Radii's Poker Dynasty, take 2
 

Tredwel did this with much success awhile ago, Quiksand is documenting a different kind of thing, live poker, of which I am very envious since I don't have the access to similar stakes live, and I would love to work on my live game.

I tried a poker dynasty in the past but it didn't last because I played multiple tables. I have in the last two months been my most profitable when I have slowed down to 1 table and really started paying attention. I have also stopped bouncing around so much from one style to another, I have started to learn what I do best, and what I don't do so well.

I plan to start this out TredWel style, documenting hands as I go.

The game i've been playing with the most success is a bit different, $5/$10 limit short tales (max 6 players). The styles here are a bit different, the standard tight/agressive style of play doesn't hold up because the blinds hit you so fast, you can't just wait for a hand and play solid poker.

The advantage here though, is that way too many people take this to an extreme. It's a short table so you have to be a bit looser, but many people are extrodinarily loose(at some 6 man tables 2 players will see 80% or more of all flops, these are things of beauty to watch). You have to bluff a bit more and push with just A-high more, but some people do this every hand, and you have to make more crying calls with bottom pair or just A-high on the river, some people turn into calling stations here... reading these players and manipulating them is how I make my money here.

I don't mind documenting my profits and losses, and I'll do that here. I just ended the month of April showing a profit of $2100, more than i've made in the last year playing poker online, and I feel i'm starting to come into my own. I have played a *lot* of poker over the last year, and I am finally starting to feel like I have a decent grasp of the game.

I use pokertracker religiously. When I sit down at a table, while I wait for the blind to hit me, I load up tracker and see if I've ever seen my opponents before.

I occasionally play a multi-table NL tourney if I'm up for the week/month(but not if i'm down, I don't want to piss away all my profits in tournaments that I know I need practice on and am still dead money), and when I'm running bad at 5/10 i take a break and play $50+$5 Sit N' Go's on party. I'll try to document all of these.

That's a nice long winded beginning. I love discussion of specific hands, and have thoroughly enjoyed QickSand's dynasty, so hopefully I will be able to trigger some discussion of my own and improve my own game in this thread.

I wanted to start this thread to try to hold myself to this idea, I've wanted to start this back up for a little while now, but, I might not actually get to sit down and play again until the FOFC tournament Sunday night. Today is my fiancee's birthday, and we are going out somewhere tonight as a family, and tomorrow night I am taking her out to dinner, but look for updates every couple of days starting Monday.

What version of poker tracker are you on now? A couple of patches ago Pat added the ability to export player data to the party poker notes. You can have notes added to any of the players you have played against in party poker. You can have VP$IP, PFR% W$SD% etc etc. Essentially all of the poker tracker stats right in the part poker notes. So when you sit at a table you will already have that info and not even need to open Poker Tracker.

It is a wonderful addition to the program.

I just creamed my pants.

Though I'd still use tracker to look at agression stats(which are well hidden but extremely interesting), but that would be nice to have instead of having to manually look up each player.

I'm on version 2, I don't know if I have the latest patch though, I'll grab it before I sit down at the table next. I don't think I've updated in a month or two.

Yea it is an awesome update. When you place your cusor over a party note the little pop up box feature shows the first like 200 charcters of the note so you can get the VP$IP and PFR% without even having to open up the note. It is great.

We start 4 handed

Hand 1: QQ in the big blind. The little blind limps, I raise, folded to me.


Hand #6 - we're up to 5 handed, biggdogg369 has joined the table and raises and bets hard with K7o out of position. Mmmmm.


Hand #7: Up to 6 handed, KINGKULL is with us.

Hand #8: Biggdogg369 has just lost his first $100 in a raising war with nothing vs pocket 9s... He rebuys for $250 and keeps going at it, capping the turn and river the very next hand, this time he had a real hand though(67o for a straight)


Hand #10: A6 clubs from UTG, I raise it up, get re-raised by the small blind, I call and fold on a ragged flop. SB had QQ.


Hand #15: A6 spades in the cutoff, folded to me, I raise, and I take the blinds


Biggdogg is trying to run over the table, but he's catching cards too. People have called down his ace-high 3 times in a row with nothing.

Hand #16: I decide to fold A5s UTG. Sometimes I'll mix it up here, sometimes I won't, and with biggdogg behind me, I think I won't think time.


Hand #19: Biggdogg raises UTG, folded to me in the SB, where I see jacks, I re-raise and he calls, we are heads up. Flop is Qxx, I bet, turn is another rag, I bet and take down a $53 pot.


Hand #20: 1 limper to me on the button, I've got ATo and raise, 3 way on the flop. I hit an ace, and bet when its checked to me. Flop is A73, two hearts. Down to heads up as one folds. On the turn (Qc) and River (Qd) I bet out and am called (by biggdogg), who called my raise with 63 and hit bottom pair w/ a 6 kciker and called it down. I take down an $80 for my efforts.


Hand #21: folded all the way around, first time I have seen that tonight


Hand #24: Q2o in the BB, 4 of us see the flop for the single bet, but I get out when the flop misses me totally.


Hand #25: A6o in the SB, biggdogg raises UTG again and I'm tempted to make a play at him, but he has shown down enough hands when he's raised that I stay out of the way. I was hoping he'd have to show this one down, but he wins it on the turn with two aces on the board.


Hand #26: AQo on the button, ODD6268 raises(he's been in a lot of flops) and I push hard, re-raising, biggdogg calls, odd caps it. Flop is Qxx and I have hit a nice one, odd bets, I raise, biggdogg is out and odd calls. Turn and river are undercards to the jack, and I bet and am called. I take down a very nice $120 pot. ODD was playing with pocket 6s that didn't hit.


Hand #28: A8s in the middle somewhere. I raise it, and get 3 callers, including the in most every hand biggdogg and odd6268. The flop comes down 6T3 with 1 spade. I decide to check instead of bet it out, something about 3 opponents... Biggdogg bets, the other two call and I make a very questionable call. the turn hits my 8, I have 2nd pair now. I bet out, biggdogg raises, kingkull calls in between us, and I just call, prepared to call down 2nd pair but I won't be betting. The river changes that with an ace, I now have two pair. I bet, biggdogg calls and kull folds. Dogg had JT for top pair, I rivered him, and I learn to be a bit more careful around him, he so far has just called with his worse hands but bet out his better ones, I need to respect his raises. My river nets me a $138 pot.


Hand #37: A5o in the SB, one limper to me, I complete and biggdogg calls the big blind. Aces are good today, I flop one, A67, and I bet it, dogg calls me. The turn is another ace and I bet again, and again dogg calls me. The river completes a backdoor heart flush, I bet into it and dogg calls me down, he had 56, bottom pair crap kicker. Again, he calls with any piece of the flop, but raises with good ones. My pot is $63, and I am up to $460 from my $250 buyin in about 20 minutes.


Hand #41: we are 4 handed for now, biggdogg to my left, kingkull and odd6268 follow them. None of these players worry me at all, any sort of cards at all and I feel very good here.


Hand #44: QTo in the small blind. all four of us are in for the small bet The flop is JT5 and I have middle pair. I bet out as the first to act, ODD6268 raises me, and I go into check/call mode unless I catch more of the board. Turn is another 5, river is a blank. Odd bets the turn, checks the river and I learn that he was betting on T7, I outkick him for the $68 pot.


Sysreq joins the table to my right. The name is vaguely familier but he's not in tracker.


Hand #50: I get Q7o in the SB, I'm willing to complete the blind with this, but when biggdogg raises behind me, I'm not interested in playing for another bet, I fold. This is one of the improvements I've made in my game, in the past I would not have been able to give up this hand since I'd already invested in it. Turns out biggdogg had AQ and I would have gotten destroyed.


Hand #52: A2o UTG, I don't like that even 5 handed, fold (I'm trying to at least mildly highlight any hand where I had a decision to make, even if it was a free one).


Hand #59: AKo in the SB. A new player, PokSaw raises, odd6268 calls, I re-raise and its called. Flop is QT4. I bet and he raises, I call. Turn is a 2nd ten. I check, and he checks. That confused me enough to bet the river. The river was a blank, I bet, he raised and I called. He showed down T9 suited to take down a nice pot. that little hit drops me to $411 and I'm not sure what to make of my new friend poksaw. His check worked, as I tried to take the pot on the river. but I was calling him down no matter what, so he didn't get any extra money out of me.


Hand #67: Q5 in the big blind. it's folded to the SB, who raises me. I call, prepared to bet hard with any piece of it. The flop comes J65, bottom pair. SB bets, I raise, he folds. I AM THE MANLIER OF THE TWO.

Hand #68: A8s in the small blind. I raise when a few limp to me, and get 3 callers. The flop misses me completely, 664, I bet, get raised, and I call, I don't trust ODD6268(the raiser). The turn is a jack, and I fold when Odd bets again. Turns out he bluffed me on the flop, but he caught a pair w/ J9 on the turn. I drop down to $397.


Hand #73: JJ in the big blind, familiar faces as biggdogg raises, odd calls, and I raise. Flop comes 876 with two diamonds, a scary one. I bet, and biggdogg raises, odd6268 calls, I call. He's been passive with his worse hands so I put him on a good draw or top pair, I may still be best and actually should have re-raised in retrospect, but visions of 88 flashed through my mind enough to make me hit the call button. The turn, a jack! I bet out, and now dogg just calls, odd6268 is still in as well. The river is a terrible card, a 4, giving any single 5 a straight. I bet out anyway(genearlly bad to fear the single card), biggdogg raises, odd6268 calls again, I sigh as I press the call button, and grin when he turns over pocket 4s, he rivered trips to lose to my turned trips. Odd6268 had J9, flopped the straight draw, turned top pair, a reasonable hand to stay in on. The pot of $165 puts me over $500, I've doubled my buyin.



We're 6 handed again, golfjoynt is now to my immediate left, best friend biggdogg369 is now two to my left.



My fiancee comes home from an excursion and I log off with $500.50.

NET: +$250.50


The cards hit me pretty well tonight, but this is a good example of reading people in 6 handed play. You can tell that I was focusing mainly on biggdogg and odd6268, they were in most of the hands so they were my opponents most of the time, but their play was so random and atrocious that I had no problem calling them down with middle pair, or betting with ace high hoping just to catch a pair, feeling I may well be best at the time. If those reads are off I lose a lot, but tonight, they were spot on.

That was a stream of consciousness writing while I was playing. Comments and suggestions are welcome, I want this to be readable. If some of the "i bet, I bet I bet they eventually fold" hands clutter it up too much, i will be more selective. If it needs to be edited more, let me know, I want this to be useful and to generate discussion, so whatever I should do to get that, let me know.

Great work, Radii - love the style you're doing, giving some info on the other players.

This'll probably be a short session, but we'll see if its worth posting

5 people at the table, 4 + me, I don't recognize anyone.

Hand #1: Q2s in the big blind, and I get a free flop along with two others. Hooray for free flops: QQJ. I bet and get a call from the player to my left, bullmoos. The turn is a blank, I bet and get raised... new table, new players, I should re-raise here, yes I lose to a queen, but I don't want to set an image of being able to be pushed around so easily. In spite of my reasoning, I call. The river is checked, and the bullmoos had 9T, trying to raise the turn on his draw. I'm off to a good start, opening with an $88 pot.


Hand #5: AKo UTG. I raise, get one caller. The flop misses me, J62, I bet and am called. The turn pairs the 6, I raise, get re-raised, and I decide to back down here and fold. This was TORMIS I was up against, and I lose a bit in this hand.


Hand #7: I steal bullmoos' blind with K7o(I'm SB, he's the BB) with a raise pre-flop after it was folded to me.


Hand #13: Bold play, or stupid luck? rounder1979 has raised 4 straight hands, I have 85 suited in the big blind. It's raised by rounder and I decide to call him and see if I can hit. Flop is A52. I bet my 2nd pair, he raises, and I call. The turn is a 5, I check-raise, get called, get called on the river and my trip 5s take down a $90 pot. He had a good suited ace. Blind luck i suppose. Don't think I should mess around like that anymore.

There's a combination of stupid things going on here... on another poker board I read, there is a common observation that references to the movie Rounders immediately signal poor play. Silly numbers(although this is a birth year probably) and slang add to that. It has been decided that Someone using the name "RounderDawg69" would be the single worst poker player on the planet. Also, 85 is a 'named hand' for silly reasons in my cheap, but entertaining dealers choice home game. How could I not play!?



Hand #20: I have A2o on the button. Folded to me, I raise, the big blind calls. Flop misses me, 499. BB checks, I bet, BB folds. I love poker.


Hand #24: folded to me in the small blind, pure steal with 69o, I'm called, and re-raised on the flop by rounder1979, I am out of there.


Hand #25: A9 hearts on the button, limped to me, I raise both the blinds call. The flop is a good one, AJ6, two hearts. Checked to me, I bet and only a new player, serling, calls me. Turn is a queen, not a heart, serling bets, I raise, and I win the pot right there. A modest $68 pot(partypoker counts my raise in there though, it's not as good as it looks)


Hand #27: ok, so the deck is hitting me over the head tonight. Pocket 3s in teh big blind, I get a free flop, flop is T43 for the set. Too bad everyone folds to me when I come out betting.


Hand #28: AJo in the small blind. Serling raises from UTG+1, I call as does the big blind. Yeah, the cards are hitting me over the head tonight. J43, two hearts. My ace is a heart. I don't check-raise often, but this is a great spot to, serling has the button and is morally obligated to bet if checked to him. He does bet and I raise, getting heads up. He calls me down from that point on, and I learn that the pre-flop raise came with KTo. A terrible, terrible raise IMO. I take down the $88 pot.


Hand #31: ATo, I raise and get heads up with Serling on the flop. The flop comes 664. Serling check/calls my bet on the flop, and then check raises me on the turn. I give back some of my money to him.


Hand #33: A7 in the big blind, 2 others with me in this flop. Flop comes 997, not a bad flop for me, though I might get in some trouble if I'm too agressive and the 9 is out there. I bet, and get called by both opponents. The turn is a king, the first player bets, and he has stayed out of the way until now so I have no idea what he has... a bad move heer but I call, as does my other opponent(named jax2003husky). The river brings a jack, now the first guy checks, i take the lead and bet again(the mantra here is, if you would call a bet, might as well be the one making the bet... one of these guys could easily have me beat but I don't see myself getting raised here). jax2003husky indeed calls me with KTo for the pot.

Hand #40: I try to steal with KJo from the button, and rounder1979 re-raises me, I call. Flop is Kxx, I bet and get called. Turn a blank, I bet, get raised, re-raise, cap, and I'm beat. I call the river to see pocket aces. This hand knocks me down to $268(buyins being $250 here).


At this point a very tight/agressive player joins the table. jasonmiska I have sat with for 100 hands accoding to pokertracker. He is a bit to tight for these tables(17% VP$P (that's voluntarily putting money into the pot)) but he is very agressive.

Hand #45: 3 limpers and me, with KJ suited, in the big blind. the flop comes 4TJ, I bet and get two callers. The turn is a king, giving me two pair, I bet out again and get just one caller. The river pairs the ten, but I can't stop for fear of that, I bet out and my one remaining opponent folds, giving me a $58 pot and putting me back up to $291.

Hand #54: I get pocket 9s and make the mandatory raise UTG+1, I get one caller, "YeahTerps" from annapolis, out of the big blind. The flop comes 853, a good one for me. yeahterps bets out, and I raise, terps re-raises me and i worry, but I call with my overpair. The turn is a ten, terps bets, and I call, and the river a queen, another bet, and I call, expecting to see pocket 8s, or a pair higher than mine(or hopefully A8 for the win), but instead, I see Q8, a rivered 2 pair to beat me. This hand takes me down a ways, I am down to about $210

Hand #58: Its late and I must be tilting, you never do realize until its too late do you? I have 78s, and I play it, but it's raised and re-raised behind me, but like I said, I'm tilting. I decide this is my last hand. The flop hits me, but it hits an ace too, and there are 3 other people in the flop. A72. I watch the others bet, and I stupidly call. The turn is a 4. I again stupidly call, the river is a Q. YeahTerps bets, and I see the other two bow out of the pot. I make one last crying call, and I see, I was not tilting as badly as she was. J3o. Nothing at all. I take down a monster $170 pot.


I'm embarrassed to say that I just finished ahead $65, leaving with $315. I quit despite winning that hand. I should have quit when I lost to Q8. I wasn't on tilt because of that I don't think, but I am too tired to be playing right now, and I know myself, when I get too tired, I get passive and call a lot of bets that I shouldn't have. That just happened there, and amazingly, it worked out in my favor. It usually doesn't.



Worth noting, is that rounder1979 was a solid player. He was consistantly showing down very good hands. They just weren't winning many pots for him(he was down a small amount).

Saturday 1pm

I join a full 6 man table, I have never seen any of these players before. I probably have only 30-45 minutes to play, so we're looking at 50-70 hands.

I go through the blinds once just watching. the guy to my left, bchum, has been in 4 of the first 5 hands, he hasn't raised yet. The guy to my right, malmohuset, has been agressive, raising 2 of the first 5 hands, but he's shown down AT and AA with them too.


Hand #10: AT clubs UTG+1, malmohuset raises UTG, and I decide to re-raise, I buy the button and take control, one other person calls. I bet into the 294 flop (after its checked to me) and both call. The turn pairs me with a ten, and I bet out again after its checked to me. The river is an 8, and I decide to check this one down. I was up against pocket 5s(from malmohuset) and AJ(from dneshevski), I take down a nice $93 pot with a nice suckout against a hand that dominated me


Hand #20: I raise UTG with A7 diamonds, two call. The flop is AQ4, with two hearts. the callers were the blinds so I'm last to act, and I bet when checked to me. Jaybird6276 stays in with me. The turn brings the flush, the J of hearts. Checked to me, I bet, jaybird folds and the $48 pot is mine.

malmohuset leaves the table, whether or not he was a good player I dunno, but he was up a ton and was pretty agressive, so I'm more comfortable with him gone. We are 5 handed for now.

Hand #26: Jaybird limps into the blind, I check with 83o. Flop is AA8, he checks, I bet, he folds.


Hand #28: AKo on the button. one limp to me, I raise, and both blind + the limper call. I bet into the ragged flop, no one folds. I catch an ace on the turn and bet again, and again no one folds. the river brings a queen, and I dunno what I'm up against here. I decide to bet my top pair, two people call me and my aces are good. I take down a $128 pot against aces w/ lower kickers.

Hand #29: Very next hand, I get AKs, I raise, get re-raised, and I cap it. The flop has 3 spades, 478. I bet into it and dneshevski calls. The turn is another blank, dneshevski bets and I decide to call this one down, river is another blank and dneshevski turns up pocket aces, I give back a bit of my winnings from the last AK hand, and am just glad in retrospect that no ace or king hit the board.


Hand #36: AJo on the button. A new player posts out of turn behind me(Elmerz), he checks and then calls my raise as does a guy named stuperville behind me who seems to be somewhat of a calling station. I bet out on a rags flop, but I fold to a turn bet when a king hits the board. No showdown so I don't know what people had there.


Hand #40: A free flop with K5 diamonds in the big blind, along with 3 others. The flop comes JT4 with two diamonds and I call a bet by the small blind. The turn is a king, giving me top pair, SB now checks, I bet and he calls. The river is a low non-diamond, I bet and he folds, giving me a pot of about $55. I am now sitting with $325 at the table.


We drop to 3 handed, me, xxChicago7xx and elmerz.


elmerz leaves quickly, Chicago and I go heads up and break even after about 10 hands when he leaves the table.

I sit around for a bit and civmas joins with only $60, and then TNFEVER joins with just $90, we are 3 handed again.


Hand #60: I limp with 68 clubs in the small blind, and 3 of us see the flop. I hit two pair, J68 flop, and I bet out, both opponents call. The turn is a scary card for me, another jack, but I keep betting into it, one person calls, and I bet out the river and my opponent folds and I take down a nice pot of $83.

Hand #63: A9o, I open-raise and the big blind calls. I flop top pair, bet/call, bet/call, bet/call and my opponent flopped 2nd pair. My opponent was also all-in on the river and my river bet just netted me an extra $4, I take down a $58 pot.


I take a break due to a 6 year old band-aid emergency in the other room

Hand #64: pocket 6s in the big blind. I just call a raise pre-flop and there are 3 other callers. I bet into a 347 flop and the original raiser just calls me. I bet the turn(a 9) and the river(I forget). The raiser was on AQ and my 6s take down the $75 pot.



The table looks great now, but alas, I can't stay. I see a flop with T8 in the big blind and end up winning a $75 pot with top pair, one guy called me all the way down with bottom pair.

Overall, I like my play today, my biggest mistake in these hands was staying in with my AK suited when my opponent was screaming pocket pair to me. Other than that I feel I played well.


NET: +$205 (left the table with $455) in almost exactly 1 hour. At the risk of jinxing myself, I notice in pokertracker that this is my 8th straight winning session, though I have a couple of multi table tournament entries that knock my total profits down just a touch.

I join a 3 handed table at 8:15, it's 6 handed after 10 hands though.


Hand #12: I try to steal the blinds with 78s, the SB calls me(JNJSEA). I flop an open-ended straight draw and bet it the entire way, JNJSEA calls me down with bottom pair and I am down $45 early, but hopefully have made a decent advertising play and my good hands will be paid off nicely.



Hand #21: I have ATo in the big blind, with 3 limpers to me I just check. Flop is QTx, I bet out with second pair and end up heads up after the flop. I bet into a king on the turn, and I'm called, I just check down the river, possibly a mistake but I learn that my opponent had 45 and had flopped bottom pair.


After 40 hands I've only seen 20% of the flops, a very very low number when fluctuating from 4-6 players.


Hand #42: AJo in the small blind, I raise and get called, I bet the flop and turn, check the river as its total rags, have to call a bet and pay off pocket 9s.


The player to my right joez11 is raising an awful lot, I consider leaving the table but decide to hold off for now.


Hand #52: I raise UTG with AJ, I'm called by 3 players, and the flop comes Q55, I get raised when I bet into the flop and I get off the hand. joez won the hand with K5o, the other callers had 77 and 44, all three calling all the way down.


Hand #59: I raise on the button with ATs, both blinds call me, and the flop comes QQT, I bet and both fold.


Joez leaves the table and we are 3 handed, jamesbond007 and knight1 are my opponents.


Hand #61: I lose a very big hand to bond, I have JT, he has QJ, and the flop contains a J, I lose bad as I'm dominated. I am down about $150 now.


Hand #64: I get a free flop with 84 in the big blind with 3 opponents. The flop comes J87, and I bet out, turn is a 6, river a 2, I bet it all the way and I take the $78 pot when both opponents fold on the river. I am back to $140, down $110.

We jump back to 5 handed, triplep6 and cbass24 at the table with me.


JamesBond appears to be putting the entire table on tilt, he's just won 3 big hands in a row, inside straight on the river twice and two pair to beat a hand that dominated him. Profanities are flying and I'm staying out of the way (my cards are total crap, making that easy anyway)


Hand #74: One of the tilters has $19 left and raises pre-flop, I re-raise to try to isolate him with A8, and we end up all in pre-flop. I don't pair, and his J2 beats my A8 with a pair of twos. I am down to $113


Hand #81: I limp with JT from the cutoff along with the blinds. I hit a ten on the flop, bet into it, and take the small $22 pot right there, putting me at $118.


Hand #85: I check K2s and flop top pair. I bet, and there is a raise behind me. I go into check/call mode and drop down to $76 as I lose to a flopped two pair.


Hand #89: AJo from the big blind, 3 limp to me and I try to raise to take control, of course all 3 call and the flop misses me. TWo drop out on the flop, and I bet the turn and river into an 84555 board. I take down an $88 pot from punko, my jack outkicks him with A2

Hand #91: AA on the button, I raise and get two callers. The flop comes down K84, two hearts, and no one wants to play, I take down a $38 pot on the flop


Hand #92: I give back all my winnings on AA, as I get AJ, raise, bet the flop and get one caller, bet the turn and get raised, I fold and my opponent shows me AQ, he hit top pair on the turn and let me know in a very straightforward manner. I'm hanging at $111


Hand #96: KQo in the small blind. Punko raises and I re-raise, we're heads up, the flop is a good one for me, Q74, I bet and get called, the turn is a blank, and I take down a $54 pot when I bet the turn. Up to $129.


Hand #98: AJo in the cutoff. TWo limp to me and I raise. The flop comes 39J, cbass bets before me, and I raise. Two call. The turn is another 3, I bet and both call. The river, a 5, I still have top pair. I bet ,both call (punko and cbass), and that was the hand I was waiting for. I see JT and T9 for 2nd pair and an outkicked top pair. The $130 pot brings me back to $220.


Hand #114: A3 on the button, a weak limp on my partr and we have a family pot. I flop bottom pair(348) but I fold to a bet and raise in front of me.

Hand #116: AQ spades, I raise and get 3 callers. The flop is J65 with one spade. dj_deakon, a very straightforward player, bets out. everyone else calls, and I figure(perhaps erroneously) that this is an ok spot to call with two overcards. The turn gives me a flush draw, and with 2 others already in, I call another bet, the river gives me a queen, and its checked to me, I bet and get both callers, and I take down a $113 pot. I'm now slightly ahead on the session.

Hand #119: AJ in the big blind, its a family pot and I don't know what I'll accomplish with a raise here so I just call. I get a good flop, J85, and bet out, two people call. The turn is a 4, I bet and get one caller. The river is another 4, I bet and get raised. I call to see 67, a turned straight.


Hand #123: AQ in the big blind, the small blind limps, and I raise him back. He calls and I flop top pair. He calls me all the way down and I take about the biggest pot I could hope for in this situatoin, a $68 pot.


Hand #125: I cold call a raise with 9Ts, the raiser, flaggs, was UTG, and the big blind calls. The flop is J24 with just one of my suit. Both check(raiser included) and I sense weakness and bet out. The raiser calls. The turn is the King of spades, giving me the flush draw and inside straight draw. I bet again and flaggs folds, a small pot but one I'm happy with. I'm up to $290.


Hand #130: I raise pre-flop with AJs, getting called by only the big blind. The flop comes 9QK, and I bet and get called. I bet a blank on the turn, called. The river is another blank and I decide to just check on the river, I lose to pocket 8s.


Hand #133: A7 clubs in the small blind, one limp to me and I raise. The big blind and one other calls. The flop is one I like, 347, I bet, and the BB raises, I re-raise and he caps it. I go into check/call mode, and I end up losing to pocket kings. I'm back down to $222 and I note dj_deakons play with those kings.


Hand #134: 79o, I complete from the small blind with three opponents. The flop is a pretty bad Q36, but luckily, its checked around. The turn is a 5, giving me a double-bellybuster straight draw. I call a bet along with one other(I only had 4:1 odds, not really good enough to call there, oops). The river gives me the straight with an 8. I go ahead and bet out, one caller and I take down a $68 pot, back ahead just a little bit.


I watch dj_deakon lose to A3 as he slowplays pocket jacks, slowplay is just a mistake more often than not.


Hand #150: AQo in the small blind. There's two frequent limpers, an dI raise. I get out the big blind. The flop comes KT7, a dangerous one, I bet and get called. Turn is my queen, I bet and get called. The river is a blank, I bet and get raised, and lose to K7, flopped two pair, I was behind the entire way though.


Hand #154: Another AQ, this one suited, UTG. I raise and land6457 calls behind me. Broom, the SB, re-raises(don't know much about him), and we have 4 way action for $15 each pre-flop. The flop misses me totally, and I get out of the way to see AA take down $93. $93?? he had aces on 4 way action and a non-scary board... but he check/called the flop. WHYOWHY. Just betting and getting called down with that much pre-flop action should net him $130 or more


I am back down to $181 here, but I feel I'm playing pretty well.


Hand #158: KK, but we're only 3 handed. I push hard with it, even though my opponent just wanted to limp, I take it down on the turn, a $39 pot, I could have tried to slowplay it and see if I could get a bigger pot later, but that backfires too often, I'm happy with what I got.


we're back to 6 handed around hand 170, 4 familier faces and a new guy to my right, johnnieringo.

Hand #177: Antoher AQ Suited. Look at that action, 4 callers to my raise. The flop comes AAK, dear god let there not be AK on the table. There's a bet before me, I raise, dj_deakon re-raises behind me, and we both call. The river brings the second king, barring pocket kings I am safe. dj_deakon and I split the others money, both showing down AQ. I am back up to $191.

A discussion on pot odds and kickers almost forces me to leave the table, and maybe I should, but I am just seeing too much passive play from half the table(flaggs/broom/johnnieringo appear to be very straightforward and easy to read most of the time).


Hand #183: I have AKo UTG. I raise and get a call from flaggs. He folds to my flop bet, on a board that missed me(Qxx), I take down $31.

Hand #185: 89 in the big blind. I check when the SB limps to me, we are heads up. The flop of 66T appears to miss both of us, we both check. The turn brings an ace and I deside to represent it with a bet. I am called, and the river actually gives me a hand, pairing my 8. I bet again and he folds to me, back up to $215 with the two quick pots.


Hand #189: I limp with QJ, flops have been free for awhile. Not this time, whee. I go ahead and call the raise from flaggs, I'll know quickly if I'm beat on the flop so I'll play. The flop comes down AAT, and I don't need to see a bet to assume I'm beat here(action is 4-way). Flaggs had pocket 10s and picked up a nice pot with the flopped house.


land6457 limps from the SB, bets the flop, checks the turn and the river with the big blind with no overcard on the board with pocket kings. Weird, wacky stuff. A monster $19 pot with his kings.


Hand #197: 24 diamonds in the big blind. I get a free flop with 3 other opponents, and the flop is a pretty friendly one, A25 with two diamonds. I call a bet on the flop, raise the turn when a second two hits, and no one calls the river. Thanks to the 3 opponents the pot got up to $107, pushing me once again slightly ahead, I'm at $257


Hand #201: I keep getting AQ, I raise it from the small blind, two people call, and I bet into the KQ6 flop, winning a $39 pot.


Hand #202: We're just 4 handed, and I raise A2s from the button. The big blind calls, and the flop misses me completely, 79Q. The blind is the first to act, and he folds... I wasn't looking forward to trying to push him out of the pot with such a weak ace, so I appreciate it!!


Hand #205: I call a raise with JTs from the small blind, looks like a steal attempt ot me. The big blind calls too, and I flop top pair, J45. from early position this is one of the few times I'll check raise, and I go ahead and do it on the flop, raising when the steal raiser bets. I take the pot right there, $43 and I am up to $314, up above $300 for the first time in my two hours at this table.


Any thoughts on a check raise there? top pair is solid short handed, should I bet into the raiser instead of the more powerful check-raise? top pair is not big enough to slow play(can you tell, I don't like slowplaying very often at all)



Hand #211: I limp from the SB with K7o(one early limper before us). The flop is KT4 with two diamonds, I bet my top pair and get one caller. Turn a blank, bet/call, river completes the diamond flush, I bet, and he folds. I take down $53.

Hand #212: very next hand I have QQ on the button. I open-raise(folded to me) and the BB calls, dj_deakon. The flop comes 56A. He bets, I raise, he re-raises and I call. The turn is another ace. He bets, I think a bit and fold. I say "nh" and he says "47" indicating the open ended straight draw and indicating that I very clearly folded the best hand and back down under $300 by a bit.


Hand #213: I have pocket 7s in the big blind. dj_deakon raises, flaggs calls, and I re-raise. If I'm going to play a middle pocket pair, I am going to be in control of the betting. Both call. The flop is pretty nice, 884. I bet, both call. The turn is a 2, I bet, one call, the river is the 3rd 8. I bet out again, flaggs calls me with AQ, and I take down $95 to put me up to $367.


Hand #219: JTs early. I limp and end up heads up with a new player in the big blind, bad2004boy. I flop a good draw, Q94, I bet, he raises me, I re-raise to try to keep control, he caps me, I end up folding on the turn, wishing I had more info on him, and I fall back down to $320 or so.

Hand #223: I get QQ on the button, one limp to me, I raise, and the limper is the only caller. Aces seem to follow my queens around, AA9 flops. I bet and my opponent folds, I take in the $31 pot.


Hand #226: A4 early, I'm suited, I limp, which is usually a mistake and I immediately regret it, but it doesn't hurt me. We get a free flop, 3-way, and I flop 2nd pair on a T42 flop, I bet and oldbill70 calls me(the same guy who folded on my QQ hand). The turn completes the flush and puts another overcard, a 7, on the board. I keep pushing and oldbill calls. The river is the 4th spade, a jack. I have no spade. I bet out, if he has a spade I lose, if he doesn't he'll fold. And, he folds and I take down a $55 pot.

Hand #227: NExt hand, ick. maveric_uk is new to the table, to my right. It's folded to him and he raises from the SB. I have AT and I raise back at him. He caps it. The flop comes J64, he bets and I go into call mode, I still wonder if he's on a steal and I'll see if I can't hit something. I call him down, the board ends up with two pair, and I lose to his pocket aces, down to $321.


Hand #229: I limp with 67s. I like the flop, K45, open ended draw, but it has two clubs. The entire table is in the pot, so I have the odds to bet my draw, and I do indeed get enough callers. The turn is a 3, making my straight, but it also makes the flush. I bet, and get just one caller. The river a 7, so any 6 ties me. I go ahead and bet, get called(yet again by oddbill70) and I take down $83, taking out his 47, bottom pair on the flop, inside straight draw on the turn, two pair on the river. TY. back to $374.

