH STREET ***
Dealt to heffmike [2h 5s Qh 3c As Ah] [5h]
Dealt to Bone_Daddy84 [Kh 5c Ks 9c Td Kd] [8h]
Bone_Daddy84 shows [Kh 5c Ks 9c Td Kd 8h] three of a kind, Kings, for high
heffmike shows [2h 5s Qh 3c As Ah 5h] two pair, Aces and Fives, for high
Bone_Daddy84 wins the pot (19,470) with three of a kind, Kings
heffmike stands up
No low hand qualified
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 19,470 | Rake 0
Seat 4: Tom Jefferson folded on 3rd St.
Seat 5: RecessRampage folded on 3rd St.
Seat 6: heffmike showed [2h 5s Qh 3c As Ah 5h] and lost with HI: two pair, Aces and Fives
Seat 7: Bone_Daddy84 showed [Kh 5c Ks 9c Td Kd 8h] and won (19,470) with HI: three of a kind, Kings
Seat 8: pokerenthusiast folded on 3rd St.

EDIT: Hoy wins tonite - good for him. I remember, there was a point when I was moving tables with the chip lead, and he was all in on fifth for about 2K, and I thought, "gee, him surviving in that pot not a good thing" Anyhow, he can play some Stud/8 too, so at least it fits he qualifies for the TOC with that game.
 Also, I play PLO8 tourney on Stars  at the same time as Skillz and final table - and finish 9th of 306 for meh money. I LOVE when people limp A24x in LP and then TANK when reraised pot from a fully committed button before sticking it in. Yeah, A776 suited not a monster, but I did turn a straight with it - that flushed the villain, gg me.

your standard BBT3 message....

Brought to you by the Online Poker Room Full Tilt Poker and the Dead Money Poker Blog by AlCantHang

it could be worse, but I don't want to find out how.

This week:

    Hoy, 68 of 71, run JJ into KK on an undercard flop when I fourbet all in out of the blinds and almost get a fold.
    Skillz,  54 of 78, never really get anything going, play some ragged Stud/8 hands and basically spew in the second hour, never a factor.
    Mookie, 61 of 89, end up in a limped BvB pot, I lead a 865 flop with Q8, get minraised, decide to shove into a flopped straight (74o)
    Riverchasers, 89 of 95, decide to limp AK UTG+1 at 25/50 intending to threebet, MP raises to 150, I reraise to 675, he instacalls. Flop 845r. I decide to shove for pot, villain only has me covered by 400, he calls with..... no, not an overpair or set, but 65s. It holds.

  I'm not sure what's going on here. I know I haven't felt this bad about a lot of things in my life in a long time - you name it, it's either disappointing, sad, troubling, unsettled, infuriating... and most of that is self-directed. It's just a really, really turbulent time right now - the tables used to be a place I could exert some control over things, where I felt like I could apply some smarts, experience, and tactical skill to win a game.

  Obviously, I haven't done that in a loooong time. Instead of a nice happy pastime and escape, now the pokah has become a microcosm of my life - or, more accurately, I'm choosing to view it with that lens and perspective..

   It's odd, because there's a lot of talk lately about BBT3, the chat, why people play and blog.... basically, what's your motivation. I really haven't thought that hard about it, because I've stumbled into all of this over the last couple of years.

   I forget even how - probably by reading his blog - but one night I stumbled into the WWdN on Stars and played it. By the time Wil quit hosting it, the Mookie was starting to get rolling, so I would stumble into that, but just occasionally. I used to work with the Ante Up! guys, so that was a natural series to play. As the various BBT tourneys started up, I didn't really play them - not the first series, I didn't start until the BBT2.

   I am not a huge social butterfly online - so I never really got involved in the girly chat, or live meetups, or anything like that. I'm not a part of any clique or crew here, mainly because I never sought it out - I genuinely like 99% of the people that play these tourneys, but I've always been a pretty reserved guy and just never felt comfortable chatting up people I know, but don't know in real life.

  I was always more interested in the competition; I just wanted to play with a regular group people who were passionate about the game and test myself, see how good I was or was not. The money, the stakes, whatever the end prizes there were - they were always secondary to just playing well and bringing your best game.
   
