and finis.....

So I play kind of loose and bad in the first hour of the Big Game, in between my connection flopping in and out, and make the break with 4500 in chips, 34 of 45, with 49 runners...

People were making a lot of moves at this table - shoving flops with K5o, five-betting all in pre for 90BB with a suited hammer... I end up doubling through to 7800 with this hand..

Full Tilt Poker Game #12549354821: Blogger Big Game (81289279), Table 4 - 40/80 - No Limit Hold'em - 22:21:49 ET - 2009/05/31
Seat 1: hoyazo (10,084)
Seat 2: willwonka (5,215)
Seat 3: cracknaces (10,913)
Seat 4: heffmike (3,795)
Seat 5: NewinNov (6,693)
Seat 6: HighOnPoker (4,150)
Seat 7: iam23skidoo (11,945)
Seat 9: Chippy McStacks (3,510)
willwonka posts the small blind of 40
cracknaces posts the big blind of 80
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [Ts Th]
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike raises to 200
NewinNov folds
HighOnPoker calls 200
iam23skidoo folds
Chippy McStacks folds
hoyazo folds
willwonka folds
cracknaces calls 120
*** FLOP *** [Tc As 4c]
cracknaces checks
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike bets 525
HighOnPoker folds
cracknaces has 15 seconds left to act
cracknaces raises to 1,759
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike raises to 3,595, and is all in
cracknaces calls 1,836
heffmike shows [Ts Th]
cracknaces shows [Ac 5c]
*** TURN *** [Tc As 4c] [Qs]
*** RIVER *** [Tc As 4c Qs] [7s]
heffmike shows three of a kind, Tens
cracknaces shows a pair of Aces
heffmike wins the pot (7,830) with three of a kind, Tens
Chippy McStacks: nh
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 7,830 | Rake 0
Board: [Tc As 4c Qs 7s]
Seat 1: hoyazo (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: willwonka (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 3: cracknaces (big blind) showed [Ac 5c] and lost with a pair of Aces
Seat 4: heffmike showed [Ts Th] and won (7,830) with three of a kind, Tens
Seat 5: NewinNov didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: HighOnPoker folded on the Flop
Seat 7: iam23skidoo didn't bet (folded)
Seat 9: Chippy McStacks didn't bet (folded)

I never really get past this stack size, though... I run into flopped flushes twice in multiway limped pots preflop - once with my Queen-high flush vs. the nut flush, and once with my nut draw that doesn't get there against an 8 high flush.

Anyhow, I end up coolering myself again when willwonka opens UTG with a 6K stack at 100/200, and I shove AKo for 20BB despite the nagging feeling this is a bad idea in this spot. Sure enough, he calls with KK and I'm not even drawing live, and don't spike to bounce in 31st.

So after knowing I needed a big last week of the BBT4, I end up with one minimal points finish. Bleh.

Looks like Jordan managed to rally and snatch the May leaderboard from QueensUp with a 3rd in the Brit Blogger earlier today... Meanwhile, the overall leaderboard is still pending on what TJ does later in the Big Game, as is my final spot (waiting for Shabazz Jenkins to bust, pls, k, thx)

So it ends... Will ponder the overall series and my performance once the final standings are out this week.

I'll probably take it easy this week playing - I'll show up for the Mookie but not sure what else past that. I'll just get prepped for the TOC next Sunday, and will probably run the $650 Stars WSOP satty as well (I've got enough W$ to do this) and put all my eggs in one evening's basket.. :-)

I see ace-ace a lot lately.

well, that went down a standard road for me.... Win the first few pots, decide to take some non-standard lines with position and screw up a few hands to spew chips.... raise/fold a couple times... finally raise/call lightning36's shove with AK and get to see AA. Done 38 of 48.

I bothered to play 11 BritBloggers. I failed to cash in any of them.

It's obvious that a 5.50 single stack NLHE tourney is a less than ideal spot for someone like me.
If it wasn't for points standings, I'd probably never play one, to be honest.

Then again, outside of flopping top two pair one time, I never had a hand except for AK either...

Anyhow, will quest for mobneys tonite in the Big Game. as all other BBT4 goals are shot to hell now.

it may be a skill game, but don't forget about luck.

yeah, all sorts of fun stuff happened during the Mookie last night.. but if you want to know how all the leaderboards turned for the BBT4, all you needed to do was watch for five minutes Wednesday night.

To set up, we're at two tables... Queens, TJ, and I are all at the same table.. I got to 9K really early during hour one, but stagnated all through hour two until I shove a flopped nut flush draw vs. TPNK that gets there to get to 12K. We are fully aware all of us need to get deep, maybe even win, and then play well Sunday to have a chance at anything for May or overall points.

Hand 1 - Gotta run goot sometimes.

Full Tilt Poker Game #12475478538: The Mookie (92134876), Table 6 - 250/500 Ante 50 - No Limit Hold'em - 0:20:01 ET - 2009/05/28
Seat 1: blaargh86 (23,010)
Seat 2: ScottMc (6,250)
Seat 3: 1Queens Up1 (8,065)
Seat 5: heffmike (15,815)
Seat 6: wwonka69 (10,040)
Seat 7: TuscaloosaJohn (17,080)
Seat 8: NewinNov (22,610)
blaargh86 antes 50
ScottMc antes 50
1Queens Up1 antes 50
heffmike antes 50
wwonka69 antes 50
TuscaloosaJohn antes 50
NewinNov antes 50
heffmike posts the small blind of 250
wwonka69 posts the big blind of 500
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [2s Tc]
TuscaloosaJohn folds
NewinNov folds
blaargh86 folds
ScottMc folds
1Queens Up1 raises to 2,100
heffmike folds
TuscaloosaJohn is feeling happy
wwonka69 has 15 seconds left to act
TuscaloosaJohn is feeling angry
wwonka69 raises to 4,200
1Queens Up1 raises to 8,015, and is all in
wwonka69 calls 3,815
1Queens Up1 shows [7s 7h]
wwonka69 shows [Ad Ac]
*** FLOP *** [7d 3s Ts]
*** TURN *** [7d 3s Ts] [Qs]
*** RIVER *** [7d 3s Ts Qs] [6h]
1Queens Up1 shows three of a kind, Sevens
wwonka69 shows a pair of Aces
1Queens Up1 wins the pot (16,630) with three of a kind, Sevens
TuscaloosaJohn: ding
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 16,630 | Rake 0
Board: [7d 3s Ts Qs 6h]
Seat 1: blaargh86 folded before the Flop
Seat 2: ScottMc folded before the Flop
Seat 3: 1Queens Up1 (button) showed [7s 7h] and won (16,630) with three of a kind, Sevens
Seat 5: heffmike (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 6: wwonka69 (big blind) showed [Ad Ac] and lost with a pair of Aces
Seat 7: TuscaloosaJohn folded before the Flop
Seat 8: NewinNov folded before the Flop


Hand 2 - If they were telling the truth in chat, this was QQ v. TT. I'm not sure I believe that. Huge checkraise play on the turn by Queens when TJ can easily take the free card and play the river in position to minimize the damage/try to spike.

Full Tilt Poker Game #12475508773: The Mookie (92134876), Table 6 - 250/500 Ante 50 - No Limit Hold'em - 0:21:58 ET - 2009/05/28
Seat 1: blaargh86 (22,335)
Seat 2: ScottMc (6,100)
Seat 3: 1Queens Up1 (16,530)
Seat 5: heffmike (15,415)
Seat 6: wwonka69 (5,475)
Seat 7: TuscaloosaJohn (16,180)
Seat 8: NewinNov (20,835)
blaargh86 antes 50
ScottMc antes 50
1Queens Up1 antes 50
heffmike antes 50
wwonka69 antes 50
TuscaloosaJohn antes 50
NewinNov antes 50
NewinNov posts the small blind of 250
blaargh86 posts the big blind of 500
TuscaloosaJohn: ha
The button is in seat #7
1Queens Up1: lol or not
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [Qc 6c]
ScottMc folds
1Queens Up1 raises to 2,000
heffmike folds
wwonka69 folds
TuscaloosaJohn calls 2,000
NewinNov folds
blaargh86 folds
*** FLOP *** [7c 3d Jc]
1Queens Up1 bets 2,700
TuscaloosaJohn calls 2,700
*** TURN *** [7c 3d Jc] [4d]
1Queens Up1 checks
TuscaloosaJohn bets 4,000
1Queens Up1 raises to 11,780, and is all in
TuscaloosaJohn has 15 seconds left to act
TuscaloosaJohn folds
Uncalled bet of 7,780 returned to 1Queens Up1
1Queens Up1 mucks
1Queens Up1 wins the pot (18,500)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 18,500 | Rake 0
Board: [7c 3d Jc 4d]
Seat 1: blaargh86 (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 2: ScottMc folded before the Flop
Seat 3: 1Queens Up1 collected (18,500), mucked
Seat 5: heffmike folded before the Flop
Seat 6: wwonka69 folded before the Flop
Seat 7: TuscaloosaJohn (button) folded on the Turn
Seat 8: NewinNov (small blind) folded before the Flop

The beauty of this is, Queens can have an overpair. He can have a set. He can have AcKc. He can have an underpair, or a freaking Joker and Uno card. He's repping a strong yet wide enough range here with a turn check/shove that TJ has to guess where he's at, can't really call with less than two pair despite getting almost 3-1, and even holdings like AJ/QQ are reduced to basically bluff catching here.