Hand #231: pocket 5s UTG. If I'm going to play, I have to raise, and I do. maveric_UK calls out of the BB. Flop has two overcards, KJ4, I bet into him and he calls. The turn is a 3rd overcard, all broadway cards, and I check, I make a crying call on the river, and I see J7, I was behind the whole way, interesting to see him defend his blind with that though.


Hand #235: AKo, I raise behind one limper. I bet out on a T87 flop. Maveric_uk is the only one left in on the turn. He check-raises me when I bet out again on a 6. The river is an ace, and I just call his bet. He turns over T6s, he turned two pair. I am down to $297 and baffled by this guy's play, but ready to catch him when I have good cards.


NEVER SLOWPLAY PEOPLE (see below)


Hand #237: I limp on the button with KT suited. 3 others see the flop. Flop comes down AT4. I bet and get two callers. River is a queen, dj_deakon check-raises me and I go ahead and call the re-raise. The river is a jack, I hit an inside straight. dj_deakon bets, I raise and he calls. He had pocket aces, limped and just called when he flopped trips, and I busted him on the river bad. I take down $113.


I lose a fair amount on 67 suited, I flopped middle pair and got called down by top pair, then made a nice win with AT that never improved, betting hartd all the way and getting a fold on the river, I am up to $396 at this point.


Hand #250: I complete from the small blind with QTo. The flop is as pretty as it gets, 9JK rainbow, I flopped the straight. I bet the flop, and get one caller. The turn is a 9, somewhat of a scare card. I bet, my one opponent, dj_deakon, raises, I re-raise and he calls. The river is a blank, I bet and he folds, he must have been bluffing, or had a pair and believed me for trips. I take down $97.

Hand #252: I llimp from the button with J8 suited. I flop top pair, J63, and bet out. On the turn(a ten) maveric_uk bets. I should have re-raised, but he's had my number otnight, and I just call. I make a mistake on the river, clicking "check/call" expecting him to bet. He checks, I would have bet were I thinkingm, but instead I check, and I take down a $47 pot against ace high.

the two hands push me to $450.

Hand #258: I raise from the button with QT suited, my only caller? maveric_uk. I bet the flop, we check the turn and the river, and I lose to his AT with all undercards on the board, down to $418.


Hand #261: Sometimes its ok to slowplay. I limp in the SB with 76. Flop? 776. I'll check that on the flop, free card, a 4. I bet out, and land6457 raises me, slowplay time over, maybe I lucked out and he hit a straight? He calls my re-raise, and calls my river bet, showing down 64. My $93 pot puts me back over $450 by a little bit.


I decide that 3 hours is quite enough and that I'm starting to get tired, and log off before my play starts to suffer.

I am extremely happy with my play tonight, dropping down fast, but not tilting, and reading the table as a table that I can beat, and sticking with it, coming back and finishing up with a very nice win. One of my best sessions ever, even though I've won more in less times, I am very satisfied with this win.


Net: +$187 over 3 hours

More comments on the style are welcome. Anything more/less/different that would make the read better? Espicially on a very long session like that one(though most of mine are not nearly that long, I usually sit down for about an hour at a time).

Great work, Radii!

I don't have much to add to the discussion, but just letting you know that I'm enjoying reading.

Thanks RPI-Fan, I appreciate the kind words!

A little Sunday Morning poker. Start time: 10:25am

No 3 hour marathon this time, I probably have 45 minutes or so til I'll need to help with the groceries.


I start at a full 6 man table with 5 names I have never seen. iamdwalrus is to my left, follwed by westlaw, indyrunner, cattycreep and sasandersno.

Westlaw leaves before my first 5 hands are up. Sasanderson has made two very very questionable plays in two hands, raising 3rd pair that he hit on the turn into someone clearly betting an ace, and, calling down a pre-flop steal attempt w/ jack high(only to see pocket queens)


Hand #5: AJo UTG, 5 handed. I go ahead and raise pre-flop, my first action at the table that wasn't a fold. I get 3 callers... I bet into the Q74 flop and everyone calls... the turn gives me middle pair with a jack, I bet and only cattycreep calls. The river is a blank, I bet out again and I take the $88 pot.

Hand #6: 92o in the big blind, I see it for free with 2 others. Flop comes Q92. I bet, get called by only indyrunner. The turn is a 4, I bet, get called. The river a king, I bet, get raised, I call and I see pocket Queens for flopped trips, and I grumble something about slowplaying big hands to myself.


We fall to 4 handed before I play another hand, a new player, LILET to my left, followed by Indyrunner and another new player, mskimike709.


Hand #17: 5 handed again, IAMDWALRUS is back. I get AJo UTG again and raise, getting two callers, the flop isn't pretty, 997. I decide to check it down when a queen hits the turn, and both my opponents check the turn and river, and QT takes it with a pair of queens.


People are coming and gonig like crazy here, 5 handed with another new guy, DSCollins37. No one is staying long enough to read anyone.

Hand #22: I get a free flop with T5o in the big blind along with two others. The flop comes T42, and I bet out, getting one caller(SlowplayIndyrunner). The turn is another ten, I bet and take a $40 pot when Indy folds.

Hand #37: I make a mistake limping with KTs early, and I end up heads up against the big blind. The flop comes out 245 all hearts(I have diamonds), I bet and get called. The turn pairs the two, and we just check it, the river pairs the 5 and I fold to a bet. Weak.

Hand #41: pocket 9s on the button, one limp to me and I raise. Only teh limper calls. I don't like the flop, QT3, but I bet into it and mskimike folds to me, giving me a $31 pot, keeping me at $225, only $25 down.

Hand #51: Q7 suited in the big blind. I see it for free with DSCollins, an early limper who has been very weak/passive. The flop comes AKJ, and we both check. I pair my 7 on the turn, and based on DSCollins earlier play, figure he'll fold possibly even a jack if I bet. I bet, he folds, and I take a $22 pot. He has been checking down top pair heads up, and doing a lot of folding. He appears to need a monster hand to bet.


Hand #58: Pocket tens in the big blind. Another weak move on my part, I just check after 3 people limp to me. The flop comes K74, and I lead out the betting, and take it right there, a $24 pot.


Hand #63: I complete in the small blind with Q8o, we have 5 way action on the flop. I hit middle pair with J83 on the flop. I bet out and only DSCollins calls me. The turn is another low card, I bet and I take the $44 pot. I'm ahead for the first time in quite awhile, sitting with $263 at the table now.


Hand #67: I raise UTG with JTs. DSCollins calls me and raises me when I bet on the flop. Given his past play I respect this and fold.

The table has been so passive that I felt JTs was a good enough hand to try to push people around with. Didn't work out this time.


Hand #72: I call a raise on the button with 9Ts, a hand that I can make a lot on if I hit and can get out of if I miss. The raiser was EXMAN, who I've hopefully correctly read as someone who is trying to push people around as well. The flop is a nice one, T84 with two of my suit(hearts). EXMAN bets, and I raise, he just calls. I take control, betting into the queen on the turn, and the two on the river. Flush never hits, but, EXMAN folds to me on the river and the $77 pot is mine.

Hand #77: I get a free flop with J5o, with 4 opponents. The flop comes down J33, and I take it right there with a bet.


Hand #79: AQo on the button, one of my best hands pre-flop so far. I raise it and 3 people are in the flop with me. The flop comes down all low cards, I bet and end up heads up with slovog. I bet it all the way down with all low cards, and he calls me down, I was going to slow down the turn but I hit 4 to a flush so I kept going. He shows down pocket 7s to take the pot.


Hand #82: AA in the small blind, it's folded to me and I just limp. I'm not slowing down any more than that though. I forget the board, but I bet the flop, turn, and river, and win a decent pot as DSCollins calls me down.


Hand #84: Just two hands later, pocket jacks. I raise pre-flop and buy the button, but get 3 callers. I like the flop, T92. I bet, and I get check-raised by MSMike, I re-raise and all 4 are still in, calling my re-raise. The turn comes down a queen, msmike bets again and I wonder if I might be beat, just calling hoping to hit the straight. The river is a blank, everyone gets scared and we check it down. I see JT from msmike, the guy playing hard at me(he played it pretty well IMO), J9 from another, and unfortunately, KQ from EXMAN to take down the $140 pot.

Hand #89: A9o in the big blind. slovog limps and I raise out of the blind. He calls and fold on the flop when an ace hits.

Hand #91: A9o again, on the button(four handed for now). I raise and get two callers. I bet the flop(all low cards) and its down to me and EXMAN. He check-raises me on the turn when the board pairs twos, and I just call, but I decide to fold on the river when he bets again and I still haven't hit anything. He may be bluffing the two, but I am convinced he has something.

Hand #93: pocket tens in the big blind. Two limp to me, I raise out of the blind and both fold, giving me a $20 pot.

testdog1 joins us and we're 5 handed again, I am at $213, having given away my profits on the JJ and the second A9 hand recently.


Hand #96: AKo in the cutoff, I raise and get two callers. I bet the flop of 665, and get raised by slovog. I fold when the turn comes down with a 4, completing a flush. slovog is kind enough to show me KJ hearts for the flush.

Hand #99: T2 in the big blind. I check when EXMAN completes the blind. The flop comes J92, I bet when exman checks to me, and he check-raises me. I call, and the turn gives me two pair with a ten. He checks, I bet and he just calls. The river pairs the 9 on the board, and now a single jack beats me, or a ten b/c of my kicker problems. We check it down and I see that he had the jack, and runner-runner'd a flush to top it off.


Hand #103: I get pocket 5s. PRESTO. I just limp pre-flop along with 4 others. I love my flop, T65. EXMAN bets, and I raise(the core rule with not slowplaying is to NEVER SLOWPLAY TRIPS, too many ways to beat them. Like or dislike the rest of Lee Jones book, that one rule has made ti worth the $10 for the book). The turn? have faith in presto... I've got quad 5s now. I continue to bet and EXMAN just calls me down, I take down a nice pot.


Ok only 9 hands have occured since the quad 5s, but we're 4 handed. My cards got better and I started running oer the table, specifically over DSCOllins, the one guy I feel good about my read on. I've won 3 straight hands with me in the SB and him in the BB, usually for a couple of bets on the flopp and turn, I keep getting Ax against him.

I also took down an $80 pot against EXMAN, I had KQ and he had QJ and a queen hit the turn.

DSCollins tried to bluff me off a pot when I flopped top pair, a capped flop on that gave me $60.


That brings me up to current(took longer than I wanted to write up hands 99/103), and that rush of 5 or 6 wins in 15 hands has put me up to ~$350.

Hand #122: DSCollins raises pre-flop, I call from the big blind with A9 suited, as does slovog. The flop comes down AJ4, and I go for my check-raise here, taking the pot on the flop(that suprises me a bit, I expected it to at least go to the turn even if he didn't have an ace). My pot is $45, taking me up to $380.


Two people join and our four handed stretch is over. I'm disappointed as I just won $150 in about 20 hands against that lineup.


Hand #131: I limp early with 87 suited, get 3 other opponents, but I fold when the flop misses me.

Hand #134: I get a free flop with J4, the flop comes 4T9 and I decide to call 1 bet when I can kill the betting and have a backdoor flush draw. The turn is an ace though and I give up my hand.


Groceries are home, and I leave the table with $352

NET: +$102 in 80 minutes.

with some sort of shower planning going on, it looks like I have the time to play as much poker as I want today. Rested up and focused after a lunch break, I sit back down starting at 1:15.

I recognize no one here, dimva, doubleslab, moses39, Its0219, and PSTARFISH are my opponents, starting to my left and going around.

On the first two hands I see pre-flop raises and 3 or 4 way action after the raise. Raises get called pre-flop with Q6 suited and J9 suited(this one in the big blind, at least that's excusable in most situations).

I'm drooling after 5 hands. AJ and K9 get in a raising war on a turn with a board of KK62. Staying in that raising war is J2(pair of twos), giving the trip kings a monster pot.



Hand #6: I have A7o in the big blind. Moses39 raises on the button, and I call. An ace flops and I lead out, moses calls my flop bet, and folds to the turn bet.

Hand #7: AT in the SB, moses limps to me and I raise, doubleslab re-raises behind me and moses and I call. I love the flop, AT4 rainbow. I bet, doubleslab raises, and I re-reaise. moses exits the hand, doubleslab calls me down and I take the $113 pot.

The table has some attrition, and doubleslab and I go heads up for a few hands. I run all over him, raising every hand pre-flop in the SB, with him folding on the turn.

back to 4 handed quickly

UGH. TWo bad hands... I was up to $350 right away. I have pocket 8s in the big blind. The SB raises and I re-raise. The flop and turn are pretty ragged and I bet and my opponent calls. I bet the river, an ace, and get re-raised. I lose to A6o, a big pot for heads up on the flop.

Soon after I get A8 in the SB, I raise pre-flop and get heads up with doubleslab. An ace hits the flop, I bet, doubleslab raises, and I re-raise. I remain in control of the hand, bet/call, bet/call. The problem? A 2 on the river... I lose to A2, rivering a 2nd pair. That plus a few blinds and after 25 hands I'm at $253, right back where I started.


We are back to 6 handed 25 hands in. doubleslab is 2 to my left, all of my other opponents are new.

Hand #26: A3o in the small blind. There's 1 limp to me, I complete the blind and the BB checks. Flop is 732, I bet the pair of 3s, and get one caller(luhar), i bet again on the turn when a ten hits, and again on the river when the 2nd 7 hits. Luhar folds on the river.

Hand #27: Very next hand, I have 87 suited on the button. I limp and doubleslab checks his BB. The flop comes 844, I bet, doubleslab check-raises me, and I call. The turn is a 7, I have two pair but I fear a 4 in the blind, I call him down on the turn and river, and my 87 two pair loses to his T4, flopped the 3 of a kind, and I am down to $238.


Hand #33: I raise QJs on the button when its folded to me. doubleslab re-raises me, I call and I fold on the flop when an ace flops and he bets again. Good play by doubleslab, whether he had the ace or not.


Hand #40: I raise ATo UTG 5 handed. The SB re-raises me, the BB calls and I call. The flop is all undercards and I call a bet. The turn is a ten, I've got top pair but have convinced myself I'm up against an overpair, I decide to call it down to see what he has. The river makes me two pair, my opponent checks for the first time, and I bet, he calls and my two pair takes it. He was making a move with 9T suited. I had him dominated and had him the entire way. The $93 pot takes me back up to $260. That was AcesFull80 that hand.


Hand #44: ATo in the button. Its folded to me and I raise. doubleslab calls me in the big blind. The flop is all rags, I bet and he folds and I take down $26.


doubleslab appears to be a solid player, I have yet to see him show down a bad hand or a bluff, so it appears he should be respected at this point.

Hand #48: doubleslab raises UTG, I have 78 suited in the big blind. I call the raise, as do two others. The flop comes three broadway cards and I fold. doubleslab was raising with A4 suited. Good info.


The two players to my right, grumpy46 and luhar, seem to be in most every flop, and certainly more than their fair share.


Hand #60: I get AQo on the button. Luhar raises before me, and I re-raise. Luhar just calls. I don't like the flop, KT7, but I bet into it on the flop anyway. we check the turn, and Luhar bets the river. I call for the info, and he had KJo, I'll be happy to play that against him any day, but this time it works out for him, and I am down to $194.


Hand #64: I have pocket 3s on the button, and I try to raise it pre-flop, I get heads up with luhar. I bet the flop and turn, and we just check down the river. I see T4o, I lose to a pair of 4s.


Hand #65: I limp early with KT suited. Ronald33, a newer player, raises right behind me. I call, and see AJ4, two clubs(including the ace), I bet, ronald calls. The turn makes my flush with a 9, I bet again and ronald calls. The river is a ten, I bet, ronald raises, I have the nuts and re-raise ,and I take down a very nice sized pot of $115.


Hand #66: The very next hand I get pocket aces in the big blind. Two limpers to me and I raise, both call. The flop comes 952, I bet, acesful80 raises, and I re-raise, aces calls. I bet a blank on the turn and he folds and I take down $80.


HAnd #67: An exciting 4 hand stretch here. I have QJo in the small blind. I limp and we have a 3-way flop. I bet into the AQ7 flop, and luhar raises it, I just call. I check, and he bets the turn, I again call. The river gives me two pair with a jack, I check, he bets, and I raise. He calls me and I see that he had Q7 and flopped two pair. I rivered him for a very nice $103 pot.


I take about 10 hands off as the family comes home and the leadoff man show for the Cubs game starts. When I come back BadBoyCK has joined the table two to my right. The rest of the table is the same, ronald33, doubleslab, acesfull and grumpy around us.

Hand #71: Doubleslab raises UTG, and I decide to defend my blind with T9 suited. The flop comes Q94, and I'll bet that. doubleslab calls, and calls the turn and river when I bet out the rest of the way into a second queen and a low card. doubleslab had pocket 5s and I get a nice $70 pot.

Hand #72: Pocket 6s in the small blind. We are down to 4 handed here, and aces full and doubleslab raise twice around me, I weakly call $15 between them. The flop is great, T64, I just check, letting the two raisers play. doubleslab bets, the other guy folds, and I raise. The turn gives me a full house, pairing the 4 on the board. doubleslab raises me this time, and I re-raise, he just clals, and he calls my river bet, giving me a very nice pot($113)


I take a big $115 pot off of acesfull 3-way when we have a capped flop and turn when I have AK and flop top pair.

After that I have about $450, and go heads up with doubleslab for about 15 hands. We go back and forth until 1 very big hand when I flop trip 7s, and he flops a pair and 4 to a flush. We raise each other like mad, and he hits his flush on the river, taking about $60 off of me. We jump back up to 4 handed and I have $400 at the table.


its still me and doubleslab, and to our left is blcat123 and quartzgold.

blcat has capped eveyr betting round for 3 straight hands. doubleslab finally has a hand tgo call him down on, beating pocket queens iwth two pair, so maybe he isn't a maniac.

Hand #97: folded to me in the SB, I raise KTo, doubleslab calls me and I get a good flop, T97, I bet and he calls. I bet the turn(a 5) and he calls. I have a feeling I've lost on the river, the 8 putting 4 to the straight on the board. I check and call when he bets and I see 67 for the rivered straight. I am down to $353.


We are back to 6 handed on hand 99, and I remind myself to slow down on the agression a little bit, after a good 20+ hands of nothing more than 4 handed.


Hand #101: I have A3 suited in the cutoff. I raise it, and get two clalers. I bet into the Q84 flop and get raised by milkman13, the player to my left. I call it but fold when the turn gives me no help.


The table turns quite agressive, and milkman is playing a lot of hands, but seems to be good at getting out of the way when his hands miss. He just busted up JJ with Q3 suited, turning a flush. Our other big agressor, blcat123 is in most every hand also, but doesn't seem to know when to fold. He's turned $150 into $27 in about 15 hands.

And just like that blcat is gone, going "all in" (auto-raising until all in) on T4 suited. We are 4 handed again, milkman, doubleslab, michaeltran and myself.

Now we're 3 handed.

I drop $20 to milkman raising pre-flop with A9, I fold when he continues to bet hard on the flop that contains a king and queen, and I'm down to about $290.


BOY what a comeback.

I call a raise with 89 suited 3 way. The flop? 567, with two of my suit. We cap the betting on the flop, and I am called down on the turn and river, winning a $108 pot with the nut straight.

Very next hand I take down $58, pushing pocket 7s hard against a short stack who folds on the turn into a board of

Very next hand? pocket 7s. I raise, it's re-raised and capped behind me. 3 handed with one of the raisers a short stack, I will call. My flop could not be better, AT7 with an agressive player in with me. We cap the flop, and he just calls me down on the turn and river. My trip 7s beat AJ and J3 for a monster $148 pot.

I steal a few blinds taking advantage of my rush/hot streak/respect/opponents cold cards(whyever they folded to me) and after that 20 hand stretch 3 and 4-way, I am now up to $493.

As of hand #125 we are back to 6 handed. milkman and doubleslab remain to my left, with new players in the other 3 seats.


Hand #125: I have 78o in the big blind, getting to limp along with 3 others. The flop comes 8AA, and I bet, one of the new players, BlondMike, raises me, and myself and milkman are the only two left in after we call the raise. The turn is a 6, putting 3 to the flush ont he board, and my 8 is of the flush suit. We all check. The river brings the 4-flush, and I bet, get called by BlondMike and I take down the $68 pot.

This brings up an intersting point. Many times, you see a raise into a board over one of my bets. I will rarely fold to that raise, but I'll often call and fold on the next street. The reasons for this are many. One is that I almost always have some sort of backdoor draw to go with my hand, so even if I'm second best, I'm willing to see the next card, backing into my draw + sometimes having the best hand makes it worth it. The other reason is shown here. BlondMike represented the ace. If he has it, this runner-runenr flush is my only way to win, but I call to see the next card and to see what mike will do. Here? A semi-scare card came out, Mike had the chance to bet from last position when it was checked to him, and what did he do? He checked. Looking in the history, he had the ace. Why in the world did he check? He let me runner-runner him for free. But that's why I call the raise on the flop. If he was bluffing the ace, usually he'll slow down on the turn. And sometimes he'll do something monumentally stupid like that.


We go heads up, me vs Doubleslab for another 10 hands or so, breaking even this time, before two more join the table.

Back to four handed, no, five handed, no, six handed as I type... I feel like doubleslab and myself are ringers just watching the tourists come and go. I'm up $250, he's up $500, we're ripping through all comers.

Hand #150: I have 69 suited on the button, I limp and we see 5 way action. The flop is friendly, Q69. I raise an early bet and two stay in. On a jack on the turn, jcs6153 bets before me, I raise again and he just calls. He bets yet again on a blank river, and I call. He shows down J9, beating me with a turned two pair. I fall to $454.

Hand #153: I have A9 suited in the big blind. folded to the SB, jcs6153 limps and I raise him. He calls, I bet into the 234 flop, and then into the 8 on the turn(giving me the flush draw + inside straight). The river makes nothing for me, and I check it down, jcs was playing with K5, and I take down the pot.


Hand #161: I have AKo in the cutoff, I raise and get two callers. I like the flop, K95, and I bet, keeping one caller in, srxman. The turn completes a flush with a 6, I bet and he calls. The river makes it even scarier, with a second 5. I bet again and srxman check-raises me. I call to see his 85, rivered trips and I am down to $410 on that beat.


srxman, doubleslab and jcs6153 are going at each other like crazy, one of the three has raised pre-flop in what seems like every one of the last 10 hands.


Hand #178: I decide to mix it up in the SB with pocket 8s. srxman raises pre-flop, I re--raise it and he calls. I boggle when I see this showdown. I bet all the way, I forget the board order, but it ends up 79TJ giving me a straight with the 8. After lots of betting on the river we split the pot, what does srxman show down? 84 suited, no flush draw no nothin.


Hand #181: I play T8 suited from the button, srxman raises, and 4 people are in the flop. I love my flop, 889. I decide to slowplay this on the flop, and I just call srxman's bet, along with one other. I re-raise him on the turn, and he folds when I bet the river. I take down $108 and am back up to $468.


Hand #186: I have JTo on the button. we have us a family pot. Everyone limps/checks. The flop comes AJ6. All 5 others check to me, and I bet. Only srxman and jcs call. jcs bets the turn when an 8 falls. On the river (another 8) I decide that I'm likely beat and fold. I was beat but not how expected. jcs6153 shows Q8.

Hand #188: My first legitimately good hand in awhile. AJ in the big blind, with 3 opponents I just check, and I fold to a bet on the flop after everyone else already called. Too many people here to think I'm good, and who knows if my outs are even good if these guys have legit hands.


srxman leaves the table, and I think I am glad for this. He was betting with crap, but he was way up too, and you got burned when you ran into one of his good hands. Probably a pretty good player. doubleslab has fallen from $900 down to $715, and jcs6153 has $725 now, he's on quite a rush. ME? I'm stuck at $434, waiting for another rush.


Hand #193: A7s in the big blind. the SB limps to me and I just check. The flop is a beauty, A74. I just call a bet(another dangerous slowplay) on the flop, and the SB checks the turn, folding when I bet, giving me a small $29 pot.


jcs61xx has left the table, the other big winner next to srxman, and it's back to me and doubleslab and 4 random guys. doubleslab is down to $690, he's taking a beating, having dropped nearly $250 from his max winnings at the table on the day.


Hand #197: pocket 10s UTG. the BB calls, a new player vaheha, but he folds to my flop bet into a Kxx flop. Another small win($26)


Hand #199: I limp from the SB with KT, but I give it up to a flop bet on a flop that misses me totally.


Hand #201: pocket kings in the cutoff. I'm only called by the BB. He folds to my flop bet, bleh. $26 pot.

Hand #211: pocket jacks on the button. I raise, and both blinds and one early limper call. I bet into one overcard on the flop (QT6) and all 3 call. The turn is an ace and I'm ready to give this one up. I check, and the river brings a 3rd heart, and the flush wins(I folded but others stayed in).

Hand #212: pocket 5s costs me some more, I raise it pre-flop and bet into overcards on the flop and turn, giving up on the river and losing to pocket 8s. The two hands have dropped me back to $376.

Hand #217: I have TJs in the cutoff. I raise and get heads up on the flop. I miss the flop totally but bet and get called, the turn gives me an inside straight draw, I bet out again and I take the pot of $40.50. Back to $379.


Hand #221: 78s in the small blind, I limp and we see a flop 3-way. The flop gives me a flush draw, and we check it around. The turn brings the flush and puts an ace on the board. I bet and get one caller. The river makes a 4-flush on the board, I bet and they fold.


Hand #224: AKo, I raise and get two clalers. The flop comes 67T all diamonds. I don't have a diamond. I bet into it and fold immediately to a raise. The other two take it all the way down and I see A8(ace of diamonds) and Q3 diamonds for a flopped flush.


Hand #227: 47 clubs in the big blind. the button limps and we are heads up on the flop. I flop bottom pair, bet out and badger46 folds, my pot.

Hand #229: KQo on the button. I raise pre-flop and only the big blind calls. I flop top pair in a Qxx flop. I bet on the flop and turn, and my opponent folds to my bet on the river.


Hand #230: QJ suited very next hand. I just limp and we have 4-way action. The flop comes down QTx, 3 spades, I have diamonsd. I bet into it and get one caller. The turn is a second Ten, I bet and get one caller. The river gives me two pair, but I imagine I was either ahead or behind the entire way. I bet, get called and I take the pot, my opponent had Q6 for top pair with kicker issues.

I am bcak to $431 at this point.


Hand #241: I have QQ in the SB. I raise and get two callers, but one is all in. The flop comes down A83, all hearts, I have no heart. I bet the flop, and decide to check/call the turn and river. I lose to ATo.

Right after that I play A8 suited, flop 4 to the flush and have the odds to draw, but I never hit, right back to $352.


Back to $360, UTG raise with jacks and everyone folds to me.

Hand #254: A9 suited in the SB. I call a raise from the button and we are 5 handed. I flop bottom pair and 1 heart, KJ9. its checked all the way around, I assume the origional raiser just gave up with a small pocket pair. The turn pairs the jack and puts a 2nd heart on the board. I bet and all but talicco folds. The river is a blank, I invoke the "if you're going to call a bet, go ahead and make the bet" rule, bet out, and am pleasantly surprised when talicco folds and I take down the pot of $78, putting me back just slightly over $400.


I take a big hit defending my big blind to a raise, I flop a straight and the raser runner-runners a higher straight, next hand I bet pocket 8s hard into 5 undercards, and give up even more to pocket 10s that called me down. Down to $320 on those two bad hands, then back up to $340 when I win a tiny pot with pocket kings.


Hand #262: A9 hearts UTG, I raise pre-flop and badger46 calls me(same guy that called me down with TT earlier). The flop misses me totally, I bet and he calls. On the turn we both check it down, and I river a 9, the only overcard is a king, I bet and he folds, and I am back to $360 as he folds to me there.


Hand #265: I have 89o in the small blind and limp with 3 others. I flop bottom two pair, Q98. I bet, get raised, and I re-raise, two opponents call. The turn brings a two and I bet again and am called. The river pairs the two and that's the danger of bottom two pair. A single queen beats me. I check/call and lose to that single queen, a big $123 pot that would have pushed me way up again... instead, $326.


Hand #270: I limp in the SB with 56 spades, 2 opponents. I flop four to the flush, QJ2, QJ are spades. I take the lead, betting on the flop and turn, and win on the turn when badger and doubleslab fold to me.

A new player to my right, imtgo, tries a steal raise in the SB his first time, I call with a suited king but fold when the board misses and puts an ace out there.

imtgo leaves as fast as he arrives, oh well. jostahlman is now to my immediate right adn we're still 4 handed.


The cards have gone totally cold and I fall down to $305.


3 handed now, talicco, myself, and doubleslab(who has maintained his stack better than I, he has $900)

nono, 4 handed! bouncy bouncy. TNFEVER has joined to my right.


Hand #284: I raise out of the big blind with KQ when its limped to me. TNFever calls me, I bet the flop and turn, check the river and I lose to pocket 4s.

Hand #285: I get a little back when I push hard with pocket 9s.

Hand #286: We're 6 handed all of a sudden, and I get a little more bakc when I push A5 suited on the turn and river against some passive play, I missed totally but induce folds on the river. I am at $320 now.

Hand #288: ATo UTG, I raise, doubleslab raises, TNFEVER and a new player(wg1951 call). I just call, and the flop comes rags. I fold to doubleslab's bet when no one else gets out of the way, unlikely I can improve to beat them all. doubleslab took it on the turn with another bet.

Hand #289: I call a raise with JT suited in the big blind, I'm in it with two others. The flop comes QT4 and I take the lead, raising the pre-flop raiser, and getting everyone to slow down. Both opponents call me on the flop and turn, and the original raiser wg1951 calls on the river. He was betting pocket 6s, and I take a $108 pot, putting me back to $371.


The new table lineup feels good, TNFEVER and wg1951 to my right I feel I can push with my decent hands.


Hand #292: I raise with pocket 9s, and only wg1951 calls. The flop comes AT9, I hit trips. I bet on the flop and wg1951 calls. The turn brinsg an ace and a full house for me. I bet, wg1951 check-raises... if he has aces full I'm just screwed, and I re-raise. He just calls, he's got trips, no full. The river is a blank, and he calls my bet. Ohhh, I was wrong. He had T7o, 2nd pair, trying to bluff the ace. My pot is $115 and I'm back to $426.


Hand #296: wg1951 goes all in with a raise pre-flop. I re-raise with AQo behind him, we both miss the flop but I'm better.

Hand #302: I limp in the SB with KTo, and see the flop 4-way. Flop comes ten high, I bet and get one caller. Another ten on the turn and I win the pot with a bet.

Hand #306: I defend my blind against tallico, raising on the button. I have KTo. Flop comes all undercards and I think he's on a pretty pure steal attempt, I bet out. The turn gives me a hand with a king, I bet and he calls, and he calls another bet on the river. Turns outs tallico was on pocket 5s, glad to see him call me down with 4 overcards on the board and I win a $70 pot.

I play a bit more, win a couple of nice pots and log out with $474 after about 3 hours and 15 minutes. Deifnitely happy with the win but the last 90 minutes were a wash basically, I was as high as $502 during the session, fell back down to $290 and fought back up to $474, I can deal with that.


NET: +$224.50.

I really like that you are adding in the names of your opponents. It adds a lot. Keep it up we will keep reading.

Thanks dixie for the comments.


I played a bit last night without recording everything like the above. The streak of winning sessions is most definitely over. I ended up losing about a buyin's worth of cash at two tables(total, not at each) before bouncing to a third table and winning about $100 of it back, ending the night down ~$150.

I may play for a little bit today, not sure just yet.

It's 3:30, I felt horrid this morning and stayed home from work, I am a little tired and will be quick to log off today if my play is not up to par.


I join a table with all new players to me.

Hand #1: I limp in my big blind with the dealer, ericpark. I have T7 suited and have no interest in this hand. The flop and turn are checked, I get an open ended straight draw on the turn but with just $12 in the pot I'm folding to any sort of a bet. Checked still and I river a 3-7 straight, I bet, ericpark calls me and I open up the session up $13.


To my left is Lucky_Lawson, a seemingly familier name but he's not in tracker. RUNBMC, tttt34, ericpark, and BELLSofBKLYN round out the table in order to my left.

Hand #8: I have AT suited on the button. ericpark limps, I raise, both blinds and eric call. The flop comes 622 and the BB comes out betting(RUNBMC), I decide to give this up, I don't know what people have but AT unimrpoved vs 4 people I don' care to play. We don't see a showdown so I don't know what anyone had.


ericpark busts out, dropping $125 in the 11 hands I've watched. I'm seeing lots of 4 and 5 way pots here. RUNBMC flops two pair and doesn't bet(I assume b/c there's 3 to the flush on teh board)... that kind of fear is usually good to be up against.


Hand #15: JJ UTG, I bet and get heads up with bellsofbklyn on the flop. 384 is the flop, I bet and he calls, the turn is a 5, I bet and he folds, I take down $41.


