jeez I do stupid shit sometimes....

All I had to do in the Mookie last night was stay ahead of one person and point if necessary to hold up and win a monthly prop bet. That's it.

I have a weird first hour where I make some unusual laydowns and calls - I raise AKs UTG and get a coldcaller and a raiser... and I flat OOP instead of folding or shoving, just to check fold the flop - and get to the first break 47 of 59 with 2200 chips. Boo.

I flip TT vs. a JackAceoff shove and hold, so that gets me up over 4k, and then I play a pretty crafty hand for me, because I never really do this.

Full Tilt Poker Game #11943311475: The Mookie (88685086), Table 5 - 80/160 - No Limit Hold'em - 23:22:38 ET - 2009/04/29
Seat 1: 1Queens Up1 (2,185)
Seat 2: heffmike (4,285)
Seat 3: TuscaloosaJohn (6,210)
Seat 4: Astin (1,210), is sitting out
Seat 5: mclarich (4,450)
Seat 6: corron10 (7,730)
Seat 7: jamyhawk (2,220)
Seat 8: RecessRampage (5,545)
Seat 9: wwonka69 (2,635)
corron10 posts the small blind of 80
jamyhawk posts the big blind of 160
The button is in seat #5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [Qd As]
RecessRampage folds
wwonka69 folds
1Queens Up1 folds
jamyhawk: yeah. carol =ck
TuscaloosaJohn: he travels so much not sure he "lives" anywhere
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike raises to 425
TuscaloosaJohn folds
Astin folds
mclarich calls 425
corron10 folds
TuscaloosaJohn: same is true of the others I listed
jamyhawk folds
*** FLOP *** [Ac 4h 8s]
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike checks
mclarich bets 800
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike calls 800
*** TURN *** [Ac 4h 8s] [8h]
jamyhawk: didn't know don "moved" to florida though
1Queens Up1: i have a buddy from d-town comin down to rail. i get to show him how to play craps
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike checks
TuscaloosaJohn: thought I heard that
mclarich checks
*** RIVER *** [Ac 4h 8s 8h] [Ks]
TuscaloosaJohn: do not teach him that!
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike checks
1Queens Up1: lol its already in stone
jamyhawk: i know he was consulting there
mclarich has 15 seconds left to act
mclarich bets 2,080
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike calls 2,080
*** SHOW DOWN ***
mclarich shows [Ts Js] a pair of Eights
heffmike shows [Qd As] two pair, Aces and Eights
heffmike wins the pot (6,850) with two pair, Aces and Eights

Passive play OOP to induce bluffs is something I rarely do - but I need to mix it into the rotation every now and again.

But then I lose an allin to mclarich when he shoves 55 into my 99 and rivers a four flush - then I get moved tables... and have to play a way stupid hand with lightning36.

Full Tilt Poker Game #11943711341: The Mookie (88685086), Table 8 - 120/240 Ante 25 - No Limit Hold'em - 23:46:42 ET - 2009/04/29
Seat 1: wwonka69 (3,650)
Seat 2: coolfool2000 (5,577)
Seat 3: pvanharibo (3,480)
Seat 4: Bone_Daddy84 (2,782)
Seat 5: lightning36 (4,829)
Seat 7: jimdniacc (1,701)
Seat 8: heffmike (6,260)
Seat 9: drome (23,484)
wwonka69 antes 25
coolfool2000 antes 25
pvanharibo antes 25
Bone_Daddy84 antes 25
lightning36 antes 25
jimdniacc antes 25
heffmike antes 25
drome antes 25
jimdniacc posts the small blind of 120
heffmike posts the big blind of 240
The button is in seat #5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [9d 8s]
drome folds
wwonka69 folds
coolfool2000 folds
pvanharibo folds
Bone_Daddy84 folds
lightning36 raises to 720
jimdniacc folds
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike calls 480
*** FLOP *** [Kh 7s Tc]
heffmike checks
lightning36 bets 720
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike calls 720
*** TURN *** [Kh 7s Tc] [2h]
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike checks
lightning36 has 15 seconds left to act
lightning36 checks
*** RIVER *** [Kh 7s Tc 2h] [3s]
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike bets 2,000
lightning36 calls 2,000
*** SHOW DOWN ***
heffmike shows [9d 8s] King Ten high
lightning36 shows [Jc Js] a pair of Jacks
lightning36 wins the pot (7,200) with a pair of Jacks

I so need to be raising the flop or leading the turn here. I may get blown off my draw, but I should get a fold under normal circumstances unless he's holding a King. Nice check behind on the turn leads me to believe I can value-bluff the river. Ugh. So freaking stupid in a spot where I need the stack I have more than the pot on the table, believe it or not.

Then I get to see TJ move to the table and standard open in EP - and the fact I really don't want to shove TT with 8BB shows just how hot he's running, and how he always fucking has it... but I do anyway, run into KK, bounce 25 of 84 and basically blow off three figures of found equity because I'm an overaggro idiot.

May can't get here soon enough. Although I don't plan on playing the Brit Blogger Sunday - I will start anew with Riverchasers after I figure out why I make these miscalculations in spots I don't even need to be in to begin with.

limit donkaments are exhausting..

Only finished 10th of 50 at Skillz Stud/8 tonite... and damn that was hard work. Limit tourneys are so much more of a grind - every freaking hand you play is full of thin edges to take or pass up...

Stud/8 especially is NOT a game for nolimit nits.... There's too many draws out there priced in to call down multiple streets, you will get boned whether you like it or not in hands villains have no business being in... it's just something you have to ride up and down without getting megatilted.

Anyhow, I start playing bad, pushing too hard and running into every momo spiking thin scoop draws to fully bone me by seventh street... I'm already down to 1250 in chips at 60/120/10... but I catch a wonderful break here...

NumbBono brings in with the 2c, I complete with (5c2s)4d, MiamiDon raises with the Ad, ChampSampson threeballs to 180 with the 8s, I cold call because I figure Don wants to cap, why take away his thunder... He does, we go to fourth street capped three ways.

Fourth, I catch (5c2s)4dAc. Don catches (xx)Ad3c, Champ with (xx)8sQc. I like where I'm at.
I check, Don bets, Champ calls, I just call.

Fifth I spike the wheel with the 3d, Don has (xx)Ad3c7c, Champ bricks again with (xx)8sQcJh
Don leads, Champ folds, I raise, Don threeballs (??) I cap.

Sixth, I catch something useless, he catches the 4c.. so now I figure I'm chopping this freaking pot to a flush... I lead, Don raises, I threebet, he caps, I call all in.

Don shows (4sAs)Ad3c7c4c and doesn't spike anything on the river and I scoop.

Not sure why he would get that many bets in on fifth with just AA and a 7 draw. We're probably chopping, and when we aren't, it's far more likely I will scoop than he will. But it gets me back to a decent stack, so I'm not complaining.

I bounce up and down some more.. spike a huge hand vs. Julius Goat to really get back to business.
I've got 3600 in chips at 200/400/30 and cover the two villains here.
I raise with Kc9c3c, Goat threeballs with a 7 up, cemfredmd cold calls after limping with a 5, I decide to put in one more bet and evaluate.
I catch a 6c while both Goat and fred brick with paint. Goat leads, fred calls, I raise, Goat three bets, fred finally folds, I call.
Fifth makes my flush, we get it all in on this street, Goat doesn't make anything with (Ac2d) 7dQs6d and I get over 6k.

I catch some more breaks when guys check to me twice on sixth with huge hands and I wisely take the free card where I would have called a bet - every bet saved is crucial in limit donkaments... and I play yet another weird hand with Chad.... I know he's a strong, profitable MTT player.. and yet sometimes he takes lines where I'm convinced he's not paying attention or playing seriously...

at 300/600/50, He's got 5K and barely covers me.

He brings in with (xx)3h, I complete with (22)7, he calls.

Fourth, he catches (xx)37, I have (22)74, I bet he calls.

Fifth, he catches (xx)373, I catch (22)746, he check/calls as I rep the made low

Sixth, he has (xx)3739, I have (22)746Q, he check calls - so many cards help me on seventh...

Seventh, I spike a third 2, so I feel a little bit better about things.. he checks, I bet.... and he flat calls me with (AdKs)3h7s3s9d3c for trip threes, no draws, to scoop.

Ugh. ugh. ugh.

I'm going to give Chad credit for A33 or K33 to start, instead of AK3 - but either way I look at it...

-Chad's AK3 check calls with a pair of threes he catches on fifth hoping they are good for high, or that he backdoors two pair or trips to lock it up - against a likely made low or big low draw where he has no shot to get a piece of the other half anyway.

-Chad makes trip threes on fifth and passively checkcalls down and never gets a raise in. One important point: A 5, 5, and 4 were out on fifth, and he holds two or three of the threes as blockers... most of the cards I need for a low straight with 764 up are gone. I'm likely holding a made low, or a low draw with a pair. Trips gotta raise for value here, I think...