Hand 3 - This really is a fold - I still have almost 20BB behind, Queens is not known for playing back at me light, I opened UTG at a six handed table and I'm still getting threebet, and the raise size is designed to commit him to calling my shove regardless of what either one of us has. I tanked for the entire time before shoving. I wanted to fold, but for 20BB, and maybe he has AK....

Full Tilt Poker Game #12475577843: The Mookie (92134876), Table 6 - 300/600 Ante 75 - No Limit Hold'em - 0:26:28 ET - 2009/05/28
Seat 1: blaargh86 (23,210)
Seat 2: ScottMc (5,175)
Seat 3: 1Queens Up1 (27,655)
Seat 5: heffmike (13,590)
Seat 7: TuscaloosaJohn (5,955)
Seat 8: NewinNov (27,285)
blaargh86 antes 75
ScottMc antes 75
1Queens Up1 antes 75
heffmike antes 75
TuscaloosaJohn antes 75
NewinNov antes 75
ScottMc posts the small blind of 300
1Queens Up1 posts the big blind of 600
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [8d 8c]
TuscaloosaJohn: TT
wwonka69 (Observer): gl everyone
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike raises to 1,725
TuscaloosaJohn: gg gn
TuscaloosaJohn folds
1Queens Up1: gg
NewinNov folds
blaargh86 folds
ScottMc folds
1Queens Up1 raises to 5,925
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike has requested TIME
heffmike raises to 13,515, and is all in
1Queens Up1 calls 7,590
heffmike shows [8d 8c]
1Queens Up1 shows [Ac Ad]
*** FLOP *** [3s 8h 2h]
heffmike: arrgh
*** TURN *** [3s 8h 2h] [4h]
*** RIVER *** [3s 8h 2h 4h] [Ah]
1Queens Up1: boom
heffmike shows three of a kind, Eights
1Queens Up1 shows three of a kind, Aces
1Queens Up1 wins the pot (27,780) with three of a kind, Aces
1Queens Up1: ouch
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 27,780 | Rake 0
Board: [3s 8h 2h 4h Ah]
Seat 1: blaargh86 (button) folded before the Flop
Seat 2: ScottMc (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 3: 1Queens Up1 (big blind) showed [Ac Ad] and won (27,780) with three of a kind, Aces
Seat 5: heffmike showed [8d 8c] and lost with three of a kind, Eights
Seat 7: TuscaloosaJohn folded before the Flop
Seat 8: NewinNov folded before the Flop

Yeah, I liked the shove until the river (what a results-oriented muppet, right?). 11th of 76.

Nice to catch a two outer for stacks, then resuck from another two outer by binking a 10/90 on the river. That'll happen. What can you do?

Both of us shoved a mid-pair into a reraise from the blinds that was never folding.
We both flopped sets anyway.
One of us actually held.
Everything is standard, no sketchy play at all in any of those spots with shallow stacks.

Counting the cash for overall places, plus the potential for one of us to catch Jordan for the May... oh, maybe that's a four-figure swing of EV there in three hands.

I think I will just be happy I won a two-table SnG for +122 while playing the Mookie and leave it at that.

What, try to win both Sunday tournaments now? Uh, ok.

Fuck.

bad night, but good day.

Well, Tuesday night sucked sucked sucked.

(EDIT: but this isn't bad either - thx, TJ)

-Skillz sucked. I play slow and careful early and get up to 3800 chips about an hour in... and then I can't buy a pot after that - Everyone spikes two pair or bangs a board so juicy I can't call down because I don't have shit and don't fish drawing to three outs in this game. Anyway, I bounce playing bad 33 of 45, and get to watch EVERYONE worth a damn in points get deep. I knew not making anything happen the last two nights was going to burn me.

I was only 120 points away from first in both the overall and monthly standings... who knows how far I will be buried after tonite with three tourneys to go.... although if I don't point, it doesn't matter what anyone else does anyway, so worry about what I do first, pls, k, thx.

-Every SnG I fire up hoses me - Every draw comes in, I can't make any hands hold, I get coolered when I'm not playing like a muppet.

I love rivering two pair BvB with K9 on a KT689 board and getting blindsided by QJ after raising/leading every street.
I love getting yelled for being retarded after bet/shoving a river with 62 from the blinds on a 74J63 board and getting called by an limped-in-EP 55 (WTF, he's not supposed to have a five, geez that was poorly timed...).
I love shoving 77 over an EP raise and having the blind call off 3/4 of this stack with K4s and getting there.
I love when on the PLO8 bubble, the shorty shoves Q963 vs. my QQ96 BvB and the flop comes 33x.

I did win a token. Whee.

Anyhow, it's the first time I've been this steamed in a while. Stud does that to me... I will NEVER NEVER EVER play another Stud tournament, I don't give a shit what it's for. At least I'm not trying to hit the cash tables to make up for it. That's a leak I'm cutting out now...

But, the day was good overall. I did find out there's a baby girl coming my way in October.

Now I just have to figure out how to raise a kid of my own from scratch... :-)

Mookie Wednesday FTW, or f-t-something, whatever.

third verse, same as the first.

yeah, well, I get the same opportunity as I did Sunday and fail to take advantage again. this time, it's one of those "that'll happen" things with a twist

Long story short, first hour nothing happens, second hour I start stepping on the throttle and making hands as I get to two tables with an average stack... where for once I actually make a hand in these spots and don't hold...

Full Tilt Poker Game #12436694570: PPI / Riverchasers Tournament (91882521), Table 3 - 120/240 Ante 25 - No Limit Hold'em - 23:40:08 ET - 2009/05/25
Seat 1: jamyhawk (2,450)
Seat 2: NumbBono (4,573)
Seat 3: TheCloserX5 (5,270)
Seat 4: JCutt03 (6,142)
Seat 5: bayne_s (3,200)
Seat 6: heffmike (4,561)
Seat 7: twoblackaces (14,569)
Seat 8: Tony Eusebio (9,565)
Seat 9: ElSnarfGrande (8,164)
jamyhawk antes 25
NumbBono antes 25
TheCloserX5 antes 25
JCutt03 antes 25
bayne_s antes 25
heffmike antes 25
twoblackaces antes 25
Tony Eusebio antes 25
ElSnarfGrande antes 25
ElSnarfGrande posts the small blind of 120
jamyhawk posts the big blind of 240
The button is in seat #8
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [3h 3s]
NumbBono folds
TheCloserX5 folds
JCutt03 folds
bayne_s folds
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike raises to 775
twoblackaces folds
Tony Eusebio has 15 seconds left to act
Tony Eusebio has requested TIME
Tony Eusebio calls 775
ElSnarfGrande folds
jamyhawk folds
*** FLOP *** [Jd 5s 3d]
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike bets 1,500
Tony Eusebio raises to 8,765, and is all in
heffmike calls 2,261, and is all in
Tony Eusebio shows [Qd Kd]
heffmike shows [3h 3s]
Uncalled bet of 5,004 returned to Tony Eusebio
*** TURN *** [Jd 5s 3d] [6d]
*** RIVER *** [Jd 5s 3d 6d] [9h]
Tony Eusebio shows a flush, King high
heffmike shows three of a kind, Threes
Tony Eusebio wins the pot (9,657) with a flush, King high
heffmike stands up
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 9,657 | Rake 0
Board: [Jd 5s 3d 6d 9h]
Seat 1: jamyhawk (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 2: NumbBono folded before the Flop
Seat 3: TheCloserX5 folded before the Flop
Seat 4: JCutt03 folded before the Flop
Seat 5: bayne_s folded before the Flop
Seat 6: heffmike showed [3h 3s] and lost with three of a kind, Threes
Seat 7: twoblackaces folded before the Flop
Seat 8: Tony Eusebio (button) showed [Qd Kd] and won (9,657) with a flush, King high
Seat 9: ElSnarfGrande (small blind) folded before the Flop

FUCK, DON'T TANK CALL PRE ON THE BUTTON WITH KQs and 80BB.

Hand plays itself post flop, no big deal - but c'mon, an openraise for less than 10% of your stack with position?
Call, fold or raise, but it's NOT a hard spot.
Maybe he's multi-tabling, who knows....

So yeah, maybe don't openraise 33 pre when I need to final table, but I'm not going to slow down that far away from the points and turtle my way in. I do this, I get it done my way, whether it's smart or not.

Done 18th of 41. Boo that, because I should be able to fade the flip and have a 40BB stack with 18 players left, which is enough to get the job done. Oh well, because of points circumstances, I have to play the Skillz Stud game now, which is an equivalent to bathing in gasoline for me....

Joy Joy... given my attitude and the way I've been running in Skillz the last month, this means a final table for sure....

getting the practice in, isn't AK the nizzles?

since the live HORSE game I was trying to play fell through Saturday, decided to give some large field MTTs a shot....

35K on FTP - in for $26, get past 95% of the field, finish 79th of 1540 when some big stack shoves 33 on the button for 26BB effective over my LP open with AKo and I don't get there. +$33, whee.

an interesting $5.50, double rebuy/one add-on tourney on Stars, in for the max 20.50, again make it past 95% of the field, finish 24 of 440 after someone open/shoves 20BB on the button with A4o, I call with AK in the big blind and watch a 4 flop... then I shove 33 into AK (bizzaro world!!) and don't hold. +$17, whee again.