Hand #16: I call a raise out of the BB with A5 suited, the raiser was tttt34, who has been sitting out some. I fold to a flop bet, but I get to see AJo as the SB calls him down.


New player DADADADA at the table(love these names), two to my right.


Hand #18: I limp with KTo in the SB with two opponents, the flop comes down with 3 hearts including QJ. My king is a heart, giving me a flush draw and straight draw, I bet and take the pot right there.


This table is moving real fast, 20 hands in about 12 minutes. 100 in an hour at a 6 man table isn't unusual but this is on pace for 120.


Hand #22: I make a pretty loose call with KTo in the BB, calling a raise from lucky_lawson. I give it up when I miss the flop, but bellsofbklyn is in there to help me get any info I need, lucky had pocket 9s.

Hand #23: Here's a pretty interesting hand. I have 43 suited in the small blind. With lots of limpers I'll play that, 4 of us see the flop. The flop comes Q34 with two spades(I have diamonds). I bet my two pair, and lucky_lawson and bellsofbklyn call, the turn is the ten of spades, completing the flush. I bet and only lucky_lawson calls. The river is the ace of spades. What to do? I go ahead and bet, and lawson calls me, my two pair beats his Q9(top pair flopped) for a $73 pot. I'm not sure the bet is the right move there, though in that case it did win me an extra bet.


Hand #28: I tighten up in the BB this time, folding K9o to a raise by the dealer.


Hand #30: I have A6o on the button, I raise when its fodled to me. lucky_lawson calls, and immediately bets into the Q97 flop. I either have to raise or fold here, and I decide to fold and not risk any more of my chips, I lost that steal attempt.


Hand #35: I limp in the SB with J9o, and flop 2nd pair, QJ5. I lead out the betting and get two callers, tttt34 and Mr Brooklyn. The turn is another 5. Anyone playing much of anything has me beat here, but I bet out anyway, ready to fold to a raise. Instead, just tttt34 call. The river helps me a ton, a jack, I've got jacks full. I bet, he calls and I rivered him to beat his queen pair, I take a $73 pot and notice tttt's lack of agression(top pair is almost always worth a raise on the flop, try to prevent that 5 from catching the best hand on the turn, etc)


Hand #36: On the button again with A5 suited. I try to steal again when its folded to me. lucky_lawson exits but runbmc calls. I forget the flop, it missed me, but I bet and runbmc folds, my pot.


Hand #39: I am UTG and I get pocket kings. I raise and get two callers, runbmc and brooklyn. The flop is 9 high, I bet, runbmc raises me, I re-raise and he probably figures me for something close to what I actually have, and he folds. I could slow down and try to win more on pots like this, but that clearly isn't in my overall strategy. I much prefer to play all my hands equally hard instead of trying to slowplay my big ones, this works well for me as long as I slow down/give up at the right time when I don't have the best hand(or in the J9 example above, when I river the hell out of my opponent).


Hand #43: I get 78 clubs in the big blind and check along with lucky_lawson, we're heads up. The flop is A92 and i'm ready to get out of this one. He doesn't let me though, and I turn a ten, the straight draw. I bet, hoping to induce a fold. lawson doesn't fold, and I miss my straight. We check it down and I lose to QT. I am sitting at $331 after this hand.


Hand #58: AKo in the SB. Brooklyn calls in the button, I raise and end up heads up with him. I bet into the jack-high flop and take the pot.


Side Note: ESPN classic just started a show on the curses inflicting the cubs and red sox, showing ome sort of "alternate" world where the bartman play doesn't happen and the Cubs make the world series. I nearly pull a muscle jumping out of the chair to get to the remote to turn this off.


Hand #62: I get queens int he big blind. Brooklyn limps from teh SB and I just check, we're heads up. The flop is 7-high, and I just call a bet, attempting the dreadful slowplay. The turn is a 9, brooklyn checks, I bet and he folds. The small $29 pot keeps me up at $340.


There's billiards on ESPN. Anything but Bartman and Alex Gonzalez plz.


tttt34 has left the table and has been replaced by Hallelujah. tttt34 appeared to be quite the solid player, so this is a good change.

The table just got much tighter. In the last 15 hands we've gone from 3-5 people in every flop to 2-3, a signifigant difference if it stays this way.


Hand #72: Pocket jacks UTG, I raise and only brooklyn calls out of the big blind. The flop comes A89, he checks, I bet, and he folds, I take down $26

Hand #73: A6o in the BB, I call a raise by the button after brooklyn calls the small blind. three hearts on the flop, and I have the ace and call a single bet. The turn pairs the board and I'm heads up now, I don't know why I feared this but I folded. I think I almost had the odds to draw to my flush too. Oh well.

Hand #75: pocket 6s on the button, I raise after its folded to me. Both blinds call. Flop is KQQ, both blinds check, I bet, and I take the pot, $33.50.

A long series of small wins and small losses leaves me steady at $345 after 75 hands.

Hand #81: I limp with 2 others with K7 suited from the button(brookly and the BB runbmc). The flop comes Kxx, one club. I bet after its checked to me, and only brooklyn is left in the hand. The turn is another low card, I bet, brooklyn calls. The river is a queen, I bet again and brooklyn folds. I take a $55 pot and am up to $365.

Hand #82: I try to limp with 78 suited(I should have raised or folded, but the table had been passive enough that I felt like I might get a free flop here). I didn't, runbmc raised me. I called but folded to a high card flop bet.


Hand #83: I limp with K9 suited in the SB. 3 others see it, and I bet into the AK2 flop, with two spades. hallelujah calls. The turn is a blank, I bet and he calls again. The river is the third spade. Fearing the ace, I decide to check and see if we can check it down. A bet *immediately* comes. One of the few online tells. He clearly had "bet/raise any" checked. SCREAMING flush at me. One of my weaknesses... there is a difference between a crying call and this call here.. this was a "had to see it" call... I called and lost to the queen high flush.

Hand #84: Very next hand, I have AQ diamonds on the button. I raise, and get both blinds and hallelujah calling me. The flop is 9 high, two diamonds. Lucky_lawson bets, its folded to me, I raise, and he re-raises. I just call. The turn makes my flush. He bets, I raise, he re-raises all in for his last $5 or so, and I call. He had 85 diamonds and almost hit a straight flush. The $117.50 pot is my biggest on the night.


I take $30 pots with AQ in the big blind(pushing back at brooklyn who tried to raise me pre-flop, I re-raised and then bet out on the flop and took the pot) and AJ suited in the small blind, raising RUNBMC, he calls but folds on teh flop, two consecutive hands.


this series of hands puts me up to about $400.

hoonslice joins to my left, and katehudson across from me.

Hand #97: I have AK suited and raise pre-flop, both new players are in the hand with me. The flop comes jack high and katehudson comes otu betting. I just call, ready to fold if I don't improve the turn. That's excatly what happens.

Hand #98: I cold-call a raise with QJ suited by brooklyn, a big mistake, katehudson makes it a 3rd bet, which I call and get out on the flop. This time there's a showdown and kate shows pocket Tens.


Those two quick losses drop me back to $360.

Hand #104: A hand I'm starting to think is a problem hand for me, JT I limp early with it and call a raise from RUNBMC. I get out on a flop bet though, and see a big $110 pot (that I would ahve won, but that is irrelevant) go to pocket queens.

I call this a problem hand because I catch myself wanting to limp with it to see what happens every single time I get it. Q quick look into pokertracker shows me that I've gotten JTs 18 times, JTo 44 times and have played it almost 70% of the time I get it, losing almost 1 BB per occurance if its suited, and 0.04 BB/hand for JTo.

KateHudson leaves, and I am happy, a very agressive player who was clearly throwing me off.

4 handed now with runbmc, dadadada and brooklyn.

Hand #113: AQo UTG, I raise and brooklyn calls. Flop is JT5, I bet and brooklyn calls. The turn gives me an open-ended straight draw with a 9. I just check though(brooklyn rarely calls the flop after I've raised, I assume he's got something now). We check down a blank river and I see 67 suited from him, and I take the $30 pot.

Brooklyn and runBMC are raising a lot of pots now, but digdug1958 has joined to make it 5 handed and I decide to not loosen up too much against them to try to catch them just yet.

Hand #120: back to 4 handed. I raise on the button with K5 suited. digdug calls and bets the flop, which is Q32. I decide to call him down for info here, turn is a 4 giving me a straight draw, the river misses, digdug checks, I check,he was bluffing the entire way with J5 and I'm up to $347 with the small win.

Hand #123: I limp with J6o in the SB, runbmc calls, I bet into a crap flop and take it. I don't like limping there often, I'm not sure why I chose to do it.

Hand #125: A9o on UTG, I raise, brooklyn calls. Flop comes 459, I bet, brooklyn raises, I re-raise and he calls. The turn is antoher 5, and he checks, Ib et and he calls. The river, a jack, he checks, I go ahead and bet otu again, he calls and I win a nice pot, he had 92o, top pair. I win $90 and push back up to $394.

Hand #130: free flop with Q2. Flop comes KQ4, brooklyn comes out betting. I think he likely has a king but i decide to call him down. I probably should have tried a raise at some point, but I just call him down and he does have a king. I either need to raise to try to push him off the pot, or just go ahead and fold.

I play two hands where I push with AK and then 44 4 handed, losing both and falling down to $313. I'm not happy with how I played any of those three hands(but the AK and 44 flew by as I was trying to catch up in my writing).


We get back up to 5 handed. JDAFORE is at the table. I've loaded my first 100 hands into tracker, runbmc was raising 7% of the time over that 100 hands. His raise % has shot way way up, either he's catching cards of his style has changed for some reason.

Back to 6 handed. giggsydan is to my left. I am back down to $298, the 4 handed play was not kind to me. I was pushing and calling at all the wrong times.


Hand #148: After a bad run of starting cards, I get pocket 10s and raise in the cutoff. Only digdug calls me. the flop comes A43, and I bet, digdug calls. The turn is an ace, and I freeze. I have been getting hit pretty hard and making the wrong decisions. I freeze and check. The river gets checked too and I win a $30 pot vs Q3.


Hand #159: AKo UTG, I raise and only brooklyn calls me. I bet into the 268 flop, he calls, I bet again into the 5 on the turn and he check-raises me. I call and fold to the river that helps me none. I'm back down to $252.


Hand #163: A7 suited. I raise pre-flop, get one caller. The flop misses me, I bet, JDAFORE raises me and I decide to re-raise to try to catch him bluffing. He calls and bets out on the turn. I fold and leave the table down $20, my play against that lineup just totally fell apart.

NET: $230, -$20.

So by my counting there were 10 sb in the pot and you would have had to call one BB to call. Assuming the flush is good if you hit(it wouldn't be the nuts but a good bet) then you had 9 outs and a very small, but positive, expectation value. I am also assuming if the four flush hit the board that your opponent would have folded to a bet so you wouldn't make any more money of the river. I wouldn't beat myself up over a fold here.

Back to a normal schedule... 7:40 am, I usually play for an hour or so before heading off to work in the morning.

whee, first hand I watch as I sit down, Q9 crushes AA, AA "f u terrible player f u f u f u"

Ok, Swepe101 is to my left(the Q9), sideline, janwee, eugen1(mr FU) and weiganghuang round out the board.

Morning play is often better than evenings in general... that is, the competition is often tougher, not that the games are better or easier.

Hand #6: AQ suited, I raise and get 1 caller, the button, sideline. He folds to a ragged flop that I bet out on.

eugen1 is still pissed at swepe101 for the aces hand "sweep[sic.] I will stick it in u" this is great.


Hand #14: I get a free flop vs limper janwee in the big blind. I have 95 suited. Flop comes KT5 with one of my suit, and I take a stab at it. and win the small pot right there.

Hand #15: weiganghuang(huang from now on) raises from the button, he has raised a lot in position like that, I call, so does swepe, I have KQo. Flop comes J92 and I fold when swepe comes out betting. I learn later that huang had pocket 7s and lost to swepe's 89o.

Hand #18: I raise early with pocket 6s. Tight table, I pick up the blinds.

Hand #23: I raise in the cutoff with KQ suited. huang had limped behind me, and he calls. Flop comes K38 rainbow, I bet, he calls, turn is a 2, I bet, he folds. The $45 pot is the biggest I've been involved in yet. I squeak up to $276

Hand #29: My old nemisis, JTs. At this tight table? I'm raising. I get called by janwee, and the flop comes QT5, with two of my suit. jan bets out and I raise, he just calls. The turn is a blank, he bets and I decide to call down his queen if I miss the flush. River another blank, he bets, I call, and I am pleased to see he called my raise with 8T. The $80 pot is mine.

Hand #33: folded to me in the SB with 68 suited. I raise, trying to steal swepe's blind. He calls, but folds when I flop a 6 and bet.

Hand #45: I have T9 suited in the SB. I get a cheap flop along with eugen1 and swepe. Flop comes JQx, I check, swepe bets and eugen1 and I call. The turn makes my straight with a Q, I check, swepe bets, eugen1 calls, I raise, swepe calls, eugen1 re-raises, and I cap. swepe calls. The river is another blank. I bet, swepe raises, and I call. He indeed has the AT and I get demolished by his higher straight, a $168 pot.

Hand #48: I raise A7 from the button, sideline re-raises me, and I call but fold on the flop. Down to $211, ick.

Shortly thereafter, I limp with QT, flop top pair and end up losing another pretty big pot to AQ. Argh.


As of hand #55 I'm at $180.

Hand #56: I call a raise out of the big blind with 89 suited. The flop comes 8 high, I bet out and janwee calls. The turn is an ace, and I relaize I may be screwed, but I bet and he folds. Back to $195 with that pot.

Hand #62: Free flop with Q6o. Flop comes Q77, I bet out, and one of the two others left with me stays in. Turn is a 6, I bet and he folds.


Hand #63: K7s in the small blind. Huang raises on the button, I put him on a steal attempt again and I call. Flop misses me completely, but I decide to bet out into him. He thinks and just calls. Same on the turn, he thinks about it and calls. The river is a final blank card, I bet into him a final time, he thinks for a very long time, I am convinced he'll fold and give me the pot. He calls, and he shows down K8o. Bleh. I am down to $150 after that failed bluff.


Hand #71: My first legitimately good hand in ages. I have AQo. I just call a raise from Huang though, and I catch top pair on the flop. He bets and I just call him, on the turn he checks, I bet into him and he folds. The pot takes me to $156.

Hand #72: Two good ones in a row. AKo, Huang limps, I raise, and he is the only caller. The flop is total rags, I bet and he calls. The turn is another rag, he checks, I check and we get a free river card. He bets on the river, I call him down and he has a weaker ace than I do. I am back to $190.

Hand #76: I limp with 34s on the button, in a monster hand with 4 opponents. The flop is a good one for me, AQ5 with two of my suit. I call a bet on the flop, and turn my straight with a deuce. Its checked around to me this time, I bet and the entire table folds. Come on! That should have been my big hand to get back up to even! Well, I am back up to $212.

Hand #81: I have KQ suited in the small blind. I raise when its folded to me, swepe re-raises and I cap him. Teh flop comes KT9 with one of my suit. I bet out and he folds, the $43 pot puts me back to $225

Hand #88: A3o on the button. I limp into a big field, hoping my post-flop play won't make me regret the move. But oh it does, as an ace flops and I just call it down. I don't lose to the ace, I lose to a turned two pair, but I was near-dead to the ace. Back down to $188 on that mistake.

I win one last pot, a crappy $30 with KK, to finish the morning with $205.

NET: -$45

Great read...really enjoying this!

Radii,

I just now have started to read through your sessions so hopefully it is ok if I go back and ask questions on hands from earlier sessions.


This hand was interesting. Certainly you started out with a very strong hand, but when the pre-flop raiser raises you on the flop that missed you I am surprised that didn't put you into check fold mode. From the description of the players at this level I got the impression that they will only make a play like that if the flop hit them. And when he checks through the paired T's that just made me think he had a Q and was afraid you were trying to check-raise your T.

I think I would check fold this river. Maybe check call. If you want to see the show down check/calling seems to be the better option as you are most likely going to only get called/raised by hands better than yours since you can only beat a bluff. Interesting hand.

This is a great read so far!

Any comments/questions about older hands are more than welcome, I re-read these things once myself later to evaluate my own play and am more than happy to re-think/re-visit old hands.

I got confused on that hand by poksaw's play. At that point he was the last to act. After the re-raise on the flop I was ready to give up my hand, maybe I'll check-call maybe I'll check fold(the inside straight draw + getting info from a new player + just maybe he's bluffing, sometimes agressive players at this level play like a maniac at the start to generate an impression... that possibility alone isn't enough to keep me hanging on but all of the above made it seem reasonable enough for me to check/call).

Then the board pairs the Ten. He can kill the betting, and after pushing the flop and turn he checked. Why would he do that? Why would he push pre-flop and on the flop and then check the turn when the board paired? If he was trying to scare me off with bottom pair, maybe he does that, or, if he has a draw of some sort and doesnt' really have a hand, or, a middle pocket pair. I think it's pretty poor play for him to check down a queen or a ten at that point, so I don't put him on either of those at all.

On the river, *maybe* a bet pushes him off of a much lower pocket pair(which are often raised pre-flop in these games, by me and others) or bottom pair. And I think that was my reasoning at the time. Quite simply I expected him to bet the turn and river, and when he killed the betting on the turn with a check, I said to myself, "That's a sign of weakness, I'm betting again"

In the heat of the moment, that's really all I thought, and fired at him. If I had thought about it more(certainly to the level of detail you and I both have in our posts now) I would have come to the conclusion that a check/call is the better play here.


Often, as you can see from many of the hands I've posted, if I raise with ace high pre-flop, I will bet the flop/turn/river if I'm heads up, whether I hit or not. And very often, I will get called to the river and then my opponent will fold on the river.

The differences here are two-fold. 1) My opponent was raising. 2) I didn't bet the turn, my own sign of weakness, giving the river bet less weight. None of that mattered with the hand he actually did have, but, if he had pocket 3s or a straight draw w/ a good high card, those kinds of things would have mattered.

holy crap that was a long reply, kudos to anyone reading all of that :P

I sit down at ~8:30, having lost my last few sessions, most of the time after having been noticibly ahead. I hope to put an end to that tonight.

I sit at the far left of the table, to my left is an empty sead, then westlaw, snuggs628, insipid, and bilie. All new to me I believe(I do not have all my tracker notes on this laptop, working on that.

before i play a hand sports09 joins to my direct left.


I fold QTo on my first button... I'm starting off tight here(I'll often play that on the button in a short game).

Westlaw and snuggs go raise-crazy on a board of TT55x, they both havce a ten. Westlaw comments that he had the "better hand" since he had AT vs snuggs' KT. Hrrms.

Hand #8: My first pretty good hand, AT suited. I call a raise from insipid (I'm in the SB), sports09 calls as well. I flop the 4 flush and the inside straight draw(KQ4 clubs). I check, sports09 bets, insipid folds and I call. I call a blank on the turn, and we both check the blank on the river. I lose to sports09's QJ pair.

Hand #11: I raise UTG with AJo, only the BB calls(billie). The flop sucks, KQ3 with two hearts. I bet out when checked to me, and I take the small pot.


We fall quickly to 3 handed here, myself, insipid and new player herb700.

Insipid is quite agressive.


Hand #19: pocket 9s, herb raises, I re-raise, and end up taking a $54 pot betting the J-high flop/turn.


That didn't last long, insipid and I are heads up now.


I take about $30 off insipid in about 5 hands, all totally on bluffs, he seems to respect me. snuggs is now back for a 3-way.

I get heads up w/ insipid with A9, flop top pair, and we raise it up to $75 before he folds on me on the turn, he was trying to represent the ace and I guess didn't have it. Nice of him, he folded right when I was ready to check/call the rest of the way.


rmrichards joins and we are now 4 handed...


30 hands in I have $263.. with blinds moving by so fast its hard to tell just from the posts whether I'm up or down I'm sure.


more weird 4 way... I call a raise from the big blind with 57 suited. I flop bottom pair, bet out and end up taking about $60 off him.

MrVodka joins and we are back up to 5 handed.

I raise UTG with AQ, 3 people call... The flop is nice, AT5, checked to me, I bet out and all 3 call. The turn is a 2nd ten. I bet out again, only MrVodka calls. The river eases my fear of the ten... Ace! I take down about $90

Hand #40: AK suited 4 handed. I raise pre-flop and get heads up with MrVodka. I bet into the 9TJ flop, he calls. I bet the 5 on the turn, he calls. The 8 on the river puts 4 to the straight out there, and we check it down... I think he wanted to check-raise... Q2 beats my AK.


Hand #42: I see Kt suited from the small blind(limp), the flop has two tens. I try to slowplay, it doesn't work, no bet on the flop, I bet the turn and they all fold.


4 handed again, jhevey, snuggs, mrvodka in order to my left. Lots of small pots back and forth and I have $326 after 45 hands.


jhevey runs through $100 in about 10 hands, back to 3 handed.

First 3 handed hand I flop a straight with QJ and take down about $65 from MrVodka.

2nd 3 handed hand I take a $105 pot from snuggs with 7s full of kings.

I take a break to watch 24, leaving the table with $379, much of my gain from two lucky hands w/ action at the end, but up regardless.

NET: +$129

Wednesday Morning poker

I join a short table, to my left is Shpeelkeys, but he has $11 left, he doesn't look to be around long, showst0pper is to his left, and then Rikers(with a boatload of money, though it doesn't mean he's been winning). RSox1918 is sitting out.


We do start 3 handed, shpeel goes broke before I start playing.

Hand #2: I raise pre-flop with pokcket 8s, flop the low end of a straight draw with 9TJ on the board, and watch it get capped on the flop, I finally have the sense to get out on the turn. My straight never would have hit and pocket 9s from rikers flopped the set.


route63 joins to my left, and tschang1 to my right, we're 5 handed once they both post.


I steal the blinds with QJ on the button on hand #4

Hand #7: I play 45 sutied from the small blind, flop middle pair(K53) and bet out, route63 calls me on the flop but folds on the turn. The $38 win gets me back up to $235.

Route63 calls down two pair on the board with ten high(he had bottom pair, not anymore)

Hand #9: I call a raise with JT suited, I am heads up with Rikers. Flop comes KKQ, and we both check on the flop and turn(a low card). The river comes out with a ten, I debate checking, but I go ahead and bet, rikers just calls, and shows AT to have me beat.

Hand #10: pocket deuces in the small blind. I limp along with 3 others, and the big blind(route63) throws out a raise, which we all call. The flop gives me a set, 267 flop. I lead out betting, and get called all the way down by route63, I take down a $80 pot.

Hand #11: Very next hand I raise on the button with 6's and get heads up with route63. The flop and turn bring only one overcard, so I bet and he calls. The river is a jack, I bet, he raises, I call, and I see his KJ for the win.

Hand #15: Pocket Jacks on teh button, I raise and the entire table calls(4 handed right now). The flop gives me a straight draw, 9TQ. I bet and only rikers calls me. The turn gives me the set, but also puts 4 to the straight on the board, I bet and rikers calls. The river eases my fears of a straight, the board pairs the ten and I've got a full house. I bet again, rikers calls and turns over pocket 8's, the low straight. My full house takes down an $88 pot.

After 21 hands I have $290. I have gotten 5 pocket pairs so far... (folded deuces early once + the four listed above)

Hand #24: I raise in the SB with T9, trying to steal from route63. He calls, and calls the ragged 862 flop. A king on the turn, and he folds to my aggression this time. I take down $38 for my efforts and am up to $306.

Hand #26: 3 handed for now, rikers/me/showstopper. I have A5 suited, I just check when rikers limps to me pre-flop. On the flop I call when I pair my aces(AK9 on the board). I bet out the turn, and take the pot.

Hand #27: K5o on the button, I limp and we see the flop 3 handed. The flop is blank and we all check. The turn is a king, rikers bets out and for some reason I believ he has a better king. I just call. The river is a blank and I call another bet, he was totally bluffing, the pot is mine.


Hand #31: 76 suited in the big blind. We see a 3 way flop, which comes 744, rikers bets out, I raise, and only he calls. The turn is a king, he checks, I bet, he folds.

Hand #32: 99 on the button. 4 handed now(uscrulez to my left). rikers raises, I debate re-raising, and certainly should have, but I don't. uscrulez calls. The flop comes Q88, and agani, I just call a bet. King on the turn, same thing, and the river gets checked down. I played this hand absolutely horribly, but, I was up against AT and AJ, they both missed and I take down the pot.


Back to 5 handed, alz021 to my right. Rsox1918 is still sitting out. I have $395 at the table.

Hand #40: I get a free flop with K7 suited in the big blind, 3 handed. Flop comes Q72, one of my suit, I bet out from middle position and both opponents call. The turn is another 7, giving me a very strnog hand, I bet again and only uscruelz calls. The river is a 6, I bet, he calls, and I beat his QT(top pair on the flop) for a nice $68 pot. He mumbles something about morons and leaves the table. Agression gets you everywhere my friend.

DUBLINSHARK joins in his place to my left.

Hand #49: I make a pretty bad move with AJ. Well, lack of a move perhaps. Showstopper raises, I call out of the big blind with AJo, and the early limper dublinshark also calls. The flop is all low cards, 345. showstopper bets and we both call(bad call on my part, take over the pot if I think I'm best, or fold). The turn is another 3. showstopper seemingly gives up, he checks it down. The river is a jack, I have top pair now, and I feel I'm best, I bet, dublinshark raises, I call and he turns over 83o for trip 3s. I drop a fair amount playing that hand very poorly.


Hand #54: Another interesting one. I have AJo again in the big blind. 3 limpers to me. Raise or check? I check. Flop comes J93, two diamons(I have no diamonds). alz021 leads out betting, I raise. Showstopper raises behind me... rikers and alz folds. What do I do here? Showstopper has been reasonably tight at the table. trips of some sort? a middle pocket pair trying to buy it? Based on his play so far I decide to believe he has me beat. I just call. The turn is a 3rd diamond. I check, showstopper.... checks. The river is a jack. He doesn't have the flush, if I can really put him on two pair or trips I might be behind... screw that, I'm betting. showstopper calls and I see pocket kings. Possibly the most horribly played pocket kings in history?


I catch dublinshark twice. I raise on the button with JTs, dublinshark calls. I flop a straight. Bet it all the way, he calls til the river. I win a nice pot. A few hands later I raise with KJ suited from a middle position, flop the nut straight, rainbow board. I bet it all the way, dublinshark calls til the river, where he raises me, I re-raise, he calls and I take down a very nice $115 pot. He had AQ, flopped two pair when I flopped my straight.

The cards just hit me over the head for awhile. JTo, I limp in the cutoff, flop two pair, someone calls me down, $80 pot. No big losses anywhere, and 71 hands in I have a profit of over $300, I am sitting at $562.

Hand #75: AJo in the small blind.. two limp, I raise, and the big blind and both limpers call. The flop comes 553, I bet into it and all 3 call. The turn is an 8 and I'm ready to give up my hand. I check... and watch this sequence: dublinshark bets, showstopper CALLS, rikers raises, dublinshark calls, showstopper RERAISES, rikers calls. the river, a 4. Now: dublinshark checks. showstopper checks, rikers bets, dublinshark calls, showstopper check-raises, rikers re-raises, showstopper caps... a really odd sequence of betting there... The pot ends up being $270, rikers pocket 4's river a full house to beat showstoppers pocket 3's flopped full house


Hand #78: KQo in the big blind. 3 limp to me and I just check(knowing when to raise out of the big blind is clealry one of my weak points). Flop comes QJJ, I bet and showstopper and rikers call me. Turn is a ten, I bet, and here we go again. showstoppers calls, rikers raises, I call, showstopper RERAISES(what the hell is a call-reraise anyway?), rikers just calls, I fold. I later learn, rikers just wanted me to call, he didn't want me to have to cold-call two. He had JT, full house. showstopper had A8. He had nothing.

That hand drops me down near $500, and I decide to call it a morning soon after.


I play 84 hands, and I dont think my play was really spectacular or anything, in fact many points I felt I was being too passive, but the deck ran over me nicely and I got all the action I needed while it was happening(though one of those $230 pots would have been nice on one of my flopped straights, I can't really complain though ;) )

I leave with $506.50.

NET: +$256.50


After that great run when I first started posting, I had 6 straight losing tables, I had lost $290. I am very pleased to see that when I'm losing, I'm not handing away ALL my chips, and when I'm winning, I'm winning larger amounts than when I lose.

This was a big problem of mine. My first foray into 5/10, I went on a major rush, turning a profit of $1200 over 1 weekend, I would sit down and 2 hours later turn $250 into $750. I tripled my money multiple times. Then, I ran cold. I lost $300+ in single sittings. I gave back almost all of that $1200 profit in about 5 days. At that point I took some time off and played some tournaments(see my posts about $50+$5 tourneys that I was playing for awhile on the general board). After 3-4 weeks I decided I had the bankroll to try out 5/10 again and have been much much more controlled. Big swings can and will happen at times, I am well aware of this, but I have been more in control of my play. I can lose $100 and not chase it with antoher $200 while tilting. I can win $300 when everything goes right and get hyperagressive, and slow down and even leave the table when I see things swing the other way. I am much, much, much happier with my play in general this time around, and think this can be long term profit for me.

Did he open raise with that KTo? If it was folded to me on the button with KTo I would raise that every single time without hesitation. With only the blinds to act behind you it is very possible you will get called bya worse hand in the BB thinking you are just trying to steal. And then if one of your cards pair you are likely going to be good.

In addition I would have 3 bet with your AJ when raised by the button. He could be raising a very wide range of hands in that situation (including KTo :)). You likely have the best hand here and even though you are out of position you probably want to shut the BB out of the action. I like the check-raise there. The button is going to bet nearly 100% of the time in those situations and if you get 3 bet then you know you are probably in real trouble and can fold unimproved on the turn.

He wasn't on the button, no. I don't remember and its not clear from the history if it was 5 or 6 handed at this point. He was at best 1 off the button, possibly two.

When I say later in the hand that "serling has the button and is morally obligated to raise" etc etc, I meant that he had bought himself position with his raise, as the people after him (outside the blinds) folded.

I don't remember any details other than that as to position, etc. I can look the hand up in tracker tonight though.

I don't like KTo off the button personally, even in one of these games, and even just one off the button. With the button I'd raise that too most of the time(depends on how agressively the people behind me will defend their blinds). If I thought he was on a steal I should definitely re-raise w/ AJ in a blind, but from the looks of things, I seemed to be putting him on a real hand.

If he's one off the button, what do you think of an open-raise with KTo?

You, my friend, have figured out the key to regularly playing mid-limit poker.

In one of Vic's posts in GD, he's said that his win rate is like $40/hour (in 15/30) with a StDev of +/-$240. That means he loses more than $200 16.5% of the hours that he plays, if my udnerstanding of SD is correct.

Ah my mistake. You did say he was UTG+1 so when you later mentioned he was on the button I just assumed you were 4 handed at that point. I should have realized you would have just labeled him as the button in the first place if that is where he started.

You're right that changes pretty much everything I wrote. :) I might raise it one off the button, but that because a lot more game specific and in most cases I would probably let it go as the button still may raise a very wide range of hands behind me trying to get it heads up with me and with position.

Considering he wasn't the button to start like I thought I think I would have played the hand exactly as you did. :)

session start: 5:22 pm

All new guys here, smart_y to my left, ggreenie, joshkatz, and DeafASL after that, in order, we are 5 handed when I sit down.

smart_y has pushed early with a couple of very bad hands.

Hand #1: 78 suited in teh big blind. I get a free flop and we are 5 handed. Flop comes 79T with two of my suit. Not bad... I bet out and everyone calls. Now it gets interesting. 2 on the turn gives me 4 to the flush, to go with my 4 to a straight and flopped bottom pair. DeafASL bets before me, I call, smart_y raises... luckily I get to kill the betting, and I do. river is a second ten. I'm out of this hand. WHOA. deafasl and smarty paired 2s on the turn. That's what they bet and raised. I just folded the winner in a $148 pot. This is going to be interesting.

This might be a table where I either win a ton or lose everything, in very short order depending on the cards.


deafASL just won a $160 pot w/ 62, played for a raise in the cutoff... whew.

Hand #5: I have AKo in the cutoff. I raise and get 4 callers. The flop comes 234, I decide to check. Smarty bets and I call along with the rest of the table. The turn? a 5, I've got a straight, but hey, who doesn't now? I get stuck between deafASL and smart_y, both raising, I end up calling $30, ready to lose badly to a 6 at this point. The river? a 6, there is a made straight on the board. smarty and deaf asl cap it, I cannot believe they both have 7's, and I call it all the way. What'd they have? Q5 and J5, pairs on the turn. I should have folded, even to this play, but, I am glad I called, as I'm sitting at $215 right now.

Please dear lord give me a hand before these wackos bust out.

Hand #8: I raise KQo on the button, a new player (JennaOO), along with smarty and deafASL, call me. the flop comes 646, and I fold when smarty bets and deafASL raises.

So the strategy is clear here I think. I have to raise my good hands pre-flop, to get out the good players, but I still need a hand to beat these two maniacs. But if I can take them down on a hand or two I will win an absolute ton. asl just won a $310 pot capping it with smarty, a flopped two pair vs nothing. JennaOO mentions reporting them. I can see a suspicion of collusion as well, that's for sure, but I don't believe it based on the insane play with single pairs.