But maybe not. Maybe checkcalling is the smarter play. I don't know.

Anyhow, I get past the points bubble by making some big draws/hands hold against ChampSampson and Lightning36. I get up to 8K while I watch the LJ & CK chick stud hi-lo show as they are scooping up chips left and right... I finally busto in sight of the final table here.

Five handed - 1000/2000/150, I have 6700 in chips and (A5)A.
iaatg6296 brings in, I complete, CK calls with a 3s and like ninety billion chips behind.
Fourth bricks her with a J, I catch a 9, I bet, she calls.
Fifth has (xx)3J4, I have (A5)A9T, I bet she calls.
Sixth shows (xx)3J47 - fuck - and I have (A5)A9T6. I bet, she raises, I call off and see that I am completely drawing dead to her seven high straight, (65)3J47.

Boo that. Not a huge fan of her fourth street call in a vacuum, but in a tournament with a big stack, you gotta take some shots to knock people out, so it's all good.

I watched ck play pretty loose while railing the other tables with three tables to go - I think she got all in as a shortie drawing really thin and hit a running two pair on sixth and seventh to scoop and survive... but she does know her split pot games, and once she got some chips she started steamrolling - and naturally took it down FTW, so another new player with a seat at the TOC.

In other news..

-- Let's Go Caps! - clutch home win Tuesday night in Game 7 - great to see someone older than me score the gamewinner, Mr. Federov - the Washington/Pittsburgh series is going to be ridiculously good - pls to be making Sid the Kid cry, k thx. Caps in seven, probably, if not six.

--I think I like the synchronized breaks in MTTs on Full Tilt now.. nice feature...

--I should be 3rd in overall points and 5th monthly points after last night... not that it matters, TuscaloosaJohn's gonna get another 2K prize unless a couple of guys outright win the Mookie Wednesday. Good stuff for him. Gee, I just realized, another points finish without cashing, that's five this month... no wonder I'm in the red for the month on FTP. At least the one cash was a first.

--I've been pushing pretty hard in this BBT4 series, playing a lot, and generally trying to get a lot of time in at the tables this year. There's a reason for that. I probably won't have as much free time this fall.

I get to graduate from stepdad to dad.
Jenn's expecting around Halloween.
Countdown clock at the top of the blog.

So I can't get that worked up about anything that happens at the tables for more than 15 seconds. Other priorities.....

Mookie time Wednesday to close out the month, woot.

sort of snuggie

just played really, really tight in Riverchasers last night - barely played 15% of my hands, reaching nit territory - not that anyone was watching...

ended up calling off 2/3rd of my stack early to smokkee, who open limped in EP, I limped behind with QT, like forty of us to the flop.... Flop J9xr, he leads, I raise, he shoves, I call (LOLBAD) and obv don't get there vs his set of nines because it's not March and I'm not running stupid silly good regardless of what anyone is holding.

After that, though, I do a nice job of picking spots during shortstack ninja time, doubling twice - shoving JJ into 66 on an undercard flop, threebet shoving ATo pre, getting called by 33 and winning that race.. - and steal just enough to stay afloat...

...until I open shove 13bb with ATo again and get called by corron10's kings... RNG does not let me spike, and I'm done 20 of 51... which is unusual, in that I either money/point, or I bust out in the bottom half of the field. Once I get this deep I usually figure out a way to get there, but not this time...

Two more events left this month, and it's basically about pride and money now.
Just play good and get things ramped up for May.

time is running out..

Done just before the break in the Brit Blogger game today, 23 of 42... kind of meh, got it in with KT vs QT on a QJ7r flop and didn't get there.

Probably trying to little too hard to get a big stack early, as from a monthly points standpoint, only winning really helps me out - but conversely, I'm running a couple of prop bets that demand I don't zero out all week - so I'm juggling a couple of different priorities here....

Also a little annoyed that this month is looking like a month in the red... just missing enough cashes and deep runs, too many 3rds instead of 1sts in the SnG world - to get even for April, unless I get on a mini heater... Oh well, long view, 2009 is still a good year - just need to pick up the pace a little bit in May.

For the record, I think the Mookie chop went down just about right - the most workable, fair solution - you'd rather the tournament was just restarted later from the point of outage - but that's just not practical or fair to all the other tables and tourneys that went down as well.

The only odd quirk was FTP's policies giving Pauly more than first place mobney since he had so many chippies, lol. Otherwise, turn the page.

why am I trying to race presto?

Good to see over 80 runners in the Mookie tonite... I had a great first hour... Doubled up with AA vs. AKs in the first orbit - an odd hand with iam23skidoo, where...

I open for 90 UTG+1
He raises to 160 from the cutoff.
I fourbet to 575
He fivebets to 1111
I finally sixbet shove and he calls, board completely blanks out.

and coasted the first hour after that to over 8K in chips and a top 5 stack at the break. People keep opening with total air, whiff everything, and I call them down in position FTW.

Anyhow, get moved tables, bounce up to 10K and back down to 7k playing a little too wide open, when I play an LOL hand.

Full Tilt Poker Game #11828170397: The Mookie (87826364), Table 9 - 120/240 Ante 25 - No Limit Hold'em - 23:42:46 ET - 2009/04/22
Seat 1: cmitch (6,255)
Seat 3: pushmonkey72 (7,020)
Seat 4: noollab (6,190)
Seat 5: heffmike (7,160)
Seat 6: Julius_Goat (8,395)
Seat 7: dueyv9 (4,375)
Seat 9: NYRambler (6,280)
cmitch antes 25
pushmonkey72 antes 25
noollab antes 25
heffmike antes 25
Julius_Goat antes 25
dueyv9 antes 25
NYRambler antes 25
noollab posts the small blind of 120
heffmike posts the big blind of 240
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [Kh Ah]
Julius_Goat has 15 seconds left to act
Julius_Goat raises to 700
dueyv9 folds
NYRambler folds
cmitch folds
pushmonkey72 calls 700
noollab folds
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike raises to 7,135, and is all in
Julius_Goat: ah the squeeze
Julius_Goat has 15 seconds left to act
Julius_Goat has requested TIME
Julius_Goat folds
pushmonkey72 has 15 seconds left to act
pushmonkey72 calls 6,295, and is all in
heffmike shows [Kh Ah]
pushmonkey72 shows [5h 5c]
Uncalled bet of 140 returned to heffmike
*** FLOP *** [Qh 6s 2s]
*** TURN *** [Qh 6s 2s] [Qc]
*** RIVER *** [Qh 6s 2s Qc] [8s]
heffmike shows a pair of Queens
pushmonkey72 shows two pair, Queens and Fives
pushmonkey72 wins the pot (14,985) with two pair, Queens and Fives
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 14,985 | Rake 0
Board: [Qh 6s 2s Qc 8s]
Seat 1: cmitch folded before the Flop
Seat 3: pushmonkey72 (button) showed [5h 5c] and won (14,985) with two pair, Queens and Fives
Seat 4: noollab (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 5: heffmike (big blind) showed [Kh Ah] and lost with a pair of Queens
Seat 6: Julius_Goat folded before the Flop
Seat 7: dueyv9 folded before the Flop
Seat 9: NYRambler folded before the Flop

1) Even an idiot like me is not going to squeeze an UTG raiser and button cold caller with total crap. It looks too obvious - I have a hand.

2) I have under 30BB. AKs is too good to flat and check/fold a flop when I miss, and when I hit my hand on the flop there's a real possibility I won't get paid anyway. A decent reraise may get flatted, and then I'm playing OOP where I'll only have a pot-size bet left on the flop and can run into some silly spots.
Or, to be brief, AK is the nizzles, son.

3) Goat isn't going to call off light. If he has it, he has it, oh well, that'll happen. On the other hand, pushmonkey72 will easily call off with Ax or a small pair here.

4) Like I wouldn't do this with any big pair (AA-JJ easily) against this field, and even if I lost my mind and shoved with shite like T8o or 66 - holding 55, you either get to call off your stack as a 20-80 dog, or are basically flipping in a best case scenario.
Then again, he is holding presto. How can he not call a shove there?

Anyhow, that was annoying, to chip up that well early, and busto 36 of 83.

That'll happen. Maybe I make money instead of just points next week.

3rd overall in a tight race behind QueensUp and TuscaloosaJohn -
5th for April, but lightyears behind TJ with four events left....

As an aside, I will say it's a jopke that I can be doing that well in monthly points when I've cashed in 1 of 14 April events, results that would spell MASSIVE FAIL in any other context, despite 5 final tables.

My suggestion for future series would be to only give points if you actually cash in an event, make all tourneys pay out the same percentage of the field- 10%, 15%, 20%, whatever... and do the Stars TLB formula or whatever from there to figure it all out in case varying buy-ins are a factor.

This is all probably because I hate "points racing" in NASCAR as a philosophy and approach. Win the damn race already. Anyhow, final monthly run next week.

I look forward to making a valiant effort and finishing second again....