I need to run better on flips, obv.

Of course, this transitions nicely to the BritBlogger. Only 26 runners, and in my favor, TJ, Queens, and Jordan all bounce out in the first level... of course, I can't cash in on the opportunity to close the points gap.

Nothing notable happens, good, bad or indifferent... I get up to 2100 as we get to two tables... but I go card and spot dead yet again with 12-15 players left and I bounce on the final table bubble when I open shove 22 into Smokkee's 66 and he flops a set anyway. 10th of 26.

Let's gogo again tomorrow night and not waste fortunate chances again.

well, I got three instead...

I cooler Chad's alterego/wifey very early in the Mookie.

Blinds 20/40, I'm up to 3100 with 88 in the small blind.
Chippy McStacks opens for 140 in MP, cracknKK flats on the button, I call, big blind folds
Flop QJ8r. I lead for 350, Chippy folds, cracknKK shoves (wow omg)
I think and decide if I'm coolered by an overset or T9, so be it.
I call, cracknKK rolls over QJ for top two and I hold to get to 6K

I really like my opening table, but then I get moved to a table with Smokkee, queensup, and cmitch on my left. Boo that.

After bitching about me opening too much in late position, Smokkee takes a chance and valuetowns me with a meh hand.

Blinds 30/60, I have 6K and cover Smokkee's 2500 stack.
I open with AKo in the cutoff for 175, Smokkee calls on the button, heads up to a flop.
Flop 833, I check call 300.
Turn another 3, I check call 600
River J, It goes check check and Smokkee rolls over 22 ftw. Fuck.

Pretty much the worst hand in my range I would get to the river with there...
Figured I would get looked up if I lead the river given my image, and I would continue to check/call a third street with almost any pocket pair to let Smokkee try to run me over.
I decided to call down with AK just in case he's assuming I have shit and is valuebetting AQ/AJ.

I can say all of this, but basically I screwed up, took a bad line and let him win a pot. Oh well.

So I get to the first break with just 4640 after chipping up big early :-(

I do win a small pot later v. Smokkee when I complete my blind with A6, he raises from the big blind and I call.
Ace on the flop, goes check/check.
Turn's a blank, I check/call 400 into a 600 pot.
River blank, goes check/check again and I spike vs. Smokkee's KK.

So I don't open raise every freaking time it's folded around to me.
I suck out in those spots instead.

Anyway I get moved to a much better table, chip back up to 8K...

but when Shabazz Jenkins openshoves from UTG+1 for 3K at 120/240/25,
I get tempted to flip with AQ and call, but I can't get there against his 33, ugh.

I reshove/isolate over Columbo's 1600 chip push with AT, but he has KK and I dump some more chips.

At least I resteal a couple of times after the second break, and then shove 20BB with AA over pushmonkey72's UTG raise, he calls with AK and I fade it to get up over 12K and decent shape to make the points bubble.

This is the end of the interesting part of the tournament.

Much like the other two final tables this week, I can't manage to take advantage of shorthanded play near the final table bubble and grow my stack. Simply carddead and the spots to make plays just aren't there.

I tread water and get to the final table pretty short, as in last in chips.

Seat 1: veryjosie (57,007)
Seat 2: heffmike (10,382)
Seat 3: smokkee (19,590)
Seat 4: OMGitsPokerFool (17,628)
Seat 5: Bessin (37,081)
Seat 6: kaellinn18 (14,487)
Seat 7: Shabazz Jenkins (29,818)
Seat 8: RNallin (25,248)
Seat 9: qrs1 (13,759)

I shove a couple of times to get to 14K, but get bounced when Rnallin (25K) tanks and open raises UTG for 2500 at 500/1000/125. I ALMOST consider folding JJ, because the bet sizing is so so sketchy.
But I go ahead and shove anyway, Smokkee sticks in his 14K stack right behind me, and the three of us roll over....

RNallin - QQ
Smokkee - KK
me - JJ, lol, fml.

A King flops just to make it look good.
Out 9th of 75 for $18.75. whee.

I didn't play particularly well, but I got the most out of the spots I was in for the most part, so I can't complain that much.

Three final tables in one week is nice. Finishing 6th/6th/9th, not so much.

At least I'm a good luck charm this week.

Whoever I bust out to at the final table (HighOnPoker, pvanharibo, smokkee) wins.

Six more BBT4 events to go... I'm about 180 points out of 1st in both the overall points (2nd) and the May points (4th) - just close enough to tease me with possibilities if I can make a couple deep runs and everyone else gets coolered....

If I keep grinding, it might happen, so I still have something to play for as the series winds up.

Looking for #4...

So Skillz is pretty meh early - I don't start hitting hands until close to the second break.

Of course this is the annoying thing about limit hold them - it's a game of getting to showdown and making hands, not blowing people off of pots.

Anyhow, I hit that 11pm break 5 of 39, 47 runners overall

I build up to 12K in hour three... then start whiffing/overplaying every AK/AQ type hand to get down to 2500...
but I quickly win three big pots

KK v KJ on a J high flop
AK v QQ after an 855K turn
88 v AQ on a J9x board

to get back up to 13K like nothing happened - freaking LHE variance.

I do interesting things like flop quad aces vs. ScottMc to take him out, and eventually make the final table.

Seat 1: DDionysus (13,738)
Seat 2: ElSnarfGrande (11,755)
Seat 3: pvanharibo (10,750)
Seat 4: cemfredmd (9,246)
Seat 5: heffmike (17,056)
Seat 6: Chippy McStacks (26,815)
Seat 7: hoyazo (8,317)
Seat 8: smokkee (29,348)
Seat 9: sophie2002 (13,975)

I get to run AA into Chippy's TT on a nine high flop - up to 24K

I bounce around and get up to 27K before I play the first of two shitty pots with LJ.

(ALERT! She never buys your stories, Heff. Quit trying to make her a believer. Just stop it.)

I still think I got pwned with A-high or something. Frankly, that's all I beat.
Probably should have just check/called with fourth pair anyway getting 8-1 just to be sure, and to prove I'm a showdown monkey.

Full Tilt Poker Game #12324162980: Blogger Skillz Game (87359186), Table 3 - 1000/2000 - Limit Hold'em - 0:26:01 ET - 2009/05/20
Seat 1: DDionysus (12,136)
Seat 2: ElSnarfGrande (10,455)
Seat 3: pvanharibo (13,550)
Seat 4: cemfredmd (8,146)
Seat 5: heffmike (26,856)
Seat 7: hoyazo (25,234)
Seat 8: smokkee (32,048)
Seat 9: sophie2002 (12,575)
cemfredmd posts the small blind of 500
heffmike posts the big blind of 1,000
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [4s 4h]
hoyazo folds
smokkee folds
sophie2002 folds
DDionysus folds
ElSnarfGrande folds
pvanharibo raises to 2,000
cemfredmd folds
heffmike calls 1,000
*** FLOP *** [2d 6h 7d]
heffmike checks
pvanharibo bets 1,000
heffmike raises to 2,000
pvanharibo calls 1,000
*** TURN *** [2d 6h 7d] [8s]
heffmike bets 2,000
pvanharibo calls 2,000
*** RIVER *** [2d 6h 7d 8s] [Kc]
heffmike bets 2,000
pvanharibo raises to 4,000
heffmike: are you kidding...
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike folds
Uncalled bet of 2,000 returned to pvanharibo
pvanharibo mucks
pvanharibo wins the pot (16,500)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 16,500 | Rake 0
Board: [2d 6h 7d 8s Kc]
Seat 1: DDionysus didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: ElSnarfGrande didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: pvanharibo (button) collected (16,500), mucked
Seat 4: cemfredmd (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 5: heffmike (big blind) folded on the River
Seat 7: hoyazo didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: smokkee didn't bet (folded)
Seat 9: sophie2002 didn't bet (folded)

After this I generally go carddead, stay quiet as the money bubble bursts..

..and then try to blow LJ off a flopped pair in limit.

To be fair, if her read is I have two overs, she's going to fast play the shit out of this and hope I don't hit.

Full Tilt Poker Game #12324402154: Blogger Skillz Game (87359186), Table 3 - 1500/3000 - Limit Hold'em - 0:41:59 ET - 2009/05/20
Seat 2: ElSnarfGrande (18,790)
Seat 3: pvanharibo (23,466)
Seat 4: cemfredmd (16,167)
Seat 5: heffmike (16,106)
Seat 7: hoyazo (25,319)
Seat 8: smokkee (41,152)
ElSnarfGrande posts the small blind of 750
pvanharibo posts the big blind of 1,500
The button is in seat #8
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [Ts Kd]
cemfredmd: mh
cemfredmd: nh i mean
cemfredmd has 15 seconds left to act
cemfredmd folds
smokkee: tx
heffmike raises to 3,000
hoyazo folds
smokkee folds
ElSnarfGrande folds
pvanharibo calls 1,500
*** FLOP *** [6s 5d 2c]
pvanharibo checks
heffmike bets 1,500
pvanharibo raises to 3,000
heffmike raises to 4,500
pvanharibo calls 1,500
*** TURN *** [6s 5d 2c] [9s]
pvanharibo bets 3,000
heffmike raises to 6,000
pvanharibo raises to 9,000
heffmike calls 2,606, and is all in
pvanharibo shows [5c Kc]
heffmike shows [Ts Kd]
Uncalled bet of 394 returned to pvanharibo
*** RIVER *** [6s 5d 2c 9s] [Kh]
pvanharibo shows two pair, Kings and Fives
heffmike shows a pair of Kings
pvanharibo wins the pot (32,962) with two pair, Kings and Fives
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 32,962 | Rake 0
Board: [6s 5d 2c 9s Kh]
Seat 2: ElSnarfGrande (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 3: pvanharibo (big blind) showed [5c Kc] and won (32,962) with two pair, Kings and Fives
Seat 4: cemfredmd didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: heffmike showed [Ts Kd] and lost with a pair of Kings
Seat 7: hoyazo didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: smokkee (button) didn't bet (folded)

GG me.
6th for $22.56, final table, points - that's ok in the big picture. Damn three outers, though.

heffmike (Observer): obv LJ really thinks I suck... OK, TID then.