Smarty is down to his last $3, but wins a big hand.

deafASL leaves the table, claiming offense at the collusion comments(can't say I blame him, if he is not cheating).


The table basically falls apart and I end up heads up with JennaOO with about $200 at the table for a short while.

My cards turn to crap short handed. I lose a few blinds and lose a little on second pair and am down to $155.

smart_y comes back, and we are 5 handed again, the lineup is:

me, smart_y, jennaOO, btherria, and caillou

Hand #29: I get my best hand so far, KT suited in the SB. I raise and smarty calls, I flop a flush, hope him to be oblivious and bet out, and he folds.

After 30 hands I'm at $145.

Hand #31: AQo UTG, I raise it, and get heads up with smarty. I catch an ace, but the most I can get out of it is a $65 pot. He folds on the river.

Hand #32: AQ suited UTG (a new player just posted). I raise and we have 3 way action w/ smarty and caillou. I flop top pair, bet and get both callers. The turned 8 gives me a flush draw, I bet and get both callers. The river brings a 4, no flush, I bet, both call, and I take down $108 with top pair. caillou had AJ(2nd pair), smarty had 59 (high card queen).

Hand #33: I get a free flop heads up against smarty, I have J6, he has $17. I flop middle pair, bet, he raises, I put him all in. He has QQ and takes me for about $35, and leaves the table.


Anyone catching good cards against that table could have won $500 in 30 hands. I lost $25 and can't be too disappointed about it.


same table, new faces:

changeup, jennaOO, btherria, caillou, and easyduzzit2, in order to my left.

Hand #36: I have QQ and raise pre-flop, I get heads up with JennaOO, flop is a perfect Q45 rainbow. I decide to slowplay(EEP), and check. jenna checks too. Turn is a jack. I bet and she calls. River is an ace. I bet, she raises, I see visions of KT but really cannot be afraid of KT at this point, I re-raise, jenna caps, and it's KT for the straight. Wonder if she would have folded had I not slowplayeD? I drop about $70 on that hand.

Hand #37: QQ two times in a row, this time I raise and get heads up with btherria, flop comes 332, I bet, he calls, turn is a 9, I bet, he folds. I now have $177.

Hand #47: Unsure of what to do with a face card in my hand, I limp in mid position with J9 suited. I fold when the flop misse me completely. The cards I'm seeing are total junk right now

Hand #51: I limp with A5 suited in the SB, flop comes down A66 and I bet into it, the BB folds but btherria, another early limper, hangs around. The turn is the 4 of hearts, giving me a heart draw, I bet and he folds. I am up to $181.


Hand #55: free flop with K9o, 3 opponents. The flop comes 972. I bet and the SB(easyduzzit2) check-raises me. I call and decide to call him down, as I've seen nothing from him so far. He bets the turn, then checks a jack on the river... he has pocket tens.

Hand #56: A5o in the SB. I raise to steal when its folded to me. ignoman, another new player, calls. I bet the flop, and get raised. I call, and catch an open-ended straight draw on the turn. We check it down after that, and I lose to A7.

Those losses hurt bad, after a small win I push back up to $130. eek.

Hand #67: bad cards bad cards... JTo in the cutoff, Surely my image is tight, and the table has tightened up a lot, I raise pre-flop. I get two callers(both blinds). The flop gives me an inside straight draw, all low cards, and I bet, jenna folds and btherria calls. The turn gives me the flush draw(3 clubs, I have the jack), i bet again and btherria calls. The river is another blank and I fire at it one last time, he's folded befoer... and, he folds again. The pot of $68 pushes me back to $150.

I flop top pair after raising on the button with KTo and betting both blinds to call, I bet the flop, on the turn btherria raises me, and I call a bet of his on the river to see 53o, he turned two pair, T653X...

I am down to $70 at this point, but still feel I am one of the better players at this table.


Hand #83: with btheriia limping UTG, I put in a raise with A6o, I get 3 callers and give it up on a flop with two high cards that misses me totally.

Hand #90: I push with A7o into the big blind and give up about $40 when I see AJ...

I am not tilting at this point, so I decide to find another table, this one is too tight to make up any losses at.


NET: -$240 (ouch!)

I joined two more tables yesterday and very quickly lost signifigant amounts, I got frustrated and stopped writing it up, and also stopped playing. I was definitely on tilt towards the end, making a lot of very loose calls. So much for not suffering any big losses! I ended up down over $500 on the evening, part of it was definitely bad play but I dno't think all of it was really, the cards were just very cold and you drop blinds so fast at this level, and if you aren't picking up small pots here and there, you are in trouble.


Hand #2: I get KQo 3 handed, vs Luv2sandbag and donnypie. I raise out of the SB and donnypie calls. Flop comes JT4 with two hearts. I bet an get called, the turn is an 8, I bet and get called. The river is the 9, making my straight, but it also makes the flush. I bet it, and donny raises. I hope he has just a queen or 7, with 4 to the straight on the board, but he has the flush, ace high even(a5 hearts), I was behind the entire way. A quick $50 is gone.


Hand #13: A4 suited in the BB, we are 4 handed now. JVZman, donnypie and I see a flop, which comes down great for me, A45. I just call donnypie on the flop, jvzman calls as well. The turn is a queen, donnypie bets and I raise, jvzman calls along, as does donnypie. The river is a 2, giving any 3 a straight, so when donnypie bets out I just call. Turns out he had 25 and caught his 2nd pair on the river, I am back up to $245

Hand #15: A5 suited in the cutoff, I raise, two call then luv2sandbag re-raises... I don't like being 4 way with this hand, I call to see the flop but fold to the first bet.

Hand #20: A4 suited on the button, donnypie limps, I raise, JVZMan and donny both call. The flop brings an ace and donnypie comes out betting, I hope I don't have kicker problems against him but I'm willing to call it down to find out after seeing the 25 hand. He actually had nothing, caught a king on the turn to give him a pair, and I take down the $93 pot.

Hand #22: Boomboom54 is different, I caught an ace against him but when he started betting out and I decided to call it down, he turned over AK, dropping me back down to $215.


totally new lineup here really... boomboom54 to my left, rvppi, davidliu, sspol99, and donnypie around the table.


At this point I reset the stats and tighten up a lot. I know I've gotten too loose with weak aces, and that was working when I had a good chance to get people to fold with any bet when I was hot, but that isn't happening right now.


Hand #14: here's a good hand... KK on the button. sspol99 raises, and I decide to just call, boomboom calls behind me. The flop comes 553, and I raise when sspol99 bets, boomboom folds and sspol calls. The turn is a queen. sspol check-raises me, I re-raise and he calls. On the river I bet and he calls, he has QJo and I take down a $133 pot with my kings beating his queens. That gets me back up to even($241 after the blinds pass)

Hand #23: I have QT suited in the big blind and call a raise from sspol99, raising out of the SB. The flop is great, AKJ, and I just call sspol's bet. The turn is another ace, and i hope sspol's hand wasn't *that* good when he raised pre-flop. He bets, I raise and he calls. The river is a blank, I bet and he calls. He had K4o, I take down $88 and am up to $280.

It falls to 4 handed on hand #29, me boomboom54, rvppi and davidliu. I have $273.

Never mind! Back to 6 handed before I play again... JH0715 and rickneville round out the table.

Hand #33: A5o in the big blind, I flop an ace against boomboom and rickneville... I bet out on the flop and boomboom folds, rick is still in. The turn brings a pair of twos to the board, and the river another low card. I bet the turn, but just check the river, not wanting to dump the farm on ace-bad kicker anymore, but rick just had KQ, nothing, and I take down the $43 pot.

Hand #34: I have T7 suited int eh SB. The entire table limps, so I limp along. I flop top pair, and bet out (T64 flop), with boomboom and rvppi calling me. The turn is a queen, I bet into it and boomboom raises. I've given him a ton of respect so far, and for some reason decide to call here. I'm rewarded for my (likely) bad call, a 7 on the river. I bet out again and boomboom calls me, I see his KQ, top pair on the turn, and my rivered two pair takes down a big $113 pot.


Hand #40: 57 suited in the big blind. JH0715 limps from the button and I check. The flop comes 356. I bet, he calls. The turn is a 4, I have the top end of the straight with my 7 now. I bet, he calls. The river is an ace, I bet, he calls. He limp/called all the way down with pocket kings. I've slowplayed a couple of hands today, and luckily none screwed me like that. I feel bad for the guy as I take down $60, I am up to $390.

Hand #43: davidliu raises pre-flop, rickneville calls and I look down to see pocket jacks in the SB. I re-raise and both call. The flop comes ten high, I bet out, only davidliu calls. The turn is another low card, I bet, he calls. The river is a king. Does anyone check here? I bet, he raises, I call and his AK rivered my jacks. I am back down to $337.

Hand #46: I raise UTG with pocket Kings. I get three callers... Flop comes 962, I'm third to act and I bet out here. davidliu and jh0715 call me. The turn pairs the two, I bet, and davidliu raises. I debate what to do for a little while, and decide to re-raise. davidliu folds, and I take down $103. I am back to $388.

Hand #52: I get AKo in the big blind, JH0715 limps to me from the SB, I check. A king flops, I bet and he folds.

Hand #57: rvppi and jh0715 limp to my big blind, I have A2. The flop comes out K72, and I decide to try a bet, both fold and I take down $20, up to $399.

Hand #59: I open-raise on the button with pocket 6s. rvppi is my only caller. The flop is great, T64. I decide to try the dreaded slowplay again. the flop is checked. The turn is a jack, and I get chec-raised by rvppi. I re-raise and he calls. HE calls the river and he had J4, turned two pair. I take down $100 for my efforts.

Hand #61: I raise UTG(4 way) with KJo. I get two callers, and flop a king. I bet out on the flop and turn. I check the river after it puts four to the straight on the board, but I didn't need to fear, I was up against 53o that turned bottom pair(inside straight on the flop). I take down $50.

Hand #62: another free flop, this one with J2. The flop comes KJT, and I bet into it, its the smae rvppi and jh0715 field as before. Both call. The turn is another jack, I bet again and both call. The river is my miracle river, a deuce giving me a full house. I bet and both fold. I take down $68.
That flurry puts me up to $480.

I give back just a little bit and leave the table when it gets back to 6 handed. Espicially after last night, I am very happy with the result today. I am still annoyed about last night's play, I lost $150 more than I should have, at least(possibly I should have quit when I lost that $250 that I posted about, but I honestly felt that my play was fine there).

Today i was able to back off a little, tighten up and wait for better hands until I found a couple of people I could very easily push around, and it paid off.

NET: +$197

I start playing at 2:16... the first 13 hands go back and forth between 3 and 5 handed, when I start writing there are 6 at the table and I have $247.

To my left: aceking12, arubadonna, bystromgolf, bigfred17, and johnny2003.

In my first 13 hands I've gotten QQ and KK, no action on either.


I tighten up 6 handed, my only decisio through 20 hands was KJo UTG, I decide to fold it.


Hand #23: AQ suited in the big blind, I just check when two limp to me(a mistake I know). I try a bet on the ragged flop but both call, its checked down after that.

Hand #24: 89 suited in the SB, I limp with 3 others. Flop comes 89T all spades. I bet, arubadonna raises, and I call. The turn is the ace of spades, and I have to assume I have 4 outs here. I can't call a bet. Fold. Arubadonna has been very conservative so far.

Hand #29: J5 in the big blind. johnny2003 limps to me, I check. Flop is QJ3, he checks, I bet, he calls. Turn a king, I bet, he folds. That pot keeps me up at $222.


arubadonna leaves the table, feliks joins in his place.

Hand #39: After a lot of folding, I catch 93o in the big blind, johnny again limps to me, and I check. Flop A92, I bet, he calls, turn a 4, I bet he calls, river a 9, I've got 3 of a kind, I bet and he folds.

Hand #40: ATo in the small blind, folded to me, I raise, aceking12 calls. I bet the flop of Qxx and he folds. The two wins take me back up to $246.

Hand #47: JJ in the cutoff, bigfred limips, I raise, aceknig and felicks call. The flop sucks, A98. I bet anyway and get everyone calling. The turn is my jack, I bet and all 3 call. The river gives me the house with another 8, it also completes the flush. I bet, feliks calls, fred raises, I re-raise, feliks folds, fred re-raises me(all in for $9 more) and I can only call. fred hit the flush, and my full house takes down a monster $191 pot. I am up to $350.


Hand #50: 55 in the small blind, I raise after only johnny limps, and the big blind folds, johnny calls. I bet the flop of QJ4 and johnny raises me. He only has $8 left, normally I'd fold to that raise(or call the raise but fold the turn if I don't hit my set). I call, and call the guy's last $3 on the turn. He had nothing and I take down $45 or so, I am up to $380.

a new player joins, leeg33, and we are 5 handed. He bluffs J8 all the way in his first hand, losing to feliks who just calls w/ two pair.


Hand #54: A3 suited on the button, I open-raise and only feliks calls from the BB. Flop comes K93, I bet and feliks called. After that we both check it down, and we had both paired 3s, but my ace tops his queen. Up to $388

Hand #58: I raise early w/ AQo, bystromgolf (who had been sitting out) calls, and leeg re-raises. HE's been a bit hyper agressive but I just call. He bets the rags on the flop/turn/river and I decide to call him down b/c of his past agression. He has AK and beats my AQ. I fall to $348.

Hand #60: another new guy, MrVodka(a familier name). feliks and leeg cap it pre-flop and mrvodka is in too. leeg had AA, so his early action seems to have been an advertising play(or he's a nut who plays a lot like it's AA). MrVodka called th capped pot with Q7 though, and he hit trips.


I win a small pot from aceking12 when I hit two pair on KT after raising from the button. Then I lose most of it back when I call a leeg raise w/ AJ and don't hit anything and give up my hand.

MrVodka sucks out on leeg again, 96 clubs hitting runner-runner flush to beat AT trip aces from leeg(leeg is catching some cards here)

I fall to $316 pushing against leeg when I have QT suited, he has AT again in the big blid and catches an ace.


Back up to 6 handed. Allyo, dontommaso, bystromgolf, leeg33, and MrVodka in order to my left.


dontommaso caps a flop of 237 against legg, don had 44, leeg K7, both agressive.

Hand #70: I have AJ in the BB. leeg raises before me, I call and allyo limp-calls UTG. Flop comes 972. I call a flop bet from allyo, then the turn brings a jack. I call again(a mistake, I intended to check-raise, and when I saw allyo bet and leeg call again, I feared ... well, something?). I bet the river, both call, and my jacks beat ally's 9s and leegs AT(called AT w/ two opponents?)

leeg plays good hands, and is very agressive, but he overplays a bit I think.

Hand #73: A8o in the big blind(my hand #'s may be off here, we're not 3 handed). dontommaso raises pre-flop, he's been a bit loose and I decide to re-raise him. He caps it. The flop comes JJ2, and I bet out, one last attempt to push him back, and he just calls. The turn pairs my ace, I bet out and he calls. Teh river is a blank, I start to second guess myself(fearing kicker problems) and decide to check/call. don checks too, he had KQo. I take down $70.

I win a hand off a new player, panday_pera, raising Kxs from the small blind and betting all the way when a king flops. I am up to $430 after 80 hands.

Habd #84: AJo on the button, I raise and the only caller is MrVodka behind me, flop comes KJx, I bet the flop and turn, he calls the flop and folds on the turn. I am up to $455.

4 handed again. panday_pera, dontommaso and bystromgolf to my left in that order.

I win two small pots with AKo and AKs, two hands in a row, raising pre-flop, one caller that folds on the flop. I am up to $480.

inthewall joins to my right on hand 90. dontommaso leaves though, 4 handed still.

Hand #94: 45o on the big blind. Everyone sees the flop and I flop a draw, K23 flop. I call a bet on the flop, but check/fold the turn after losing my odds heads up.

3 handed now, bystromgolf and inthewall.

I push a little with KQo but give it up vs inthewall when it misses me totally (ace high is light years above king high to me at these tables.

6 handed now, kuntzie2001, jjc1998, bystromgolf, bluffersvow, and inthewall in that order to my left.

Hand #100: AKo in the cutoff, I raise pre-flop and get two callers. FLop comes QQ8. I bet and kuntzie raises. I fold on the turn, down $400 even at this point.

Hand #103: 77 in the SB. inthewall limps, I raise and he calls. I push this one when J83 hits the flop. I decide to push this one down since I have no read and really no info on inthewall. I bet into the king on the turn and he calls. The river saves me, a 7. I bet and he raises. There's a possible straight but I am nt going to fear that at this point. I re-raise, he calls and he has top pair with a king. The pot puts me back up to $455.

Hand #106: I limp with A2 suited. I flop a 4 flush, and hit the flush on the turn, but the turn card paired the board. I bet the turn and bystromgolf is the only one left in the hand. The river puts two pair on the board and he bets out. I figure he's got it but I make the crying call, anyway, and he does have it, KJ for jacks full of 5s. I fall back to $420


Hand #110: I raise with AJ suited. only bluffers vow calls. I flop an inside straight and a four flush, KQ3, two hearts. The turn gives me the flush, I bet out the entire way ad bluffersvow calls. He has QJ for 2nd pair, and the $70 pot puts me back to $440.


still 5 handed but some changes, Lasha_von, jjc1998, bystromgolf, and bluffersvow in that order make it 5 handed.

Hand #118: ATo in the cutoff. I raise and only the button calls. I bet the flop(which comes 9 high) and lasha_von folds to me, giving me the small pot.

bluffersvow busts out and leaves the table, but juggler joins in his place to keep us 5 handed.

Hand #123: I raise UTG wit AK suited... steal the blinds. dang.

Hand #124: I check w/ 66 in the BB, heads up w/ lasha_von. Flop comes K32, I bet, he calls, turn pairs the 3, I bet and he folds.

Hand #126: I cold-call with AQo after juggler raises. One other in the pot. I call him down on the flop and turn when an ace hits the board. He check/folds the river and I take down a $70 pot.


4 handed now as lasha_von leaves... NM, 5 handed, jhevey joins in his place.

No action on KK :(

jhevey sounded familier... he's in tracker, 11 hands, loss of $77, saw 7 flops. Not much to go on there. We were 4 handed, 7 out of 11 flops isn't necessarily a bad thing.

lamit591 joins to my right, we are 6 handed again.

jhevey, jjc1998, bystromgolf, juggler, and lamit591 in order here. 136 hands into this session, and I have $512.50.

back to 6 handed, I don't want to push too hard against a new lineup and give back a lot of my gains, so I tighten up signifigantly(but not afer I lose abuot $25 trying to steal/represent a good hand against jhevey from the SB, back to $490).


Hand #144: 99 in the big blind. I don't like this hand at all after 3 limp to me. I check and fold to the AQJ flop when its bet. I don't like a raise there because I do'nt think it thins the field any after the limpers, and costs me a lot if I'm 2nd best.

Hand #152: Ugh, I have Q9 suited in the SB, and try a steal against jhevey again. He calls me down after I bet my 4-flush on the flop. He has A5 suited, same suit as mine, thank god the flush never hit, but I am down to $430 after a few blinds and that hand.


Hand #155: I raise UTG wit AKo, and I could really use a good flop and a gain here. Only jhevey calls. I flop a king and he folds on the flop when I bet. I am back to $441 and happy to have won a pot, its been 15-20 hands(awhile 6 handed).

Hand #162: I call a raise from juggler with Q9 suited, he was raising out of the button. Flop comes ten high with two of my suit. I call a bet. The turn brings a 9, giving me 2nd pair, and I decide to just call again. We check the river and I take down a $50 pot. Too passive on my part I think(juggler had 4s).

Hand #165: I raise early with ATo, juggler calls out of a blind. He check-raises me on a Q22 flop, I call his raise but fold the turn.


Hand #169: I limp with A9o on the button, 2 ppl in before me, should I fold this? I don't like raising this when I have almost no chance of ending up heads up on the flop, and will very often be 4 handed. A raise is probably correct, but a limp on the button isn't terrible I think. Anyway, we end up 5 handed here. Flop comes KQ2 and its checked around. The turn is an ace, checked to me, I bet and take the pot.

Hand #172: I limp with 78 suited, and get punished for it, juggler raises. I call as does jjc1998. Best... flop... ever. Well, almost. Just needed one more spade. Anywya, 569, 56 spades. I just call the flop, and bet the turn and river when checked to me. I win a nice sized pot and get back to $500 here.

Hand #174: pocket kings. juggler raises pre-flop, and the guy behind him(who is new) re-raises... I decide to just call here and hope they will bet my kings for me. Flop? AT4. I bet out, juggler calls, other guy folds. What to do now? check/call? check/fold? bet out unless he raises? I really have no idea, espicially short-handed. i check/call and lose to A6


Hand #175: pcoket tens very next hand. I raise, bystromgolf re-raises, I cap. Flop comes 9 high and I bet, he calls. No card higher than a ten ever comes out, I bet out and he folds to me on the turn, I take down a nice sized pot anyway thanks to the pre-flop cap. The loss and win essentially wash each other out and I am back to $480.


We fall to 4 way and I am at $465 after 185 hands.

jc1998, bystromgolf and juggler.

Hand #189: bystrom golf limps on the button, I raise out of the blind with pocket 8s, and take the pot with a bet on a 6-high flop.


we go back to 6 handed, acamaca56, jjc1998, bystromgolf, juggler, and bmw1533. I decide to once again play a pretty tight style, and am ready to leave if the new guys aren't signifigantly fishy. bystrom and juggler just don't give away a ton of money, and they are agressive and hard to read.

Well, back to 3 handed pretty fast. I take a nice sized pot with K4, I raised and got called all the way down after flopping a king and a 4-flush.

I give a bit of that back and jjc1998 sits out, leaving me with no one to play with. I have $479.

bystromgolf comes back and we go heads up for a little while. He's very tight, and doesn't seem to loosen up much heads up.

unfortunately, I'm getting dealt 5 high or worse repeatedly.

He tries a move w/ 69 suited in the SB, lucky for me I have A7 and flop a pair. Next hand I hit two pair with A5, those two hands put me up about $70 over bystromgolf.


back to 3 handed. bystromgolf and gr728.

gr leaves. bystromgolf limps (w/ 85 suited I find later), flops a 4 flush and bets into me on flp and turn. We check the river and I beat him again. What'd I have? 23o. I paired a deuce.

Another hand over bystrom heads up where I flop top pair and he calls me down on it.

quickly back to 6 handed. table order is: tinkernuts, allbrick33, bystromgolf, tinymite, and chikagoh in order to my left. After running over bystrom heads up, i have $569.


Hand #229: Tinkernuts has only $38 left at the table. I raise with AQo and he re-raises, I go ahead and cap him, and he's got $18 left. I decide to put him all in no matter what flops. flop is jack-high, we end up all in, and he had pocket 9s, I never catch a pair, and I drop to $525 and double him up.

Hand #238: pocket 7s on the button, folded to me, I raise, and a new player(edardna) in the BB... thinks... thinks... calls. I flop the set, and slowplay it, we check the flop. edardna bets into me on the turn and I raise, and then he folds the river. That slowplay didn't buy me any extra bets, that is for sure. But I did win an ok pot with the turn raise($70). Back to $542.

Hand #243: I see the rockets in the small blind. two limpers to me, I raise and get 3 callers. I hate the flop, it's got two jacks in it. I bet, and two opponents fold, one calls. I win the pot on the turn with a bet. After a high pair ont he board on the flop, I'm just happy to win with AA. $60'ish pot puts me at $570.

Hand #249: A3 suited in the SB. I raise when folded to me and edardna calls. edardna has about $20 left. the flop has an ace, so I bet, he calls. The turn is a seeming blank, I bet, he raises (all in, just another $3 or so) and I call. I lose to 69o, turned a straight. It was certainly well hidden, but after flopping an ace pair against a guy that had $20 left, i wasn't looking to see what might be out there. Back to $530.

Hand #254: AKo in the SB. tinymite raises pre-flop, I just call, pjloch(a new player who has raised 4 of the last 5 hands or so) re-raises, tinymite and I just call. Flop is 7-high, pjloch bets and tinymite and I both call(pot odds at that point, 11:1 odds on that to try to hit an ace/king which I assume will be good still). The turn is my ace. i check, pjloch checks(giving up his hand I assume) and tinymite bets. I check-raise him and pjloch is gone. bet/call on the river and a very nice $118 pot is mine... tinymite had AQ, kicker issues.

The pot brings me up to $593.

Hand #260: 78 suitd in the small blind. Flop comes T86, I've got bottom pair and an inside straight draw. I bet out and drdrizzee calls. Turn is a 2, bet/call, river is an 7. Hopefully drdrizze had top pair and didn't have the 9. I bet, he calls, he had JT top pair, I rivered him.

Hand #266: I limp with a pretty questionable hand, 87o on the button, 4 handed action on this one... flop comes 56Q, two hearts. The flop is checked around. The turn gives me a pair of 7s but also makes the heart draw. two checks, drdrizzee bets, and I decide to call it down. The river is the 4 to give me a straight. I call another $10 bet and I see that drdrizze was semi-bluffing, AJ with 1 heart. The pot puts me at $650.

I give back a little cold-calling a raise with KT suited and flopping a draw. I have $615 again.


I make a very loose call with K8o agains bystromgolf(who is playing with about $35), catch runner runner straight against him and he says "I had JJ, what the heck were you calling with?). I think for a minute and say "way way too loose, need a break after 3 hours here I suppose huh?"

While that conversation is going on, drdrizzee limps to my BB, I have QTs. I flop top pair and he calls me all the way down. Those two wins push me up to $673, and I do sit out for a short while to get a soda and watch the end of the Cubs.


I come back after a 10 minute break or so, but right when I get back I time out off the table. It fills up immediately behind me. Oh well.


That's a good place to stop this post anyway:


Hands: 277 NET: +$423

Great work, Radii, sounds like you had a nice session!

Do have a question -

Did you call the raise on the turn just so you aren't backing down TOO easily? Basically, I'm guessing you don't just want to build an image of someone who can be raised out of a pot easily? You'd rather fold to a bet than to a raise of your bet?

~rpi-fan

my description wasn't clear there at all. I called a raise on the flop, and then folded to a turn bet when an ace or a king didn't come out

I didn't have a read on the guy at all. At that point I was down $80 from my max during that session and was fearing getting into a habit of calling people down "just to see if they have it" and giving back all my profits. There are times when I call that down, and times when I won't, and sometimes they are admittedly pretty random when I dont' really have any idea if I'm being bluffed or not.

That session was great, but I kept playing a little too long, still up signifigantly on the day but I should have just logged off at that point(a definite problem of mine, where the fact that I have an afternoon to do whatever I want and want to entertain myself with poker crosses with my ability to play when my heads is fully in the game and I'm playing my best)


And... after a break I am getting my ass kicked by a total fish and the most straightforward player ever tonight. URGH.

You were plenty clear.:)

Obviously, you don't have "odds" so to speak, to call that raise on the flop. So a large part of that decision was to make sure you didn't get an image of a weak player, right?

my image is definitely part of it, but I had been playing for 100 hands, even though there was a lot of attrition, my image wasn't really something I was thinking about. Quite possibly I should have been, yeah.

As to calling the raise on the flop, I think I have mentioned that a couple of times in the past but I'm sure its hidden in my hand descriptions. There are a noticible number of players who will bet/raise/check-raise the original raiser in that situation with a scary board, but when the turn comes decide that I called the raise on the flop and they're giving up. They'll check the turn despite having taken the lead on the flop. So in most circumstances I call that flop raise and see the next card, the combination of a) the possibility of catching one of my outs and b) the possibility of catching a draw, giving me runner-runner possibilities that make the hand look better, and c) the chance that he is bluffing the raise on the flop and will give it up on the turn after I call, make that call very often worth it.


In this case, none of those things happened on the turn, and I might have had the best hand but I decided it wasn't worth 2 more BB to find out in that situation.

after staying too long at the tables and giving back too much of that massive profit from earlier(really that is a problem of mine, not knowing when to stand up and quit... wanting entertainment vs wanting to maximize profits are butting heads here), I take a break for dinner and rest up a bit and get back to it.

I sit at a full table with the following lineup:

radii, leonard55, anyacewilldo, thenutt, mittykit, st33lnuts, though mittykit is sitting out.



I intend to start out tight.

Hand #10: AKo in the cutoff. I open-raise, anyacewilldo goes all in for $10.50, and thenutt calls. Flop comes Q63, thenutt bets, I call. turn brings the 3rd heart(I have the king), and I call another bet, assuming my ace, king and hearts are probably all good. River is none of the above and we check it down. thenutt had pocket 5s and takes the pot.

Hand #13: A5o in the big blind. two limp and I check. Flop brings an ace, along with a king and a low card. steelnuts bets, I raise, anyace calls, steel calls. I bet a blank on the turn and anyace folds, steel calls. Fearing kicker issues, i check the river, and my ace beats steel's KJ flopped 2nd pair.


Hand #21: KQo UTG. I raise and TMMABA(new guy) and steelnuts call. Flop comes J86. steelnuts bets, and I just call. He seems to bet when he has it and fold when he doesn't... i decide to just play straight and bet if I get a good card next. Turn is an ace and we all check. on the river steelnuts bets agian, tmmaba calls him, and steelnuts was playing very straighforward poker. KJ, he bet top pair on the flop, checked fearing the ace, bet when no one bet the ace...


I win two nice hands in the next 10. Pocket 8s with a flop of 777 nets me about $50 off of TMABA, and I turn a flush and take a $100 pot against... someone who isn't here anymore.


After 39 hands, , I have $325, and am heads up against steelnuts, hoping is play is straightforward heads up too.


oh my god. He took a fair bit off of me when I had AK and never hit anything and he had a pocket pair, and he absolutely ripped me a new one on another hand. I have K5 and raise pre-flop, flop comes T5x. I bet, he raises, I call. Turn is another 5. we cap it at this point. I bet the river, he raises and I just call. He had pocket 10s. That took me down to about I lost well over $100 heads up against this guy just trying to play straightforward poker. He had a hand whenever he showed down so I don't think I played it bad, but damn.


Over another 10 hands as the lineup increases I play one hand for a raise and lose another $30 or so... here's the new lineup.

radii, armybarbie, rodeo2, deafasl, steelnuts (now with $573, he's cleaning up).


SAKLJFEI. I have played against deafasl before. He's in every single hand. He bets almost every hand. He's down $100 in 15 hands. Even more amazing is that he's won $80 from me and is still down $100. top pair on the flop, he betgs all the way, I raise a couple of times nad then fall into check/call mode. He has AQ and catgches an ace on the river. I flop 2nd pair and just clal him down after he checks the flop and re-raises my bet. He has KK. Against anyone else at the table? Betting all the way and showing down 47o for bottom pair on the flop.

I have $80 after 66 hands.


Hand #69: I raise in the cutoff with pocket 6s, only deafASL calls. only one overcard, I bet the flop and turn, a second overcard hits the river, I bet and deafasl folds. I am back up to $103.


DeafASL leaves the table, and I am sad, because he gave all his money away, took some of mine, and left.


Hand #74: I limp with 89 suited, have to call a raise from armybarbie, and see a 3-way flop with steelnuts and armybarbie. Flop contains two of my suit. The flop gets checked all the way around. On the turn, I make my flush, the board is jack high. I bet, army raises me, I re-raise and army caps. The turn is another jack. Now I fear two things. army had trips and just boated up, or has a higher flush. Perhaps I should have bet here, but we just check it down. Army slowplayed kings and got caught. I take down $105.

Hand #75: free flop with j4, I catch 2nd pair and give about $20 to steelnuts, he is begging me to believe he has top pair but I of course don't. This guy plays veru straightforward. Believe his bets. I sit at $136 after this.


we are now 6 handed as two more have joined. New lineup:

radii, armybarbie, unclerico, rodeo2, papawilander, steelnuts.

Hand #80: I get a free flop with Q2 suited, and flop top pair. I bet out and get heads up with rodeo2. I bet the turn, and check/call the river when rodeo bets out. His Q5 outkicks me (how often do 2 and 5 kickers come into play here? Bleh). I am back down to $108.

Hand #87: I take a small pot raising out of the SB with AJo and betting the flop, $112.50.


Hand #89: I call a raise from steelnuts with AJo, so do two others. I fold to a flop bet with that many people still in, my overcards aren't enough for me here.


Over the next 20 hands I have jacks full of 3s that get zero action, and pocket queens that lose a $100 pot to AQ, the ace doesn't hit until the river. Antoher loss on a straight/flush draw and I have had it for the night, the cards just hate me right now.


NET: -$175

Inspired by your writing here, I have switched gears and have started playing the $5/$10 6-seat game at Party Poker for a change of pace. Very wild swings up and down, but I'm getting a better feel for it even after just a couple of sittings.

The swings can be pretty astounding. One of the toughest things for me to flesh out is that there are some tables where the proper strategy is to push-push-push with any hand you like, whether it hits or not, because you'll be heads up on the flop and your opponent *will* fold if he doesn't hit, and will tell you he hit whenever he does.

At some tables I get eaten alive with that strategy, and I end up playing as tightly as I would at a 10 man table(with success), knowing I must have the best hand to win and that a raise with A8 gets me nowhere.