EDIT: I'm finishing off a SnG around 1am when FTP goes down... which would be around the final table time for the Mookie. Don't even want to know how this snafu gets resolved...

what a roller coaster ride...

Like I said, I'm probably one of the few players out there who doesn't mind razz. It makes sense to me... So, I spend the first hour well in control, chip up to 4700 and 5th in chips... but spend the second hour running in place keeping the same chip stack, but now just 12th of 26 runners...

Ah, the third hour - get notched by Columbo (876 v 874) to drop to 440 chips... and then get on a massive heater to get all the way up to 21k and the chip lead in 20 minutes... I make every freaking hand, spike every draw, have every made 8 or 7 hold... and that takes me through the points bubble and the final table...

But all the magic pixie dust is gone, I can't make anything else happen - so I start spiraling down and finally dump my stack into Columbo - by the way, tank-calling a completion with (23)5 isn't fooling anyone, dude, we know you have a hand - to bounce 7th of 45.

So, yet again, for the third time this week: final table, points, but no cash.
This is getting a little old.

Mookie mobney tomorrow, maybe?

smaller and stronger is not a virtue

So Riverchasers brings out 42 runners... not sure how the last few BBTs went, but we're definitely getting smaller, tougher fields as the series goes on. More new blood please..... I get a starting table of lightning36, blinders, pvanharibo, lucko21, cmitch.... granted, I have position on them, but big deal, that doesn't mean everything...

I really don't get anything going at all in the first hour, either handswise or moveswise - end up 21 of 26 entering the break with 2500 in chips, bleh... and just after the break, NumbBono opens for 360 in the cutoff with a HUGE 12K stack, I standard reship with AQs for 20BB, he calls with QQ and I do not get there, out 26 of 42.

Before that clownishness, checked the latest points standings - 2nd overall and 6th this month (really need those positions reversed, to be honest - more value in monthly than overall) - although I'm not cashing anywhere near as much as everyone else... :-(

Actually, this whole month has been a speed bump on a pretty strong 2009... barely breakeven, boo that.

Anyhow, I prolly am one of the few people looking forward to Skillz Razz... perhaps I can transfer Ante Up Nation powers across series and get some run goot Tuesday.

kind of good, kind of annoying...

So we get 34 players for the Big Game tonite... apparently there was some glitch, where the one rebuy was taken during the first two levels, and the addon was after 20 minutes.... and that threw some people off.... I elected to not rebuy in the beginning, since I only had one - and of course I get KK first hand, and a few more hands in...

I have AQo and 1560 in chips (after raising KK and getting no action) in MP.
Two limps, I raise to 300, TuscaloosaJohn reraises from the SB to 800, and he's taken the rebuy already with a 3K stack. I decide to shove with the rebuy in my back pocket, he calls with JJ, I river a Queen and double through.

After that nothing amazing happens until after the addon period.. I'm just cruising along, chipping up, when I polarize my own range...

I have 5500 in chips, and T9s UTG at a seven-handed table.
I open for 125, Schaubs raises from the button to 350 with 2400 more behind, I call.
Flop 874r, so open ended with overs.
I check, Schaubs leads for 400, I raise to 1450, he shoves for 2400, I call, he has TT, I don't get there.

See, the thing is, I'd do this with a big overpair as well as something junky that flops well like T9s, or even something that's the virtual nizzles like 88/77. So, I sort of have a wide range here... but that range is designed to fare pretty well vs. one pair. As it is, I spew and get back down to 3K....

And I feel like I spend the next two hours stuck at 15BB... I don't show down many hands, my stack ping-pongs around, I never get a lot of action when I have it - but somehow I cockroach to the final table, make the points bubble (only four money spots here, very tight...) and then I run into two hands that set me up oh so well..

I watch PirateLawyer do his thing..

Full Tilt Poker Game #11777661823: Blogger Big Game (81289230), Table 1 - 500/1000 Ante 125 - No Limit Hold'em - 0:24:34 ET - 2009/04/20
Seat 2: Shabazz Jenkins (10,390)
Seat 3: 1Queens Up1 (30,160)
Seat 4: TuscaloosaJohn (28,900)
Seat 5: twoblackaces (8,662), is sitting out
Seat 6: PirateLawyer (17,535)
Seat 7: heffmike (16,244)
Seat 8: lightning36 (16,110)
Seat 9: ElSnarfGrande (10,999)
Shabazz Jenkins antes 125
1Queens Up1 antes 125
TuscaloosaJohn antes 125
twoblackaces antes 125
PirateLawyer antes 125
heffmike antes 125
lightning36 antes 125
ElSnarfGrande antes 125
1Queens Up1: gg buddy
Shabazz Jenkins posts the big blind of 1,000
The button is in seat #9
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [Jc 9s]
TuscaloosaJohn: gg
lightning36: whew
Shabazz Jenkins: gg
1Queens Up1 folds
TuscaloosaJohn folds
twoblackaces folds
heffmike: gg
ElSnarfGrande: gg buddy
PirateLawyer raises to 3,000
heffmike folds
lightning36 folds
ElSnarfGrande folds
1Queens Up1: it was sooted?
lightning36: gg buddy
Shabazz Jenkins raises to 10,265, and is all in
PirateLawyer has 15 seconds left to act
PirateLawyer calls 7,265
Shabazz Jenkins shows [Ac Js]
PirateLawyer shows [8h Th]
*** FLOP *** [3h 5s 5h]
*** TURN *** [3h 5s 5h] [4c]
*** RIVER *** [3h 5s 5h 4c] [Jd]
Shabazz Jenkins shows two pair, Jacks and Fives
PirateLawyer shows a pair of Fives
Shabazz Jenkins wins the pot (21,530) with two pair, Jacks and Fives
The blinds are now 600/1,200 with an ante of 150
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 21,530 | Rake 0
Board: [3h 5s 5h 4c Jd]
Seat 2: Shabazz Jenkins (big blind) showed [Ac Js] and won (21,530) with two pair, Jacks and Fives
Seat 3: 1Queens Up1 folded before the Flop
Seat 4: TuscaloosaJohn folded before the Flop
Seat 5: twoblackaces folded before the Flop
Seat 6: PirateLawyer showed [8h Th] and lost with a pair of Fives
Seat 7: heffmike folded before the Flop
Seat 8: lightning36 folded before the Flop
Seat 9: ElSnarfGrande (button) folded before the Flop

And then I make the isolation play and get smoked because of it.
I am not even in this pot without the last hand going down like it did. Grumble.

Full Tilt Poker Game #11777670868: Blogger Big Game (81289230), Table 1 - 600/1200 Ante 150 - No Limit Hold'em - 0:25:14 ET - 2009/04/20
Seat 2: Shabazz Jenkins (21,530)
Seat 3: 1Queens Up1 (30,035)
Seat 4: TuscaloosaJohn (28,775)
Seat 5: twoblackaces (8,537), is sitting out
Seat 6: PirateLawyer (7,145)
Seat 7: heffmike (16,119)
Seat 8: lightning36 (15,985)
Seat 9: ElSnarfGrande (10,874)
Shabazz Jenkins antes 150
1Queens Up1 antes 150
TuscaloosaJohn antes 150
twoblackaces antes 150
PirateLawyer antes 150
heffmike antes 150
lightning36 antes 150
ElSnarfGrande antes 150
Shabazz Jenkins posts the small blind of 600
1Queens Up1 posts the big blind of 1,200
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [4d Ah]
TuscaloosaJohn: now we're gambooling
TuscaloosaJohn folds
twoblackaces folds
twoblackaces has returned
PirateLawyer raises to 6,995, and is all in
heffmike raises to 15,969, and is all in
lightning36 folds
ElSnarfGrande folds
PirateLawyer: how do I not get there, lol
Shabazz Jenkins folds
1Queens Up1: wow...
1Queens Up1 has 15 seconds left to act
1Queens Up1: can i fold this?
1Queens Up1 has requested TIME
1Queens Up1 calls 14,769
heffmike shows [4d Ah]
1Queens Up1 shows [Qd Qh]
PirateLawyer shows [Kd 9d]
*** FLOP *** [3c Tc 3h]
*** TURN *** [3c Tc 3h] [5s]
*** RIVER *** [3c Tc 3h 5s] [Ts]
heffmike shows two pair, Tens and Threes
1Queens Up1 shows two pair, Queens and Tens
1Queens Up1 wins the side pot (17,948) with two pair, Queens and Tens
PirateLawyer shows two pair, Tens and Threes
1Queens Up1 wins the main pot (22,785) with two pair, Queens and Tens
TuscaloosaJohn: vn
Shabazz Jenkins: gg gg
PirateLawyer stands up
heffmike stands up
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 40,733 Main pot 22,785. Side pot 17,948. | Rake 0
Board: [3c Tc 3h 5s Ts]
Seat 2: Shabazz Jenkins (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 3: 1Queens Up1 (big blind) showed [Qd Qh] and won (40,733) with two pair, Queens and Tens
Seat 4: TuscaloosaJohn folded before the Flop
Seat 5: twoblackaces folded before the Flop
Seat 6: PirateLawyer showed [Kd 9d] and lost with two pair, Tens and Threes
Seat 7: heffmike showed [4d Ah] and lost with two pair, Tens and Threes
Seat 8: lightning36 folded before the Flop
Seat 9: ElSnarfGrande folded before the Flop

Queens is a lot more deliberate than I am. Of course I'm shoving AK/AA/KK here. But because it's PL, he's short, and he's probably monkeying around, my range is a helluva lot wider than that. I know with the relative sized stacks between the eight of us, it sucks trying to fade two allins and variance with half your stack... BUT YOU HAZ THE THIRD NUTZ, SIR!!!