And she did.

Obviously I really wanted #4, and I thought I was set up well for it at the final table...

but I got pwned hard, and as snakebit as LJ's been for the last two BBTs, it's well deserved...

Even when she backdoors a full house and forgets to threebet it on the river... :-)

Dealer: smokkee shows a straight, Jack high
Dealer: pvanharibo shows a full house, Jacks full of Nines
Dealer: pvanharibo wins the pot (30,750) with a full house,
Jacks full of Nines
pvanharibo: jdkfjalksdjfldasj
pvanharibo: oh
pvanharibo: i have boat
smokkee: omg
pvanharibo: bah
smokkee: wtf

Mookie time tomorrow!

hey I make a final table and almost play goot...

Riverchasers starts a little slow. I get out of line with LJ in an interesting spot early.

Blinds 20/40, I'm in the big blind with QcTc and 2900 in chips, LJ's on the button with 3100.
All fold around, she opens for 120, I decide to defend and call.
Flop Kc5h3c. I should like that, but I check call 200 as I'm OOP and I think I get raised a lot if I lead this flop.
Turn 9d. Interesting enough, I catch a gutterball with the flush draw and lead 440 into a 660 pot and get called.
River blank, 7h. I decide to give up and check, as I think I get looked up too often with a bet, LJ checks behind and shows 66 ftw.

Now, I think LJ is smart enough to call if I shove the river every time (I have 2200 behind into a 1600 pot) because it looks too much like a busted draw. Maybe if I valuetown bluff 700-800, I get a fold from an underpair - but it only works if she's holding something as weak as 66, and I read her a little stronger than that anyways...

I get it back together when I get corron10 to shove TT into my KK (he opens the button, I threebet from the SB, he shoves) and then play an interesting hand with oossuuu754...

Full Tilt Poker Game #12303799847: PPI / Riverchasers Tournament (90987692), Table 3 - 50/100 - No Limit Hold'em - 23:06:04 ET - 2009/05/18
Seat 2: oossuuu754 (5,334)
Seat 3: Blinders (4,965)
Seat 4: DaBag (1,990), is sitting out
Seat 5: APOSEC72 (3,470)
Seat 6: pvanharibo (8,238)
Seat 7: corron10 (535)
Seat 8: heffmike (4,958)
heffmike posts the small blind of 50
oossuuu754 posts the big blind of 100
APOSEC72: OMG it didn't show on the river
The button is in seat #7
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [9c Jh]
Blinders folds
DaBag folds
APOSEC72 folds
pvanharibo folds
corron10 folds
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike calls 50
oossuuu754 checks
*** FLOP *** [Td Tc Qh]
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike checks
oossuuu754 checks
*** TURN *** [Td Tc Qh] [8h]
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike bets 125
oossuuu754 raises to 750
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike calls 625
*** RIVER *** [Td Tc Qh 8h] [Qc]
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike checks
oossuuu754 bets 1,700
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike has requested TIME
heffmike: worst card ever. I actually fold J9. idiot me.
heffmike folds
Uncalled bet of 1,700 returned to oossuuu754
oossuuu754 mucks
oossuuu754 wins the pot (1,700)
The blinds are now 60/120
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1,700 | Rake 0
Board: [Td Tc Qh 8h Qc]
Seat 2: oossuuu754 (big blind) collected (1,700), mucked
Seat 3: Blinders didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: DaBag didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: APOSEC72 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: pvanharibo didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: corron10 (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: heffmike (small blind) folded on the River

I should have threeballed the turn... but I think my hand is underrepped and I can get a lot out of osu on the river on most boards... if I'm beat with a boat already, so be it...

But when the river comes a Q... well, it's hard to find a hand he's going to raise on the turn and bet the river with that doesn't have a T or Q in it. After all, why can't I have a T as played? Sick bluff if it was one, but I doubt it. No shame in getting bluffed in that spot.

Anyhow, after that I isolate Corron with A8s vs. his 55 and he flops a set and I drop back down to under 3K.

I get the mojo going here, though.

Full Tilt Poker Game #12304401563: PPI / Riverchasers Tournament (90987692), Table 3 - 120/240 Ante 25 - No Limit Hold'em - 23:39:17 ET - 2009/05/18
Seat 1: smokkee (3,145)
Seat 3: Blinders (3,585)
Seat 4: DaBag (585)
Seat 5: APOSEC72 (3,990)
Seat 6: pvanharibo (16,832)
Seat 7: corron10 (4,425)
Seat 8: heffmike (3,813)
Seat 9: bdidde (6,405)
smokkee antes 25
Blinders antes 25
DaBag antes 25
APOSEC72 antes 25
pvanharibo antes 25
corron10 antes 25
heffmike antes 25
bdidde antes 25
corron10 posts the small blind of 120
heffmike posts the big blind of 240
The button is in seat #6
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [As Kd]
bdidde folds
smokkee folds
Blinders folds
DaBag raises to 560, and is all in
APOSEC72 folds
pvanharibo folds
corron10 raises to 4,400, and is all in
heffmike calls 3,548, and is all in
corron10 shows [Qs Ah]
heffmike shows [As Kd]
DaBag shows [9h 9d]
Uncalled bet of 612 returned to corron10
*** FLOP *** [Jd 8h 9s]
*** TURN *** [Jd 8h 9s] [7s]
*** RIVER *** [Jd 8h 9s 7s] [6c]
corron10 shows Ace Queen high
heffmike shows Ace King high
heffmike wins the side pot (6,456) with Ace King high
DaBag shows three of a kind, Nines
DaBag wins the main pot (1,880) with three of a kind, Nines
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 8,336 Main pot 1,880. Side pot 6,456. | Rake 0
Board: [Jd 8h 9s 7s 6c]
Seat 1: smokkee folded before the Flop
Seat 3: Blinders folded before the Flop
Seat 4: DaBag showed [9h 9d] and won (1,880) with three of a kind, Nines
Seat 5: APOSEC72 folded before the Flop
Seat 6: pvanharibo (button) folded before the Flop
Seat 7: corron10 (small blind) showed [Qs Ah] and lost with Ace Queen high
Seat 8: heffmike (big blind) showed [As Kd] and won (6,456) with Ace King high
Seat 9: bdidde folded before the Flop

Oh, and to millerd33, who laughed at that standard overcall with AK...

ELLLLL-OOOOO-ELLLLL

and soon after, I'm back in business...

Full Tilt Poker Game #12304441959: PPI / Riverchasers Tournament (90987692), Table 3 - 120/240 Ante 25 - No Limit Hold'em - 23:41:36 ET - 2009/05/18
Seat 1: smokkee (2,830)
Seat 3: Blinders (3,510)
Seat 4: DaBag (1,830)
Seat 5: APOSEC72 (3,915)
Seat 6: pvanharibo (17,317)
Seat 7: corron10 (562)
Seat 8: heffmike (5,716)
Seat 9: bdidde (7,100)
smokkee antes 25
Blinders antes 25
DaBag antes 25
APOSEC72 antes 25
pvanharibo antes 25
corron10 antes 25
heffmike antes 25
bdidde antes 25
smokkee posts the small blind of 120
Blinders posts the big blind of 240
The button is in seat #9
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [Td Ad]
DaBag folds
heffmike: for you, sir, I will fold it next time.
APOSEC72 raises to 720
pvanharibo folds
millerd33 (Observer): no u wont
corron10 folds
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike calls 720
bdidde folds
smokkee folds
heffmike: el o el
Blinders calls 480
*** FLOP *** [6h Ks Qh]
millerd33 (Observer): and that's what makes this a live game
Blinders checks
millerd33 (Observer): ROR
APOSEC72 checks
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike: hey, I'm half asian stop that ror
heffmike checks
*** TURN *** [6h Ks Qh] [Jc]
Blinders bets 720
APOSEC72 folds
heffmike: ;-)
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike raises to 4,971, and is all in
Blinders calls 2,045, and is all in
heffmike shows [Td Ad]
Blinders shows [Kd Ac]
Uncalled bet of 2,206 returned to heffmike
*** RIVER *** [6h Ks Qh Jc] [9d]
heffmike shows a straight, Ace high
Blinders shows a pair of Kings
heffmike wins the pot (8,010) with a straight, Ace high
heffmike: gg
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 8,010 | Rake 0
Board: [6h Ks Qh Jc 9d]
Seat 1: smokkee (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 3: Blinders (big blind) showed [Kd Ac] and lost with a pair of Kings
Seat 4: DaBag folded before the Flop
Seat 5: APOSEC72 folded on the Turn
Seat 6: pvanharibo folded before the Flop
Seat 7: corron10 folded before the Flop
Seat 8: heffmike showed [Td Ad] and won (8,010) with a straight, Ace high
Seat 9: bdidde (button) folded before the Flop

I actually make the second break as chipleader after LJ drops 10K in three hands because she can't win a flip for shit... but as we get down to two tables, I'm fairly quiet and card dead...