Nothing hurts my ego more than betting like crazy on 2nd pair or on ace-high trying to force someone out of a pot, only to get re-raised on the turn or river to find out that I've been betting my opponent's hand for him.


I'd love to hear your results after playing at these tables for a bit, how the play fits in with your style and how you adjusted to the different conditions found here.

I should get back to writing soon, I've been playing but haven't been writing up my play in the past few days. My fiancee is (ironically) going to be in Vegas for the weekend so I should have a wealth of time to spend at the online tables if I feel like i'm on my game.

In the past few days, after going ahead by a bit, I decided to take a small foray into 10/20. There is no way in the world I can handle the swings there, but, a session here and there to see how I can do doesn't scare me. I have played 10/20 for a few hours and am up about $570 in 10 hours.


I join a table and sit down with $500. CHEX2, owtovdet, and DCW123 are my only opponents when I start out.

Hand #4: A mammoth, scary hand to start out the session. I have KK in the SB. folded to me, I raise. CHEX2 re-raises out of the BB, and I cap it. The flop sucks. A4J with two diamonds. I do have the king of diamonds. I bet, and CHEX raises. I think he has the ace, but I will call him down anyway. The turn? A king! I have trips. I bet, he raises, I re-raise, and CHEX calls me. The river is the 7, no flush out. I lose to AA or QT. I bet out, CHEX calls, and I turn over my trip kings for the win. CHEX voluntarily shows his AQ suited, a very very strong hand as well. My pot? $278, I am up $130 4 hands in. Whew.


We move up to 6 handed pretty quickly. CHEX2, owtovdet, DCV123, CWCTN, and montecenere in order to my left. CWCTN looks familier, I pull up tracker, but by the time I look, he's busted out the $150 he put ont he table. (He is a terrible player, sees almost every single flop, never raises pre-flop and is more than willing to cold-call with pretty much anything.

alz021 joins in his place.

Hand #15: I have T8o in the BB. folded around, montecenere limps to me. I check. I flop an inside straight draw, and we check it down. I make my straight on the turn, and I bet and he calls. He bets into the river, and I don't have the nuts, KT would beat me, but I of course raise, get called, and I take down the pot. I am up to $666.


Hand #18: I raise with A9 suited in the cutoff, getting two callers. One is giando, a new player in his first BB. Flop comes K85, with two diamonds(my suit). Giando bets out, I raise, and he calls. he checks to me on the turn, and I bet, he calls. We check down the river when I miss my flush, and his K2o takes the pot with kings.

Hand #20: I limp UTG with JTs, get raised and call. I fold to a flop bet that has a king and two random junk cards. I have $571 after these two hands.

CHEX is gone, busted out. He got down to $1.50, didn't reload and caught pocket kings, went all in, hit a full house that would have beaten a flush, he could have won a $400 pot. Instead, he takes down $4.50. He busts out next hand.

mdlandau joins to my left.

Hand #25: The cards are good to me again, KK in the BB. 4 limpers to me, I raise it up, and of course all four call. And of course, there's an ace on the flop. All four call when I bet. No way I'm best here. I check/fold the turn, one of the first times I've folded KK with such little in losses. Two people show down single aces that would beat my kings. I am back to $526.


Hand #33: The pocket pairs keep rollilngo n. JJ on the button, 2 limpers to me, I raise, and get 3 callers. Flop comes 744. giando bets out, and I raise. giando just calls. The turn brings a queen, river an 8. I bet all the way, he calls me down and my pocket jacks beat his pocket 9s, I take down $203 and have $634 on the table.


Hand #41: i get to limp with 57 suited in the cutoff 5 way. The flop gives me 2nd pair, but I'm just not interested in taking on the world with that. we check it around and a queen hits the turn, I fold to a bet.

Hand #43: I have 97o in the BB. a free flop 3-way brings 745, I have top pair! I bet out and both call. I bet into the queen on the turn and take the $78 pot, back to $642.

We are 4 handed now. giando, alz021, and montecenere. In my estimation giando is the best player of the three. He is certainly the most agressive.

Back to 6 handed almost immediately. mdlandau comes back from sitting out, jschmoe joins, and then giando, alz021, and montecenere in that order.


Hand #48: we have a family pot, I limped with QJo in the SB. The flop comes KKT. I have the straight draw but the board is paired. I call a bet on the flop, I miss, and the turn is giving me 5:1 pot odds when its my turn to call. I go ahead and make the call, a 3rd king hits the river and I fold.

Hand #50: I raise in the cutoff with ATo. giando cals. The flop comes 972, giando check/calls me. The turn brings a jack, and giando bets. I decide to save myself 2 BB and I fold. At $562.


Hand #54: I have AJs in the SB. I raise after only the button calls. The flop misses me king high, and I bet out, both call. I bet the 2 on the turn, but check the river. a pair of 8s takes it.

Wild agression doesn't work at this table. I need to raise my good hands pre-flop, but I can't make people fold afterwards. I'm getting called down by ace high, bottom pair, that kind of thing. The hand before that one, I got a free flop with 83o, flopped bottom pair, watched one person bet and two call on every street, only to see that my pair of 3s was good, AJ vs queen high and an inside straight draw.

Hand #58: A6 in the BB, free flop with montecenere and landau. I hit an ace, bet on the flop and get one caller, bet the turn and take the pot. The small win keeps me afloat at $520.

lyonsbill joins in giando's place, he brings a massive 5 BB to the table.

alz021 leaves and matt35120 joins in his place, ALSO with 5 BB.

Hand #65: I have A8 suited on the button. montecenere limps, as usual, I raise, jschmoe calls and montecenere calls. I bet into the 7-high flop. montecenere calls. I decide to check on the ten on the turn. He'll call me with bottom pair(maybe I should bet to find out, but I am not sure). The river brings my ace, and I bet and win the $123 pot.

Hand #66: A9 suited in the cutoff. I just limp, and we have 4 way action. The queen high flop gets checked around. The turn is an ace, lyonsbill bets, and I raise. no one calls, and I take down $98.

I am back to $645.

Hand #70: I have Q8 in the SB. I limp with 2 others and see a K88 flop. I bet into it and get one caller, mdlandau. He again calls on the turn, and I check the river, fearing now the kings or the flush that has come out. He bets, I call, and I see the awesome JTo. Nothing of any sort, called down.

Hand #71: A6 suited. I limp on the button with a bunch of others.. I flop an ace and decide I'll just call if there's no raises. landau bets out, EVERYONE calls. Turn a blank, landau bets everyone calls. The river is a king. landau checks, jschmoe bets, I am the only caller. He had K4o. I win a $208 pot.

Hand #72: I lose a little on 99. I raise pre-flop, the flop comes ten high, I bet the flop and turn, montecenere calls me, we check the river down and he has a 10.

Hand #73: A8o in the BB. lyonsbill raises pre-flop, and montecenere and I call. The flop comes AQJ. I check-raise lyonsbill to see what he'll do. He calls. The turn is a 6. I bet, lyons bill raises all-in($18 more) and montecenere and I both call. We check the river, lyons had pocket 6s and beat me on the turn.


After that 4 hand flurry I've shown a little gain up to $698(I maxxed out at $841 after hand #71 but the other two took about 7 BB out of me)

Hand #80: I have J5o in the BB and end up winning a boring pot from montecenere when a jack hits and I get one bet out of him.

Hand #81: A5s in the SB. I limp with montecere and landau. The flop comes K62, two hearts. I decide to call a bet with these two and see the turn. It's an ace, I bet out and both call. The river is a 5, giving me two pair, but also bringing the flush. I bet out, montecenere calls(he had KQ for a pair of kings) and I take down $158.

I drop back down just a touch on hands 82 and 83. I raise A6s on the button, then JTs in the cutoff, neither hit and I fall a bit, I now have $784 at the table.

After loading my hands into tracker, I see that montecenere sees a good 80% or more of all hands(I had figured that out of course). mdlandau is terribly passive, seeing abuot 50% of all flops, having never raised pre-flop a single time.

adn as (hopefully) luck would have it, I end up 3 handed against montecenere and mdlandau for a time, with $714 on the table starting with hand 98.


In my first BB I get a free flop and flop a queen high flush. I check/call hoping they'll build the pot a bit. a 4th heart hits the turn though, and I bet out, and both fold.

I lose one hand, the only one I seriously try to play, and fall to $672, when TheNutsS323 joins and we go 4 handed. Soon after chironomid joins and we're 5 handed.

Hand #109: 34o in the BB. landau and montecenere in it with me. Flop comes 833. I check, landau bets EVERY TIME he's the last to act and checked to him on the flop. We both call, but they fold to my turn bet.

Hand #110: AJo in the SB. I raise pre-lfop and landau and montecenere call. Flop is all undercards, I bet and only montecenere calls. Against just one of them I have the balls to keep pushing, when a queen hits the turn, but he calls again. The river is a jack, and I really don't fear a queen too terribly, I bet again, he calls on 78o, 2nd pair on the flop. I take down $158 and am back up to $778.

Hand #114: I have Q3s in the SB. Again I am surrounced by landau and montecenere. I flop top pair and bet the flop and turn. The river brings 4 to a straight, I check, montecenere bets and I decide to call. He shows 97, bottom pair on the flop and runner-runner'd the straight with the 9.


Soon after I see a cheap flop with T9 suited. I stay in until the turn and give it up, back down to $678 after the blinds and those two hands.

Hand #119: Free flop with A2. I hit an ace but the flop comes A77. I bet on the flop, everyone calls. I bet the turn(a king) and thenut raises me. I call but give it up ont eh turn.

Hand #120: OWOWOWOWOWOW. I raise pocket 9s. montecenere limp-reraises me.. I cap it and we are heads up. The flop comes K93, 3 clubs. I bet, he raises, I re-raise, and he calls. The turn is a blank, I bet and he calls. The river is a 4th club. I assume I'm beat but I call to see it. He shows me the 7 and 4 of clubs. If I had re-drawn to a full house I'd have been back up near. Instead I'm back to $500 as that was a $253 pot.

I win two quick hands against thenut to get back up to $589. montecenere leaves the table after that hand, and I end up leaving very soon after with $574. I can't complain about winning, but damn that flush at the end was a killer.

NET: +$74


After 11.88 hours and 1229 hands at 10/20 this week, I am showing a 2.66 BB/hr profit. If only that could/would continue indefinitely.

Like I said earlier, there is no way I have the bankroll to support this play long term(I have 175 BB as of right now for 10/20, enough for a temporary foray but not enough to sustain swings of any kind).

I join a 5 man table, an empty seat to my left, followed by kp161, Zorin, tonya2376, and BASSSHELTON. These guys are all new to me. kappybw fills the spot to my left early on.


I win $9 in my opening BB with 7 high, limped to me from an EP player, we check it down, my 75o beats his 43s! I am up $9 on hand 1.


I open up pretty conservative, folding A5 and A7 in my first 5 hands.


Hand #6: I raise with 99 UTG+1. all 4 ppl behind me call. The flop comes AT7, and I give up on the hand.

Hand #9: I have AJ in the SB. the button limps, I raise pre-flop and get the BB and dealer to call. I bet on the ten high flop and take the $68 pot.

Zorin appears to be a tight/agressive player, pretty selective and I've seen him come out raising a couple of times now.

I get 5 crappy Ax hands in bad position in my first 15 hands and don't try to play any of them.

Hand #16: A3s on the button. the cutoff limps to me, I raise and get only the one caller, basshelton to my right. I flop bottom pair, QT3. Basshelton checkraises me, and I call. I decide to call him down for the information(and the chance of catching an ace). He has pocket 3s and hit a set. Good thing an ace never came. I am down to $422.

kp161 is an interesting character, he's gone 1 on 1 with zorin 3 times now, the board has gotten scary every time(3 9s on the flop once, 2 9s on the turn, and a pair + flush possible after the turn) and every time the board gets scary he goes nuts raising. He's induced two folds from zorin and once folded himself, we've yet to see what he's playing with.

we've also now seen him lose his shirt capping two pair on the river (QJ on a KQJxx board) to see AT kill him with a straight. He bets real hard when he's got something.

Hand #24: I raise early with A8s, only getting a call from the BB. I hit an ace, bet/fold, I take down $53 and am sitting at $425 now.

for those familier with pokertracker's agression factor, I can't wait to see Zorin's. I think maybe he's called 2 times in 25 hands. Bet/raise/fold with every other action. He appears to take "raise or fold, never clal" to the extreme, which makes him tough to play against.


Hand #30: I am dealt the solution to all problems, AA. I raise UTG, and both blinds call me. I bet every round, getting tonya2376 to call me all the way down in a jack-high total ragged board. tonya had pocket 7s, and I take down $158 and am back to $498 with the blinds ready to hit me.


I go through the blinds a few times, fall to $458, and leave the table. 3 tight/agressive opponents, that is just not the table to make money at. I try another table.


NET: -$42

I try again, sitting down at a full table. PIMPBOY, JoeBlob, mavenjohnson, StrykeOne and Gregg69 at the table in order to my left.

How could I not want to play with PIMPBOY and gregg69?

I have exactly 1 hand in tracker for mavenjohnson. He lost $20 on it.


Hand #1: I get ATo in the BB, I check along with 3 limpers. The flop comes 982, and we check it around. The turn is an ace, I bet and only PIMPBOY calls. The river pairs the 9 on the board, I bet and he calls. I beat his A4 for the $118 pot, starting me off up a little quickly.


pimpboy played A3o to the river with an inside straight draw on hand 2(256 flop, 6 turn) winning with an ace on the river.

gregg, pimp and maven have been in all of the first 3 hands each. Maven wouldn't bet/raise with top pair while gregg69 agresively played 2nd pair inot him, catching 3 of a kind on the river. That usually gives me a lot of hints about both players(maven isn't gonig to take a lot of money off me without a well-hidden monster, while gregg might be decent).

two leave, two join. New lineup:

pimpboy, scottdvs, maven, merlin_578, gregg.

hand 4 I'm the only one that doesn't see the flop, 3 people stay in all the way. pimpboy had another weak ace.

Hand #6: I hate this hand. I have pocket 10s in the big blind. I check, and bet into the Q62 flop with pimpboy and maven in the flop with me. I bet when the board pairs twos on the turn. pimpboy raises. Many people will bluff there, and I decide to call him down. He was not bluffing, K2s UTG. I am down to $478. I didn't play this well. I should have raised pre-flop to find out who had the ability to fold, and to find out how tied pimpboy would get to a pair of 2s in the face of my obviously good hand and my agression.


BASSHELTON has joined this table. He was the weakest of the tight/agressive players at my last table.


Hand #11: Free flop heads up against maven with 93o. Flop comes K94, I bet out, maven raises and I call, folding to another overcard to my 9 on the turn. Just too many ways to be beaten to pay 2 more BBs.

Very next hand maven flopped bottom pair and just check/called it down against someone else. I think his play is pretty straightforward, and way too loose.

Hand #16: I have Q8o in the big blind. 4 people see the flop counting me, and it comes A98. We all check it around, bottom pair early isn't enough for me. With the turn though, I've got enough, a queen gives me two pair. Gregg69 bets out, I raise, everyone else folds and he calls A low card on the river, gregg check/calls me and I take down the nice $158 pot. gregg had A2, top pair worst kicker.

That puts me at $521 after the SB in the next hand.


rock1974 joins for 3 hands, wins $110, says "thanks guys" and leaves. He didn't get any of it from me.

frgtabit joins where rock just left.


Hand #27: 43 in the big blind. 5 people see the flop, K83. No one bets the flop, and we get a free turn. It's another 3. gregg bets out as the 1st to act. I call, hoping to get some callers behind me. No one calls. Gregg bets the river, which made a flush and a straight possible, I wuss out and just call, beating his Q8, 2nd pair on the flop for a $128 pot. After the blinds pass me I am at $583.

Hand #30: AKo in the cutoff. two limp to me, I raise and maven calls from the BB, and both limpers call. Flop comes QT5, all hearts... I bet when checked to me, everyone calls. The turn is a king, but, it's the 4th heart. I have no heart. I fold to a bet, and see the 8 of hearts win the pot.

Hand #33: I keep flopping mediocre hands with my crappy big blinds. 74s, 5 way action, flop is Q43. I fold though after we check it around(5 way action keeps getting checked around on the flop... should I bet betting this? no way?).. anyway, checked around and a ten comes out, a bet and I fold.


Hand #36: I raise KJo in the cutoff, and get both blinds calling me. I bet into the ragged flop(722), maven raises, I re-raise and he caps. The turn helps none and I fold to a bet. He is nice enough to show me that he was playing 26o. I am down to $488.


Hand #40: AQo in the small blind. there's a limp/raise/cold-call before me. This is going to be 4 or 5 way. Do I want to cold-call with AQo 4 or 5 way? re-raise? I don'g really like either of those options. I fold. Flop comes KQT, another K on the turn and frgtabit wins it on the turn. I think I likely saved myself some bets.

a couple of bad rivers leads to a "river rat. No skill losers" conversation, etc etc. BASSSHELTON complains even though the one time he starting shouting bullshit, he was behind all the time. Hilarious.

Hand #49: I raise AQo UTG. maven and frgtabit call. Flop is good, Q55, Ib et, maven calls. I bet the turn and river and get calls there too. Maven had 77, and had been raising so hard whenever he had a hand, I was quite sure I was best there. the pot puts me back up to $531.


Despite just typing this out, I pull a very dumb move. A7 in the SB, I limp, catch 7 as middle pair. I bet, maven raises me(Q72 flop), and I call, I decide to call him down, despite every indicatino for the last half hour that he only makes that kind of strong play on top pair or better. He of course, had top pair. Right back to $466, and I feel like an idiot.


frgtabit catches a lucky set on the river to beat someone, BASSSHELTON complains "god, thsi is so unrealistic." I have visions of Front Office Poker, with the detractors talking about how it's never this way "in real life" I ask him why he chooses to put os much money at stake in an unrealistic poker simulation, he doesn't answer.

In the mean time I blind down to $451.


Hand #58: I catch AA in the cutoff. frgtabit limps, I raise, both blinds and frgitbtitiasjlf call. J72, two clubs on the flop. frgtabit bets, I raise, he calls, no one else does. Turn is a rag, I bet he calls, river is a jack, he bets, I call and he flips over KJ to river my aces. HEy, all the talk was right! I am down to $371.

Hand #67: after seeing maven raise the last hand with J7o, I make a pretty weak cold-call of his raise this hand, I have JTo in the SB. pimpboy also calls. The flop comes K79, giving me the double bellybuster draw, an 8 or a Q gives me the straight. maven bets, we all call. On the turn, I catch a jack, and pimpboy bets and we all call. The river hits the straight, an 8, but it also completes a runner-runner flush. I lead out betting, and both call. Maven shows TT and we split pimpboys money. the win nets me about $45 and puts me back up to $377 after a long cold spell.

Hand #71: I have A5 in the BB, maven and frgtabit limp. I bet the Q52 flop, maven calls. The turn gives me a solid 2 pair with an ace. I bet and maven had check/fold clicked. I am back up to $400.

Hand #75: I raise after a limp from frgtabit with AK suited. pimpboy raises behind me, and maven and frgtabit are both in. I cap it. I hate the flop, 834 all hearts. I bet out, pimpboy raises, and I fold when maven also calls. pimpboy ends up winning with TT. I am back to $340 on that one.

Hand #94: I've limped with some trash but haven't played much... blinded down to about $240. I get 78 suited in the BB, folded to vostok, a new player to my right. He raises, I call him. The flop is great for me. Q56, two clubs. vostok bets, I raise, and he calls. The turn is the 4 of clubs, I've got the flush(and the straight, but anyway). I bet, he calls. The river is an unfortunate 4th club. I make a mistake by betting when I could have checked it down. vostok raises and shows me the ace of clubs. I get rivered in a bad way and am down to $140.

I get back to $187 hitting an ace with AJo, and we go four handed for a bit.

Not much to say, I blind out a bit and lose one more hand and end up leaving with $77. Ouch, not a good night at all.


NET: -$423


This is from last night, not this morning.

I join a 4 handed table for a little play in the morning.

Mr_Zeldar, shrksfan, and trictrac to my left.


Hand #1: shrksfan raises on the button, I call with A7 as does trictrac. Flop coems 874. I bet out, shrksfan raises, trictrac folds and I call. The turn and river both bring overcards, I check/call the turn and check the river. He shows A6 and I take the pot with my sevens.

Hand #2: I picke up KK on my 2nd hand. I raise and only shrksfan calls. Flop comes jack high, J86. I bet, shrksfan raises, I re-raise and he just calls. The turn is a blank, I bet and he calls. The river is an ace. I bet, he raises, and I call, and he turns over A6 to crush my kings. I am down about $40 now.

Hand #4: A8s early, I raise and trictrac re-raises. I just call. Teh flop brings an 8, but its 2nd pair. I call trictrac down and see his pocket kings, dang.

Hand #6: AKs in the big blind. I raise and get heads up with shrksfan. Long story short here b/c this is flying by. I hit a pair of kings on the flop, bet out and shrksfan calls me down, catching runner runner club-flush with his 46s to beat me down.

Hand #9: I raise with AQs early. a late position player raises and I call. The flop is bad for me, I end up folding to a bet and raise behidn me(which ended up being AA)

By hand #20 I've played in 10 hands, raising about half of them with great starters like the above, and have only won two(I backed into a straight checking it down w/ QJo.. ace flop runner runner King/ten). I am sitting at $219, down about 14 BB in about 11 minutes. That's what happens when good cards go bad real fast.

At some point in here we go 6 handed, adding tomoyasu and faderen to the ends of hte table.

Hand #39: The cards go to crap, which gives me a nice break, though I would have loved a run of aces to get me back ahead. Here I get K9 suited on the button. Folded to me, I raise and MR_Zeldar plays back at me. I call. I flop a 9, and bet, he raises, I re-raise and he folds.


Hand #41: I have pocket kings UTG. I raise, and tomoyasu re-raises me. faderen calls behind and I cap it. The flop sucks. AJ4. I bet, tomoyasu calls and faderen folds. I bet into the turn and the river, seeing all my money disappearing before my eyes, but nope! tomoyasu has QQ. My KK takes down $223.

Hand #42: I get a free flop against Zeldar with J4, flop comes AQx diamonds, I have the jack of diamonds. I act first and bet out, zeldar folds and this little flurry gets me back up to $354.

Hand #45: This will either make me or break me. I have aces in the cutoff. I raise, and FOUR call me. Flop comes 553. faderen bets out before me, I raise and trictrac cold calls/faderen calls. I bet the 6 on the turn(checked to me), and the 9 on the river. fadeern calls me down. He had A4, crap on the flop, turned an open-ended straight draw, and the odds went my way.

45 hands, a 20 hand drop from $500 to about $180 followed by a 6 hand climb back to $512. Amazing.

Hand #54: I have ATo in the BB. faderen raises out of the SB(folded to him) and I just call. The flop comes 97x, he bets and I call. The turn is a ten, he bets, I raise and he calls. The river is an 8, putting 4 to the straight on the board. He checks, and I'm not willing to risk the check-raise if he had J7 or some crap. I check. He had A7, my ten on the turn wins a $138 pot for me and puts me at $560.

Hand #64: I win a couple of rounds of blinds back when I limip in the SB with Q2 suited, flop a queen, bet out and take a small $38 pot from zeldar and shrksfan

Hand #71: Really I should be ahead by a ton with these starting hands. I get AA again, raising it UTG, watching the entire table fold to me. Bah!

Hand #75: KJs in the cutoff. one limps to me(a new player, diflo), and I raise, I buy the button and get heads up with diflo. I flop a king, bet and diflo folds, I take down the pot and am up to $577.


At almost exactly 9am, I get a sign from the poker gods to go to work(and to quit while I'm a bit ahead, perhaps?). Party pretty much crashes and I leave with $567.

NET: +$67


I had such amazing cards, there are days where those cards are a $500 win in 75 hands. After that start, however, I am quite pleased to have pulled out a $67 gain today.

test, bump? Two updates and I can read them but they don't register.

Can read them here. Have enjoyed following your dynasty. I don't play enough limit, so this is an interesting read for me.

Whew. Took me a while, but I finally caught up reading this dynasty. Great stuff Radii!

Been a while since your last post though. Taking a break?

yeah, I got my ass handed to me over a about 8 straight sessions(including the one I posted in the general board about losing a buyin in about 20 minutes), and took about 5 days off. I am switching back down in limits a ways, and am currently working on a ultimate bet bonus. Once I'm more comfortable with the site(first time I've played there) I plan on writing up whatever kind of play I settle in on. Right now it's $1/$2 6 man tables.

I've had a lot of swings in poker lately...

First weekend back at my regular live game, I win $47 ($25 NL cash game with usually ~6-7 people). Next weekend, I lose $46 at the same game. The next day I lose $160 in maybe 90 minutes playing $3/6 at Turning Stone. I don't really know how that happened - I didn't play poorly - I only really dumped money into two hands (QQ with rainbow undercards on the flop where a flush rivered me in the end and Q2d where I turned a flush and my 2nd-best hand lost to the nuts). It just all happened so fast - I'm not really upset with what happened; it was just not my day. That same day, I won $40 playing Roulette for nearly an hour - so clearly it wasn't just bad luck I was having. Then tonight, I go to my normal cash game, and win fucking $76. I have no idea what to think of my play right now.

That explains where all my money is going. :)

I have been working towards a bonus on ultimatebet.com. I'm over halfway there now. They double your bonus points if you start a new table, so I find blank 6 man tables, sit down an wait for an opponent.

Today I'm at a 2/4 table. After a short while, kjo1333 jonis and we go heads up. He seems a terribly straight forward player early on. I lose AT vs his J2 when I flop middle pair and he flops two pair. That takes a decent chunk out of me and I have $80 (out of my original $100) after some back and forth.

Scratch that, I ahve $66, after kjo rivers a flush against my top pair.

After 17 hands we end up 3 handed, CalvinsAKQJ10 joins, I'm taking a bad beating though, my solid A-high hands are not hitting or losing to rivered flushes.

20 hands in we are four handed.

Hand #20: I have AK suited UTG, I raise and only kjo calls. The flop c omes QJ5 and he bets out. I have yet to see him bluff... I call his flop bet but fold on the turn when I get no help. This is a serious beating, down $50 after 20 hands.


25 hands in, we're 5 handed.

CalvinsAKQJ10, kb78, kjo1333, empty seat, and Kyman in order.

Hand #25: I get AQo, and just check in my BB. I flop two pair, bet out and its folded to me.

Hand #26: kb78 raises, I call with QJs in the SB, but fold on a flop bet that just gives me an inside straight. kb had A9o.

Hand #29: AKo UTG, I raise and get 3 callers. The flop comes J49, all hearts(I have no heart). I throw out a single bet to see if I can take the pot, Kyman calls. The turn makes a 4-flush. We both check. The river puts a flush on the board. We both check again and split a $19 pot, $9.50 for me. I'm holding steady at $50.

Nixons Twin joins in the empty seat, 6 handed 33 hands in.

Hand #35: UTG again, with AQo this time. I raise and only Kyman calls me. Flop comes 678, I bet, he calls. The turn brings a king, and I go ahead and fold when he bets.

Hand #48: I finally have a playable hand, QJs, and I get a free flop with it along wit kj and kyman. Flop comes TT4, two clubs(no clubs in my hand). We check, turn is the ace of clubs, and I'm out to a bet. I'm down to $33, bleeding out after an early beating and now a cold run of starting cards.

Some changes. To my left: Empty seat, ChuckLuck76, kjo1333, Nixons Twin, and kyman.

kyman and kjo limp into virtually every pot if its unraised. Nixons is agressive when he's got good cards, and I'd love to get good enough cards to punish these guys. kjo is calling down ace high pretty consistantly, nixons tearing him up w/ 2nd pair, things like that.

mudcat18 joins to my left. mudcat's opening play, calling a raise w/ 63o, satying in on an inside straight draw, seems a bit questionable. His second play of limping 56o seems questionable too. Course, he's up $33 after those two hands, so hey, how bad can it be?


My cards have totally gone to crap. I haven't played a hand outside my big blind since hand 35, 22 hands ago.

mudcat just isn't folding pre-flop, T7s pre-flop for a raise? no problem. He's catching like a madman though, flushes on the river to beat a higher pocket pair.

Hand #60: I limp with 9To in the SB, with 3 opponents. Flop comes JT4. I bet out, and get heads up with ChuckLuck. Turn brings an 8, open straight draw for me, I bet, he calls. I check/call the river(a king) and lose to JT, flopped two pair, and I am now down to $16, down about 21 BB.

Hand #66: I catch AA in the SB. Nixons raises pre-flop, I re-raise, he calls. Flop comes king high. I bet out, he calls. The turn is a non-scare card, I bet, he raises me all in, and I call, of course. Nixons had KQ and I double up to $29. I let myself fall a bit short there, I need to keep more on the table than $15, that is a big mistake on my part. Always have enough money that you can come out firing and win big when you have the nuts.

Nixons and Kayman leave the game. lineup is: monarchos1, ChuckLuck, kjo1333, and flyfisherak, and an empty seat.

I flop top two pair with A9 from the big blind but get no action, $28.75.

Timglas joins in the empty seat.

flyfisherak opens up pretty agressively, but hasn't shown down anything, so who knows if he has a hand or not.

monarchos goes nuts capping bottom full house on a board that has two pair. Top full house gladly caps with him and monarchose is down to ~$12.

Hand #79: I have KJo in the SB. folded to me, I raise, monarchos re-raises and i call. Flop is all low cards, and I decide to call him down(He only has $6 left at this point anyway), he has pocket 8s and I never catch my pair. I fall back down to $16.

Hand #81: I raise pre-flop with ATo and flyfisherAK calls. I take a small pot when I flop an ace and he folds.


I buy back up to $100.


I lose a few blinds and fall down to $92 by hand #100

Hand #100: KJo in the cutoff. I raise pre-flop(I've been so tight, will I get respect?) Q86 flop, kjo is my only caller. I have position. I bet, he calls. The turn is a blank, so is the river, and we check it down. I see his 37s, my king high takes $13.50 and I'm back up to $99


If thee is a positive to this session its that I'm working off my bonus money like crazy, the pots between everyone else is getting larger and larger.

Hand #106: Reading people and paying attention pays off: I have QQ. I raise, only kjo calls me. Flop comes AA4. I bet, he calls all the way down, and I take down $27.75 with my solid hand.

Hand #107: 55 UTG+1. I raise and get two callers. I fold to a lot of overcards and a bet on the flop.

Hand #108: AJo UTG. I raise, both blinds call me. The flop comes down ten high, and I call a bet from flyfisherak. A blank on the turn, and we check, and I fold to a river bet.

Back to $95 after that nice win followed by two quick losses.

Hand #116: I have A7s on the button. A couple of limpers before me and I also limp. Chuck raises behind, the entire table is in. Flop comes KQ5, two spades. I easily have the odds to chase the flush, and call flop and turn bets. Chuck ends up all in and there is no river bet. The flush never hits but I hit a pair of 7s on the river. Chuck's pocket 9s take a $38 pot and I'm down to $80.


Hand #120: A4s in the BB. I check when timglas(SB) limps into me, bet the ace on the flop and take down $4.

Hand #121: Pocket 7s. I raise out of the SB and monarchos(BB) and kjo(limper) call Flop has one overcard, I bet, and both call. Turn pairs the overcard, I bet and only monarchos calls. The river is an ace. I check/call, monarchos had J5, trip jacks. I am down to $66 after dropping $14 on that hand.

Hand #128: I have QTs on the button, and raise it. monnarchos and chuckluck both call me. The flop is almost perfect, AJx, all my suit, I flop a flush. Chuckluck comes out betting, and I just call on the flop. I raise him on the turn, and monarchose is still in. I bet the river, he calls and I take down $44.50, back to $90, nice to get a solid win on that one.

Hand #135: Can AA hold up again? I raise, buy the button, and get two callers. I flop an ace, a totally non scary board. The turn pairs bottom pair on the board after I bet and get one caller, I only lose to presto at this point(A855 on the board), I bet and melech folds, I take down $17.25. A good case to slowplay there, perhaps I should have.

New lineup, btw:

monarchos, Chuckluck, melech, flyfisherak, and timglas.

I have 78s in the BB, limped to me, melech and timglas in so far. I check. Flop comes AKx, two clubs. I call a bet. The turn is a blank, and its checked around. I hit my flush on the river, timglas bets, I raise, he calls and I take the pot.

I am back to $110 at this point.

Hand #141: presto UTG. I raise and chuckluck and timglas call. I bet into the flop of A83, chuck is gone but timglas is still in. I keep control with a turn bet when a 4 comes down, and the river is checked. timglas called the turn bet with a pair of 4s. Presto wins(presto is 55 btw).

I am back up to $124 with that win.


I drop two hands against a short stacked timglas

Hand #150: I raise on the button with KJs and get 3 callers. Flop comes Kxx. I bet, new player Clodius re-raises, and I decide to call him down. He has KQ to outkick me. I am back to $96.75 losing that $38 pot.



Hand #153: K9s in the small blind. 2 others in the pot after I limp. I bet the flop, which has two of my suit. OR DOES IT. Turn is the two of clubs, third of my suit, and I realize that sometimes I have to double-take at the black suits to tell the difference between spades and clubs. There was only one club on the flop, one spade. Oops. I bet out anyway and take the pot. Back up to $103.

