argh. I decided to play a hand I don't usually play, A-2 suited, and low and behold I flopped the nut flush. I decide to slow play and the one other player goes along, betting and letting me call every bet.
After the river, having not really even looked at the rest of the board because I thought I had the nuts, I raise $100 and he pushes all in. I of course call and now we both have $200 in the pot.
What I didn't notice was the board had two pair on it, QQ and 99. He turns over a QK and announces "Full House" and takes down my money..
It was greed that caused me to let it go to the river, and stupidity that I didn't notice the possible full house.
Damn.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Gone in an instant
Played a tournament at Garden City Casino in San Jose today. I like the format, no rebuys or add-ons, and a deep stack of 10,000 chips to start. There were 66 entrants, and the top 9 were paid.
I played good, tight-agressive poker, and managed to stay close to the average stack most of the time. Slowly everyone else disappeared and I was at the final table.
The blinds and antes were getting ridiculous. With six players left they were 2K ante, blinds at 6K-12K.
I had 120K chips and I was in the big blind. Everyone folded up to the button and the button went all in, with just slightly less than my stack. I had 7-7, and what went through my mind was "finishing 6th is already good and in the money, but this could position me for a top 2 finish and over a $1000 prize (on a $125 entry fee).
I call the all in, and the button turns over A-3 clubs. I'm ahead, but the board comes quickly and turns my hope around, as an Ace comes on the flop and a 3 on the turn (as if he needed it). No trip-7s come my way on the river.
My hard-earned stack is gone, and I'm left with the proverbial "chip and a chair", which I quickly lose in the next hand.
Not bad, though. Six hours of poker and I finished 6th and won $350.
Other noteworthy things in this tourney:
1. A guy who was going all in with short stack desperation moves, once holding a 7 and once holding a 4, got a flop with two 7's and two 4's respectively, and doubled up twice with these lucky sets. Very unusual.
2. The guy who was chip leader at the final table was claiming he got dealt A-A 10 times on the day. I witnessed three of them, all of which he won big. Its no wonder he was chip leader.
I played good, tight-agressive poker, and managed to stay close to the average stack most of the time. Slowly everyone else disappeared and I was at the final table.
The blinds and antes were getting ridiculous. With six players left they were 2K ante, blinds at 6K-12K.
I had 120K chips and I was in the big blind. Everyone folded up to the button and the button went all in, with just slightly less than my stack. I had 7-7, and what went through my mind was "finishing 6th is already good and in the money, but this could position me for a top 2 finish and over a $1000 prize (on a $125 entry fee).
I call the all in, and the button turns over A-3 clubs. I'm ahead, but the board comes quickly and turns my hope around, as an Ace comes on the flop and a 3 on the turn (as if he needed it). No trip-7s come my way on the river.
My hard-earned stack is gone, and I'm left with the proverbial "chip and a chair", which I quickly lose in the next hand.
Not bad, though. Six hours of poker and I finished 6th and won $350.
Other noteworthy things in this tourney:
1. A guy who was going all in with short stack desperation moves, once holding a 7 and once holding a 4, got a flop with two 7's and two 4's respectively, and doubled up twice with these lucky sets. Very unusual.
2. The guy who was chip leader at the final table was claiming he got dealt A-A 10 times on the day. I witnessed three of them, all of which he won big. Its no wonder he was chip leader.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Anything Can Happen
Just played in a Bovada Triple-up Sit-and-go. Nine players each start with 1500 chips. The final three players triple their money.
After about 15 minutes I had gotten AA twice and KK once. I won big with all of them, and had taken out three of the nine players at the table. With 6 players left, I had over 6000 chips, almost as much as the rest of the table combined.
All I had to do is sit back and wait for the others to destroy eachother. There's no way I could lose this one right?
Fast forward another 30 minutes. We're down to four players...one more to the money. But oddly enough, I am now the short stack. Everyone else is passing the chips around the table and I am getting blinded off little by little by little. I played a couple A-K or A-Q hands, but lost them too.
Ugh...
As short stack of 2000 and the blinds now up to 300/600, I get hit with the big blind and I pretty much have to make a desperation move. I call an all-in from the small blind, with an unimpressive 9-J. He beats me with pocket deuces and I'm done in fouth place.
Can't believe I lost this one.
After about 15 minutes I had gotten AA twice and KK once. I won big with all of them, and had taken out three of the nine players at the table. With 6 players left, I had over 6000 chips, almost as much as the rest of the table combined.
All I had to do is sit back and wait for the others to destroy eachother. There's no way I could lose this one right?