I have an internet outage on the final table bubble and it takes me a few minutes to reconnect - by that time I've dropped from 14k to 11K, but at least we're at the final table and in the mobney.

I splash around for a bit, go up and down from 10K to 19K.. and finally go down here... With deeper stacks I can find a fold here, but Jordan raises/shoves so liberally in these tourneys I'm not raise/folding AT sixhanded for 14BB effective. Maybe that's a leak, and against a tighter, weaker player it's an easy laydown... - but I wanted 30K or busto here.

I can be convinced I'm wrong, though, so please show your work if this is typical Heff spew.

Full Tilt Poker Game #12305477388: PPI / Riverchasers Tournament (90987692), Table 3 - 500/1000 Ante 125 - No Limit Hold'em - 0:45:09 ET - 2009/05/19
Seat 2: TheCloserX5 (17,255)
Seat 3: HighOnPoker (14,333)
Seat 5: Tony Eusebio (51,121)
Seat 6: bdidde (12,015)
Seat 7: cardgrrl (17,340)
Seat 8: heffmike (16,936)
TheCloserX5 antes 125
HighOnPoker antes 125
Tony Eusebio antes 125
bdidde antes 125
cardgrrl antes 125
heffmike antes 125
HighOnPoker posts the small blind of 500
Tony Eusebio posts the big blind of 1,000
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [Ts Ac]
bdidde folds
cardgrrl folds
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike raises to 3,175
TheCloserX5 folds
HighOnPoker raises to 14,208, and is all in
Tony Eusebio folds
heffmike: let's go, sure
heffmike calls 11,033
HighOnPoker shows [Ah Kd]
heffmike shows [Ts Ac]
*** FLOP *** [Tc 4d Ks]
*** TURN *** [Tc 4d Ks] [6h]
*** RIVER *** [Tc 4d Ks 6h] [9s]
HighOnPoker shows a pair of Kings
heffmike shows a pair of Tens
HighOnPoker wins the pot (30,166) with a pair of Kings
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 30,166 | Rake 0
Board: [Tc 4d Ks 6h 9s]
Seat 2: TheCloserX5 (button) folded before the Flop
Seat 3: HighOnPoker (small blind) showed [Ah Kd] and won (30,166) with a pair of Kings
Seat 5: Tony Eusebio (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 6: bdidde folded before the Flop
Seat 7: cardgrrl folded before the Flop
Seat 8: heffmike showed [Ts Ac] and lost with a pair of Tens

Done a couple of hands later in sixth - which is nice for overall points, but sucks for the month, since I managed to give Jordan enough chips for another BBT4 win, his fourth (shit, now I have to win another one) and fall further behind for May

Oh, and Skillz is limit hold them tomorrow? Shoot me now, pls, k thx.

lol, so rigged - and britblogger

From earlier this weekend. Yeah, you can call that an action flop.

Sunday's Brit Blogger follows a pretty standard theme lately.
Nothing amazing happens, I gradually chip up, then lose a big hand for a lot of chips to donk out fairly deep.

The notable hands:

Lucko openshoves KT into my AK, I hold.
I get it in pre with 99 against NumbBono's AK and lose the flip.

I get to the break 19 of 22, but start stealing and chipping up during hour 2.
Finally busto here.

Full Tilt Poker Game #12277854447: Brit Blogger Game (90819033), Table 6 - 80/160 - No Limit Hold'em - 17:21:32 ET - 2009/05/17
Seat 1: Shabazz Jenkins (3,491)
Seat 2: Yikes_1 (4,365)
Seat 3: APOSEC72 (6,614)
Seat 4: smokkee (4,405)
Seat 5: blaargh86 (2,864)
Seat 6: heffmike (2,185)
Seat 7: cracknKK (3,350)
Seat 8: jimdniacc (5,640)
Seat 9: AntonioR111 (2,320)
AntonioR111 posts the small blind of 80
Shabazz Jenkins posts the big blind of 160
The button is in seat #8
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [Ah Ad]
Yikes_1 raises to 560
APOSEC72 folds
smokkee folds
blaargh86 folds
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike calls 560
cracknKK folds
jimdniacc folds
AntonioR111 folds
Shabazz Jenkins folds
*** FLOP *** [Kh Jd 7s]
Yikes_1 bets 640
heffmike has 15 seconds left to act
heffmike raises to 1,625, and is all in
Yikes_1 calls 985
heffmike shows [Ah Ad]
Yikes_1 shows [Kd Ks]
*** TURN *** [Kh Jd 7s] [5d]
heffmike: lol
*** RIVER *** [Kh Jd 7s 5d] [Ts]
heffmike shows a pair of Aces
Yikes_1 shows three of a kind, Kings
Yikes_1 wins the pot (4,610) with three of a kind, Kings
smokkee: ow
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 4,610 | Rake 0
Board: [Kh Jd 7s 5d Ts]
Seat 1: Shabazz Jenkins (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 2: Yikes_1 showed [Kd Ks] and won (4,610) with three of a kind, Kings
Seat 3: APOSEC72 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: smokkee didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: blaargh86 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: heffmike showed [Ah Ad] and lost with a pair of Aces
Seat 7: cracknKK didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: jimdniacc (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 9: AntonioR111 (small blind) folded before the Flop

I love the line of opening for pot UTG with KK, then leading the nutz on a KJ7r flop. EL-O-EL.

You crush everything. I just called off 25% of my stack pre. Not like there are a lot of scare cards on the turn - even I'm not sitting here with QT or T9.

I can only come over the top with AA/JJ/AK, and I'll bet those for you on the flop anyway - so why scare me off and give me a chance to fold?

Maybe check and see if I monkey try to blow you off the hand? Gee, it's possible for me to do, you know, given history.

Anyway, welcome to coolerville, out 17 of 43. That'll happen.

just a suck night all around.

Damn, this night was full of disappointments....

1: Caps just get housed at home in Game 7. Down 5-0 in the second period, lose 6-2?

Jeez. They finally fell off the tightrope... the sloppy defense, the silly penalties, Varlamov finally running out of gas and magic... all came home to roost tonite.
They're a talented team. They aren't a good playoff team yet. Hope that changes in 11 months.

2: AIPS. Bounce out of the LHE tournament 69 of 106...
When it's a limit tourney with a 1500 chip stack and blinds start at 40/80... well, it's not an ideal spot... Structure afterwards was ok, but man you get short awful quick with these stacks.

Not that I played well at all - I hate LHE and was basically playing to either get a big stack or go home early. Honestly, this was one of the rare times I play a tourney and feel like I have NO SHOT to get deep.

Never got above 1700 chips and was basically playing from behind all night... and since it's Stars, I will not get there by the river no matter what I have.

Anyhow, looking at the future schedule... at least there are some mixed and high/low games coming up (8-game, Stud8, LO8) along with a NLHE $1 rebuy (yum) that should be fun in the upcoming months.

Although outside of the 8-game, we will still be running single stack tournies with nearly 100 people...

I've basically played like complete crap in the three tourneys I've played this year, not even getting halfway through the field. Gotta focus more and play better if I'm getting another banana this year.


3: 70 runners in the Mookie and I play another tournament horribly the entire way.. I'm hardly paying attention, to be honest. I just am not very locked in tonite.

I end up bleeding down to 1700 chips, raise/calling a shove with the JackAce, and holding vs. AhKh on a Jh7h3c flop to double through.

Then I spew here, and I blame Jamyhawk for flatting the initial open, which made me think a resteal shove was a wonderful idea. Dumb me. Champ's never raise/folding in this spot, especially if he's tank/calling one of the worst hands in his range.

At least it didn't matter what I had, I'm going down anyway.

Full Tilt Poker Game #12206969362: The Mookie (90360042), Table 4 - 80/160 - No Limit Hold'em - 23:23:16 ET - 2009/05/13
Seat 1: jamyhawk (6,738)
Seat 2: Tarpie (9,348)
Seat 3: heffmike (3,294)
Seat 4: Joanne1111 (5,015)
Seat 5: wwonka69 (4,170)
Seat 6: veryjosie (5,300)
Seat 7: ChampSampson (2,883)
Seat 8: NekoNita (1,960)
Seat 9: on_thg (6,080)
heffmike posts the small blind of 80
Joanne1111 posts the big blind of 160
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [Td Ad]
ChampSampson: ship the cheese!
wwonka69 has 15 seconds left to act
wwonka69 folds
veryjosie folds
ChampSampson raises to 560
NekoNita folds
on_thg folds
jamyhawk calls 560
Tarpie folds
heffmike raises to 3,294, and is all in
Joanne1111 folds
ChampSampson: one time
ChampSampson calls 2,323, and is all in
jamyhawk folds
heffmike shows [Td Ad]
ChampSampson shows [Jc As]
Uncalled bet of 411 returned to heffmike
*** FLOP *** [2c Qs Ac]
ChampSampson: see
*** TURN *** [2c Qs Ac] [3c]
*** RIVER *** [2c Qs Ac 3c] [4c]
heffmike shows a pair of Aces
ChampSampson shows a flush, Ace high
ChampSampson wins the pot (6,486) with a flush, Ace high
wwonka69: cnh
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 6,486 | Rake 0
Board: [2c Qs Ac 3c 4c]
Seat 1: jamyhawk folded before the Flop
Seat 2: Tarpie (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: heffmike (small blind) showed [Td Ad] and lost with a pair of Aces
Seat 4: Joanne1111 (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 5: wwonka69 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: veryjosie didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: ChampSampson showed [Jc As] and won (6,486) with a flush, Ace high
Seat 8: NekoNita didn't bet (folded)
Seat 9: on_thg didn't bet (folded)

So after that, I shove 98o into KJo and the board runs out a straight to chop... and I shove 44 into A3 and watch the board double pair to counterfeit me and I go home 44 of 70.