First time I have made that mistake.


4 handed around hand #165: clodius, akdadof2, and melech, followed by two emtpy seats.

Hand #165: I limp on the button with J9 suited. Flop comes QT2 rainbow. With three opponents I have the odds ont he flop for a call. I don't on the turn, but I make it anyway. Implied odds probably made it close. $14 in the pot, $4 for me to call. Ok maybe not. 3.5:1 when i'm about 5:1 is a bad call. My mistake.

MickYank777 joins the table. I'm down to $84.25 again.


Hand #177: Down to $78, I get AQo in the BB. MickYank raises out of the SB, I re-raise and he calls. The flop is all around me, KT9, but it missed. I bet out and he folds. Back to $85 with that small win.

TIM I joins to my right and we are full again.

Hand #183: I get a free flop with J8s. I end up getting raised on the flop by MickYank when J53 flops. I call him down to see J9, outkicking me for the pot.

Hand #185: JJ on the button. TIM raises before me, and I re-raise. The flop comes AQx, and I decide to fold to a bet here. I am down to $66 again.

Hand #187: 88 UTG + 1. I raise, both blinds call me. The flop comes King high, and I bet into it. I bet into the 9 on the turn, only Melech left, and we check the river. I beat his A8 for a $23 pot and am back to $80.

Hand #195: AQo on the button. I raise and MickYank limp/calls me. Flop comes down AKx. I bet and he calls. Turn is a jack. I bet, he raises, and I callh im down. He has KJ and hit two pair. I am down to $60. Just not going well at all.

Hand #199: AQo again on the button. I win with a raise this time pre-flop. $63.75!

We're 4 handed right now, Clodius, Dakota Jack, MickYank77.

Hand #202: KTs in the SB. I limp, flop top two pair, and both my opponents fold to my bet. $65.50! Clawing my way back.

akdadof2 is bac, he had been sittingout.

We go 4 handed again. akdadof2, dakota jack, and mickyank77.

A small win with a pair of aces puts me back up over $60 after getting blinded out for awhile.

Hand #222: I raise pre-flop with A7 suited. Only dakota calls. He is in a large number of pots. Flop comes 984, Dakota bets, I raise, and he calls. The turn is a king, I bet and he calls again. We check the river, ad I lose to his 34s, flopped bottom pair.

That hand knocks me down to $40 or so. I get back up to $70 with a couple of nice wins over MickYank, 2nd pair short handed, and a hand where I raise pre-flop with an ace and hit it and get called a bit.

Back to 6 handed now, lineup in a sec.

Hand #230: I have AKs and raise pre-flop. akdadof2 re-raises and I cap it. Flop comes KJ4. He bets, I raise, he re-raises and I just clal. From that point forward I just call him down, and see his JJ, he takes a large pot off of me and I am down to $45 after losing the $43 pot.

Full table again: pttrpro, akdadof2, dakotajack, mickyank77, and evildrummer.

I lose one last huge hand here. I have T8s in the SB and its folded ot me. I raise and pttrpro calls. The flop comes T87. I bet, he calls. Turn is a blank but puts the flush out. I bet, he calls. River is the 4th heart. I bet, he raises, I call and I lose to A9, one heart. I get crushed again and am down to $14.50.

Bah.

I leave the table, I never felt my play went to shit, so I wasn't disappointed to stay, and I always felt I was better than my opponents, but, I was pushing at the wrong time and watching the worst possible cards hit all day.

NET: -$160

The one positive is that I worked off about half of my remaining bonus. The negative, of course, is that I am now up at ultimate bet less than my bonus :P I deposited $500 for a $100 bonus. I have released $79 of that bonus so far, and am up $66.75 at the site, basically breaking even and picking up the bonus.

That's it for today, but I am trying my hardest to work of this bonus ASAP b/c party has a random bonus good until about Wednseday if I can get this money out and moved back over soon enough.

test

Strange. I couldn't see page 2 until just now when I posted my test update.


Thanks for reading chappy :) I assure you I've been back and forth lately, as shown by my losses today on UB,making me even basically there while grinding out my bonus.

I start out at a 2/4 table headsw up against ubet713 at a $2/$4 table.

I need 160 "ultimate points" to finish earning my bonus here. I'm also essentially even at this site(I'm ahead by the amount of the bonus I've earned), and would love to finish with a profit at this site.

ubet713 limps every hand, he'll call my raises sometimes too.

One big hand, I have 77 preflop and raise, ubet re-raises and I cap it. Flop has a king, I bet, he raises and I call him down from there. He was bluffing w/ queen high and I take down a nice pot.

a couple of bad hands drop me way down. His AT vs my , he catches two pair, and I bet an open-ended straight draw after he already had a made straight.

UGH, my top pair just got beat by ubet's runner runner flush after I bet it all the way, I am down to $47 and getting beat pretty hard here.

I push back over $50 w/ trip 8s, but this guy is rock like, absolutely is not calling without some sort of hand. I catch a couple of lucky hands(runner runner types) to push back ahead of $60. I miss out on a $26 pot, ubet pushes AKs after my Q7 hit top pair, the board makes a straight and my pair is worthless.

a 3rd person finally joins, floptdanutz is to my left. I have $68.

ubet has been so passive, it'll be interesting with a 3rd person here now.

I take a $19.50 pot slowplaying trip 3s against ubet, but give it right back to floptdanuts after I flop an open ended straight flush draw that doesn't hit.

Soon after I catch floptdanutz, I hit top pair on the turn w/ QT, so did he, with a weaker kicker, and he raised me when I bet. I get back to $89 with that win.

We jump quickly to 6 handed, here's the table:

floptdanutz, shnovel, ubet713, Bri5150, and Lazy Jim. I have $88, and we are 72 hands in.


Hand #79: I have 79s in the SB and limp along with the entire table. I bet into the 752 flop and get 3 callers. A ten hits the turn and i decide between the overcard, my kicker, and 3 opponents, that i have no interest in this pot. ubet713 caught the tens(another ten on the river) to win it with QT.

I have $80 after 80 hands.

Hand #82: I raise pre-flop with A7s, the flop sucks, king high with none of my suit ?I bet the flop, check the turn/river w/ one caller, and see pocket 5s to lose the pot.

Hand #83: A\K suited UTG. I raise and only Bri5150 calls(the pocket 5s guy) I push push push into the crap on the board and am rewarded with a king on the river, winning a $28 pot and putting me back to $87.

Hand #89: I make a loosae limp with 47s in the SB. 2 opponents. Flop comes 46K and we check it around. I bet the turn, another 4, and iwn a small pot, back to $87.50.

Hand #93: AK suited in the small blind. I raise pre-flop and get two callers. I bet into the 557 flop and both call. I bet the turn(another 7) and fold when I get raised.

Hand #96: I have pocket 7s in the big blind. belizejules(SB) limps to me, and I raise to take contorl of this one. He calls and folds when I bet the flop.

Hand #97: pocket 10s, belizejules raises, I re-raise behind him and we are heads up. He check/calls me on the flop(9 high) and turn (another low card) and bets out when the ace hits the river. I go ahead and call, and he has A2, flopped bottom pair, rivered top pair. I am down to $66 with that loss.

Hand #99: I have AQo in the BB. I just check with two limpers. Flop comes QJ4, I call a bet, then raise the turn when another blank comes. My slowplay pays off this time, I take the $30+ pot and am back up to $84.

Hand #105: I limp in the BB with A7o with 3 others. I bet into the T74 flop and all call. The turn is a 2 and I bet out again. Only belize calls. I check the 9 on the river, he checks and my middle pair on the flop takes down $23. I am back to $95, almost back to where I started.

The table is full again: BigAl1021, 54Woody, ubet713, Bri5150, and belizejules in order. I have $93.75.

Hand #110: I have A8o and limp in the SB. This looks familier, Q84 flop, middle pair. I bet, bigal and bri5150 call. The turn makes it easy, an ace. I bet, only bri calls. I bet the blank on the river and bri calls. The $26.75 pot puts me up to $108, up 2 BB on the session!

Hand #127: After taking a break to make lunch and blinding down a bit to under $100. I get AJo here in the SB, with a new player posting out of turn. I raise from the SB and new guy(Willys52) and Doormat825(a limper) call. Flop comes AQx. I bet and both call. Both again call my turn bet. The river is a king, , I bet and get called again by both. I beat A2 and KJ(inside straight on the flop) to win a big pot and push up to $133.

Hand #129: I raise and push a little bith with KQo heads up vs Bigal. I never hit anything and he beats me iwth Q5.

Hand #137: I check my big blind with AJs with 4 others in the pot. I bet when I flop top pair with the jack, and get two callers. The turn is an overcard, a queen, I bet and bigal folds, leaving me heads up with willys52, who calls. The river is a blank, I bet and he folds and the $22 pot pushes me up to $134.

I sit out a couple more hands, and we're 4 handed when 'i come back. Bigal, doormat825, and belizejules. b elize only has $3 left and goes all in on the first hand back though.

belize rebuys for $16.75.


I win a $23 pot with A6o, raising on the button, betting a crappy flop, checking the turn and catching my ace on the river to get up to $145.

Oh, bad hand. #148: I have QJs in the SB. belize raises, and I have no respect fo rhim at all.. I call. Flop comes KQ4. I bet, belize calls. Turn is an 8, I bet, he raises, I call. I call him on the river and he shows pcoket 8s for the set. Back down to $122.

Hand #154: KT in the big blind, free flop. AQJ, bingo! there were two callers and 2 spades on the flop. I get one caller on the flop but folds on the turn, and I take down $10.

I have to head out, engagement pictures today, but I'm almost done with my bonus, hopefully I can finish it up tonight before bed and get this money back over to party/empire for more free money.

NET: +$32

That's enough to put me ahead at ultimate bet while earning my bonus, by a whole $27 (+ my bonus of $100, so no complaints here).

I start a $2/$4 table to finish up my bonus. Hutchy Kid joins, first hand I have Q9 suited vs his A7 suited. Top pair on the flop, he hits bottom pair, but turns trips w/ his bottom pair.

We're up to 4 handed almost immediately. I win a small pot when KQ hits top pair. Ok, back to 3 handed.

THE IT, PeteM are my opponents, hutchy took $20 off me and left.

I have $80.75.

Hand #9: AA UTG. I raise, get re-raised by PeteM, and I just call. I call ont he flop, and raise on the turn. PeteM folds when I raise him on the turn.

Hand #11: AQ on the button. I raise and both call. I flop an ace, A57. One caller on the flop, folded on the turn.

Hand #12: AK in the BB, I hit an ace, win a small pot and am up to $98 again.

Hand #13: KT in the SB. I raise, get re-raised and fold to a flop bet.

Hand #14: AK on the button. I raise, two callers. I bet the flop, check the turn, fold the river when it misses and no one goes away. I am sitting at $85.75 now.

Nice run of cards, but I'm still stuck at $85.

Hand #17: A8 on the button. I raise, BB calls, folds to a flop bet.

Hand #18: 77 UTG (4 handeD). I just limp, a mistake. I fold to J94 flop when there's a bet and a raise before me.


Up to 5 handed now. THE IT, illiquid, 244, PeteM, and myself.


Hand #25: KJs in the BB. THE IT raises UTG. I call. Flop has just one of my suit, a queen. THEIT has been raising too much, I decide to take control here, and bet out. He calls. Turn gives me the flush draw, I bet/he calls. I river the top pair, a king. Bet/fold, and I take down $20 and am up to $91.50. The bonus points are flying in at this table. I'll finish up my bonus in about 30 more minutes at this rate. I'd love to finish it with a profit though.

Hand #29: AKs in the cutoff. I raise, two callers(both blinds, one is Monarchos, a guy I played w/ earlier.) The flop of 899 scares me off. We check it allll the way down, I take the pot as everyone else missed totally, and I have $99 now.

THE IT appears to play any two suited cards. Playing a lot of total junk.

I call a raise from him in the BB w/ 57 suited, but fold when I miss. NExt hand I raise w/ A4s in the SB and take a small pot on the flop.

Very next hand(#34) AKs on the button. I raise on the button, illiquid calls. Flop has a pair, 9 high, I bet, illiquid calls. I give it up after that, checking the turn/folding the river. $92.75.

Hand #40: AK for the 19th time. I bet and get two callers. This time I flop a king, bet out, THEIT folds, monarchos... thinks... thinks... calls. K26 flop, 8i on the turn, thinks, folds. $15.25 pot and I once again have $99.

Hand #42: JJ in the BB. 3 limpers to me. I make a mistake here. I check. Flop comes QTT. I bet, only a new guy, kb78(very familier name) calls me. Turn is a 7, I bet again, and take down the pot. Whew. I'm not happy w/ the flop check. I have $106.50

Hand #47: 99 UTG. I raise, THEIT and mo]narchos call(see a pattern here). I hate the flop, KT4. I bet and no one goes away. These guys will call me all the way down with a top hand, I decide its not worth it with two overcards and two opponents. I check the turn and fold to a bet after an ace hits the river.

Hand #54: I have A3o in the BB. There's a limp, a raise, and 3 calls before me. I figure I have the odds to call one bet to try to hit something huge here. The flop is good, 3 hearts, my ace is the heart. I call a bet on the flop, the turn gets checked around. I miss the flquid, kb78 and myself all call. I flop a four flush, and call a bet(with 3 opponents should I consider a raise here?) The turn gets checked around. The river hits my flush. illiquid bets, kb78 calls, I raise and both call. The $49.50 pot is a nice one. I am up to $124.

Hand #68: I raise on the button with KJo, ... nm, won the blinds.

Hand #71: I have 86 in the big blind. kb78 raises pre-flop, I have the odds to call again w/ all the opponents in. (I'm suited!) I flop top two pair, 864 flop. I bet out, THEIT re-raises, I re-raise, and theit and kb call. The turn is a 2, 2 clubs now. I bet, and both call. The river is the 9 of clubs. I bet, kb78 raises, I call, and the $61 pot goes to the jack-high flush, kb78 raised pre-flop and then called w/ J6 clubs. That hurts real real bad.

A push with AJo on the button drops me down to $90.

New lineup at the table: THEIT, empty seat, Hutchy Kid, Bucky1, PeteM.

I've earned my bonus, but I like this table still and decide to stay awhile longer.

Hand #84: 77 UTG. I raise and a new player, Leo Jr, and PeteM call. I hate the flop, 89Q. I bet out anyway, Leo calls, pete is gone. I bet a blank on the turn, leo calls again. I give up on the river, and check. Leo checks, and I win the hand.


After a dumb call chasing a straight with T9 I have $89.75.

Hand #96: back to my roots, AKo, in the big blind, I just limp with 3 others though. I decide to lead out betting on the ragged flop. Bucky1 is my only caller. The turn hits my king and bucky folds when I bet. Back to $85 (took a couple of small losses in the last 12 hands or so).

Hand #106: 4 handed now, I raise with K9s and only peteM calls. I bet the flop which has two of my suit, pete raises, I call. The turn makes my flush. I re-raise when pete bets, and he calls me down, I take down a nice sized pot and am back to $103.

I drop a pretty bad hand with 88 vs KK, then win two decent sized pots, AJs and 33(AJ hit hard on the flop and gave me a $15 pot, 33 I raised and pushed on the flop and leo folded). I sit with $98.25.


Leo beats me up on a steal attempt and I have $80 (J9s, flop had an ace, so did leo).

LeoJr1158 is a very good agressive player it appears. I hope to find a good spot to use his agression against him.

I win the blinds with KK against PeteM, slowplayed as much as I could, he just didn't want to be in the hand.

I get a big hand against PeteM, AJs, I raise and he callspre-flop. I flop a four flush, queen high. I bet, pete raises, I re-raise and he calls. I catch the flush on the turn and he calls me down, I take down $35 or so and am at $104.


KK again, I raise, since Leo defends his blinds hard when he has a little something. He folds.

a new player, tbag3d joins in between Leo and PeteM.

I have $95, 149 hands in.

Hand #151: A very familier hand. AKo. Pete raises, I re-raise, and tbag and pete both call. I fold when pete bets the flop, not sure about that one, but, tbag caught a flush anyway.

Hand #152: UGH. I raise A9s, leo calls, tbag re-raises, we both call. Flop is rags and leo bets, tbag raises... I'm out. tbag did have AJ, leo 66.

ARGH. two hands later I catch top pair with QJ, tbag destroys me when he calls me down with A4(bottom pair) and hits the ace on the river.

Whew. Ok, that was fast. I fell down to $50, won two very quick, but small hands to get me back to $60, then took a $48.75 pot fro LeoJr with AT that hit two pair.

AJo, I raise pre flop and 3 call. Flop comes A23. I bet and mabel(new guy) and tbag call. Turn is a jack. I bet and tbag calls. Rier is a king, tbag bets out and I just call. 45o. FOUR-FIVE OFFSUIT. I'm back down to $70.

tabg is not a bad player(seems like a pretty good one even) but motherfucker is he catching cards right now. I've had a few nasty suckouts at this table and am pretty pissed off that I don't have $140 or more and instead am down $30.

Hand #177: KK in the SB. I raise and get two callers, Mabel and tbag. Flop comes Q99. I bet and both call. Turn is a blank, I bet and both call. River is a king, I've got the 2nd nuts(99 beats me). I bet, mabel folds, tbag raises, I re-raise, tbag caps, and I call. My kings full of 9s win the $59 pot over tbag's JT straight. That pot brings me back to $96.75, and I immediately leave the table. Yeah I could go on a roll here, but I know I'm damn close to tilting here and am not playing with a clear enough head.

NET: -$3.25

Well, I bought in for $500 at ultimate bet, and cashed out $624.70 after about 5 days. Not a bad return, but I can't say I'm totally thrilled with the result, that means I was just up $24 in actual play over that period.

Hopefully that cashout goes through in time for me to take advantage of a bonus opportunity at party and/or empire, I'll check the details of those and power through those hands in the next couple of days.

Bought in for $624 to partypoker, and cashed out for $654, after a $100 bonus. I was trying to power through the hands and hopefully not lose much(if any at all), but I lost about $70 leaving me just ahead $30.

The reason for doing that is that the Partypoker Bonus was only good through last night, so I got that cleared, but there is an empire bonus that's only good through Thursday, so now I've got that clear too and don't have to rush anything anymore.

Next up, working off a $100 bonus at empire, that's an easy task though, 450 raked hands, and I will not worry at all about the bonus, just about winning.

I sit down at a 1/2 6 man table on empire. My oppoenents opening up are MRClean415, COBBERS, empty seat, chipjh, and davpat, in order to my left.

davpat and chipjh both look somewhat agressive, capping the river against each other(AQ vs A9, both hit two pair).

mrclean pushes A5s hard, raising out of the SB and pushing all the way after hitting a pair.

Hand #9: My first action, A7o on the button, folded to me and I raise. Both blinds call and the flop comes KQ9. I go ahead and get out of the way when they start betting.

boltu43 joins in the empty seat.

we're getting a lot of pots that are 3 and 4 handed going to the turn and river, and a lot of $15-$20 or more pots. Just saw chipjh and mrclean go at each other w/ AA vs KK for a $21 pot. I am staying out of the way so far. I have played AJ very passively and haven't played anything else at all, gotten a couple of crappy aces out of position through 18 hands is it.

Hand #19: I hate this hand. A2o in the BB. I get a free flop with 4 opponents, and I hit an ace, AJ4. I bet out and 3 call. I bet the turn(a queen) and 3 call. The river pairs the 4, I bet, chipjh raises, and yup, 34o, 3 of a kind on the river. COBBERS was in the whole way too and had AT. I need good hands here.



hand #21: KQo on the button, chipjh is the only one in with me after I raise(Ihe limped early). I bet the T28 flop, check the 9 on the turn, and call a river bet when a queen gives me top pair(but 4 to a straight on the board). chip has The Charlie again(34), no piece of anything anywhere, and I take down $11.

next hand chip calls down 45o, calling a river bet with ... 45o(nothing) with two pair on the board. I need to isolate this guy any time I have any sort of hand if possible. I am two to his left. He is in every hand. He does play agressively when he hits.

Hand #26: sometimes it just works out when it shouldn't. I have T9s in the small blind. only chip is in so far. I raise, trying to isolate(if I hit at all I can push against chip, but w/ the BB in I dunno)... but, the BB calls. I flop a gutshot draw, 776 flop. I bet, mrclean folds, and chipjh calls. The turn is my miracle card, an 8, I've got the straight. I bet, chip raises, I re-raise and he calls. The river is a jack, and I bet, he raises, I re-raise, and he caps. Perhaps a bad/dumb/dangerous move with a pair on the board, but it pays off, a $35 pot comes my way and I'm up to $55.

There's the strategy. If I have any chance to isolate chipjh with any sort of hand, raise. If I don't hit, its not worth it b/c he won't fold, if I do hit, get as much out of him as I can.

Hand #34: I raise w/ AJo UTG, chip and davpat call. I flop top pair, J52 flop, I bet after its checked around and davpat folds. Turn is a 3, making a couple of weird straights possible. I bet and chip calls. River is a king, checked to me, normally I check, but I get bold and bet out knowing chip has any 2. He folds and the $13.25 pot is mine, up to $58.75.

chip is still in every hand but he's making a lot of river folds now.

Hand #45: My best hand of the night so far, JJ. boltu raises pre-flop, and 3 of us call(I don't see the point in a raise there, it won't thin the field and if overcards hit they aren't going anywhere). I hate the flop, AA9. All four check it around. The turn is a queen, I bet and only boltu calls. The river is a 7, I check, boltu bets I call, and he turns over 99 for the flopped boat. I am down to $49.75.

Hand #50: K9s in the BB, 4 limpers and I check. Flop comes AKQ, all hearts(not my suit). Its checked around and chip bets. I have the chance to raise to try to isolate, something tells me I'm not ahead though, and there's just too many to act behind me, so I fold. That's a mistake, chip had T4, got called by Q7 and ended up losing.

chipjh is now sitting out.

Hand #53: I raise UTG + 1 with KJ diamonds. mrclean calls. Flop comes T75, two diamonds. I bet and mrclean calls. Turn is my jack, I bet and mrclean calls all in. I win the $10'ish pot and am back to $52.97.

back to 5 handed now, valmaha, COBBERS, boltu, chipjh(sitting out now, not counted in the 5), davpat, and myself.

oh oh chipjh is back.

Hand #57: I have 89s on the butotn, I limp and we are 5-way. I miss totally and get out on the first opportunity. COBBERs tries to bluff chip w/ King high and chip has bottom pair, calls. some people don't learn.

Hand #58: davpat raises pre-flop, I call as does chip. The flop isn't pretty, KQ5, I'm last to act though and bet out when the raiser checks, ready to let it go to a check-raise. There is none though. Turn is another blank, this time we check it down. River is a 9, chip bets out and I go ahead and call. He had KJ and beats me w/ top pair.

Hand #67: Well that was easy. K8 in the big blind. chipjh is now directly to my right with an empty seat between us. I flop top pair, turn two pair, and river a full house. chip calls it down all the way. I have $47.25 after the win + a small giveaway next hand.


full table again: MikeQQQ, COBBERS, anna67, chipjh, and sthief09 in order

Hand #78: AA UTG. I raise, and two new players call. Flop comes 935, I bet out, MikeQQQ raises, sthief folds and I just call(hoping to start a raising war on the turn). The turn is a ten and I bet out, and mike just calls me down. I wasn't going to give a free card but some people will just keep raising anyway. The $17.75 pot puts me back up to $53.97, slightly ahead.

chip just went nuts woith top pair against sthief09. Board of A65T6, capped turn, capped river. chip has AK. thief? 66. $45 1/2 pot w/ quads.

HAnd #95: I raise early with TT and get 3 callers. flop comes J98 rainbow. I bet, anna raises. chip and I call. Turn is a blank but puts two hearts out there. anna bets and we both call. River makes the straight w/ a 7, I bet ,anna raises, I call. anna shows down T4, we both rivered chip(he had J5), and we take down $15 each.

Hand #96: AA in the BB. anna raises, it's just me so far, and I re-raise. The flop is 976, two hearts. I bet, anna calls. She folds the turn, and I am up to $59.

Hand #104: I raise in the SB with QTo to isolate chip, but mikeQQQ calls too. flop comes King high and I get out of there.


we are 4 handed, mikeQQQ, chipjh and sthief.

mikeQQQ doesn't get it either, betbetbet with a busted draw, chpi calls w/ king high and wins.

Hand #108: I have ATo in the BB. chip and sthief limp to me, I just check. Flop comes Txx, all spades. My ace is a spade, and I have top pair. I bet out, chip calls, sthief is gone. Turn is an ace, two pair, I bet, chip calls. River is a jack, I bet, chip calls, and I take down $12.25 to push up to $62.

you know, chip is winning. When he hits a hand, he gets all kinds of action. chip bets hard when he hits, he's very easy to play(I'm not getting great cards and taking a lot of money, but I am playing him well I believe). When he has a hand, you know it and you get out of the way. I think too many of his opponents see him play every hand and call too much and refuse to believe it when he has something good. He just took down $37 w/ trip 5s.

Deeznts007 just busted out after about 10 hands.

Hand #115: 9T in the BB. chip and sthief are in this with me. Flop comes T42. I bet, chpi calls/thief folds. Turn is another low card, I bet/chip calls. River an ace, I bet/chip calls. He flopped 2nd pair w/ Q6o and I take down a $12.25 pot, I'm up to $67.97.

Hand #121: KTs UTG, I raise it and chip calls. I flop a 4 flush,I bet it, chip calls. Turn gives me top pair with a king, I bet and chpi calls. River is an 8. Chip bets out... haven't seen that in awhile, but I see it for the one bet. He shows a T9 bluff and I take down $14.25.

Hand #124: A6s in the SB. I limp with chip and mikeQQQ. Flop misses me, we check it around. Turn is an ace, I bet and chip calls. River brings 3 to a flush, and 4 to a straight on the board(A245, a 3 makes it), so I just check this one... chip doesn't even try a bluff this time and I take it with my pair.

I am up to $76.72 now.

I've taken about $25 off of chip myself to put myself up $25(have I won a pot against anyone else? ... I won a couple against annysomething but that's it), yet chip is still ahead $40 himself he has $90.

MikeQQQ flops a flush w/ K9 to destroy chipjh's pocket rockets for a $30 pot, chip's down to $80

I leave the table after 138 hands when the big blind hits me, and I am ahead $25.22.

I also was messing around with some .5/1 omaha hi, and was up $2.50 there :P

NET: +$27.72

Its no massive 5/10 win, but it's a nice solid profit for 1/2, 12.5 BB in 2 hours.


I am somewhat stuck in a quagmire. I don't want to keep a bankroll big enough to play 5/10(once I build it up to that level at least) and be able to not worry at all bout the swings. I need more than the bare minimum bankroll suggested to be comfortable. But there aren't short tables on party at 2/4 or 3/6. I have some money in pokerstars and have been winning there at 1/2 shorts with a lot of consistancy as well. The play at Stars is generally much much tougher though an dI don't know if I want to do that, so I have been thinking about that.... it's still a week or two before I have all bonuses I plan on going after, by then I will have enough to go to 2/4 or 3/6 if I want(assuming no massive losses at 1/2 here) and I'll have to decide where to play, and if I want to continue the short tables or try to grind it out at the fulls.

I sit down at a full 1/2 short table.

To my left: lorno8, DaggerLee, Srkelley, bauser, kanattack.

bauser has only $15 but everyone else is between $40 and $60. I haven't ever seen any of them before.

before i really do anything, bauser and kanattack leave. 4 handed for now.

Hand #10: My first playable hand really. ATo in the BB, I check w/ two others, flop comes A7x, two clubs. I bet, Srkelley calls. Turn is a blank, I bet and win the pot.

Hand #12: I limp with KJo and fold when an ace flops and people start betting.


Quickly back to 6 handed: lorno, daggerlee, Srkelley, treymaggie, and Froff.

I'm at $47.50 after 15 hands, only the AT hand worth mentioning so far.

Hand #18: a dangerous one, I limp in the SB with KTo along with 3 others. Flop comes JT4, two spades, my ten is a spade. I bet out and only DaggerLee calls. The turn brings 3 to the flush and I bet and DAgger folds, back to $49.50 after that one.

After 20 hands I've played 50% of them, which is sort of insane considering that my cards are so bad. The big blinds have been free and the small blinds have been playable, the Kj in hand 12 is my only non-blind hand I've played so far, haven't found a hand to raise yet. The table is obviously pretty passive pre-flop.

I have A4s in the big blind. 3 limp, Froff raises from the SB... I don't like my chances with that and I fold pre-flop.

Hand #23: AJs in the SB, I raise pre-flop after one limper, the BB and dscolen(a new guy) call. Flop is AJx, I bet and dscolen is my only opponent. he calls the flop and turn, folds the river and I'm up to $54.75 with the win.


Dinner break, might time out and need a new table.

By the time I get back I've time out of the table, so that's it here:

NET: +$4.75

I join a full 6-top, hoping to finish off my bonus today(but moreso hoping to post a nice win).

At my table: Robbr25, SSW335, MWarman, young_gun, and maddog5858.

Hand #1: 46o in the BB. i flop an open ender, K35 on teh flop. I call a bet from young_gun, maddog also calls. The turn pairs the king and we check it aroudn. The river is a 2, I hit my straight. maddog bets, I raise, he re-raises and, fearing the boat, I just call. maddog shows A4 for the low straight and the $18.25 pot is mine, I'm up to $59.75 on hand one.

Hand #15: KJs in the SB. I limp and we are 5-way. Flop comes 57Q, one of my suit. with 3 callers and the chance to kill the betting, I call a bet on the flop. The turn is the best possible card for me I think, the ten of clubs, giving me a straight and a flush draw. I again call a bet. The turn gives me my flush, but it paired the top card... robbr25 bets, SSSW335 raises, I re-raise, and both of them call. Robb has Q8 for 3 of a kind, and SSW has 96 clubs for a lower flush. I take down a $32 pot and am up to $78.75.

Hand #25: I raise UTG with KQo. The entire table calls. GOOD STUFF. Flop comes jack high-3 spades. I have the queen, and bet out, 3 call. turn is a blank, and we check it around. The river is a king. I'm 2nd to act. 1 before me/2 behind me. Do you bet? I didn't, I checked, and we checked it around. My kings were good and I take down $15.25.

Hand #26: T9o in the big blind. I get a free flop and flop an open-ended straight(78x). I call a bet on flop/turn and never hit, and give it up on the river.

Hand #30: I have KJs in the BB. SSW335 raises pre-flop and 3 of us call. Flop comes jack high, rainbow. SSW is right after me and I decide this is a good spot to check-raise, I'll find out if SSW has an overpair probably. SSW bets, both others call, and I raise. all just call. I bet the turn(blank) and SSW drops out, the other two stay in. The river is a queen and we check it down, I take down the pot w/ my pair of jacks.

Hand #33: QJo in mid-position. I limp and there are 4 of us. I flop top pair, Qxx two clubs. SSW bets out, and I just cal. I dunno why. I'm dumb I think. Turn brings a club, but I still have top pair. Again I just call. River is a 4th club. I call since my jack is a club. I lose to A7, SSW had flopped middle pair and his ace is a club. I absolutely hate how I played that. I talked myself out of raising on the flop and the turn. I probably wasn't winning the hand anyway but dang.

Hand #40: 67s on the button, with 2 limpers, I limp too. Flop misses totally and I'm ready to fold but we check it around. Turn is a 6. I have middle pair(flp was J34). I go ahead and bet out when its checked around again. Two people call. The river is another 6, I bet and win the pot right there.

Hand #41: I raise with AQo after one limper, SSW re-raises all in, maddog calls and I call. I didn't notice SSW was all in until we check the flop(T22) and SSW has no action. Whoops. The turn is a queen, I bet and maddog calls. River a blank, I bet and maddog folds. SSW had pocket 3s, I take the enitre pot.

In that flurry(talking to the fiancee, those 15 hands feel like a flurry), I am up to $102.25, I've doubled my buyin.

SSW is gone.

Hand #57: I have A2s in the cutoff. I raise and only the BB MWarman calls. Flop comes AJ9. MWarman bets, I raise and he calls. Turn is another ace... I'm not as worried about my kicker now, I bet and he calls. the river is a 7 and I go ahead and check, I win $11.25 over JT, I am up to $105 after some blinding down.

Hand #61: Tons of limpers, I limp w/ KQo on the button, the BB jiggins raises and all 4 of us call. The flop comes K76. jiggins bets, maddog calls, I raise, and jiggins calls. The turn pairs the 6, checked to me, I bet and jiggins folds, maddog calls. I bet the jack on the river and maddog folds. The $20 pot puts me up to $116.75.

Hand #63: I lmp with KTs, 5 players again. Flop comes Q32, two spades. I call a bet along with 3 others. Turn makes my flush, I raise when maddog bets, and he's my only caller. River is a king, he calls my bet and my flush beats his Q5 top pair on the flop. I am up to $127.25.

Hand #75: KK early, luckily there weren't any tough decisions on this one, as I was talkign w/ my fiancee during the hand. bet/raise at every opportunity. The decent sized pot takes me up to $132.