I'm insta-reshoving because I have a hard time folding QQ with less than 30BB at a final table, especially when I cover both all-ins.
But I'm a monkey.
Point is, he thought about it and didn't level himself into a hero fold, so kudos.

After all, he got mobney, points and almost the title tonite as well... as he finished second to TuscaloosaJohn, who spikes his second win of BBT4.

Anyhow, 8th of 34 means two final tables today, points twice, but no cashes. And, since the Big Game final table was full of guys high on the points leaderboards, I lost ground today as usual when it comes to these Big Game events.

Rack it up again tomorrow.

i guess, play wet?

because the yard and the mulch bags and the plants and the sticks and twigs all kicked my ass this weekend.

So I played the first hour of the Brit Blogger from the hot tub. At least my old body felt a little bit better.

Somehow final tabled and made points, but money bubbled in 5th (I didn't even notice until afterwards) - waited around for the 5-minute break after the second hour just to run AQ into 77 and Q8 into Q3.... :-(

5th of 32. Not bad. Should've been better.

Nothing too notable. Ran AA into AK to double through late.
Oh, here's a tale of pwn and getting pwned. Obv I'm really not taking this particular tournament all that seriously...

Full Tilt Poker Game #11769822908: Brit Blogger Game (87407341), Table 3 - 30/60 - No Limit Hold'em - 16:38:15 ET - 2009/04/19
Seat 1: SmBoatDrinks (1,230)
Seat 2: LexLuther999 (1,215)
Seat 3: Shabazz Jenkins (2,025)
Seat 4: BuddyDank (2,475)
Seat 5: heffmike (2,595)
Seat 7: twoblackaces (1,840)
Seat 8: TheCloserX5 (880)
Seat 9: mclarich (2,495)
BuddyDank posts the small blind of 30
heffmike posts the big blind of 60
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [9c Qd]
twoblackaces folds
TheCloserX5 folds
mclarich folds
SmBoatDrinks folds
LexLuther999 folds
Shabazz Jenkins folds
BuddyDank calls 30
heffmike checks
*** FLOP *** [7d 2h Jd]
BuddyDank bets 60
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike calls 60
*** TURN *** [7d 2h Jd] [8d]
BuddyDank bets 180
heffmike calls 180
*** RIVER *** [7d 2h Jd 8d] [3c]
BuddyDank has 15 seconds left to act
BuddyDank bets 420
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike raises to 1,100
BuddyDank has 15 seconds left to act
BuddyDank has requested TIME
BuddyDank folds
Uncalled bet of 680 returned to heffmike
heffmike shows [9c Qd] Queen Jack high
heffmike wins the pot (1,440)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1,440 | Rake 0
Board: [7d 2h Jd 8d 3c]
Seat 1: SmBoatDrinks didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: LexLuther999 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: Shabazz Jenkins (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: BuddyDank (small blind) folded on the River
Seat 5: heffmike (big blind) collected (1,440)
Seat 7: twoblackaces didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: TheCloserX5 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 9: mclarich didn't bet (folded)


Full Tilt Poker Game #11770815397: Brit Blogger Game (87407341), Table 1 - 100/200 - No Limit Hold'em - 17:33:25 ET - 2009/04/19
Seat 1: muhctim (750)
Seat 6: lucko21 (6,000)
Seat 7: wwonka69 (15,560)
Seat 8: heffmike (5,340)
Seat 9: madbrooklyn (2,480)
wwonka69 posts the small blind of 100
heffmike posts the big blind of 200
The button is in seat #6
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [Tc 9d]
madbrooklyn folds
muhctim folds
lucko21 raises to 500
wwonka69 folds
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike calls 300
*** FLOP *** [4d 2s 3h]
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike checks
lucko21 checks
*** TURN *** [4d 2s 3h] [Qs]
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike checks
lucko21 checks
*** RIVER *** [4d 2s 3h Qs] [6s]
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike bets 700
lucko21 has 15 seconds left to act
lucko21 has requested TIME
lucko21 calls 700
*** SHOW DOWN ***
heffmike shows [Tc 9d] Queen Ten high
lucko21 shows [Jh Kd] King Queen high
lucko21 wins the pot (2,500) with King Queen high
heffmike: nice.
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2,500 | Rake 0
Board: [4d 2s 3h Qs 6s]
Seat 1: muhctim didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: lucko21 (button) showed [Jh Kd] and won (2,500) with King Queen high
Seat 7: wwonka69 (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 8: heffmike (big blind) showed [Tc 9d] and lost with Queen Ten high
Seat 9: madbrooklyn didn't bet (folded)

lucko21: not much u can be vb there
heffmike: no, but i figured you had A high K high and might fold. standard.
lucko21: heh

Anyhow, let's see if I can play the Big Game dry tonight.

damn that's an oversized chip

So as an aside today, the workplace put together an afterhours charity fundraiser, and among the raffles, auctions and other doohickeys - there was a poker tournament for a $25 buyin, all monies donated, and of course I got sucked into it. The fact there was free food and beverages available was a perk as well... :-)

So, we started seven-handed, with T100 and 1-2 blinds, 15-minute levels. Looked like there were around 40 players. Started with QQ the first hand, then nothing happened as the levels went from 1-2, to 2-4, to 5-10, lol. Superturbo structure demands pushing any edge to double through like crazy. I sip a cold beer and wait.

Then I start catching - AJ>JT on a J high flop, QJ>Q2 on a QJx flop, A2 flops Axx with a flush draw and gets there on the turn - I raise/call a shove with QJ and river a Q vs. 66 to get to the break with T600 for the tourney lead, whee... because the blinds get up to 25/50 (!!!) when we start again.

By the time we condense to two tables, I'm at T800 at 50/100, sipping Coors Light since the Silver Bullet won't slow me down, ha!!! - and cruising in a very comfortable pushbot mode, raising/shoving any unopened pot and slowly accumulating chips.

I get on one of my usual silly heaters - KK vs. K8 on a K-high flop, flop top two with JT - and also ruckbox when make the nuts on the river with 57 after AK open limps, checks every street multiway, but pays off on the river with no pair. Small blind limps, I shove AT, he calls all in with K8o and I hold. Hey, I'm even able to value bet a pair of deuces, get called, and still win the pot.

So I naturally steamroll, and finally turn a T-high flush heads up vs. a smaller flush with straight flush outs that whiff the river. Winnar winnar.

Strangely enough, I had a rail during the final table - some co-workers who busted out earlier were hanging out watching me crush - I don't really talk about the game much at work, since I hate to be pegged as a gambool cards guy... but now my poker skillz, such as are, are a lot more out in the open.

At least I get a big trophy for it - oh, and apparently 40K was raised for cancer research, so a good thing overall.


It wasn't as historic as this win, but hey, I take it when I get it.

See you cats Sunday for Brit Blogger and Big Game.

it can disappear real quick if you blink...

Mookie first hour runs pretty standard. Strangely enough, I try to play off of my dodo/plays bad and ruckboxes every hand image and fast play some big hands by leading/checkraising flops... but I get folds like every time, hardly show down anything and eventually get to the end of the first hour with 4500 in chips, safely in the top 20.

It all falls apart in the last two hands before break.

Blinds 50/100. I have AJo UTG with 4500 in chips and open for 275. TheBlueHeron flats in the hijack with a 3500 stack - then chad/cracknaces shoves for 3600.

Normally, this is a superstandard fold, but chad and hoy have been donking around overbetting/shoving crap and hammers most of the first hour, I smell squeeze, so I snap reshove, Heron folds and I get to see ATo from Chad.
Flop Q98, which is good and bad. It takes away his T outs, but gives him my J outs for the gutter instead.
Which promptly comes on the Turn. Broadway gets there on the river. Boo that.

Next hand it folds around to cmitch in the small blind, who shoves and puts me in for my last 900. I figure K6s is good enough to try to double through with.. except cmitch shoved with K7s, and I can't even get the chop working and bounce a disappointing 52 of 68.

At least before the Mookie, I climbed back up to 3rd overall and 8th in the April points race, so not too shabby in the big picture.

love me two times....