What an utter waste of a night. At least it only cost me $16.50 and a couple of hours.

In the interim between now and BritBlogger, I may actually run a FTOPS event on Sunday (I wish I remembered the HORSE from last night, dammit), as I've been too busy to think about anything besides BBT4 and AIPS this week.

I'm also goofing around with some of Stars' WSOP Steps satellites, we'll see how that goes.

skillz report, or how to keep hitting five-outers.

On the one hand, looking back at chip stacks, I like this nice, gradual accumulation of chips once we get through one dip during the second stud rotation during Skillz last night.

On the other hand, it covers up a lot of rivered winners and spiked scoops....

3000 - 3090 - 3150 - 3430 - 3600

4140 - 4740 - 5100 - 5600 - 3910

9145 - 14695 -17495 - 20695 - 20994

34799 - 43013 (final table) - 48113 - 48612 - 49513

43387, tourney finishes up at 3K/6K LHE...

I try to start small and solid but can't resist splashing around early when the blinds are relatively small.

30/60 LHE, I raise Tc9c UTG+1, edgie212 calls in position, lightning 36 calls in the big blind.
Flop KT4r, check, I bet, edgie calls, lightning raises, I threeball because I'm spewing and want this heads up anyway, edgie folds, lightning caps, I call.
Turn 3c, goes bet/call.
River 8c, I bink the runner runner, lighting bet/calls my raise and his K4o is no good anymore.

Later in Razz, edgie brings in with a Q, lightning calls with a 2, I complete with (68)A, edgie folds, lightning raises, I call.
Fourth, (xx)26 vs (68)A4, I check/call.
Fifth, (xx)262 vs (68)A94 - best hand, but probably against a very live draw. I check, lightning checks behind.
Sixth, (xx)262T vs (68)A94Q - I check/call here. Probably weak, as I'm still in front with one card to go, big draw or not.
Seventh, I brick with a J, I check, lightning checks, my 98 holds against what I assume is a six-low draw that never got there - (A3)262T(J)

I scoop a big pot in Stud8 when the dangers of playing big pairs against a live low are revealed.

Lighting brings in with a 4, loser64 completes with a Q up, I call with (56)7s, edgie212 and lightning call, four ways to fourth.
Fourth, I have the only working low with (56)72, loser64 leads with (xx)Q7, I call, two calls behind.
Fifth I brick with a K, but so does everyone else. loser64 checks, I check, we all get a free card, woot!
Sixth pairs my deuce with (56)72K2. Loser64 pairs up with (xx)Q7K7, he bets, I call, edgie and lightning fold.
Seven binks me a K for Kings up, I call Loser's bet and river his Queens up - (AQ)Q7K7(9) - to scoop.

I change tables for LHE and just start pummeling JoeSpeaker in really weird spots.

100/200, we both have 3900ish stacks. Joe openraises from MP, I call on the button with KQo.
Flop T85r, he bets, I call planning to raise any turn card.
Turn 4d, full rainbow. Joe leads, I raise, he threeballs (oops), I call.
River A. He thinks and checks, I instabet, he thinks and folds, I show.

That river bluff should never work when you lay someone 9-1 to call.
But, I guess if he folds more than 10% of the time, +EV for me.

I keep accumulating until I hit a hand where I really should have saved a few bets.

Stud at 200/400/30 with a 6K stack. I bring in with (QQ)2, SmBoatDrinks calls, Julkeus calls.
Fourth brings me (QQ)22 vs SmBoatDrinks (xx)5J and Julkeus (xx)T2.
I lead, SmBoatDrinks folds, Julkeus raises, I threeball, he calls. OK, so he has a T or a buried big pair. I'm still in front.
Fifth street pairs his T. Fuck. I really should just dump the hand, because he either has trip tens or a bigger two pair.... The chances he's donking around with a buried pair JJ or lower are pretty remote.
I call down sixth and seventh and see, yes, three tens to drop down below 4K.

The next stud8 rotation gets me going, though. Split a decent pot with JoeSpeaker when we eliminate ShipFaced12 in a threeway pot... and then I scoop a couple key monsters from him.

Stud8 at 250/500/40. I call three limps with (28)8 to close the action against SmBoatDrinks (3s), ScottMc (9d), and JoeSpeaker (7c). Four to fourth street.
We all catch low cards, I have (28)8A. Three of us check to Joe (xx)7A, he bets, I call, ScottMC (xx)92 calls, three players to fifth street
On fifth, Joe leads with (xx)7AQ, I call with (28)8AT, Scott calls with (xx)924. This was a bad/fishy call. I just didn't believe anyone really had anything stronger than one pair yet. Usually, I fold here, but I had a weird feeling about the hand.
Sixth binks me with trip eights, (28)8AT8. I check, Scott checks (xx)924J, Joe bets (xx)7AQ3, I raise, Scott folds.... and Joe tanks and folds? I scoop a 4K pot.
I have no idea what Joe is playing there that isn't priced in to see the seventh street and showdown for another 1000 chips.

I few minutes later I take a seven draw all the way down to the river with Joe, leading every street... I backdoor two pair on the river, sevens and threes, bet it on seventh, and get called by (Qs8s)JsTs5d2d(8c) - so I scoop vs. the missed flush draw/one pair and get up over 9K.

In the next LHE round I spike trips on the turn vs. top pair, and have top pair hold in a four-way pot leading all the way - to get up over 14K and take the chiplead. From this point on, I slowed down a bit and just started playing big stack poker, gambooling when I could afford to...

O8 at 400/800. I open raise Ah7c5h3s UTG and get called by Julkeus on the button and iaatg6296 in the big blind.
Flop AK6r. I bet, Julkeus raises, iaatg6296 folds, I call.
Turn 9c. I check/call, not really liking where I am, but I think at least my low draw is good if it gets there.
River is a 8c, completing a flush... but I haz a straight and meh low. I check, Julkeus bets, I decide to raise for value, as I think he never has a flush here, it would be a massive cooler to get scooped, and I might be able to scoop myself.... which I do when he calls with AK62. Flopped three pair doesn't hold, I get over 18K in chips.

I keep hitting hands in the stud rounds, making thin value bets and scooping pots. - up to 28K - I spike the case Queen to river a full house against BuddyDank's Kings up for a 11K pot - up to 35K.

I screw iaatg6296 bad on the final table bubble - Blind v blind, I get it all in with Q8 on a QT44 turn against KK...and river a Queen again to get to the final table with a substantial chip lead.

Seat 1: TuscaloosaJohn (4,372)
Seat 2: heffmike (45,013)
Seat 3: cemfredmd (2,386)
Seat 4: 1Queens Up1 (23,590)
Seat 5: bryan24 (7,572)
Seat 6: hoyazo (27,239)
Seat 7: jeciimd (7,200)
Seat 8: jimdniacc (11,628)

although at 1K/2K LHE, not like any of us are deepstacked or on easy street here.

As usual, the flop games play bigger and faster than the ante games. I think we only lost one player of seven in the stud rounds. I was really quiet for the next 40 minutes or so as we got down to three players - I just floated around, winning pots when I could, but not really growing or shrinking the stack.

Hoyazo, QueensUp, and I ended up pretty equal in chips three ways... I win a wacky pot here with the best hand all the way...

3K/6K LHE. Hoy folds his button, I openraise KJo from the small blind, Queens threeballs, I call.
Flop AQJr. I check call.
Turn 2, completes the rainbow, goes check/check.
River 3, goes check/check again, KJ is good vs. K3.

After losing a pot, Hoy gets silly-aggro with T9 on a 854 flop and gets pwned by Queens' AK, which makes nut no pair on the river, to go out in third.

So QueensUp and I are heads up, and since we both have seats and a ton of points, we just decide to play it out and have fun. So that's my cue to start monkey pushing buttons.

I raise 62o on the button, Queens threeballs, I cap, he calls.
Flop QJ5, two spades, Queens checks, I bet, he calls.
Turn 2c, Queens checks, I bet, he raises, I call because I have fourth pair, why can't it be good?
River 6s, Queens finally bets.... but I can't lay down runner runner two pair here... I call and see his 44. Boy I run good.

I get him all the way down to just over 2BB before he rallies back to almost even in chips - but I keep turning trips and outflopping his hands to get the chip lead back, and finally get there with K9o>77 on a Q95 flop to take it down.

