Sunday, May 27, 2007

Big Slick Suited

So another home game at Robbie Robb's and my place last night. Rob was worried we'd have a poor turnout, but we ended up have about the same as any other night.

My tournament didn't last long. During the 30/60 blind levels, Mike to my right raises all in for about 900 chips, I look down and see AcKc, so I re-raise all in for about 2500 total. Then Jason to my left starts to think. You can tell he really wants to call, but he's hesitant. Unfortunately, he makes the call and has me covered. We flip our cards, Mike has QJo (I forget which suits), and Jason had KdQd. I have them both dominated...so what comes on the flop? A Queen and a Jack! I catch a flush draw on the turn, but the river is a blank and I'm out.

The rest of the night, was filled with waiting, the cash game didn't get started until about only 2 or 3 people left in the tournament. Although, that ended up us having our first full table for the cash game, usually we play short-handed.

I started off well. First hand I'm dealt QQ, there's a limp, so I raise to 50 cents, a bunch of people fold, Mike raises it to $1, Mooney calls and I decide to push, both players are fairly loose and I figure I'm good here. Both call and we reveal. Mike has 88 and Mooney has JJ. No one improves with the board, so right away, I'm sitting with $15 in front of me. Live poker is so rigged!

Sunday, May 20, 2007

FPP Satellites

So, I did use those FPPs I won to try and win entry to the Sunday million. I first tried the 1800 FPP 30 man turbo. Four places won entry. I ended up busting out 7th on that one. This was about a week ago so I don't remember how I busted, but I was getting short so I was in push or fold mode and my hand just didn't hold when I was called.

Today, I tried the 2700 FPP 20 man turbo. Again, four places paid entry. The deck was hitting me nicely throughout the tournament. Pocket queens a couple times, both times I was able to get all in and they held. Jacks held up when I called an all in. Pocket tens eliminated another opponent. Even AKs won a couple hands. I was chip leader for most of the tournament. It only took about 40 minutes to play. So quick is nice, especially when you never know when the little one is going to need your attention.

I think I like the second satellite better of the two (and not just because, I won). Sure, it costs more, but more places pay per entry. But since the two satellites combined work out to 4500 FPPs (fortunately, I had earned a few at the $50NL tables), it will be a while before I can play this one again.

I've already unregistered from the tourney. I really want to play, but I don't think it's a good idea. One, it's in the middle of the afternoon when I have to worry about getting supper ready for Alex and two, there's no guarantee I will make it to the money. I will probably sell the T$, but I might wait a bit. I told Rob if I could win two Satellites, I'd play the Sunday million with one and sell the T$ I get from the other.

Friday, May 04, 2007

Bored

I was bored tonight and didn't feel like playing serious poker, so I first decided to join a 400 FPP WSOP qualifer. That turned out ot be a crapshoot with people going all in with marginal hands. I raised with AQs and was raised all in. Since I know I was probably a favorite based on previous hands he shown down, I quickly called. I soon learned that A9o>AQs, he had flopped his nine and I caught nothing.

Still bored, I then joined a 40FPP rebuy WSOP qualifier. I think I had to rebuy something like 7 times. I was just not getting lucky tonight...maybe a carry over from yesterday? There were actually a couple people yelling at some of the players for going all in preflop. I guess they had never played rebuys before since that is the basic strategy for the game. After rebuys were over, I folded alot. I did try to suck out on someone when I called with A3 versus their 55, I was already in the BB and it was not much more for me to call.

My luck finally turned though. On the button, I have KQo and it's folded to me. I move all in which isn't even enough to cover the BB and pray (it was a turbo, blinds were hurting everyone at this point). The flop comes 4Q4 and I win a much needed pot. After that hand, although I wasn't getting too many hands preflop, if I did see the flop, I was hitting. I was able to coast my way through the rest of the tournament and was able to qualify.

I've actually unregistered from the other tournament. I'm working when it starts, but it was worth 4000FPPs. Not too bad, but I have no idea what I'm going to use them for. Nothing I'm too interested in in the store right now. Maybe I'll use them for Sunday Million qualifiers.

Major Downswing

I'm either getting hit hard by the variance stick or I just plain suck at poker. No matter what I did yesterday, I just could not win a hand. I was dealt KK several times and every time an A flopped and I was up against major aggression. I had AA not cracked by AJo, but a split pot when the board showed a seven high straight. I later caught a couple more straights and got my opponents all in, only to find they had the exact same hand so more spit pots. So I was either losing or splitting the pot, either way, because of rake, I was losing money. Grrr....It was a very frustrating day.