Fast forward another 30 minutes. We're down to four players...one more to the money. But oddly enough, I am now the short stack. Everyone else is passing the chips around the table and I am getting blinded off little by little by little. I played a couple A-K or A-Q hands, but lost them too.
Ugh...
As short stack of 2000 and the blinds now up to 300/600, I get hit with the big blind and I pretty much have to make a desperation move. I call an all-in from the small blind, with an unimpressive 9-J. He beats me with pocket deuces and I'm done in fouth place.
Can't believe I lost this one.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Chop or Gamble? Gamble FTW!
Palace Hayward bounty tournament 11/6/11
After having just spent a long weekend losing in Vegas, I returned to the local card room where I play tournaments every weekend. I was feeling a little reckless this particular morning, I guess because I didn't feel well and didn't mind if I went home early today.
That worked out to my advantage early on, when I went all-in with a flush draw against a guy with a huge stack (8-10 times mine) who I knew would call. Luckily I hit the flush on the river and doubled up.
Later in the tournament I had a couple suck outs where I went in with a pair, ended up against an over pair, end wound up hitting my set. I was enjoying one of the other guys at the table because he would call just about everything, and since I usually don't play with mediocre hands, I was winning a lot from him every time I bet against him.
It eventually got down to the final three, so I was in the money. After all the bounties (of which I won none), the price money was $700, $300, and $90 on a $90 entry fee. There was a proposal on the table from the chip leader to chop where he gets $500 me and the other guy split the remainder for $295 each.
I was feeling cocky, so I said no thanks, let's play a few more hands.
On the very next hand, I got pocket threes and went all in. I was called by the short stack (only slightly shorter than mine, same guy who was calling all my bets earlier). This could likely be a bad ending filled with regret, and I knew it.
He turns over pocket 9's, and I knew it didn't look good for me.
As the board unfolded, there was nothing there for me....until.....the river comes a 3! Once again I hit my set and take the dude out...and then there were two...
Now I was willing to talk deal. Me and the other guy now had about equal stacks, though I was slightly ahead. He was up for a 50/50 chop so I took it. I know these heads-up games can go on for a while and neither of us had enough of an advantage to mean anything.
So we split the money $500 a piece, and I technically took first place since I had more chips! Hooray, finally a win!!!
After having just spent a long weekend losing in Vegas, I returned to the local card room where I play tournaments every weekend. I was feeling a little reckless this particular morning, I guess because I didn't feel well and didn't mind if I went home early today.
That worked out to my advantage early on, when I went all-in with a flush draw against a guy with a huge stack (8-10 times mine) who I knew would call. Luckily I hit the flush on the river and doubled up.
Later in the tournament I had a couple suck outs where I went in with a pair, ended up against an over pair, end wound up hitting my set. I was enjoying one of the other guys at the table because he would call just about everything, and since I usually don't play with mediocre hands, I was winning a lot from him every time I bet against him.
It eventually got down to the final three, so I was in the money. After all the bounties (of which I won none), the price money was $700, $300, and $90 on a $90 entry fee. There was a proposal on the table from the chip leader to chop where he gets $500 me and the other guy split the remainder for $295 each.
I was feeling cocky, so I said no thanks, let's play a few more hands.
On the very next hand, I got pocket threes and went all in. I was called by the short stack (only slightly shorter than mine, same guy who was calling all my bets earlier). This could likely be a bad ending filled with regret, and I knew it.
He turns over pocket 9's, and I knew it didn't look good for me.
As the board unfolded, there was nothing there for me....until.....the river comes a 3! Once again I hit my set and take the dude out...and then there were two...
Now I was willing to talk deal. Me and the other guy now had about equal stacks, though I was slightly ahead. He was up for a 50/50 chop so I took it. I know these heads-up games can go on for a while and neither of us had enough of an advantage to mean anything.
So we split the money $500 a piece, and I technically took first place since I had more chips! Hooray, finally a win!!!
Vegas Summary
Well a four day poker marathon in Vegas has come to an end (see previous several posts). All in all I entered 14 tournaments, played for over 30 hours, made 6 final tables, and won nothing. Best place finish was fourth, one away from the money.
I had a lot of fun though, and got to be part of a lot of fun hands. I think my skills improved. I expected Vegas poker tables to be full of donkeys who were on vacation, but all things considered I'd say the talent was generally better in Vegas compared to the card rooms back in the Bay Area.
I had a lot of fun though, and got to be part of a lot of fun hands. I think my skills improved. I expected Vegas poker tables to be full of donkeys who were on vacation, but all things considered I'd say the talent was generally better in Vegas compared to the card rooms back in the Bay Area.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Fun hands
Mirage Tournament
This tournament wasn't too exciting for me personally, but I got to watch a couple amazing hands that I was not a part of.