It's nice to win two mixed game BBT tourneys... got the HOSE one in April... and I can combine that with a Riverchasers win and a second in both Riverchasers and the Mookie back in March... to be an all-around, equal opportunity luckbox.

This brings me to a solid second in overall points and 5th this month, just within shouting distance of first place on both leaderboards if I run insanely good the next two weeks...

So let's get started tonite at the Mook.
Busy night with AIPS LHE tournament and Caps/Pens Game 7 as well.

threeball...

getting a little jealous of the three-time winnars, so had to get one of my own...


more TK later today, but in a nutshell, I was patient for 90 minutes, then ran like freaking God in the stud rounds, actually played decent in LHE for once - got to the final table with over 40K, and just was patient and started owning fools/sucking out like a scrub after that... since I was headsup with QueensUp and we both have seats, I freely admit I just started button pushing like a madman...

This was nice.. or stupid, as the case may be.
Prolly missed a bet by not threebetting the turn, lolz.

Full Tilt Poker Game #12189815172: Blogger Skillz Game (87359162), Table 1 - 3000/6000 - Limit Hold'em - 1:17:12 ET - 2009/05/13
Seat 2: heffmike (56,887)
Seat 4: 1Queens Up1 (72,113)
heffmike posts the small blind of 1,500
1Queens Up1 posts the big blind of 3,000
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [6d 2h]
heffmike raises to 6,000
1Queens Up1 raises to 9,000
heffmike raises to 12,000
1Queens Up1 calls 3,000
*** FLOP *** [Jd Qs 5s]
1Queens Up1 checks
heffmike bets 3,000
1Queens Up1 calls 3,000
*** TURN *** [Jd Qs 5s] [2c]
1Queens Up1 checks
heffmike bets 6,000
1Queens Up1 raises to 12,000
heffmike calls 6,000
*** RIVER *** [Jd Qs 5s 2c] [6s]
1Queens Up1 bets 6,000
heffmike: oh boy
heffmike calls 6,000
*** SHOW DOWN ***
1Queens Up1 shows [4h 4d] a pair of Fours
heffmike shows [6d 2h] two pair, Sixes and Twos
heffmike wins the pot (66,000) with two pair, Sixes and Twos
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 66,000 | Rake 0
Board: [Jd Qs 5s 2c 6s]
Seat 2: heffmike (small blind) showed [6d 2h] and won (66,000) with two pair, Sixes and Twos
Seat 4: 1Queens Up1 (big blind) showed [4h 4d] and lost with a pair of Fours

back and running uphill..

skipped out on Brit Blogger Sunday and headed out with my mom and the mom-to-be :-) checked out some botanical gardens, went to the pool for a couple of hours... but racked it back up in Riverchasers Monday - and played ick.

Not as bad as guys who raise over a third of their stack preflop with <10BB and then TANK before folding or calling when they get shoved on - but pretty meh nonetheless...

I tell you, though, if I ever start making hands again, I'm getting paid like crazy, that's for sure. I get far too much action in hands whether I'm betting air or the nizzles. Point is, I'm not getting there in a lot of spots now where I'm trying to pot control and play smallball - but I'm pretty sure I would get paid when I get there, so we'll see how that approach goes in the long run.

Very slow event for me - 4100 at the first break - double through to over 7K when I run AA into Blinders' AQ on a AQx flop during hour two... and then slowly, slowly bleed chips thereafter.... I don't think I missed a spot, because I never had a hand or opportunity to short-stack ninja effectively.

Make it to two tables, shove like 6BB into Bayne's 88 with 75s and don't get there to bounce 14 of 46... which was a bad shove, as I may have found a better spot in the next 5-6 hands before the blinds came around again. Not good for points, but unless I doubled up in the next orbit, I wasn't getting to 11th anyway.

Speaking of which, points look OK right now - a decent 4th overall, but I better get cracking there as there are some players who are just running silly hot right now and pushing guys around - and never getting played back at. - It's nice to point in the first couple of events this month - but that doesn't really matter when TJ, Jordan, and this new qrs1 guy are final tabling twice a week... I'm definitely losing my momentum here...

But there's HORSE tomorrow, Mookie and an AIPS LHE tourney Wednesday - AND GAME 7 CAPITALS-PENGUINS.

Nice evening lined up, that's for sure.

disappointed

with the Mookie - because I was patient patient - took a calculated gambool for a big stack and got there... and then made some silly moves to go from 9K to done in 20 minutes. Not smart.

Early on I'm paying more attention to the Caps/Pens Game 3 overtime than the Mook, and I end up I bet/folding in a couple of spots where people have to be absolute morons to be bluff/raising... but board texture gives me a pretty good idea of what kinds of hands they are playing back at me with... so I'm not real worried.

I'm way quiet until right before the break when an incredibly standard hand comes up that drives me silly because everyone in these tourneys are such freaking nits.

Blinds 50/100 I have 2500 on the button with AKo
I openraise for 300, tgrazz reraises from the blinds to 1000, I shove...

heffmike raises to 2,540, and is all in
tgrazz: %#@@
tgrazz has 15 seconds left to act
tgrazz calls 1,540
heffmike shows [As Kd]
tgrazz shows [Qc Qh]

I flop a Ace and hold to double through, but come on.

heffmike: wtf you have QQ and you are grumbling?
tgrazz: with overs yah i dont like
smokkee: i always grumble when i look down at QQ too
smokkee: eff that hand
tgrazz: i didnt want you to call at all
heffmike: ok.. I will stop laughing in 10 minutes. you haz the third nutz, sir. I fistpump call and be happy with it
tgrazz: u right
heffmike: that'll happen.

Anyhow, I bone smokkee in a pot next.

Still 50/100, I have 5100 and cover him.
I open for 300 UTG+1 with 9c8c, Smokee instaflats, all fold behind. He should have a pocket pair or some big Ax broadway hand.
Flop 764r. So not bad, another flopped straight draw - but smokkee will raise my lead no matter what he has because he's one of those guys that think I have two UNO cards every pot. I check, he checks behind.
Turn Qc. Now I haz a flush draw as well as the OESD. I lead for 500. he raises to 1400.... and I really can't see folding here, and calling won't get me paid on the river if I get there... I got mad outs against almost every hand he can have here... so I shove, he snapcalls with a set of sixes..... oops.
River bails me out with a Ten and I scoop an 8K pot.

As an aside, Smokee's playing a great cash game line. I have to fold to a flop three-bet shove or turn shove, because I just don't have the proper odds - but I can get sucked in to stack off on the turn with this line when's he's got way the best of it.

Anyhow, I should be on easy street with a top 5 stack with 50 people left and almost 90BB.
But, I manage to get too frisky and spew it all away.

I've got 8800 in chips and 66 in the big blind at 80/160. willwonka standard opens for 480 from the hijack and I call.
Flop K74r. It goes check-check,
Turn 4s. I decide to check, wonka bets 555, I call,
River 5d. I check again intending to see what he does. He leads for 750, which seems a little weak. I think I can raise here and wonka can't call without a monster, or at least AK - it wasn't a very drawy flop, so I can easily have a K or 4 here... I raise to 2200, and he calls with AK.

Pwnd.

Spew spew spew. Right idea, wrong spot and player... or rather, most players will not bet/fold the river there, so it's a great idea to check/raise for value and and a bad spot to bluff raise since you get a spite call pretty often.

Down to 5800 after that - which is still workable - but then I open 99 UTG to 425 - and the short stack with 2500 right behind me reraises to 1010.. which is EXACTLY the kind of raise that screams AA/KK... but I stubbornly shove to put him in hoping to race AK and run into Aces to spew down to 3300.

I really don't think I can be raise/folding or open/folding 99 there. Limp/fold? Such a shitty spot when you get down to thinking about it.

After that, I float for a bit until I shove TT over willwonka's raise, and I can't outrace AQs to bounce way too fucking early 35 of 81.

Nicely played until I started forgetting to play the small ball that works so well for me with a deep stack. Too much swinging for the fences. Pretty disappointing, because I can usually catch myself before doing something too silly in these events.

I like the Smokkee hand despite getting it in as a 30-70. I hate the other plays with a passion.

Anyhow, we'll see if I get around to playing an FTOPS event... I'd like to, but the start times and structures demand 5-6 hours easy just to make the mobney, if not more.... after the last time I ran a big field event in Stars' SCOOP to make hardly any money after 8 hours... we will see.

Otherwise, happy mom's day, rack it back up next week, and play better.

huh, what's that? money?

I will freely admit I don't know a damn thing about properly playing PLO. But, I kind of know tournaments, and I remember that every remotely decent hand in PLO preflop is either a 52-48 favorite of 48-52 dog... so Heff's dopey guide to blogger PLO is this..

1) see a shitload of flops for cheap and never raise OOP.
2) when you flop or turn something that's likely to be best or get there by the river, bet it.

So I am a small ball master for the first hour change of the tourney, get up to 5500... and then I get in a pot with LJ after she's played like three hands all tournament.

Four way limped to the flop, I have the button and AdJc6c3d.
Flop 6d4s3s. All check to me, I bet 500 into the 640 pot, LJ shoves for 1815. I don't love the spot, but figure I need to call 1300 more with top two.
She rolls over 7762 with spades - about as good as I can hope for - but spikes the straight flush on the turn with the 5s. So much for small ball work..