Hand #83: I open-raise on the button with A8s. Both blinds call me. Flop comes T93, I bet and only pokersize, the BB, calls me. Turn brings antoher ten, and we check. River is a 7, poekrsize bets out. I don't know anythign about him, and many will automatically bet after the checked turn. I call him down to see his 89s, he has middle pair to win the pot.

Hand #85: I raise UTG with A9s, and win the pot right there.

Hand #87: I limp w/ 67o in the SB with 3 opponents. Flop comes Q62, and I check, robbr25 bets and pfxy raises, I am not cold-calling 2 with that, I fold.

Hand #94: I limp w/ JTo in the cutoff, the button raises, and me and pfxy call. Flop comes T94, I have top pair. For some reason I check/call the flop. 2nd time I've knowingly made a weak decision with a good hand. I bet out on the turn and river, he calls me down and I beat AJ to win the hand. Wish a jack had come :) The $16.75 pot takes me up again to $135.

Hand #103: I limp ont he button with QJo. 3 opponents, including both blinds. Flop comes jack-high, checked to me and I bet, only pokersize calls. I bet the turn, then check a king on the river. Pokersize shows ATo and I take down $10 to keep me up at $135.

I'm checking down a lot of rivers tonight. At full tables that's often a good idea(I've been reading Sklansky!) but I think at a short I need to keep betting out. I've won every single hand that got checked down that way, I dont' think I'm up against many check-raisers here.

HAnd #110: I have QJo in the BB. 2 limp to me and I check. Flop coems AQ9. I bet out and only landman calls. The turn brings 3 to a flush, I have the queen of clubs and I bet out, landman calls again. River makes 4 to a flush, I bet, landman raises and I just call. He shows KJ with the king of clubs.

The table falls down to heads up, me and robbr25, I ahve $128 at the start of heads up play.

I clean out robbr quickly(he only had $10). I'm up to $138 when he leaves, but a couple others join.

shock09009 and tlindy at the table.

I bust out shock09009 in one hand. I have KK and slowplay the hell out of them. in the end there is a flush and two queens on the board. There's also a king :) shock had trip queens and I move up to $148 after we 3-bet the river.

Back up to 6 handed.

Hand #135: I raise AQs UTG. sayimage and keamdo call. Flop comes 776. I bet out and sayimage is my only caller. Turn is a 9, I bet and he calls. I'm ready to give this one up on the river until a queen falls. I bet out again, sayimage calls and I rivered his pocket deuces. The $15.75 pot pushes me up over $150.

Hand #138: AKo UTG. I raise and two call. Flop comes 457 and I bet out, both call. Turn is an ace, keamdo bets, I raise, tburd and keamdo call. River is a 6, 4 to a straight on the board. We check it down and tburd has 47 for 2 pair on the flop. Very passive, I note that.

Table is: sayimage, tburd28, landman11, keamdo, tlindy(sitting out for now)

I don't have a read on anyone and have some stuff to do so this is a good time to leave the table.

A great session, nearly tripled up over 141 hands.

NET: +$93.13.

In my biggest success yet, I completed my bonus at Empire and cashed out last night. I bought in for $654, and cashed out for $878, a net gain of $224.

There is another bonus at UBet I can get. My last bonus was an 'initial buyin' bonus, as I apparently had created an account last year sometime but never made a deposit. So I should still be eligible for the general bonus they have going on right now. I plan to deposit the minimum required to earn that bonus(I believe that will be $500), and will be playing 2/4 shorts at UB to work off the bonus.


After getting destroyed down to about $600 total(in large part thanks to a giant tilt during a losing streak, something I have *hopefully* learned a big lesson about and can prevent from happening again), this bonus bouncing has helped me build my bankroll back up a bit, it's currently at ~$1050 between the money I just cashed out of Empire and the money I have on pokerstars(that's a small amount).

I have found the bonuses to be a very very nice cushion to help me break out of what was a very bad spell. Dropping in limits, and playign with the cushion of bonus money behind me has helped me regain my confidence.

I haven't written up anything in awhile... I played two 3 table SNG's last night and placed 5th in one(11th in the other, terrible cards and 2 misplayed hands left me a short stack early).

I like these, blinds increase every 10 minutes, the two I played last night both dropped to the final table by the end of an hour, so it is looking like a ~2 hour committment.

I look to play ultra-tight early, playing only the most premium of hands, trying to be the agressor whenever possible, rarely if ever cold calling any sort of raise.

Oh, and this is no limit.


Level 1 - 10/15 blinds

Starting chips are 1000 for all.

I'm raised out of A3o in my big blind on the first hand. Q9o in the second hand, I get a flop for 5 chips, but fold when it misses.

5 minutes in no one has busted out, this is a marked difference from the two I played last night where 3 or 4 people would bust out in the first 10 minute level.

Our first all in comes on hand #9, post-flop, a very loose tx54 goes all in on a J72 flop that has 5 people in it. Only vghorton calls. It's 22 vs KJ, and tx54 dobules up to 1480 to take the early chip lead at our table.


Level 2 - 10/20 blinds

I start level 2 with 970 chips, but the blinds hitting on the next hand. All 30 players are still in.

Big hand on my BB, but not for me, I've got 94o. tex54 raises, heinekendark calls, vghorton goes all-in behidn them both. tex54 calls. tex54 shows KK, vghorton 55. The flop? 567. PRESTO. Note that these are the same two from the previous all-in hands.

3-5 people are seeing most flops, but this just doesn't matter to me as I need hands beter than 94o to play, and I'm not getting them.

THBeginner goes out on table 1 15 minuets in, our first casualty. I'm on table 2.

I resist the urge to limp T8s in late position. 5 people see the flop, but a flop bet takes it(I thought that one was going to get interesting).

The next hand 6 people limp, UTG, UTG+1, UTG+2, UTG+3, and the blinds.... I have 6-high and am in middle position, it's not worth it.

Table 1 loses another, and we're down to 28.

The last few hands there's been 5 or 6 in the flop, sometimes for the min raise, sometimes limping, a big bet on the flop and all fold.

I get JTo UTG+2 but can't play it(shouldnt anyway) after UTG raises.

A8o UTG+1, the cards are improving, but we'er not quite there yet.

Level 3 - 15/30 blinds

I have 940 in chips, with the blinds coming up in 2 hands. 28 people are still left. All 10 still left at my table, chipleader has 1425, short stack 695.

We drop to 27 players and los the first casualty from table 3.

One player is moved and we are 9 handed. The player that was moved was the SB for the next hand. I'll pay my BB and skip the SB, woot, it's like making 15 chips!

I get a free flop with 85o, but it goes nowhere. It does lead to heinekenDark doubling up off of Grellex w/ top pair vs a flush draw that never hit. Grellex is left w/ 65 chips and goes all in on the next hand. He gets 4 callers. He wins with AJ and is still alive for now.

Hand #29: I have Q2s in the big blind... raise to 100, multiple callers already, bleh. A9/QT on an ATx flop end up all in and BluesKid has 1970 chips, and TAWH1265 is out 27th.

Level 4 - 25/50 blinds

I am down to 855 chips and have only seen two flops. There remain 26 players in the tournament after 30 minutes. After 10 more minutes the blinds jump to 50/100 and we'll start to see some attrition there(myself included if I don't start getting some cards or something in some position so I can do something).

Hand #38: I get a free flop with J7o with 3 opponents. I flop two pair, J97. All clubs. Scary board. I bet the pot(200) and HeinekenDark goes all in over me for 370 additional chips. If I call I'm down to 200ish chips. But I think at this point its a call that I have to make. The pot is too big and if I am behind, I do have outs. I make the call. I'm up against Q5 of clubs, ouch. The turn and river come though, and my miracle 7 falls on the river, I knock out HeinekenDark.

Hand #41: PRESTO. I'm in the cutoff and there's 1 limper before me. I raise 3x the blind to 150, and all fold, including the limper. I'm up to 1675.


Level 5 - 50/100 blinds

I have 1675 chips. 23 players remain, and I'm a bit above the average chip count. There are 7 players at my table. I expect lots of attrition this level, the magic 100 big blind will start to scare a lot of those in the 400-800 range of chips.

Hand #45: I have J9o in the big blind. k7jdw, the big stack at the table, limps and we are heads up. The flop comes 578, two clubs, I have a double bellybuster straight draw, the ten or the 6 make my straight. I lead out for 200 chips(into the 250 pot). k7jdw calls. The turn is a ten, and I've hit my straight. I bet 400 into the 650 pot, and win it there.

Hand #47: I have 88 on the button, folded to me, I raise 3x the BB to 300. MBold goes all in for 700 more in the SB, and k7jdw calls. No way I can call there, I fold and it's MBold's AQ vs A9. It looks like MBold is out when KJ9 hit the flop, but the turn jack and river king nullify the pair of 9s, it's a split pot. I'm down to 1675.

On hand 49 we merge to 2 tables, down to 20, and during the merge mbold and vghorton go all in against each other, K9s(vghorton) vs 88, vghorton hits his flush to knock out mbold.

5 minutes left in this level and we're down to 19.

84s in my next big blind, still at the 50/100 level, the blinds are going to go through me before the increase. I fold to a crazy big stack all in.

Hand #55: BluesKid raises to 200, I have QQ in the SB. I re-raise to 500, and blueskid calls. The flop comes A99. I don't have position. I hate my hand. Can I get away from this? I have ~1000 chips and there's ~1000 in the pot. I can't make a small bet here. I let the time run a long way down before finally checking. I expect BluesKid to go all in, and I'll fold. BluesKid bets 200 chips. 200?! Ok if he's suckering me in, well it worked. I come over the top of him all in. He folds immediately, and I am up to 2375 chips. His terribly weak bet let me out of a hand I had practically given up on, though I'm not sure it wasn't an awful mistake not to go all in on the flop regardless.

Level 6 - 75/150

We're already 3 minutes in by the time I finish that writeup.

Only 14 players remain out of the original 30, we still have a shot at hitting the final table before the break. I have 2375 chips, 2nd at the table, AcesWerk has 3960, and 3 of us are in the 2000-2300 range(myself, k7jdw, and vghorton). There are two with more than my chipcount at the other table, making me 4th but not in any sort of commanding position at all really, just in a safe spot.

AcesWerk plays the big stack very well. I have seen his name in a very very large number of multi-table tournaments and I assume he has some signifigant experience in them. He has more than a 2:1 chiplead over most of the field and he has made a couple of bluff all-ins that have gotten called, but done it against short stacks, and he's also made a couple of legit all-ins and knocked out a few people. He appears to play very well and I intend to stay out of his way.

Hand #62: I have K3o in the big blind. Studta limps to me and I get a free flop heads up vs the small blind. Flop comes 843, bottom pair for me. We check it. The turn pairs the 8 on the board, stud checks, I bet the pot, and I take it.

Hand #66: I raise to 3x the BB UTG with pocket 7s. Steal the blinds, woo.

The hand goes fast enough that I hit my BB before the level goes up too(under a minute to go). A pre-flop all in gets me to the SB before the break too, which won't matter if we don't drop to 1 table, but if we do could give me a bunch of extra hands.

And in fact we do fall to 10 people on the last hand before the break.


Level 7 - 100/200 blinds

10 left.

holdem2000 - 5535 chips
AcesWerk - 5060 chips
BluesKid - 4889 chips
BigSlim0518 - 2555 chips
radii - 2450 chips
vghorton - 2238 chips
kidsneedcash - 2118
k7jdw - 1940
studta - 1665
crazyneub - 1550

Top 5 get paid. I'm in 5th but a lot will change very very fast at the final table I am sure.


The table opens up very tight. The blinds go through me about halfway through the first orbit and my 2150 chips is a middle stack.

Hand #76: A big change at the table, AcesWerk goes all in with a straight draw and is called by top pair. He is down to 2342 chips with the rest of us mortals. He's out on the next hand... no wiat, down to 245 chips, bluffing all in representing a queen on a QQx flop, only to be called by the actual queen.

1 time around the table I remain 5th in chips.

AcesWerk goes out 9th on hand 78. BluesKid takes the rest of his stack and the two big stacks are now directly to my right.

I hit my big blind on the final hand before the level goes up. Small victories. Unfortunately it's 35o and I'm raised off it.

studta goes out on the last hand of the level.

Level 8 - 150/300 blinds

Down to 8 of us. I'm still in 5th but with only 1800 chips. the top 4 all have over 5000 chips and the bottom 4 are all between 1000-2000.

k7jdw takes a small pot to push up to 2200.

Hand #86: crazyneub(shortest stack, 650) goes all in, bigslim0518 re-raises to limit the field, but blueskid also calls. There's 3200 in the pot(2550 in the main pot for crazyneub). neub has 66, bigslim QQ. a 6 hits the flop but a four flush hits for slim! crazyneub is out and there are 7 left.

vghorton, k7jdw, and myself are all short stacked, but one of us has to make the money, and if I can get a spot to double up here, I can still do a lot better than 5th, but I know I need a lot of luck right now.

87o in my big blind. free flop 3-handed. I flop middle pair but decide to fold to an all in with the ace on the board. Maybe I'm just too scared of aces.

I'm down to 1350 chips, and thinking I made a mistake by not calling that all in. We'll see.

BluesKid, a former big stack, has AA, but he just limped, and he paid. The BB flopped two pair with 25o and knocked him out. We're down to 6, next spot pays. The blinds hit me first and I have 1350 chips, vghorton has 1219.


It's obvious I'm playing to make the money right now, and not really playing to win. I have to work on this.

Hand #98: AJo in the SB. I'm ready to go all in until the big stack raises, and a shortish stack calls. I would have gotten destroyed, and now there's two other short stacks.

holdem2000 is playing his big stack very well, raising pre-flop nearly every hand and building up nicely. Everyone is afraid of being the next one out.


Level 9 - 200/400 blinds

I have 900 chips. vghorton has 769. k7jdw has 867.

I am UTG with AJo. I'm all in for 900 chips. The short stack thinks... thinks... thinks(vghorton, 769, I actually have him covered :P)... I win the blinds. I'm up to 1500 chips.

Next hand I'm in the BB with J8s. vghorton goes all in. It's only 370 more for me to call. I'm under 1K if I lose. But for less than a SB, I have to call. I do, and I suck out on A6s, and I have made the money!


Hand #105: AA on the button. The two big stacks are behind me, so I go ahead and make a modest raise to 1000 chips. the chipleader, holdem2000 goes all in over me. I call of course, and I see his A7s. My aces are good, and I am all of a sudden in great shape, I am 3rd in chips with 4738!!

Hand #106: holdem goes all in in the SB over the short stack, j7jdw. Deja Vu all over again... Holdem has A3s this time, k7jdw has pocket aces. The two short stacks double up with aces in two hands.


holdem makes another stand, this time against kidsneedcash, all in pre-flop. holdem has pocket deuces, kidsneedcash has A7s. The flush comes, and another double up off the big stack.

Hand #112: I make it 1100 to go with pocket 6s UTG. I steal the blinds.

bigslim knocks out kidsneedcash, kids raises pre-flop with A7 and gets called by slim, he goes all in on the QQx flop, only to see bigslim actually have the queen. I'm 3rd in chips out of 4 left. slim and holdem have dominant chipleads.


bigslim and holdem go at a pot together, at the end 4 to a flush are on the board, bigslim goes all in and says "fold, holdem" and then shows the nut flush when hodlem folds... that's a bit fishy to me.


k7jdw goes all in over a holdem2000 steal attempt and takes a nice pot, I'm the short stack now.

Hand #119: I raise to 1000 chips on the button with K9s, bigslim calls me. Flop comes K46, I bet 1500 into the 2500 pot and I win the hand.

Hand #120: I have KJs UTG and raise to 1100. holdem2000 goes over the top all in. I still have 3500 chips, I will get a better spot, I fold.

Level 10 - 300/600 blinds

Hand #123: I have A8s on the button. I raise to 1500 and holdem2000 calls me. I end up folding to a large bet on the turn when the flop misses me totally, I just wasn't ready to bluff all-in there. I probably should have, I'm pretty short now, 2200 with 300/600 blinds hitting.


Hand #125: This could be it. AQo in the BB. holdem goes all in. I call. He shows J9o. I hit an ace, he hits an open-ender but I hold up to double up+300. I am back up to 4500 chips.


Hand #127: k7jdw goes all in with K6s, bigslim calls with KJo, neither improve and I'm in the final 3!

bigslim has 17,000 chips, holdem2000 8000, I have 4500.

Blind are 300/600 for 6 more minutes, then up to 400/800.

Hand #131: I call the min raise out of the BB with 87s from bigslim. The flop is about as nice as I coudl hope for, 843. I immediately go all in, he calls. He shows AJs, and never hits, I double up to 8900 chips!

BigSlim has 12300, holdem and I are essentially even with 8500ish.

Hand #144: I have pocket 7s. holdem2000 raises pre-flop top 2000, I go over the top all in for about 5500(I'd been blindign down, not stealing any, something I need to work on in that position clearly). holdem thinks a second, and calls. He had a pretty easy decision there, he has pocket tens and my miracle 7 doesn't hit this time. I bust out 3rd.


I pay $33 to enter, and take out $180, a very nice win in about 2 hours time.

that's 3 of these 3 tables, I've spent $99 entering, and won $270 in prize pool money(a 3rd and a 5th place finish).

To update, once I got every bonus I could, I returned to partypoker and started playing .5/1 full tables to get in the swing of full table action. It has taken quite awhile. I now have a pokertracker database dedicated to these full games.

I play 2 tables at a time, I seem to play noticibly worse when I try 3 tables.

I've got 3481 hands in tracker at .5/1 and am only up $60.79. But I was dead even after about 3000 hands so I've finally started making some headway. I'm just over 1 BB/hr per table, or 2.40 BB/real hour. At .5/1 this is not an acceptable win rate. I plan on playing at least a few thousand more hands at .5/1, and will definitely not try to jump up in full table games until I can get myself up to 2 BB/hr/table for a signifigant period of time. I don't expect this to be difficult, I just have to tone down the agression that is sometimes very profitable at short tables, realizing that I have to show down the best hand to win.

Also to update my bankroll, since this is to track my total poker progress. If you remember from an earlier post, I was up well over $3000 for a short time and playing games slightly over my head. I went on a losing streak, didn't drop down in levels fast enough, and dropped all the way down to $600. After that, I finally got ahold of myself, took a small break and started bonus hunting to help build myself back up a bit.


I am very very pleased to report that my current poker bankroll has recovered quite a bit and is now back up to $1850. Certainly enough to play at a higher level than .5/1, but I won't move up until I prove to myself I can consistantly win full games again. It is a little hard playing so far under my bankroll like that sometimes, and these fun 3-table tourneys are a big help when I get a little bored.

I enter another 3 table $30+$3 NL tourney, lets see how this works out the 4th time around.

I start out at table #3.


There are a few more early all-in's here, we've lost 2 in the first 5 minutes.

At my table, BillieOcean and greekjimbo, sitting next to each other, each appear to be very very loose and very chasey, if that's a word. Well, I'm sure its not, but it should get the point across :)

Hand #6: I call the min raise with T9o, with 4 opponents I figure I have the odds to try to flop a big hand. I miss, and I fold.

sinjin69 goes out w/ JJ vs greekjimbo's KK.

Hand #9: 2 limpers to me on the button, and I raise 3x the BB with A9s, both limpers call. The flop has a king and misses me, I bet out 100 chips, and get one caller... I guess I time out on the turn and check, establishing connction... then I see the turn and river. There was an ace on the turn, and I call a 100 bet, and lose to KK that flopped trip kings. Very strange. I overplayed this hand pre-flop and on the flop, I liked my position but shouldn't have tried to push the flop w/ 2 callers, it is too early to try that.

Level 2 - 10/20 blinds

5 people busted out in the first round, we're down to 25, and down to 8 at my table.

Hand #12: I steal the blinds with a pre-flop raise w/ AJs.


I have 740 chips, down a bit after my unfortunate A9s hand.

Hand #17: QQ on the button. buzmeg(KK earlier) raises the min raise, one calls, and I re-raise to 150. gusto1128 calls out of the blind, as do both early players. The flop comes K86, and gusto1128 bets 350 into the pot. I have to all-in or fold. Calling isn't an option.

I make one last bad decision, and I make the all-in. I also had a runner-runner flush draw possible. gusto calls, shows K7s(glad he respected my raise), and I am out 23rd after two very poor decisions, one to knock me down a little early with A9s, and one to knock me out with QQ.

I am out 23rd, and that was fast enough that I have time to enter one more of these, hopefully with better results.

I enter another $30+$3 multi-table. I am at table 2.

One guy busts out on hand one at another table. Hooray.

AQ vs QQ all in knocks out the 2nd person on hand 3, this one at my table.

Level 2 - 10/20 Blinds

I've yet to play a hand. Blinds through me once, I have 975 chips. 26/30 are still left.

Hand #14: I get Q9s in the big blind. Free flop with many opponents, the flop comes 78T with two diamonds(I have spades). I call a 40 chip bet on the flop, but fold on the turn when the board pairs, no need to chase a straight now.

Hand #15: JJ in the SB. The button limps, and I raise it up to 50. blind/dealer both call. a king flops, and I make a 100 chip bet. The button calls. The board pairs the middle card, an 8, and I try to represent it with a 250 chip bet. I get called, and the river is checked down and I lose to KTs. Any idea how to play that? Do I just have to give it up when an overcard flops?

Level 3 - 15/30 blinds

22/30 remain, many have fallen through the first two rounds. I am down to 480 chips after the blinds go through me once more. It's not looking pretty.

Early in level 3 2 more go out and we're down to 2 tables.

The blinds have hit me once and I'm down to about 430 chips.

Hand #35: This is it if I get callers. AKs in mid position, I raise to 3x the BB and get two callers. The flop comes 79T rainbow. It's not a great flop but with my stack I really don't have any choice here, I push all in, and am called by Q7. I never hit my ace or king and that's it, I'm out 17th.

My early luck seems to have disappeared, but I think I've severely misplayed a few hands in these last two tournaments, looking forward to comments, as I know my NL game needs work. Hand #15 here espicially, I'm curious what others might do there.

with your pairs with an overcard.. you're playing them too aggressively. Especially JJ with K on the board. Odds are pretty good that if there's a couple people in the hand, that one of em has a K in the hole

thanks foz, that makes sense, seems a difference from limit ring games to no limit tourneys, i'll have to work on that.

I join a $30+$3 NL Multi-table, hoping to better the results i've gotten in my last few tourneys.

Level 1 - 10/15 blinds

Three people go out in the first level. I lose my blinds and a limp w/ 33 that goes nowhere. I'm at 955.

Level 2 - 10/20 blinds

27 people left at the start of the level.

Q9o in my big blind goes nowhere.

In my SB I get AKo. It's folded to the blinds, and I raise to 3x the blind(60). The BB calls. The flop is rags, two clubs, I bet out 90 and get called. I give it up on the turn, that hand was going to risk breaking me if I took it any further. The BB bets the pot and I fold. I have 785 chips left, still more than enough to be dangerous.

Iveysprotege to my left, and bend123 two to my right have taken the chip lead at my table, bend123 with 2325 chips, iveysprotege 1615. The two chpleaders end up all in on a T54 flop w/ two diamonds. bend had T8, iveys AT... no diamonds for either. iveys doubles up to 3330 and bend590 is down under 600.


Level 3 - 15/30 blinds

Still 27 left, no one out in the last 10 minutes.

JMBrown takes out Phil71 with AK vs J8, all in on a Jack high flop... the king hit the river.

Q2 in my big blind goes nowhere. Same with T5o in my small blind.

I fold 56s and 44 to small fields, my stack isn't in good shape but I can still stay away from trouble hands.

Another BB runs through, this one giving me 82s. I get a free 5-way flop that cxomes J77. Bleh.

The SB gives me AJo. I get iveyprotege in the BB and folded to me. I raise into the big stack pre-flop and take the pot.

Level 4 - 25/50 Blinds

Still 26 left, 8 at my table. I have 740 chips, a bit low but not desparate. Iveysprotege is a dominant chipleader. Someone at table 3 has 2400 chpis, iveys has 3280 after a 400 chip loss.

Unfortunately, at table 1, he's not going anywhere.

K6s goes all in for 500 chips pre-flop and, of course, beats AQs by hitting two pair.

iveysprotege takes out mcdavid with 66 vs AK, he's up to 3800 chips and we're down to 25.

TT vs AT vs AK all in and giacoloco triples up to 2575 chips, and another man is gone at my table. 24 left.

BB is junk and I'm out on the flop. The SB is A2o and I fold to a raise bhy klizzyklein, a new player moved due to the attrition here.

We're down to 21, the tourney page isn't updateing well.

I raise with KTs in the cutoff, the blinds are hitting fast now and I have to loosen up some. iveysprotege and JMBrown call. Flop is KQ5, I have to go all in here. iveysprotege calls immediately with QJ, 2nd pair. I am well ahead. Of course, iveys hits one of his 5 outs on the river, and I am gone. Dammit. I am out 21st.


I got my money in as an 80% favorite, I can't ask for much more than that.

I go ahead and get into one more $30+$3 NL 3-table.

I sit on table #2, in the same seat I sat last tourney.

Level 1 - 10/15 blinds


On the 2nd hand I get QQ UTG+1. I raise to 50 and pokerinrear4, directly to my left, calls. The flop comes AA6. I make a bet of 90 chips into the 125 pot, and he comes back over me for 225. I think for awhile, and leave myself a bit short right away, I have to fold here. Amazing, i cannot remember the last time I have had more than 1000 chips in one of these tournaments, this after placing in 3 of my first 5.

T5o in the big blind. I get a free flop and we are 7-way. I flop bottom pair, 965 flop, and fold to a pot sized bet.

KQo in my small blind. I call the min raise from the button and we are 5 handed. The flop comes AKQ. What do I do here? ldem020368 bets 100 from mid position, the raiser folds, and I check-raise it up to 300. ldem calls. The worst possible card hits the turn. An ace. I check, but Idem checks too. We check tghe river and I see idem was betting with a flush + inside straight draw, he had J7 of hearts, two hearts on that flop.

I have more than 1000 chips (1265 to be exact)

Suggestions on that hand? from the cold-call of the min raise pre-flop to the check-raise on the flop to the checking it down on the pair of aces on the board.


Level 2 - 10/20 blinds

No one got knocked out that level. I have 1265 chips, I am actualyl the chip leader at the table by a small amount.


We're moving very slowly, 12 hands in the first 15 minutes here. Two people bust out at table 1, we're down to 28 now. Looks like one person busted both in some fashion, the chip leader has 3330 chips right now.

I just call a min raise with AK in the big blind, 3 handed, and fold to a large bet on a QTT flop. Deciding how to play this hand in these tourneys has clearly been giving me problems.

Level 3 - 15/30 blinds

I limp with A5s 6 handed but fold on the flop.

Here comes a big one. I have KK. lelandy(a big stack) raises the minimum. I re-raise up to 150. The flop comes Qxx, two diamonds. I do have a diamond. lelandy checks, I bet the pot(a little over 300 at this point) and he folds. A relatively small win for KK, but a win is a win. I'm up to 1380 chips.

5 minutes left in this level, we have 24 players left, 8 at each table.

lelandy takes out a player with KQ, the other guy flopped a straight with 8T(9JQ flop), but a ten makes the higher straight for KQ. lelandy is up to 3300 in chips.

I get a free 5-way flop with KJo. It misses, but no one bets. A free turn brings another 9. I'm not bluffing here out of position, sorry.

Level 4 - 25/50 blinds

I have 1335 chips, right around the average count. There are still 23 of us left.

I get KK in my big blind. Two limp to me and I just check. The flop comes 89J, two diamonds. lelandy bets 50, I raise to 250, and he calls. The turn makes a flush possible, but also gives me trip kings. I bet big, 700 into the 650 flop, and the pot is mine.

In the SB I get AKo, and just limp with 4 way action. The flop comes A46, two diamonds. I have the ace of diamonds. I bet the pot, 250 chips. guppy82 raises me all in for about 80 more chips. I call, and he shows A6, two pair. The board pairs 4s but is no help to me. I am still ok, 1320 chips. But a win there would have made me a big stack with well over 2000 chips. Ah well.

We drop to two tables after that hand.

Guppy loses JTo to AA and is out 20th. Why couldn't I have those chips instead!

Level 5 - 50/100 Blinds

I have to fold in both of my blinds, with that I'm down to 1170 here, a bit below average(average is 1666).

We lose another soon after and are down to 18 people.

Clemson_fan has 4700 chips at my table, lelandy 3380, no one else over 2000, but I am 5th out of 9 at this table.


I get 99 UTG. I hate this hand but i think I have to raise. This is where I need to learn a lot more about multi-table strategy. I'm out of position and it's a near full table, but the blinds are getting big, so I think I have to loosen up some. pokerinrear4 calls, lelandy goes all in from the big blind. I fold, pokerinrear4 says "small pair" and ends up calling. they go all in, and it's QQ vs 66. A 6 on the turn, and then a queen on the river! damn.

I get a free flop 4 way with 97s. The flop comes 985, rainbow, one of my suit. I have 770, there's 400 in the pot. checked to me, how do you play this? You can't check fold. Do you all in? I bet the pot, 400. I'm committed, but I have been reading about not pushing all in so hard and fast, giving the hand a chance to play out.

lelandy goes all in(a check-raise) and I call. Well, I have him dominated. He only has 67. Of course, that's the nuts. I need a 6 to give me a split, and I can't win without a running full house. Of course none of that happens.

I am out 16th. I think I played that ok. I needed more action on my KKs but they weren't flops I could really slowplay I don't think(thoughts?)

I said in an earlier post that my poker bankroll was up to $1850. I've been winning a bit, and now I can only find $1803. I wonder if I have a poker account that I am forgetting right now. Whoops!

Of course it is 1am(I'm not playing just goofing around in IRC w/ friends), a more thorough search of all my various poker accounts is in order.

For awhile party/empire were down a lot. Because of that I have money in pokerstars. I also have money in two different neteller accounts for a couple of reasons, waiting for re-up bonuses. So I need to better inventory everything and get an accurate count here. Perhaps my initial count was off.

Anyway, my current count as of this second is(and this is as much for my tracking purposes as anything else, but this dynasty is kida turning into "how radii goes about trying to turn a profit in poker" instead of a detailed hand analysis thing so it fits):

Partypoker: $824
Pokerstars: $168
Neteller #1: $481
Neteller #2: $330

That adds up to $1803. I believe that is an ACCURATE accounting of where I am now. Perhaps I'll try to update this on a weekly basis for a general overview of where I stand in the poker world.


If I am having a brain fart aboutan account somewhere I'll update this tomorrow.

The information above is correct. I think I simply added wrong in my earlier post and was at 1750, not 1850. Anyway, now that I have everything "itemized" as to where it is, I should be able to more accurately keep up with that.

I'm jumping up to 1/2 today, 2 or 3 tables simultaneously. I've stayed near $3/hr going into about 4500 hands at .5/1 and am confidant that I'm not making any more 'transitional mistakes' going back to full games from short games.

Of coruse with $1800, I'm still playing well under my bankroll at 1/2, and if I absolutely roll over this level over a couple thousand hands i'll make a quick jump up to 2/4.

I hate laptops. Espicially laptops with batteries that don't work so when you shift on the couch the power cord comes out and you lose the tournament writeup you were doing.

Well, long story short, I entered a $30+$3 single table on party, was hanging around w/ a little more than the starting chips with 6 left. The biggest stack had 2000 chips, to my right. I had AQs in the small blind, and he made a 250 raise pre-flop. I sensed a steal, and pushed all in over him, expecting to win it right there. Well, even better, he called with A8o!


Of course, a four flush hits on the river, hearts, I am gone, and out $33.


Weekend bankroll update. I haven't loaded all my hands into pokertracker yet, but at 1/2 I'm going at a win rate of about $15/hr early on, I'm playing well, and of course my opponents are playing terrible, my good hands have been holding up. I did just lose $33 entering that tourney, so I'm only up about $50 over the weekend.

Partypoker: $876 (was $824)
Pokerstars: $168
Neteller #1: $481
Neteller #2: $330

TOTAL: $1855

I don't intend this to become me posting my bankroll every few days :P I intend at least to play a tournament every few days to continue to work on my tournament play, and may occasionaly single-table it at limit to write up a session here and there. I'm really annoyed at the stupid laptop, had a couple of interesting folds that I wanted to post about, but without the context of the rest of the tournament probably aren't nearly as interesting.

After dealing with some heavy lag issues, I get into a 3 table $30+$3 tourney, ready to end my crappy streak in them.

I start at table 2, in the big blind on hand 1.

Level 1 - 10/15 blinds

BB - raised out of K3s.
SB - raised out of J4s.

Someone goes out on table 1 on hand 1.

Hand #6: I limp with A7s from mid position, looking for a big flop or gone. I flop the flush draw, KT3, two diamonds, and I bet the pot(70 chips) and win it right there.

Hand #8: QQ vs JT with a ten-high flop ends up all in and Bturner2367 is gone, RIVER_GHOST to my direct left now has 2195 chips and we are down to 28 with 2 minutes left in the level.

warriorwayne goes all in vs eman1000, a made hand vs an open-striaght draw(that never hit). eman1000 has 10 chips left.