Hand 1: A guy goes all in with pocket jacks and another calls with pocket queens. The board comes Q-2-2 so he one guy has a full house and is sure to win. Then the turn: 2. Then the river: 2!!! The board shows four of a kind with a queen kicker and they chop the pot. The dealer says in 16 years of dealing poker he's never seen anything like that.
Hand 2: Later on at the final table, there's a hand between three big stacks, each with about 15000 in chips. After the turn, everyone is confident and there is raising and re-raising until finally they are all three all in. The board is showing 6-8-9-10 so all of us watching figure everyone's got a seven.
They showdown before the river and we see A-7 (a straight) with a nut flush draw in diamonds, another guy with a 7, and then a guy who turns over Q-J for the nut straight! The nut straight holds up when the river comes king of clubs. He now has about 60000 chips and the remaining 9 players all have about 60000 combined. He damn sure better win this thing (i didn't stick around to find out).
This tournament wasn't too exciting for me personally, but I got to watch a couple amazing hands that I was not a part of.
Hand 1: A guy goes all in with pocket jacks and another calls with pocket queens. The board comes Q-2-2 so he one guy has a full house and is sure to win. Then the turn: 2. Then the river: 2!!! The board shows four of a kind with a queen kicker and they chop the pot. The dealer says in 16 years of dealing poker he's never seen anything like that.
Hand 2: Later on at the final table, there's a hand between three big stacks, each with about 15000 in chips. After the turn, everyone is confident and there is raising and re-raising until finally they are all three all in. The board is showing 6-8-9-10 so all of us watching figure everyone's got a seven.
They showdown before the river and we see A-7 (a straight) with a nut flush draw in diamonds, another guy with a 7, and then a guy who turns over Q-J for the nut straight! The nut straight holds up when the river comes king of clubs. He now has about 60000 chips and the remaining 9 players all have about 60000 combined. He damn sure better win this thing (i didn't stick around to find out).
Easy come, easy go
Harrah's Bounty Tournament
This tournament started out slowly, with the exception of one hand where I raised with pocket queens and got two all-ins behind me. They were both smaller stacks, so my life was not quite at stake, but it was a big decision. I called, and went up against KJ suited and pocket aces! Lucky for me a queen came on the board and no ace or king, so I knocked out two players and collected two bounties.
As the tournament went on, there was no good action for me and I got down to 3000 chips when the blinds were 600-1200 plus 100 ante. They say in poker all you need is a chip and a chair and that definitely turned out true at this time. I waited patiently for a good hand and finally went all in with pocket 9's. I had two callers who were looking for my bounty prize. They turned over pocket 7's and pocket 8's. Pretty funny! Anyway my nines held and I tripled up.
A few hands later I had jacks and went all in and was called by A-3 suited. These held up too and I doubled up after my triple-up.
One more big win came when I called an all-in after the flop with a flush draw. I didn't hit the flush but I did hit top pair and that was good enough. Collected another bounty.
I headed into the final table practically chip leader, after having been down to one desperation bet.
But easy come easy go. I soon lost it all in two hands: my pocket 8's against an all in with pocket Queens, and then pocket 5's against an all in with pocket 6's. The last one was particularly painful because I hit a set of 5's on the flop but he hit a set of 6's on the river, and I was done in 8th place.
This tournament started out slowly, with the exception of one hand where I raised with pocket queens and got two all-ins behind me. They were both smaller stacks, so my life was not quite at stake, but it was a big decision. I called, and went up against KJ suited and pocket aces! Lucky for me a queen came on the board and no ace or king, so I knocked out two players and collected two bounties.
As the tournament went on, there was no good action for me and I got down to 3000 chips when the blinds were 600-1200 plus 100 ante. They say in poker all you need is a chip and a chair and that definitely turned out true at this time. I waited patiently for a good hand and finally went all in with pocket 9's. I had two callers who were looking for my bounty prize. They turned over pocket 7's and pocket 8's. Pretty funny! Anyway my nines held and I tripled up.
A few hands later I had jacks and went all in and was called by A-3 suited. These held up too and I doubled up after my triple-up.
One more big win came when I called an all-in after the flop with a flush draw. I didn't hit the flush but I did hit top pair and that was good enough. Collected another bounty.
I headed into the final table practically chip leader, after having been down to one desperation bet.
But easy come easy go. I soon lost it all in two hands: my pocket 8's against an all in with pocket Queens, and then pocket 5's against an all in with pocket 6's. The last one was particularly painful because I hit a set of 5's on the flop but he hit a set of 6's on the river, and I was done in 8th place.
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