Except I keep treading water, picking good spots to pick up pots and keep accumulating - make the second break... get to three tables with 8K... flop a set, make bank... make it to two tables... get an amazing fold by Jordan here... although I don't think anyone else puts in over half his stack by the flop and finds a fold...

Full Tilt Poker Game #12054550131: Blogger Skillz Game (87359142), Table 7 - 200/400 - Pot Limit Omaha Hi - 23:42:06 ET - 2009/05/05
Seat 1: Drizztdj (18,688)
Seat 2: DDionysus (4,815)
Seat 3: bayne_s (1,924)
Seat 4: SnailTrax (6,482)
Seat 5: pushmonkey72 (17,977)
Seat 6: heffmike (6,431)
Seat 7: HighOnPoker (5,760)
Seat 8: columbo (8,916)
Seat 9: cemfredmd (7,528)
Drizztdj posts the small blind of 200
DDionysus posts the big blind of 400
The button is in seat #9
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [x x x x]
bayne_s folds
SnailTrax folds
pushmonkey72 folds
Drizztdj: and don't raise my blind
heffmike raises to 1,400
columbo: I had a hand
HighOnPoker calls 1,400
columbo folds
columbo: so it comes
cemfredmd folds
Drizztdj folds
DDionysus folds
*** FLOP *** [Td 6h Kc]
heffmike checks
columbo: hands play themselves
HighOnPoker bets 1,700
columbo: or something
heffmike raises to 5,031, and is all in
HighOnPoker folds
Uncalled bet of 3,331 returned to heffmike
heffmike mucks
heffmike wins the pot (6,800)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 6,800 | Rake 0

I make it up to 14K just before the third break... and like never win a pot or have a hand after that.

I end up watching the final table when I get to it rather than playing it because I don't have any potential in my hands preflop - Every hand is like J852r or 9993 with a raise in front of me... - finally go busto in 7th to pushmonkey72 (who is in his element in PLO alright) in a standard hand.

As an aside, I just can't believe how Jordan goes from this - the hand after his fold above...

Full Tilt Poker Game #12054565878: Blogger Skillz Game (87359142), Table 7 - 200/400 - Pot Limit Omaha Hi - 23:43:02 ET - 2009/05/05
Seat 1: Drizztdj (18,488)
Seat 2: DDionysus (4,415)
Seat 3: bayne_s (1,924)
Seat 4: SnailTrax (6,482)
Seat 5: pushmonkey72 (17,977)
Seat 6: heffmike (10,131)
Seat 7: HighOnPoker (2,660)
Seat 8: columbo (8,916)
Seat 9: cemfredmd (7,528)
DDionysus posts the small blind of 200
bayne_s posts the big blind of 400
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to heffmike [9s 7s Td Tc]
SnailTrax folds
pushmonkey72 calls 400
heffmike folds
Drizztdj: I had half the deck :)
HighOnPoker raises to 1,800
columbo folds
cemfredmd folds
Drizztdj folds
DDionysus folds
bayne_s folds
pushmonkey72: ok
pushmonkey72 raises to 3,200
HighOnPoker calls 860, and is all in
pushmonkey72 shows [9c Ah 2s Ac]
HighOnPoker shows [Js Kc 9h Jc]
Uncalled bet of 540 returned to pushmonkey72
*** FLOP *** [6d Ts 6c]
*** TURN *** [6d Ts 6c] [8d]
*** RIVER *** [6d Ts 6c 8d] [Jd]
pushmonkey72 shows two pair, Aces and Sixes
HighOnPoker shows a full house, Jacks full of Sixes
HighOnPoker wins the pot (5,920) with a full house, Jacks full of Sixes
The blinds are now 250/500

to winning the freaking thing heads up vs pushmonkey... I'll never understand his fold... because whatever hand he had was drawing way live against me... but can't argue with his limited BBT4 results. Just crushing it whenever he does play.

But hey, I finally cash for once, instead of pointing with no money five straight times.
Dance of joy over $18.24, whee!

just so odd tonite.....

Riverchasers was weird tonite.. I get reasonably deep, play ok, spike a pot of two, play kind of silly sometimes, end up losing most of my stack in a weird spot. So standard.

I end up running into a lot of players who are very annoying to play against for two reasons.

-They are on my left with a metric fuckton of chips
-They have the attitude that I never have anything, so I have to double barrel every hand whether I'm value betting or bluffing, so say hello to silly variance.

Anyway, I play a weird hand here to get back to a starting stack after playing pretty shitty for the first 30 minutes,

Sophie2002 minraises from the small blind at 30/60, I call with Q7o and 2100 in chips becuase I'm stupid.
Flop Kh7c6h. She bets 200, I call,
Turn As, she checks, I figure it's a good card to bet and fire 475, she calls.
River 8c, she checks, I check behind because I really can't beat a damn thing...
except for Jh7h. Boy, I'm a fish sometimes.

Anyhow, I catch Schaubs being a non-believer with one pair later...

I open from the button with Ac2c for 225 at 40/80 and a 2800 stack, Schaubs calls from the blinds with 6500 behind,
Flop Tc5s3c. I like that. Schaubs check/calls 400.
Turn 4s. Ding. Schaubs checks, I bet 725 in my best "look like AK, look like AK" line, Schaubs raises to 1900, I shove, he calls drawing dead with KhTh, I double through.

I get to the first break top ten in chips, spiral down as I whiff everything and the big stacks keep firing in spots I can't call or shove in.... I flip with Sting70 when I raise/call his shove for 12BB with 33, and somehow hold when his AdTd flops Kd8c6dQc.... 2h.

I play a silly, shitty hand with NYRambler where I definitely miss a bet.

I raise 64o from the small blind, because I've been pretty quiet, up to 775 at 120/240/25 with 6500 behind , Rambler calls with a 13K stack,
Flop Ad5d3s. I check, he bets 720, I resist going nutso with the OESD for once and just call.
Turn 4h, goes check check, whee!
River 4s... and I should value bet... but I can't believe Rambler calls me with anything decent and is more likely to bet out... so I check and he checks behind with A9. Shit.

I keep forgetting everyone thinks I'm a moron and that's the kind of river I have to get value from by betting it.

Anyhow, I dust off most of my stack in this hand.

150/300/25, I have 6600 and AhQc.

qrs1 open limps UTG, I raise to 1475 from the one off the button, Julkeus flats from the blinds with a 4K stack. Weird. qrs1 folds, heads up to the flop.
Flop KcTcTh. He checks, I check because I can't fathom him ever folding here,
Turn 5d. He checks again... and I figure, if I'm betting into the nutz, so be it, and put him in.
He calls with JcJd, I actually have outs, but don't get there and drop under 3K.

With 13BB left, with an UTG limp and a raise, JJ should be a fold or shove, not a flat for over a third of your stack. I really expected him to roll over AA/AK/KK there if he called.

I'm wondering if I shove the flop if he would actually fold JJ. After all, I'm raising an UTG limper that covers me. I probably have a hand, and on a KTT board, JJ really only beats AQ/AJ. - and that assumes I don't have a flush draw as well as overcards. Oh well, I obviously can be monkey pushing on occasion when he checks twice, so it's an optimal line if you're felting the hand no matter what. More often than not, though, he's calling drawing to two outs.

I run 55 into MiamiDon's QQ the very next hand and bounce 12th of 48. So yay 40ish points. Boo no cash, no final table.

I gotta play better than this, though. If I'm going to be splashing around, I need to get paid properly when I do it.

final turn, down the stretch...

OK, so now that we're into May, time to look back like I did in last month and review month two of the BBT4.

	Wins	FT	ITP	ITM	Events	Points	$$$	Avg.	Behind
2nd	1	4	6	5	19/20	687.2	$1,043.50	36.17	188.8	March
6th	1	5	6	1	18/18	378.7	$148.00	22.28	355.5	April
4th	2	9	12	6	37/38	1065.9	$1,191.50	28.81	132	Mar/Apr
										TOTAL

On the surface, not much difference - one donkament win, one more final table in April, pointing about a third of the time...

But man, 1 for 18 in the money?

The fact it was a negative ROI month for BBT4 - boo that.. - I guess I could just chalk it up to running bad at final tables...

March - 1-2-2-5 (2 Riverchasers, 2 Mookies)
April - 1-5-7-8-9 (2 Skillz, 2 Brit Bloggers, Big Game)

But the other thing that was annoying in April was that I started running good at Skillz and the Brit Blogger - the smaller events - and quit getting deep in Riverchasers and the Mookie like I did in March - where the big fields and big mobneys are. - Now, this is all short-term variance - a little hot in March, a little cool in April - so you can't draw any major conclusions from it. But I'd rather have a month like March than April, all things considered.

I had a few moments of spewtardism - notably to close the month - but I think I'm keeping that in check - maybe too much so, actually, since I'm not accumulating chips early like I was in March. I'm considering adding a few tweaks to my game for May just to keep everything fresh and stop auto-botting every play - but I haven't decided yet... :-)

But I still feel good about the state of my game - I've had two pretty solid months and am actually closer to the overall points lead than I was at the end of March - so I can't complain about that. Much better than BBT3, where I was 72nd and 44th after two months with only 2 final tables in 28 events.

I hope to stay top five overall, if not better, by the time June gets here so I can pick up some freeroll coin. Hopefully I can close out May with another strong performance... at least keep consistently pointing, making final tables and a profit for the month - one more W if I can squeeze one out... and get 2009 back on the upswing.