Made ruckbox magic happen again. First two time winnar in BBT4.


this despite running into rolled up hands in stud rounds four times and basically being down to the felt multiple times in the last two hours... I went on some ridiculous heaters late, and just steamrolled the final table once I spiked a couple of lucky hands.

First hour was nothing special.. I continue my HATEHATEHATE of Stud by running Kings up right into NYRambler's rolled up fives, then run AcQs right into 87 on a 8s7c3sAs... 2d board in LHE.

At least next hand AK held up with a four flush against KJ on a T98A7 board..
So I end the first hour with 3400 chips, 19 of 50, yawn.

Another fun stud hand.
I have (95)5 and it folds around to me with Numbbono and mclarich behind me with the other two fives showing. So, figuring they don't have a buried pair, I raise, and mclarich calls.
Fourth I catch a 9 for two pair, mclarich a 3, bet/call.
Fifth street, I have (95)598, he shows (xx)537, I bet/he calls.
Sixth he catches an Ace and bets out. I think, FML and call.
Seventh I brick, he bets, I call and get to see (AA)537A(Q).

I mentioned I HATEHATEHATE stud, right?

As things go on, I make a bad move on muhctim in LHE when I raise the turn on him and get threebet, then have to fold the river.. so I'm down to 1200 chips when I spike in O8.

Blinds 250/500, I'm on the button with AdQs8h3s. Three limpers in front of me, I raise, they all call, four to the flop.
Flop Tc4h3h. I don't love it, but I'm not folding now. Limpers check, I bet, only two of them call.
Turn is a sweet 3d. Muhctim and jimdniacc check, I bet allin, the both call.

Muhctim AhQhQc5h.... overpair to the board, nut flush draw, and low draw. Nice.
jimdniacc 9s7s6d2d... so like, a gutter draw on the flop and not much else.

River's a offsuit Jack, so I fade it all and scoop for 4500 and am back in business.

The rest of the hour sucks, though, so I'm 22 of 26 at the second break with 3300 chips.
The average stack has 6BB. Gotta love FTP's limit structures.

I actually run goot in LHE - I get frisky and openraise Qc5c in the cutoff six handed, with Columbo barely able to cover one bet in the small blind. Muhctim comes along in the big blind, we check down a 4dTdJcQd8s board, and Q5 holds vs. T7o and K6o.

I defend my blind vs. a button raise from NYRambler with JTo.
Flop comes down A89r, so I check raise, he threeballs, and I just call.
Turn is a lovely 7, I lead, Rambler folds.
Awful quick fold from him after the bet/threebet on the flop, since I'd flat a threebet with a big ace as well as a draw and planned on donking the turn regardless of the actual card.

Anyhow, I get short again and rely on good ol Omaha 8 to bail me out.

Blinds up to 600/1200 now, I open raise AcQdQs4c in the cutoff and a 3400 stack, pushmonkey72 covers me and threeballs from the small blind, I cap, we go to the flop heads up.
Flop Qh8h4d. Yeah, I can deal with that... Pushmonkey leads, I raise allin, and he calls with the one hand I don't want to see.... AhKhKc5d for the nut flush draw and low draw....
Turn's a 4h. Boo.. Yay, I mean, I haz boat... Just have to fade the last two Kings and the low draw on the river, and I scoop yet again to double up.

We consolidate to two tables, Lucko moves in on my right, and suddenly the gods finally allow me to win some stud hands.

I get in with pushmonkey72 on third with JT9r vs. Qs8s2s and manage to hit Aces up by the river to get there.
Next hand, I run QQT into hacker59's KK7, and I spike a pair of twos on the river to win with two pair again, omg.
The very next hand, it's split aces vs. Rambler with a K up. He actually has a stack, so I just lead into him every street. I make Aces and eights on fifth, Aces and Jacks on sixth, so I don't have anything to worry about when Rambler finally makes Kings up on the river.

Lucko gets on a heater too, and we both end up destroying the bubble and chip up to around 24K.. before I get to spew into another trips hand and limp into the final table fifth of eight in chips

Seat 1: shamanalix (17,866)
Seat 2: microvillain (10,930)
Seat 3: heffmike (14,627)
Seat 4: SmBoatDrinks (28,023)
Seat 5: TheCloserX5 (13,434)
Seat 6: ElSnarfGrande (13,559)
Seat 7: lucko21 (28,725)
Seat 8: HighOnPoker (22,836)

and that very first hand at the final table, I get to run into microvillain's quad fives after starting with A34 in Stud/8 - calling sixth like a moron drawing dead, but at least folding seventh and saving a bet. Down to 5300 with a 1000/2000/150 structure - but at least it's Stud/8, I'm comfortable, and you can last a while in a stud round with a short stack.

Unfortunately, it flips to LHE at 1200/2400 in two hands and I'm really boned.
I open raise Q8o on the button, SmBoatDrinks threebets, I go ahead and cap because I should be live and I suck.
Flop comes QT8, though, and after I get my last 77 chips in, I hold up vs. his A7s to double up.
I did turn a boat, btw, LOL.

I win another few pots in LHE and O8, and just like that, I'm back to 31K in chips.

Stud isn't done with me yet., though.

HighOnPoker brings in for 600, shamanalix completes to 2K with a 5 up, I reraise with (AA)7, he threeballs, I cap, he calls with only 166 left behind.
Fourth street pairs his 5, and I already know how this is going. I call the 166, get to see (53)55 and while I make Aces up, I don't trip up and lose a 19K pot.

I finally make a stud draw when I need it, though,

Down to 13K, TheCloserX5 brings in for 600, HighOnPoker completes to 2K with an A up and 15K more behind, I decide to call with (Kc4c)Qc as all clubs are live and Jordan doesn't have to have split aces here, though it's his most likely holding...
Fourth brings me a 3c, and I'm commited to felting this hand now. Jordan bets, I raise, he calls.
Fifth bricks me with a 8h, Jordan's showing (xx)AdJc4h. He checks, I bet, he raises, I call all in and see he's got the split aces...
But I hit the 8c on sixth street for the flush and pick up the 28K pot, as Jordan only improves to Aces up on the river.

Next hand I get him all in on third street with A99 vs. J88 and hold to get us down to six players.

Seat 1: shamanalix (18,132)
Seat 3: heffmike (34,240)
Seat 4: SmBoatDrinks (27,646)
Seat 5: TheCloserX5 (33,164)
Seat 6: ElSnarfGrande (4,643)
Seat 7: lucko21 (32,175)

We move on to Stud/8, which makes me way happy as I think I have a slight advantage here vs. the table...
After SmBoatDrinks doubled Snarf up with pretty loose calls on fourth and fifth streets, I play a big pot with him.

I bring in with (A7)2 for 800 with 26K behind, SmBoatDrinks completes to 2500 showing a 6h with a 16K stack, I call, heads up to fourth.
(A7)2J vs. (xx)6J. He leads, I call.
Fifth, I catch (A7)2sJd6d vs. (xx)6hJh7s. Well, I've got him boardlocked one way or another - I've got a better low draw for sure, and Ace-high might be good for the high if he raised with babies on third
He bets 5K, I raise to 10K, He goes allin for 200 chips more and shows (9hQh)6hJh7s for the flush draw, no low.
He catches a six on sixth street for a pair, I brick with a Kh.
But seventh gives me a 7h for a pair of sevens that scoop as SmBoatDrinks whiffs it all with a T and I get up to 43K with the elimination.

Soon after I play a loose one with Lucko and get rewarded for being a dumbass.

I bring in with (KhQh)2c, TheCloserX5 and lucko call.
Fourth I catch (KQ)27, closer checks (xx)K9, lucko bets (xx)38, I call due to temporary insanity with a hand that's going nowhere but appears to be going low, closer folds.
Fifth, we're heads up, I catch (KQ)272, lucko makes a low with (xx)385... but I bet anyway, he raises, I call.
Sixth now, I hit a 6, but lucko pairs his five and bets out......

Now, looking back, I have no fucking idea what I was doing here. I'm trying to rep a huge low draw or trip deuces - I appear to have gotten there one way or another, but my line doesn't make any sense and Lucko's still betting into me.... with the actual low or two pair hand.

I tank, realize the pot's like over 30K already and he only has 3K left behind... put 8K more to win 37k... Stupid limit odds, so I'm like, oh well, time to run goot.
I raise, he calls all in and I have to show my shitty pair of deuces and NO LOW DRAW.... against (34)3855 - for two pair and an actual, real low draw.

I spike a Q on the river, lucko bricks, and I suck out like a freaking chump for 45K.

After this, four handed I watch Snarf bringin, shamanalix complete with a Q, I call with (6J)6 and we go heads up.
I make Jacks up on fourth and raise shamanalix's bet, he calls.
I fill up with a six on fifth as shamanalix shows (xx)Qh4hTc. I bet, he calls.
We both catch fours on sixth street. I bet, now he raises?.. He can't possibly be full here, can he?
I go ahead and threebet, he fourbets allin, I call and see (77)Q4T4, the river blanks and we're down to three handed play.