  And I guess that's really what's killing me right now... I play so amazingly badly in these tourneys, esp. considering how I play open tournaments against anyone else. It's crushing to make poor decision after poor decision and wonder when you turned into such a blooming idiot. I've won tournaments, won satellites, made the Main Event, used to play a pretty solid cash game - and now I keep wondering where it all went. I can go from having Jenn ask me about a hand, and giving her spot on advice.... to making the most retarded plays myself five minutes later.

    It's silly, because we're talking about $10, $20 tourneys - they really don't mean anything - and yet they drive me crazier than busting out of a live $500 tourney or dropping a four-figure live pot -because I spew and think so badly.  It's really about good decision-making, and analyzing situations - and then holding your own against Lady Luck - and I haven't done any of that in the last month. One (barely) cash in over twenty tournaments just atrocious, and there one person responsible for that. Me.

   Long story short, I'm frustrated over god know how many things, it's spilling over into everything else in my life right now, and I need to figure out a way to make the black cloud go away. Maybe I just need to move more mulch around and do some good deeds or something.

Heff

a bad day, a bad night

Monday sucked. The Hoy sucked worse.
 
I get JJ three times in the first 10 minutes, so naturally I win the first two pots and here's the third, followed by the next hand. 68 of 71, and I'm really not trying to play this bad.

Full Tilt Poker Game #5946843017: Mondays at the Hoy (45101230), Table 8 - 15/30 - No Limit Hold'em - 22:09:06 ET - 2008/04/07
Seat 1: Chippy McStacks (2,925)
Seat 2: heffmike (3,300)
Seat 3: HighOnPoker (2,940)
Seat 4: jeciimd (2,895)
Seat 5: Martyr99 (3,150)
Seat 6: que31dawg (2,790)
Chippy McStacks posts the small blind of 15
heffmike posts the big blind of 30
The button is in seat #6
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [Jc Js]
HighOnPoker folds
jeciimd folds
Martyr99 folds
que31dawg raises to 90
Chippy McStacks folds
heffmike calls 60
*** FLOP *** [4c 2h 7d]
heffmike checks
que31dawg bets 180
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike raises to 450
que31dawg has 15 seconds left to act
que31dawg raises to 720
heffmike raises to 3,210, and is all in (yeah, a min threebet on a dry board is a HUGE red flag, but I did not think he was strong enough to call a shove with just an overpair, because my line SCREAMS set/two pair/a tricky AA. so I basically insta-shoved with a fourbet to follow through with the story)
que31dawg has 15 seconds left to act
que31dawg has requested TIME (he tanked a while too... and I'm thinking, I gotta be in front, there's no way for 100 blinds six handed he's thinking this long and calling with AA-QQ, he'd be in there already - maybe with QQ he takes up the time bank, but I almost want the call now)
que31dawg calls 1,980, and is all in
heffmike shows [Jc Js]
que31dawg shows [Kd Ks] (sigh)
Uncalled bet of 510 returned to heffmike
*** TURN *** [4c 2h 7d] [Ac]
*** RIVER *** [4c 2h 7d Ac] [Ts]
Chippy McStacks: nice call
heffmike shows a pair of Jacks
que31dawg shows a pair of Kings
que31dawg wins the pot (5,595) with a pair of Kings
HighOnPoker: no hammer?
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 5,595 | Rake 0
Board: [4c 2h 7d Ac Ts]
Seat 1: Chippy McStacks (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 2: heffmike (big blind) showed [Jc Js] and lost with a pair of Jacks
Seat 3: HighOnPoker didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: jeciimd didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: Martyr99 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: que31dawg (button) showed [Kd Ks] and won (5,595) with a pair of Kings

  Ok, that sucked. Quick thought, why would you min threebet with KK on that flop if you're going to consider folding to a shove? If the idea is to see where you are at - seems like it opens you up to folding the best hand, which he almost did.
  Considering the A on the turn freezes the both of us, I sure wish he just called my flop raise in position to see another card. I should be able to get away with most of my stack intact. I probably should not 4-bet shove there, but considering I nearly got a fold from an overpair, it may actually be an +EV play in the long run. But probably not.