We move to 3k/6K limit holdem, with these stacks
Seat 3: heffmike (101,450)
Seat 5: TheCloserX5 (27,064)
Seat 6: ElSnarfGrande (21,486)

So I'm in great shape. But it's limit, I only have 17BB.

The stack sizes, plus the fact TheCloserX5 does not have a ToC seat yet, probably allow me to do this... plus, it's the hammer... third pair no kicker on a four flush board, pshaw.

Seat 3: heffmike (107,450)
Seat 5: TheCloserX5 (36,064)
Seat 6: ElSnarfGrande (6,486)
ElSnarfGrande posts the small blind of 1,500
heffmike posts the big blind of 3,000
The button is in seat #5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [2c 7h]
TheCloserX5 raises to 6,000
ElSnarfGrande folds
heffmike calls 3,000
*** FLOP *** [7s 5s Js]
heffmike checks
TheCloserX5 bets 3,000
heffmike raises to 6,000
TheCloserX5 calls 3,000
*** TURN *** [7s 5s Js] [3d]
heffmike bets 6,000
TheCloserX5 calls 6,000
*** RIVER *** [7s 5s Js 3d] [9s]
heffmike bets 6,000
TheCloserX5 has 15 seconds left to act
TheCloserX5 has requested TIME
TheCloserX5 folds
Uncalled bet of 6,000 returned to heffmike
heffmike shows [2c 7h] a pair of Sevens
heffmike wins the pot (37,500)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 37,500 | Rake 0
Board: [7s 5s Js 3d 9s]
Seat 3: heffmike (big blind) collected (37,500)
Seat 5: TheCloserX5 (button) folded on the River
Seat 6: ElSnarfGrande (small blind) folded before the Flop

I finally four flush Snarf (55 vs T4 all in pre, QT3 all spade flop, 9s on the river) and I get to heads up with a silly chip lead.
Seat 3: heffmike (136,436)
Seat 5: TheCloserX5 (13,564)

and I almost get it done in one hand.
Closer raises to 6k, I defend with K6o.
Flop A55r, I lead, he raises, I three ball, he calls all in with... Th8h....
There's a ten on the river, and he's still alive.

After that, he gets on a run and soon we're basically even in chips. I stabilize things, start to right the ship, and spike one more ruckbox to TID....

Blinds 1500/3000
Seat 3: heffmike (97,372)
Seat 5: TheCloserX5 (52,628)

I raise 52o, Closer calls.
Flop KsQh2h. Closer bets, I raise, he threebets, I call. Obv hoping for a helpful turn.
Turn 5s. Bink.
Closer bets, I raise, he threeballs, I cap.
River 4c. He leads again. I figure, if I'm beat, that'll happen.
I raise, he threebets all in, I call... he shows KTo and two pair is goot.

I'm happy I won a non-NLHE tournament.
I'm happy I'm the first to two wins in BBT4.
I'm happy I still have a working ruckbox.

I may play things weird and loose at times, but there's usually a reason why - well, except for the Lucko hand, that sucked. Honestly though, I went though some periods of monkey button mashing that I managed to survive, and I spiked at the right times. But you do need to put yourself in position to take advantage of those twists of fate.

But it's good to point, cash, and win. I will not complain...

I'm a tourney player, dammit....

and I need to stay one, no matter how I'm running.

This is why. Cash games tilt me like crazy. The most standard, trivial shit happens in a cash game, it drives me batty. God, sir, how dare you call down getting 10-1, you suck the glorious fountain of suck, how do you remember to breathe every other second?

I get threeouted for all my chips in a tournament when I get it in as a 70-30 or better, hey, that'll happen, long run I profit, everyone plays bad and gets lucky, w/e, +EV baby!

I have no idea why I have such polar opposite views of the same thing.

All of that is a quick way of saying..

-Still not running to expectation this month, but playing smarter - at least I am much happier with my decision making and reads.
-Every time I play a cash game, I run the second nutz into the nutz and find villains spiking a scoop on the river to tilt me silly, so stop that already!
-PLAY MORE SIT-N-GOS AND DONKAMENTS - YOU FOOL!!!!

Oh, in BBT4 news.

***Brit Blogger was uneventful. Lost a flip with AQs vs. TT all in pre, then I shipped ATo over 125will's UTG open as a shortstack.. and Blinders with a big fat stack min fourball isolation raised me with.... KQs?

Yeah, I got runnerrunner flushed on the river. Was only bothered for a second, because honestly, 90% of the time he's raising a better hand than AT anyway - I was shocked I turned up the best hand. 23 of 36. Hey, at least the wifey finaltabled the event, go Photojenn!

***Riverchasers was a lot more amusing and fun. Notable hands.

Blinds still 15/30. I openraise AKo from MP for 90. LJ threeballs to 300 from the small blind.. and then IncaMabel, who I know nothing about... cold fourball shoves for 2940?
I tank and fold.
LJ calls with AKs.
IncaMabel has ATs.
Naturally, a T on the turn, and Inca doubles through, LJ's like one for a billion in this series because she runs so goot, NOT.

Anyhow I chip up gradually to 3800, when....
Blinds 30/60. I open in MP to 150 with 7d6d. Blinders flats right behind me with only an 870 chip stack. LOL. I vow not to put another chip in unless I flop huge and can crack that big pair.... ...and the RNG puts out a Jd9d8s flop. Naturally.
I go ahead and just overbet lead for 720 to put him in, Blinders calls with AhAc and I don't hit all 321 of my outs.

Later I get it in with Ac5c on a Jd7c4c flop against iaatg6296's J8s, and spike the flush on the turn... and the next hand, call buddydank's short stack shove with AcJs on a 8c7s4s flop - and watch his As2s hit the deuce on the turn, spade flush on the river.

Somehow I still manage to chip up to 4500... then run AK into quad sevens (747 flop checks through.. and of course K on the turn, A on the river to make me bet half my stack into the nizzles) - all of which leaves me staggering punchdrunk into the first break with +75 chips, 23 of 36.

I keep bouncing around until we get to three tables... and then I loves me my table image - like it really had anything to do with this hand...

Blinds 100/200, I open AKs to 575 from EP with a 4K stack. jimdniacc with a 10K stack flats quickly in the hijack. all fold behind.
Flop AJ7r, and I bet 950, get a quick call.
Turn Ts, so now I've got a nut flush and gutter Broadway draw as well. I'm like 99% sure I'm ahead and even if I'm wrong I've got outs. I shove for 2585, I get snapcalled with.....

A9o.

I guess I can be playing KK/QQ that oddly. or A8. or complete air.
Because that's all A9o beats.

Until the 8 spikes the river for the gutterball. Out 26 of 48.

So seven events this month, one points finish, no cashes. Variance sucks. Oh well, go play better - or run better, take your pick.

Just tell me to stick to the donkaments, pls, k thx.

EDIT: adding schtick because I can..

You Are a Cougar

You have more strength than most people, and with it, the ability to inflict a lot of harm. Your power gives you confidence, and you find leading others to be easy. You believe that you need to the best, and you are very driven to excel. Most people immediately admire you, but some people feel very envious of your abilities.

What Big Cat Are You?

arrrrrrrrrrrrrgh

Play the Mookie. Nothing happens of note. Never get lower than 2K or above 5K. I last almost two hours - then open shove A7s into JJ hiding in the blinds to bounce 21 of 72, just out of the points AGAIN.

If I'm not going to cash, at least let me point, and right now I'm getting neither.
I love the setups, too - I open raise in the cutoff, button shoves with JJ, big blind reshoves with KK. - Yeah, I found a fold there.

One amusing hand..

DeepChitNJ limps UTG at 40/80, I check my big blind, four to the flop - which is K73 two diamonds - blinds check, he shoves for 4300 into a 320 pot?

I know the AIPS was tonite as well, but the last time I played Stud it fried me so bad I will NOT play another Stud-only tournament anytime soon.

I would say FML, but Shaniac always links to stuff to keep it in perspective...

At least some decent stuff happened at the SnG tables.

So let's have a good Easter, everyone.

going boom...

Ok, April officially sucks. I must be like 1/20 for the month cashing in anything on FTP.

I keep running into better hands and not winning flips when I need it. Just in a weird zone where I get floated or raised every time I don't have it and get folds every time I'm betting for value. Bizarro world.

Anyhow, Skillz PLO8 was frustrating - especially after I played and ran so good in the Stars PLO8 SCOOP - I never could build a stack, even when I had two great spots early on to scoop and get to 6K, but we ended up splitting pots.... I made a marginal isolation reshove with KKQ4 (had my reasons, lol) over a shortie's limp/shove in a three way pot and ran smack into AAxx to get down to the felt, 40th of 42, before the first break.

Then I short-stack ninja'd great, made the second break, and was probably one big pot away from being a factor again - and I never won it. Finally went out two off the points bubble (third time I've done that this series, 120 points go poof!) when I called a button raise with AKQ3 from the blinds and shoved a J24 flop - and couldn't get there vs AAxx. (I have a habit of ignoring the fact most players only raise AAxx/A2xx preflop in PLO8...)

Maybe I can get things moving in the Mookie Wednesday like I've managed to do a lot this year...

case of blahs

either I'm just playing uninspired/burned out after the BBT4 March/SCOOP run, or variance is slapping me around for a few days...

but I just cannot get any mojo working lately. Of course, you make your own gogo juice....

*gigli in Rambler's TOC.
got to admit, I was unmotivated by a singlestack winner-take all tourney for a token,
so I dusted off chips pretty quickly and shoved 88 into KK on an undercard flop when I knew I was crushed. Bad stuff.

*Play one 90man-KO, watch a guy limp on the button, I raise to 120 with AA, he calls,
flop 862 with flush draw, I lead 200 he calls.
turn Q, I lead 600 he calls.
river 8, which should be a shitty card at this level because all sorts of bad players can't lay down top pair here - but I'm like w/e I haz nut overpair and shove my last 2K...
and get called by A8o

*Goof around some other SnGs, win one (played that one well) but get pounded in the rest...

*Played pretty meh in Riverchasers - I didn't pull the trigger in some pretty standard spots when I should be firing and it cost me some chips..

Then it's good to know it really wouldn't have mattered what I did here, as Troublecat should not be raise/folding from EP if I shove.

Full Tilt Poker Game #11549371483: PPI / Riverchasers Tournament (85828050), Table 4 - 50/100 - No Limit Hold'em - 22:57:15 ET - 2009/04/06
Seat 2: cracknaces (2,835)
Seat 3: heffmike (1,705)
Seat 4: 125Will (4,440)
Seat 5: NumbBono (3,485)
Seat 6: 1Queens Up1 (7,310)
Seat 7: Rake Feeder (3,365)
Seat 8: BuddyDank (2,490)
Seat 9: Troublecat (3,520)
1Queens Up1 posts the small blind of 50
Rake Feeder posts the big blind of 100
The button is in seat #5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [Ad As]
BuddyDank folds
Troublecat raises to 350
cracknaces folds
heffmike calls 350
125Will folds
NumbBono folds
1Queens Up1 folds
Rake Feeder calls 250
*** FLOP *** [Ts Qh 2c]
Rake Feeder checks
Troublecat bets 650
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike raises to 1,300
Rake Feeder has 15 seconds left to act
Rake Feeder calls 1,300
Troublecat has 15 seconds left to act
Troublecat has requested TIME
Troublecat raises to 3,170, and is all in
heffmike calls 55, and is all in
Rake Feeder calls 1,715, and is all in
Troublecat shows [Tc Th]
heffmike shows [Ad As]
Rake Feeder shows [Jd Kh]
Uncalled bet of 155 returned to Troublecat
*** TURN *** [Ts Qh 2c] [9s]
*** RIVER *** [Ts Qh 2c 9s] [6h]
heffmike: boo boo boo
Troublecat shows three of a kind, Tens
Rake Feeder shows a straight, King high
Rake Feeder wins the side pot (3,320) with a straight, King high
heffmike shows a pair of Aces
Rake Feeder wins the main pot (5,165) with a straight, King high
heffmike stands up
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 8,485 Main pot 5,165. Side pot 3,320. | Rake 0
Board: [Ts Qh 2c 9s 6h]
Seat 2: cracknaces didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: heffmike showed [Ad As] and lost with a pair of Aces
Seat 4: 125Will didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: NumbBono (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: 1Queens Up1 (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 7: Rake Feeder (big blind) showed [Jd Kh] and won (8,485) with a straight, King high
Seat 8: BuddyDank didn't bet (folded)
Seat 9: Troublecat showed [Tc Th] and lost with three of a kind, Tens

39 of 56. ick.

But there's PLO8 Skillz tomorrow, more satty fun, as I try to get on a good streak in some SnGs.... and build some momentum back up again.

eh, should've went out...

Decided to stick around and play Goat's BBmT. Busto 10th of 13.
Decide to flip for 50BB, get it in good and can't fade the threeouter.

Play some simple $8 token donk-n-gos... I've been running so bad in these lately and busto well short of the token twice.

Play two $25 double shootouts for the middle $1060 Stars SCOOP ME.

In one, run a set into a nut flush draw on the flop and he gets there on the river.

In the other, I threeball here and get owned by another three outer/bluffcatcher.
I have to quit trying to push guys around with a long history of profit, because they just won't give up in spots most villains would.

Seat 2: 10-2x2 (1255 in chips)
Seat 3: capitanexus (2325 in chips)
Seat 4: hondizls (1430 in chips)
Seat 5: tigercat17 (3215 in chips)
Seat 6: steveMFrush (1420 in chips)
Seat 7: heffmike (1540 in chips)
Seat 8: floda1 (745 in chips)
Seat 9: TAKAAA (1570 in chips)
TAKAAA: posts small blind 10
10-2x2: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [Tc Js]
capitanexus: calls 20
hondizls: folds
tigercat17: folds
steveMFrush: folds
heffmike: calls 20
floda1: calls 20
TAKAAA: calls 10
10-2x2: checks
*** FLOP *** [3d 8s 9s]
TAKAAA: checks
10-2x2: checks
capitanexus: checks
heffmike: bets 100
floda1: calls 100
TAKAAA: folds
10-2x2: calls 100
capitanexus: folds
*** TURN *** [3d 8s 9s] [5c]
10-2x2: checks
heffmike: bets 300
floda1: calls 300
10-2x2: calls 300
*** RIVER *** [3d 8s 9s 5c] [4d]
10-2x2: checks
heffmike: bets 600
floda1: folds
10-2x2: raises 235 to 835 and is all-in
heffmike: calls 235
heffmike said, "that's so so bad... I gotta see this one"
*** SHOW DOWN ***
10-2x2: shows [9c Jd] (a pair of Nines)
heffmike: shows [Tc Js] (high card Jack)
10-2x2 collected 2970 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2970 | Rake 0
Board [3d 8s 9s 5c 4d]
Seat 2: 10-2x2 (big blind) showed [9c Jd] and won (2970) with a pair of Nines
Seat 3: capitanexus folded on the Flop
Seat 4: hondizls folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: tigercat17 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: steveMFrush folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: heffmike showed [Tc Js] and lost with high card Jack
Seat 8: floda1 (button) folded on the River
Seat 9: TAKAAA (small blind) folded on the Flop

Oh, also run a FPP satty to the 109ME, running way good when I get owned again by someone who says afterward they are tried and trying to go... DIEDIEDIE. my pet peeve strikes again.

PokerStars Game #26773974498: Tournament #153403127, 77FPP Hold'em No Limit - Level IX (300/600) - 2009/04/05 22:56:59 ET
Table '153403127 1' 9-max Seat #3 is the button
Seat 1: startin ovr' (89016 in chips)
Seat 3: _s_a_r_s_195 (7875 in chips)
Seat 4: DeReKrOd (19223 in chips)
Seat 5: heffmike (46954 in chips)
Seat 6: big94 (11434 in chips)
Seat 7: bobboclock63 (55999 in chips)
Seat 8: Superfish25 (33503 in chips)
startin ovr': posts the ante 50
_s_a_r_s_195: posts the ante 50
DeReKrOd: posts the ante 50
heffmike: posts the ante 50
big94: posts the ante 50
bobboclock63: posts the ante 50
Superfish25: posts the ante 50
DeReKrOd: posts small blind 300
heffmike: posts big blind 600
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [Ah Qd]
big94: folds
bobboclock63: folds
Superfish25: folds
startin ovr': folds
_s_a_r_s_195: folds
DeReKrOd: raises 18573 to 19173 and is all-in
veljko62 is connected
luke1601 is connected
heffmike: calls 18573
luke1601 said, "6 6"
*** FLOP *** [2d Kc 6s]
*** TURN *** [2d Kc 6s] [5c]
*** RIVER *** [2d Kc 6s 5c] [6c]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
DeReKrOd: shows [Tc 9c] (a flush, King high)
heffmike: shows [Ah Qd] (a pair of Sixes)
DeReKrOd collected 38696 from pot
DeReKrOd said, "yesssssssssssssssssssssssssss"
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 38696 | Rake 0
Board [2d Kc 6s 5c 6c]
Seat 1: startin ovr' folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: _s_a_r_s_195 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: DeReKrOd (small blind) showed [Tc 9c] and won (38696) with a flush, King high
Seat 5: heffmike (big blind) showed [Ah Qd] and lost with a pair of Sixes
Seat 6: big94 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: bobboclock63 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: Superfish25 folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Nights like these suck.

I'm a nit now, but I haz points

or at least I figured out how to get reasonably deep in the BritBlogger game.

-Register late - as I was just getting back from being out of town for the weekend - with a minute to spare
-Run QQ into AJ for stacks. Hold.
-Run KK into AQ for stacks. Hold.

and that gets you up to 6K and the chip lead in hour two.