Next hand, please.

Full Tilt Poker Game #5946867311: Mondays at the Hoy (45101230), Table 8 - 15/30 - No Limit Hold'em - 22:10:57 ET - 2008/04/07
Seat 1: Chippy McStacks (2,910)
Seat 2: heffmike (510)
Seat 3: HighOnPoker (2,940)
Seat 4: jeciimd (2,895)
Seat 5: Martyr99 (3,150)
Seat 6: que31dawg (5,595)
heffmike posts the small blind of 15
HighOnPoker posts the big blind of 30
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [9c Qc]
jeciimd calls 30
Martyr99 folds
que31dawg calls 30
que31dawg: thinking you hit a set
heffmike: you tanked.... that long.... with KK. geez.
Chippy McStacks folds
heffmike calls 15
HighOnPoker checks
*** FLOP *** [Qd 4s Kh]
heffmike checks
que31dawg: yup
HighOnPoker checks
jeciimd checks
que31dawg checks
*** TURN *** [Qd 4s Kh] [3h]
heffmike checks
HighOnPoker checks
jeciimd checks
que31dawg bets 90
heffmike calls 90 (hell, second pair, no flop bet, prolly in front, not putting another chip in unless I improve or a good river card rolls off)
HighOnPoker folds
jeciimd folds
*** RIVER *** [Qd 4s Kh 3h] [9h]
heffmike bets 390, and is all in (I should be ahead here, this looks tilty, so I can get called by a lot of things I am in front of here)
que31dawg calls 390 (except for the runner runner flush)
*** SHOW DOWN ***
heffmike shows [9c Qc] two pair, Queens and Nines
que31dawg shows [6h 7h] a flush, King high
que31dawg wins the pot (1,080) with a flush, King high
heffmike stands up
The blinds are now 20/40
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1,080 | Rake 0
Board: [Qd 4s Kh 3h 9h]
Seat 1: Chippy McStacks (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: heffmike (small blind) showed [9c Qc] and lost with two pair, Queens and Nines
Seat 3: HighOnPoker (big blind) folded on the Turn
Seat 4: jeciimd folded on the Turn
Seat 5: Martyr99 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: que31dawg showed [6h 7h] and won (1,080) with a flush, King high

just play anyone else but a blogger...

Thursday I barely register in time for Riverchasers, because I've been busy all evening finishing up hanging wallpaper. I should not have bothered, because 20 minutes in I get Hoy'd...


hoyazo raises to 120 from the SB
heffmike raises to 360 from the BB with [Kc Kd]
hoyazo calls 240
*** FLOP *** [3s 5h 3c]
hoyazo checks
heffmike bets 720
hoyazo has 15 seconds left to act
hoyazo raises to 2,470, and is all in
heffmike calls 1,750
hoyazo shows [Ad 3d]
heffmike shows [Kc Kd]
*** TURN *** [3s 5h 3c] [6d]
*** RIVER *** [3s 5h 3c 6d] [9c]
hoyazo shows three of a kind, Threes
heffmike shows two pair, Kings and Threes
hoyazo wins the pot (5,660) with three of a kind, Threes
The blinds are now 25/50

Sigh. I so wanted him to think I had AK-AJ and his 88-QQ was goot. I just figured if he has AA or 55, it's a megacooler, and he really shouldn't ever have a 3 in that spot as played. Anyhow.

I spend all day Saturday delivering mulch around the neighborhood for a Boy Scout fundraising project.... am beat as hell as I settle in to watch the Final Four - and decide to play an $8.80 PLO8 tourney on Stars, since Full Tilt was down.

So, four short hours later, I final table, and with five players left as we head to break, I'm third in chips.
Seven minutes later, I'm out in fifth for $140..... boo.

I think I had one major suckout when the money went in - but otherwise, I make my plays, feed off of other's mistakes, and run deep - everything I can't do in a BBT3 tournament.