What knocks you from that perch is running 99 into a shortie's AA and then never winning a big pot after that...

but hey, someone shoves and I have QQ, I reshove and hold vs. A8, and that gives me enough juice to make the final table.

Then I get stupid and stack off here to go out first, 9th of 42.
That's what I get for not actually being aggressive for once.

Meh, it's points, I guess I bought them for $5.50.....

Full Tilt Poker Game #11526654027: Brit Blogger Game (85660179), Table 2 - 200/400 Ante 50 - No Limit Hold'em - 18:02:19 ET - 2009/04/05
Seat 1: BrainMc (4,935)
Seat 2: DaBag (9,778)
Seat 3: sophie2002 (7,725)
Seat 4: yestbay1 (3,000)
Seat 5: jimdniacc (7,766)
Seat 6: ElSnarfGrande (7,438)
Seat 7: Bessin (5,545)
Seat 8: Shabazz Jenkins (13,109)
Seat 9: heffmike (3,704)
BrainMc antes 50
DaBag antes 50
sophie2002 antes 50
yestbay1 antes 50
jimdniacc antes 50
ElSnarfGrande antes 50
Bessin antes 50
Shabazz Jenkins antes 50
heffmike antes 50
heffmike posts the small blind of 200
BrainMc posts the big blind of 400
The button is in seat #8
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [8h 5s]
DaBag folds
sophie2002 folds
yestbay1 folds
jimdniacc folds
ElSnarfGrande folds
Bessin folds
Shabazz Jenkins folds
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike calls 200
BrainMc checks
*** FLOP *** [Ac 5c 2s]
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike bets 1,250
BrainMc has 15 seconds left to act
BrainMc raises to 2,500
heffmike raises to 3,254, and is all in
BrainMc calls 754
heffmike shows [8h 5s]
BrainMc shows [4s 3c]
*** TURN *** [Ac 5c 2s] [Ts]
*** RIVER *** [Ac 5c 2s Ts] [Js]
heffmike shows a pair of Fives
BrainMc shows a straight, Five high
BrainMc wins the pot (7,758) with a straight, Five high
heffmike stands up
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 7,758 | Rake 0
Board: [Ac 5c 2s Ts Js]
Seat 1: BrainMc (big blind) showed [4s 3c] and won (7,758) with a straight, Five high
Seat 2: DaBag folded before the Flop
Seat 3: sophie2002 folded before the Flop
Seat 4: yestbay1 folded before the Flop
Seat 5: jimdniacc folded before the Flop
Seat 6: ElSnarfGrande folded before the Flop
Seat 7: Bessin folded before the Flop
Seat 8: Shabazz Jenkins (button) folded before the Flop
Seat 9: heffmike (small blind) showed [8h 5s] and lost with a pair of Fives

I may show up at Goat's tournament tonite.
Depends if I feel like playing live for free, or online for actual mobneys.
Actually a tossup, believe it or not.
I like the lineup I see, though. Good group to play against.

not doing that again anytime soon..

(or, how top two sucks in Omaha)

so yeah, I ran both the $11 and $109 PLO8 SCOOP tourneys on Stars Thursday... Wow are most PLO8 tournament players badbadbad. I don't think I had a hard decision all night long - maybe 2 or 3 in eight hours.

So,
Brag - I outlast over 99% of the field and finish 44th of over 7600 players
Beat - it was in the $11 tourney, not the $109, and I only made $133.

The $109 was fun, I had an above average stack four hours in, top 100, with less than 700 players left (306 make mobney in Stars' way too flat payout structure) when I have a standard PLO8 hand.

Me, 22760 in chips, second at the table, everyone else has around 10 K except for
Sdouble, with 56K, who is a profitable high-buyin Omaha tourney player.

Sdouble limps for 400, I reraise from the SB with AsTsQh2c to 1150, he calls.
Flop Td3c6d. I lead for 1750, he calls.
Turn Qc, so now I have top two with the nut low draw, I bet 4000, Sdouble pots, I don't like it, but I've got too much hand and put my last 2K in, he calls with 6533r. Well, at least a low card chops it and I've got the four Queens and Tens left to fill up.

He fills up on the river with the 6s, I get scooped and am out 652 of 2105.
EDIT: yeah, of course he wins the damn $109 and final tables the $530R 6-max as well. Dopey Maryland dude... :-)

Meanwhile I really start crushing the low-buy in game... I stay in the top 50 for hours, always 2x the average stack - I rocket up to the chip lead in hour 6 by RUNNING LIKE GOD and get over a million in chips. (gee that looks nice underneath your avatar) I slow down a bit as we get to hour 8 and finally have the anvil fall on my head.

Villain, who is a microstakes grinder ($2 average buy in, all $200 of his profit in the last month) raises in EP to 120K (blinds 20k/40k) with a 570K stack and I flat behind with AcQcQsJs and a 1.12M stack. All fold.
Flop Kh7c5c. He leads 120K, I pot it to put him all in, he calls off his stack with Ad9d8d2s. Naked low and gutterball straight...
Which binks on the turn, 6h. Well, I've got flush outs to get some back...
and the river's a 5h and I get scooped. Joy.

A few hands later, same guy limps UTG, I pot with AAJ9r (yeah, not great, but I've only have 15BB now) all fold around and he calls.
Flop T67r, he jams and I call all in.... he shows AhJc3h2d for the naked low again....
Turn 9 (yay) River 4 (boo) and we chop.

Finally, some guy limps in the cutoff, I complete in the small blind with AKT8r, big blind (a new account from Vegas that just started playing Stars tourneys this week, uhhuh) checks.
Flop T87 with two spades, I decide I'm better off leading than checking/shoving or risking a free card, I pot with top two to 120K, big blind repots to 480K, I put my last 50K in hoping he's on a draw...

instead of the J963 he has for the flopped nizzles. I don't get the board to pair and I'm dunzo.
These two momos end up finishing top four.

so coming away from this?

1) playing eight hours for $120 net is.... disappointing.
2) I played pretty good though, regardless.
3)Thanks to the rail that found me in the tourney.... the usual suspects, you know who you are.

I don't really have any other SCOOP plans... there's Stud/8 on Tuesday I may try (already in the 22, may try to satellite the 215 if I want to smack myself upside the head another eight hours) and the $109 ME Sunday the 12th is a possibility depending on things....

Otherwise, off until Sunday.

Man, I felt like I had a decent shot at some final table run and four-figure mobneys. Oh well.

Hey, at least next week's Skillz is PLO8.

turning the page, kind of....

Ricky Bobby: Wait, Dad. Don't you remember the time you told me "If you ain't first, you're last"?
Reese Bobby: Huh? What are you talking about, Son?
Ricky Bobby: That day at school.
Reese Bobby: Oh hell, Son, I was high that day. That doesn't make any sense at all, you can be second, third, fourth... hell you can even be fifth.
Ricky Bobby: What? I've lived my whole life by that!

So yeah. That'll happen. I'll be settling for second in points, second in mobneys won, in March.

The good - making over 200% ROI in the BBT4 so far, one ToC seat and two seconds.
The bad - not making a dent in anything that's not a doublestack NLHE event, spewing far too often and not being consistent enough.

So, I don't know if I really need to change anything, or just keep doing what I'm doing, look like an ass 2/3rds of the time and run deep the other third.

I'm really not that focused right now - I feel like Robert Scott getting to the South Pole a month after the Norweigians did :-) - and that shows when I busto from the Mookie by 10:15 because I forgot how trappy silly TheBlueHeron is.

I'm up to 3500 after making nut flush vs. second nut flush with lightning36 when TBH limps in the hijack, I raise the cutoff with AQ and he calls.
Flop A63, two clubs, he check calls 300.
turn Ks putting two flush draws on board... he checks, I bet 800, NOW he shoves for 1950... and it just smells like a dopey twopair/set/AK trap more than a flush draw - and I fold, and he happily shows 33.

When it comes around to our blinds, he limps his small blind, I raise to 120 with ATo, he repops for 360 - and I just have a fuck it moment and shove for 2100, because I figure anyone who limp/repops a better hand deserves to have me suckout on it. :-)

No, getting almost 55BB in preflop with ATo is not recommended.

He calls with AKs - and I do river a T after a K comes out on the flop - so I busto 75 of 77.

The funny thing is, I had thought of some goals for April (and I'm actually getting into some prop bet action to try to keep me focused - like it worked) and they were...

-quit doing stupid shit.
-play better in tournaments outside of the doublestack NLHE events (Skilz/BritBlogger)
-quit going so busto so early.
-keep my overall and monthly points leaderboards rankings strong
-quit doing stupid shit.
-have someone rip my play in chat at least once a week.

So far, not doing too hot. No one even laughed when I shoved ATo. Sigh.

Well, try to recycle for next week. I did manage to satellite into the $109 PLO8 SCOOP event on Stars Thursday, so I'll need to decide if I'm really messing with that or just taking the $T instead.

Later...