For some reason, pot-limit Omaha 8 tourneys are so relaxing and mellow me out.... I can grind limit O8, but it drives me nuts, and cash PLO8 can be such a nitfest - but I can cruise through a PLO8 tourney and feel good about it afterwards no matter what happens.

It's a puzzlement.

BBT3 mookie, must quit gambool.

Short and sweet tonite.

1) don't openlimp QJo UTG  with a 1255 stack at 30/60 - even when you haven't played a pot in forever - it doesn't matter, it's still crap with 20BB effective.
2) don't think, when bdidde raises from 60 to 180 on the button, that hey, when the blinds fold, I can call OOP  cause I'm getting a good price, see a flop and 'outplay' him.
3) don't watch the flop come down KJT and think "oooh, pair and OESD, i canz chack-raize allz in, lol"
4) have bdidde bet 400 into a 450 pot with 620 more behind and still think coming over the top is a good idea.
5) mash the all in button like a true poo-flinging monkey, because, "hey, you have chips in the pot you gotta protect your chilluns" ; -  and watch him instacall with AQo for the STONE COLD NUTZ and don't get there for the chop. But hey, I have 55 chips left.




At least I have the rest of the night free. 65 of 90. ick.

did something semi-right last night

played the BBT Skillz like an omatard.... I knew there were people at my table that had a habit of betting and raising low-only draws and raising naked lows on the river - but I kept getting them confused with the good players who were playing smart and pwning me. It's a habit from cash LO8, where I tend to call down way too light by talking myself into a longshot 6-1 turn peel - and that's a bad thing in a limit tournament - probably why I love PLO8 tourneys instead, I don't make silly calldowns and there's a little more value in aggression and raising in that game.

Long story short, I pay off far too often with strong but beaten holdings, I finish about middle of pack, 44 of 90something - just could never get any traction or build a stack. Oh well. I didn't play good enough to deserve to get any deeper.

However, I did make some SnG money, and decided to play what I thought would be a short $2+1 rebuy+1 addon tournament - only 162 runners....  gee, four hours and change later....

I was down 2-1 in chips heads up, and never could quite find the one hand to close the gap. He made a couple of interesting overbet shoves where I repped a big hand but couldn't even beat a bluff - and then finally, I raise AT on the button with a 16BB stack, he shoves with 55 and I don't catch....

I screwed up long before that, thought, I had him nailed in a limped pot three handed.
I limp A7o on the button, he checks from the big blind, flop A75 two spades, he bets the 11K pot, I raise to 33K, he calls.
Turn's a third spade, and he shoves for 160K or so?
I really, really wanted to call, and really should have, but 1) the other stack was pretty short, so I knew we should be heads up soon enough, and 2) I couldn't shake the feeling that he was playing a flush really fast. I thought I'd be far worse off being wrong than better off being right, and folded.

He said he had an Ace. Top Pair. I don't know if I believe him, but I make a bad, tight fold again in a big spot.. Sigh. I still play well, but I gotta trust my feeling in those spots.
Most of the time, as I fall into a Heff Idiot Moment I know it's a bad idea as I do it.

Anyhow, was up for the night, starting the slow build back up, felt good about my NL play, at least.

BBT3 one month in..

uh, yeah, that kind of sucks. . 72nd in points, 3 of 15 tourneys in points, 1 teeny cash.

At least there are some damn good players (Hoyazo, Fuel55, Emptyman) who had pretty comparable results, Hoy's initial Big Game run notwithstanding.

I think I can file that sentence under the "Jim Rice is a Hall of Famer" arguement, i.e. compare someone at the bottom of a range to other contemporaries who are clearly better to elevate a pretender to exalted status, or something like that, lol.

Anyway, I promise to do better this month.

Didn't play the Hoy last night, because I wasn't in the mood for a four hour six-max tourney and it was a March points tourney to boot, so I will try to start off April right by showcasing LO8 Skillz tonite.

In other silly news, the wifey got me into Facebook, so now I have to figure out what all these friend and hug requests mean.... maybe I'll actually drop in an occasional non-cards post just to mix things up here.... I try to keep this thing fairly boring and poker specific (who cares about my life), but maybe I can spice it up a bit and entertain in the future.

Heff