Hand #12: My BB hits before the level goes up. I have 35o and flop middle pair + inside straight draw, not enough to acll a 150 bet into a 70 pot. eman1000 is gone on this hand. We are down to 27.

Level 2 - 10/20 blinds

coosaw joins 2 to my right. I have exactly 1000 chips, slightly below average with a few gone.

table 3 loses another and we're down to 26, 12 minutes in.

We'er losing a lot here compared to other 3-table's I've been in, we're down to 25 14 minutes in.

Hand #21: I have A9o in my big blind. The two big stacks plus another are in for 75 chips. Can I call 55 here with A9o? I fold, the flop comes 9 high and there is an all-in on the flop(for 1500 chips, these are 3 stacks bigger than mine going at it). Oof. JJ vs A9. JJ was the bigger stack, that is an exit for warriorwayne. RiVER_GHOST now has 3270 chips.

Hane #22: AQo in the SB. judster limps, I raise to 60, and RIVER_GHOST and Judster fold and I take the small, small pot. I am up to 1020 chips.

Hand #24: in the cutoff, I again have AQo. two limpers, and I raise to 60, only CooSaw calls. The flop coems ATx, 3 hearts. I haev top pair/queen kicker, and my queen is a heart. Coosaw checks, I bet 100 into the 150 pot, and I win it there. I have crept up to 1110 chips.

Hand #27: KQs UTG+1. I limp in after CooSaw also limps. I fold to a 250 raise from the BB.

Level 3 - 15/30 blinds

23 people left, my 1090 chips is a 250 below average.

Hand #29: ATo in the big blind. There's a raise to 80, seems like a dealer steal. But do I play back here? I think I should have. I just called, and check/folded to a bad flop. Markhutch had bet-pot clicked.

Hand #31: It doesn't get much better than this, I have AA on the button. One limper, I raise to 75 chips and only the limper, CooSaw calls. The flop comes A87, two diamonds. CooSaw checks, I underbet a bit here, I'm probably giving the flush draw odds to call, 70 into a 180'ish pot. But CooSaw folds. How would people play this? I have position, trip aces, and the ace for the flush, A87, 87 diamonds on the flop. There are too many cards that can come out that will scare me, so I don't think I can give a free card here. Thoughts?

Hand #37: Q8s in the BB. three limp(including BB) and I check. The flop comes 357, two diamonds. I bet 85 into the 120 flop and CooSaw calls. The turn is a blank, the river an 8. I debate a small bet but that's just asking for a check-raise. I check it down and win the pot against J6(inside straight).

CooSaw bluffs all-in on AJ against AQ(pair of queens vs ace-high) and he is out, markhutch has 2400 chips now, big stacks to my right(markhutch/2210 chips) and left(River_ghost 3530 chips).

Hand #43: UTG with AQs, raise to 3xthe blind(to 90) and I steal the blinds.

Raised out of my blind(K2o).

Level 4 - 25/50 blinds

21 left going into the 2nd half-hour.

Hand #50: RIVER_GHOST knocks out the 21st player, we're down to 2 tables. I have 1200 chips after the blinds pass, RIVER_GHOST has 3960 to my left, the THREE players to my right all have 2300+ chips. Oof.

Hand #51: A5s in the SB. markhutch has 2500 chips, and raises to 250 on the button. He's probably stealing, but can you play back with A5s there? If I think he's stealing don't I have to go over the top of him all in? He's got double my stack... how do others play this? I folded.

Hand #52: RIVER_GHOST goes allin for 2900 on the turn into a 2000 pot, T424 on the board, hicagojoec folds, river_ghost just made a great 1000 chip pickup. chicagojoe is down to 1600 chips and says he had a pocket pair(doesn't say how high).

Hand #54: JTs in the cutoff, I open-raise for 150 chips(3x BB). AABulletsAA calls me. The flop comes JT7, all hearts. I of course, have no hearts, I have top-two. AABullets bets 100, the pot is now 400 chips. These good hands don't come often enough... if he has me beat I have outs, and if I'm ahead I have great odds to win. I push all in over him. He calls with A7, one heart. We're 50/50, a lot worse than I hoped for. The 4th heart hits the river and I never fill up. I'm down to 465 chips and in trouble. Another one of those "hwo do you guys play this? blinds going up to 50/100 very soon.

Level 5 - 50/100 blinds

17 left. I am the short stack at the table, 2nd shortest in the tourney. My blind is hitting soon, I'm going to need a couple of double-ups to stay alive.

52o UTG. I'll take my chances in the blinds.

76o in my BB. please please please free flop. whee. 3-handed. 235 on the flop, two clubs. inside straight draw. Bleh. I don't have enough to pick up the pot, I'll get claled. I decide to just check, we actually check all the way to the river and I never hit anything and fold to a bet on the river.

The SB is 72o and I again fold.

on the button I have KQo. Now I have about 6 hands to see what happens, but this is the best it gets I assume. two limpes before me and I go all in for 315. Both limpers call. Flop comes A67 and I am sure I'm gone. One of them has an ace.

NOPE!! hart7 goes all in on the flop, scares out anan12. hart has 65o. A queen hits the turn, I'M ALIVE.

I now have 1095 chips.

I'm still very low but I'm breathing.

Hand #68: T2o in the BB. folded to the SB who limps, I'm ready to push all in if I hit a ten here, but I don't, total miss and I fold to a bet.

I fold 62s in the SB.

3-way all in, 67s, 77 and AJ pre-flop. 89TJ give 67/77 a split of chicagojoec's money to hart7/southsidesox. chicagojoe had a heavy chiplead over the other two and stays alive though.

Level 6 - 75/150 blinds

Hand #73: Ugh. We are 8 handed. I have 945 chips. Avg is up to about 2000, 75/150 blinds coming fast. I'm in mid-position. I have pocket 7s. Shit what to do. I open-raise to 3x the BB, 450. I win the blinds. Woo. I'm up to 1170 chips.

Hand #74: hart7 keeps doubling up. A7 vs anan12's 33. Ace on the river. hart7 has come back from less than what I had to 1150 chips.

Anan doubles up on the next had, TT vs A3 all in.

Hand #76: Q4s in the big blind. Two others limp and I get a free flop. I can't call a bet on the AT7 flop though.

K4o in the SB doesn't help me any, back to 945.

We're down to 13 people after a few all-ins in the last few hands(one out at my table, two at the other).

hart7 is the luckiest MF in the world. KJo all in vs TT after the turn, KJ was two overcards+inside straight, TT was trip tens. the inside straight hits the river. hart7 is a big'ish 2400 stack, while Anan12 is now down under me at 1800.

Blinds coming :( Q4o UTG, bleh.

BB: J9o. There's a raise to 300. Two call. I'm getting 7:1 to call another 150, but if I miss I'm way down. I go ahead and fold. AT9 flop, 3 spades. I had no spade. I would have had no chance here.

SB: J3o, I fold to a big raise.

I'm down to 720 chips.

blinds go up in 2 minutes, I'm going to catch them again at 100/200. 32o UTG + 2. 74o UTG+1. Southsidesox is gone. 12 of us left.

AQ UTG. All-in. How many will call? UGH. Two. Holy crap Icould not be up against worse possibilities. I am so dominated it is silly.


OOF. I am out 12th. Thoughts on any of the hands above?

I'll probably get the chance to document some ring-game action soon because UltimateBet is offering a 33% bonus up to $500. I am definitely taking that, and at UB I like starting short tables for the double points.

I don't have any tourney experience so take this with a grain of salt. I did want to respond though as I love your documentation of the hands. Keep posting we(I) will keep reading.


I might have pushed a bit harder. He could have a straight or a flush draw and you don't want to get your aces cracked because you didn't bet enough on the flop/turn. If the 87 either weren't suited or weren't connecting I might have tried a slowplay but not in this situation.


It does smell like a steal but you are out of position and there are a lot of hands where you would be a big dog to if he wasn't stealing. Middle pair even and you're in trouble. Blinds are still low and you're not that short stacked at this point. I would have folded as well


Again I think you did the right thing. You only had 4 outs if he had the flush already but probably the only other hands that he calls with is the Ah which he had or maybe a set(which seems unlikely as he probably would have reraised preflop with a wired pair). You had the bigger stack and the pot was decent enough for you to want to take it down there. Was he in the SB or BB? Seems like his preflop call was maybe a bit lose but maybe he thought you were stealing.

Your betting pattern indicates that your betting is... less then optimal in that it's not agressive enough. In my view, you have to win 5-10 times as many hands by forcing/bullying the other player off his hand as there is in showing down hands.

It's led to something I call normal/agressive play. You play a lot of calls with marginal hands (the suited connectors, the Kojack, Ace-middle cards).. but if you HAVE a hand, you get agressive, and bet them right out of the pot.

Reasoning: It only takes one-two hands to establish a "rep" in these tournies as a player who will make you PAY for drawing hands and, for example, less then top pair with high kicker at the flop. (say, AJ5 flop.. I want them thinking I have at LEAST a AQ.. even though I might have rags.. because in the first few hands.. I've played it agressive right in their face with a great hand.)

That helps in the being a bully part in the tourney.

If you're in the middle or top levels of the chip count.. you HAVE to make them fear playing you. Especially in the double shootout's first table.. I was fourth about the 25/50 level.. but I had enough chips that for all but one player.. if I decided to push, I was going to make them decide their fate in the tourney on this one hand.

For example, when normally I would have raised the mininum, I raised it four-five times the BB. That usually would nab me the blinds. Yes, it's less then optimal at that point.. but when you get a couple of those, mixed in with one or two bluffs (where you fold if you don't hit, or just try to collect with a bet, but get forced out to a re-raise, or whatever..)

But then comes the hand where you have a huge advantage and you get one (or two) players that say "That bastard's gotta be stealing.." and re-raises you.. thinking he's going to force you out.. and then his jaw drops as they see you go all-in. Most of the time, they are upset with you for trying to disrupt their wonderful, knowing play, and they end up at the rail and wondering what the hell went wrong.

Basically.. the best time to be agressive is pre-flop.. because unless he has AK, AA, KK, or QQ.. he will be looking for ways OUT of the pot rather then into the pot. It's just a matter of varying play so you don't get predictable

The single-table I was writing up a couple of days ago, I was listing every hand I folded and my position as I was going.

I think the next tourney I play I will try to do that again, and see how many "nono you could have played that"'s I get.

I appreciate the advice from all, I really want to improve my tournament game, I know it's a weakness.

Foz, can you elaborate on how you'd recommend playing the first couple of times around the table? I have always read to play "super tight" very early on but that obviously doesn't seem to get me anywhere. It sounds to me like what you're describing is a strategy where you try to play a lot of hands early, get out when you miss, but when you do catch something to overbet the pot pretty big.

One of the problems I face is that Party's tournament structure is a lot worse than PokerStars. pokerstars gives you 1500 chips and 15 minute levels, party gives you 1000 chips and 10 minute levels. I always feel like one moderate mistake cripples me(maybe I just shouldn't play tournaments on party, huh?).

Anyway, I do appreciate all of the advice. Back to the ring games exclusively for a little while to work off my bonus on UB.

Edit: I can spell, I just choose not to sometimes.

In a WSOP type event, yes, it is best to be super tight. However, in the 1-3 table tournaments (like the ones I play, and your 3 table SnG).. you have the same crew for the whole tournament most of the time. It's a matter of table image. Especially in the single tables.. where you WON'T get any new blood.. you have to make others think that you will take them to the wall if they want a go. 3 table.. you probably have MOST of the same crew, so it does remain the same unless you get moved.

Take a chance with marginal hands, get out if you don't hit, but bet agressive. Either you'll take it down if they fold, or you'll take down a big pot if they suspect you're stealing. The first couple rounds, you don't steal at all. You want others to think that you are no poker artist.. you use the hammer school of NL Hold Em.

The Hammer School of Poker, you may ask?

It's simple. Any problem.. hit it with a hammer (a bet). If it doesn't work.. hit it with a bigger hammer. (a bigger bet).

That sets your table image as a player who will beat them big if they call his bet.

You will bust out early more (bad beats and people with the nuts), but it will lead to more high finishes (money finishes) because once your table image is set, you will have established yourself as someone you don't get cute with.


Pokerstars is 1500/10 BTW, for SnG.

I deposit $500 into Ultimate Bet and earn a $165 bonus as a result.

I buy in for $100 to a 2/4 6-max table, I start the table, so I'll earn double points. I need to earn 1650 points to clear up my entire bonus. I'm not going to put myself in a bad situation to earn the bonus but I am confidant enough in my heads up and short play in general to make sure I start every table to get the bonus points.

after a few minutes ifrk325 sits to my right.

5 hands in Bucketsman joins to the left.

These guys both seem real weak/tight for 3 handed. I quickly go up about $10, pots are staying small so that's saying something, all the wins are on flop bets or pre-flop raises

Burger77 joins to my immediate left

I flop top pair out of the big blind on Burger's first hand(he posted out of turn) with J7s and bet all the way down, I end up winning a $25 pot.

A small loss trying to take a pot from a passive ifrk325 drops me a little.

Another $26 pot comes very soon after, I raise/bet with AK all the way heads up against bucketman, hitting an inside straight on the turn.

We go 6 handed 16 hands in. I am up $26.25 at this point.

To my left: Burger77, blue1929, bucketsman, robertob7, and ifrk325.

robertob raises w/ KTo on his second hand, worth noting.

Hand #19: I raise out of the SB with TT, 3 people call me(wto limpers and the BB). The flop has a king, I bet and then call a raise. The turn is a queen and I'm out. I'm down to $114.25 after that one.

Hand #22: I raise UTG+1 with KQo. 3 people call. I love my QQ4 flop. I bet the flop, and burger77 raises me. The other two fold, and I just call, intended to check-raise the turn(refusing to believe there's any way I'm behind here). I do check-raise the turn, and bet the river, both are called and I win a $48 pot.

Hand #24: blue1929 raises pre-flop and I call with AQo out of the big blind. The flop comes A99 and I bet out. Blue just calls. The turn is a king, I bet again, blue folds.

25 hands in, I'm up $48.25, and have earned 21 "ultimate points" Of course, I need 1650 of them, but I love seeing them come in so fast when I'm getting double points for starting a table.

Hand #28: I raise with A9s, only blue1929 calls me. The flop comes 567, the turn a blank. I push on both streets, buth check fold when I don't improve by the river.

I sit out two hands to teach a 6 year old how to raise and lower blinds. When I come back there is a new table lineup:

to my left: Burger77, blue1929, Bucketsman, empty seat, Warrf.

Hand #40: I get a free flop with Q9o. I bet the 9 high flop(954 I believe), and get re-raised by burger77. With A9 I'd re-raise but with Q9 I think I'll just acll here. I call al the way down when running 8's hit the board, and see that I beat pocket 7's for a pot about $20.

Hand #43: I raise from UTG+1 with JJ. I get 3 callers. The dreaded ace flops. I bet it all the way down, getting two callers on teh flop and the turn. Surely an ace would re-raise me? Well of course not, but we've seen burger bet when checked to with nothing so I don't think I have much of a choice unless I'm giving up the hand. I bet it all the way down, burger/blue call the flop turn, blue calls the river after burger folds, my JJ is good for a $45 pot.

At present I'm 45 hands in, up $62 with 50.5 points.

The way ultimate bet works is that every 10 points releses a dollar. Actually, every point releases 10 cents... of your bonus, and after you leave the table that portion of your bonus that you've earned is given to you immediately. Kinda nice really, though I still like PartyPoker's "sit here for 500 hands and you get $100 free" system the best.


Hand #50: Burger has really gotten agressive, raising a lot pre-flop. He raises UTG and I just call after 3 others with JJ. The flop comes 9 high and I know Burger is betting, so I go for the check-raise here. Everyone calls. The turn is a blank low card, I bet out and all call. The river is another blank, I bet and burger and warrf call me. My jacks are good and I win a $50 pot, I'm up to $192 at the table. Burger showed pocket 7s.

Burger busts out soon after, dumping his last $19 on the next two hands. He pushed waay too hard with his middle pocket pairs, something I have been guilty of so I know the feeling, but it just seemed like he couldn't fold them.

New table lineup 55 hands in:

eclipsegsx302, blue1929, Bucketsman, DickieTheWorm, Warrf, and me.

Hand #57: one limper to me, I've got the button and raise with 88, 3 callesr. Flop comes JJ2. Eclipse bets out and I decide to raise, only bucketsman and dickietheworm call. A blank hits the turn and bucketsman check-raises me. I know my call here sucks, but I make it anyway. The river is a 9 and I fold to a bet there.

Hand #62: free flop with QTo. Flop comes Q8x, warrf checks, I bet, warrf calls. Turn is a jack, check/bet/call. I'm erady to check down this river, as there's a flush on the board now(a blank 3rd heart), but warrf bets. People bluff the flush too often here, I feel I have to clal. I am beaten by a straight, not a flush, warrf shows 9T for the win.

Those two quick losses knock me down to $160.

Hand #69: I have AKo. I raise early, bucketsman calls, dickietheworm re-raises and I cap it. 3 way action, I am last to act. The flop comes 877, checked to me, I bet and both call. The turn is a jack, I take a free card here, assuming I'm up against some sort of pocket pair from dickie, and the river, another 8, putting two pair on the board. We check it down, and if either of them had a pocket pair, it was lower than 7s. My ace kicker on the 2 pair on the board wins the $28 hand.

I give a litte back soon after betting 2nd pair into bucketsman. He pushes me harder than i'm willing to go with my T7s(JTx flop) when a second jack hits the turn, and I let him have it.

74 hands in, up $66/94.5 points.

Hand #83: I get a free flop with 64o, 3 handed. It's a beauty. 235. I bet the flop, both call. The turn is another 5. I bet, dickietheworm raises, warrf folds, and I re-raise(low pockets/53/52 beat me here, no backing down that easy). I bet the jack on the river, and i take down a $42 pot with my straight.

Hand #89: Eclipse raises UTG, I have AQo on the BB. warrf and I both call, leaving me in mid-position this hand. Flop comes KJx. I check/call a bet with my inside straight draw, and fold on the turn. I don't like how I played that handat all.

100 hands in, I am up $69 and have 126.50 points.

Table: eclipsegsx302, MagicMartyy, Bucketsman(who has come back to $87 from about $25 recently), DickieTheWorm, and an empty seat.

DickieTheWorm takes a bad beat and leaves as well, 4 handed for now.

I win a small pot with KTs betting a draw on a scary board(2 dimaonds/straight draw for me), $5.75 pot.

G_G has joined to my right.

MagicMartyy busts out. down to 4 again.

Hand #116: QQ on the button. GG limps, I raise, bucketsman/GG call. The flop comes T94. checked to me, I bet they both call. Turn is a 3. I bet/both call. the river pairs the top card, another ten. I decide to check here with two opponents, and I win a $29.50 pot with my queens and tens.

Hand #122: I call a raise out of the BB with 97s. A little loose I suppose but eh. Flop comes QT8, two of my suit. Even if my opponent has QQ I have tons of ways to win here. I bet out, and we end up capping the flop. I call a turn bet, and fold on the river when everything misses. A ten hit the river and bucketsman had QQ for the top boat.

I was still a 60/40 dog to a set there:


But, give my opponent two pair, and we're 50/50(ifh e has QT). Give him AA and I'm a 55/45 favorite. I am pleased w/ my flop cap.


Hand #135: I raise UTG with pocket 7s, G_G calls. Flop comes AK4. G_G check-raises me when I bet(he was BB) and I immediately fold.

These losses have knocked me down to $158(up $58.25).

After a 10-15 minute break I sit back in for one round and blind out a bit and play one hand that goes nowhee, and after another short break I'm back for awhile here.

143 hands in, I have $147.25 and 156 bonus points. Table layout: empty seat, punkyd, infallible, Glen-Bo, and Cariola212. A totally new lineup here.

Hand #144: My first hand back, A5o in the BB. Free flop 3-way, flop an ace, win $5.75 by betting it.

Hand #152: I have KK UTG. I raise and two call. Flop comes 943. cariola bets out before me, i raise and both call. Turn is a jack, I bet and both call. River a queen. I bet, punky raises, and I call. Pretty straightforward, Q9o for two pair. I am down to $134 on that loss.

Hand #159: I limp from the SB with pocket 5s, 4-way action. flop comes 895. I bet out, two call. Turn is a blank, but puts a heart draw on the board. cha59 calls my bet. The river is a 7, a 6 makes a straight and ther's a flush on the board. I bet, cha raises, an dI call to see JTo for the nut straight. I am down to $116 after those two very bad drawouts against me.

Hand #167: We're back to 6 handed here, and I raise in the cutoff with KTs, I get 3 callers and fold to a bet on the flop when it doesn't even give me runner runner possibilities.

I'm now down to $107, but I don't think I'm tilting at all, so it's still all good.

Hand #170: Q4s on the BB, free flop 3-way I catch top pair and bet the flop, both opponents call me. The turn makes a straight and a flush, I don't like my kicker and I've got too many hands that i'm drawing dead against, I check/fold it here.

Hand #178: I raise on the button with AQo, only the BB calls. rave, the BB/new player, check-raises me on the flop of JT5. I call, I think he's done this before already and taken down the pot, I end up catching a flush draw on the turn but don't improve on the river. rave shows me J3o, top pair, shitty kicker, but, it's good enough to beat me. I file that one away.

Hand #183: folded to me on the SB, I raise with JJ, bet the flop and win a $7.75 pot.

I am hurtin a bit though, down to $78.75 here.

Hand #187: down to 4-way again, I steal the blinds w/ a raise w/ 55 UTG.

ARGH. Now I have to be careful of tilting.

KTs in the BB. Glen-bo limps to me. Flop comes K-rag-rag. He bets, I raise, he calls. He check-raises me on the turn and I decide to call him down... a slowplayed AA.

Now I am down to $57.75 and hurting quite a bit.

Hand #196: err. I hit a flush on the turn with KTs again but rave hits a full house on the river to CRUSH me. $44.75.

About 50 hands not written up b/c of talking to oliegirl who just got home. I bleed just a bit down to $45.

Hand #245: rave and I cap pre-flop, heads up against each other. I have QQ. Flop has an ace. I decide to call him down, knowing he's agressive with a lot less than an ace there. He ends up showing me JJ as I take down a $32 pot to move back up to $62.25.

This table has gotten really agressive I blind down to $54, there are pre-flop raises, and bluffs galore. 66 vs AJ, neither improve but the pot ends up over $30.

Hand #268: I get a free flop with 35 spades. Flop comes 247 of spades. SOCLOSE. I bet the flop and get two callers. On the turn a 4th spade comes... I go ahead and bet, seen that happen just too often, but fold to a raise.

Hand #271: I raise in the cutoff with AJs. Three call and I fold to a 456 all clubs flop(I had spades)

I may well bust out here, but I feel like if I can catch a couple of hands I can get back up to my buyin real fast too... top pair vs bottom pair just brought us a $60 pot.

I won't rebuy but I'll play this all th way down to bust if I have to to try to turn it around.

Tampa Bay represent. Lou Pinella has joined the table.


Tampa Bay represent. Lou Pinella shows down quad queens. Capped on the turn and river as redskin2 tries to bluff with 5 high and refuses to give up.

Hand #293: I steal the blinds with a cutoff raise with AJs.

About to bust out after I raise with KJs. I flop a flush draw and inside straight draw and push push push and end up winning a $22 pot to a fold.

Hand #305: I double up finally, T8 suited. I flop a ten and the flush draw and push push push, i hit the flush on the turn and end up getting put all in, I win $42.50 with my flush.

We're 3 handed here so the swings could get real big real fast...

never mind, we're 5 handed now and I have $36.50.

Ok so we're 4 handed.

I raise with QJs and get two callers, I flop a queen. YOU ARE ****** ******* ME(adjusted for the youngins here). wired jacks caps the flop, bets the turn and river. Q42 flop. T turn, 9 river, runner runner to make 4 clubs. He shows 43o to take the pot with a ten high flush draw(clearly I have no clubs here). That pot was $51.50 and my only mistake was not capping the turn. That would have put me soooo far back up.


I win two hands again that are virtually all-ins, KT hit hard and 99 flopped a full house, that brings me right back up to $38.


I don't like playing short stacked at a limit table like this, but I don't want to lose more than my buyin here either.


6 handed, I raise with AQs, one caller, and I flop a flush draw against tirepoker(new player). I bet the flop and turn, check the river, and I beat 95o. I am back to $47.25.

I call a raise with T7s in the BB with 4 opponents. I flop a flush, KJ2. I cap the betting on the flop with the raiser, call a bet on the turn when the board pairs the jack on the turn, and check down the river when the 2 paisr also. My flush is good though and I am up to $72!

I raise with 99 UTG, wiredjacks calls, so does captaininsano. I bet, wiredjacks raises, I re-raise, he caps. With all the bluffs I've seen him run I just absolutely do not believe him. I bet the turn, and call his raise. I finally call down the river, and see 67o. The $66 pot just kills me.

I make it back up pretty soon after. I flop top pair with A9o and cap it with wiredjacks. I bet the turn/he calls with a flush on the board, and the river makes a four flush with my 9. I bet anyway, he calls, and shows me 62o, he had middle pair on the flop and never improved.

I lose about $15 with AJ vs a dominated QJ. both a queen and an ace flop but my opponent runner-runner flushes me.

I am right back down to $33 here. This is kinda insane.

I've tailed off a bit here b/c of AFI's top 100 movie songs.

After blinding back down to about $40(after going up to $50'ish again), I get AA, raise pre-flop and get 4 callers. I flop the ace but there's a flush draw as well. I bet out of first position and everyone folds. WTF! Well, the $19 pot gets me back up to $56.

YES. I hit a flush on the turn in a 5-handed pot, I am almost certain there was a made straight and possibly a set going there, I take down a $53 pot and I am back to $85.25!

I steal the blinds with AKs to stay at that $85.


I end up falling back to $66, and earning an astounding 587 points. I'm not sure what to say about my session, quite a marathon, I don't think I could have quit when I was up $80 really, my play stayed solid throughout, minus some goofy play when I was about to bust out, thought I could beat these guys but wasn't willing to risk more than a buyin...

anyway, I now have $524.70 in my money account and $106.30 remaining of my bonus to earn.

I will definitely be a little disappointed if I end up only taking $660 out of this site or less, but hey, stuff happens.

Thanks for the additional post Foz, when I am back on party/pokerstars(I still have a couple hundred lingering there) and want to try out some tournaments again, I will re-read your posts and see how I can make some adjustments.

I start up a 2/4 short table on UB, hoping to do better than my last two sittings(the mammoth one I recorded and another loser that I didn't).

It takes awhile before anyone else joins, about 10 minutes, but now, mrcrozan has joined me.



No one else joins, and after 13 hands, Microzan leaves. I played him well and am up $17.75. So now I wait some more, with $117.75 and 6 "ultimate points" at the table.

No big big hands worth mentioning, we rarely went to the river. I won a few $20 pots and didn't lose any big ones. I won a nice hand with 23o which hit two pair on the turn, and AJ with an ace on the board.

lion9 joins as my next challenge.

I score big here, on our first 3 hands I win pots of $23.50/$19.50/$15.50 with a striaght/top pair/bottom pair.


A 3rd player, wambamkam joins. I have $140 when he joins and we go 3 handed.


There's little pre-flop raising from the other two here, they sem to be pretty straight forward. I lose my first $20 pot betting bottom pair with a 2 kicker(92o) into 97o. I'm outkicked and down to $125.

27 hands in, lion9 raises out of the BB, the first sign of major agression from either... too bad there wasn't a showdown.

I lose another pot wtih A2 and then another with pocket 7s, raising pre-flop witht hem only to fall to a pair of 9s made on the turn.


Ok, 36 hands in, we are now 6 handed. I'm down to $93 all of a sudden, as I flop top two pair vs toothpicker(the 4th at the table) but he rivers a flush.

The lineup:

wambamkam, OKslim, lion9, _Slacker_, empty chair(toothpicker leaves before I finish typing this up).

All four of the others are involved in a $79 pot, massive at 2/4. ace/good kicker vs A5 two pair vs a flush draw vs a fish who had no business in the pot.

Hand #42: I check with AKs on the BB(mistake...), we are 3 handed. The flop comes 666. slacker bets, I raise, lion folds, slacker calls. I bet the turn and check the river when they're blanks. My ace high beats K5o, neither of us paired up for the boat.

Hand #43: I push with KQs from the SB, betting the flop and turn, probably very mistakenly when the ace hit the flop. I give wambam a $30 pot.

Hand #46: I raise with KK and win the blinds. Splendid.

sanjaysr2k joins to my right in the final empty seat.

Hand #48: Free flop with J5o, 3 handed. I bet it when it comes J33. Only Slacker calls me. I bet the turn when another 3 hits, giving me the boat. Slacker folds on the river and I'm up to $103.

Hand #50: I limp on the button with 76s. 3 handed with lion and OKslim. The flop comes 773. lion bets and I just call. The turn is a queen, lion bets, I raise, he calls. The river boats me up with a 6, I bet/he calls and I take down a $33.25 pot with my full house, up to $120.

Hand #52: I raise UTG with AQo. wambam calls, OKslim re-raises, lion calls, and me and wambam also both call. The flop comes 337 and 4-handed I don't like my overcards, I go ahead and fold to a bet.

lion9 has gotten very agresive all of a sudden.

slacker has just taken two $40+ pots in a row, one off okslim with a J6 boat and one off of lion9, dunno what with.

and lion takes a $40 pot right back off of slacker, KQ vs KT.

Hand #70: I raise UTG with ATs. wambam comes over me with a re-raise and I call. I bet the flop when it comes A97. I bet the king on the turn, and just call a raise, and check/call the river, which is a second king. wambam shows pocket jacks, for some very curious betting there. Wonder if I should have raised the turn.


Yet another raise/re-raise pre-flop between lion and slacker. OKSlim stays in this time and takes the lead on the flop. lion9 shows AT for a rivered inside straight. OKSlim had KT, and slacker had AQ. Good to see what they're pushing so hard with on occasion.

wambam tilts out totally and busts out. New table lineup after he leaves and one joins:

Empty seat, OKSlim, Lion9, _Slacker_, and JJ66(brand new, bought in for only $40)

Hand #84: I play A2 from the small blind with one limper, and win $5.75 when an ace flops and no one calls me.

h20fam joins to my left and we're full again.

Hand #90: I limp on the button with JTs, KQ of my suit flops and I bet it, winning a small pot.

There's another $50 pot, OKslim has his aces cracked by lion9's K5, two kings hit...

I take yet another $6 pot betting J6o, free flop, free turn and I turned a straight draw with 457 on the board... no one else seemed to want it.

Hand #97: I have T9o in the SB. We are 6 handed, I limp and see QJx flop, I am ready to call a bet here, but slacker bets and JJ66 raises... I can't cold-call two. In the end, I would have hit my straight and won about $60. But I think I made the right fold nonetheless.

slacker leaves, which is a bad thing, you could take a loto f money off of him when you had a hand. eriksen joins in his place.

lion9 also leaves. He played pretty well but was easy to read.

lineup: h20fam, OKslim, empty seat, eriksen, JJ66... I have $99.50 after the BB that hit while I wrote this.

Hand #106: I think I played this terribly. OKslim raises pre-flop, I call out of the BB with 87s. We're heads up on the flop. I flop a straight draw, 699 flop. I bet out, OKslim raises, and I'm out of position and just unhappy here. I basically give it up, but at the same time, so did OKslim..I probably could have bet him out of it, he had A3o.

Hand #109: I raise with pocket 5s, get one caller, and get pushed at hard on the flop which has 3 overcards. I fold and after those two hands I'm down to $80.

Hand #112: I raise with ATs, only eriksen calls. Flop comes AJ9. He bets, I raise, he calls. Turn is a ten, I bet/he calls. The river is an 8... any 7/queen makes a straight. He bets, I have to call this though, I do and I lose a $32 pot to Q9. Three bad hands in a row(though one I think I played fine) and I'm down to $65 and cursing Ultimate Bet.

Hand #121: I have JJ in the big blind. I just limp here, with two opponents, hoping for a good flop. The flop comes T86, not terrible, but it's all clubs. I do have a club, jj66 bets, I raise, hangnman(new player) and JJ66 calls. The turn puts 4 to a straight out with a 7, I bet otu and only hangnman calls. The river is an ace, I bet, and both fold... the $25 pot puts me back up to $75.50.

Hand #134: I get a free flop with J9o, flop a straight draw, and win the $5.75 right there.

Hand #135: I have TT on the button and raise. OKslim and hangnman call. Flop comes 7-high with two spades. hangnman bets, I raise, OKslim calls. The turn is a 3rd spade but tens are still high... hangnman bets again, and I call him down, the river brings a 4th spade, I have a spade and call, I lose to K8s.

Hand #139: I make some of that back when I flop a queen out of the blind with Q4, I get a few callers on the flop and folds on the turn, I'm at $69.

Hand #143: I win another pot of about $12 with 66, flop 442, turn 3.

I lose two very very bad hands in a row. One one I open-raise from the cutoff wit A5s. h20fam re-raises and I just call. I flop an inside straight draw and a flush draw. We cap the flop. The turn pairs my 5, I bet/he raises and I call. We both check the river and my pair of 5s loses to pocket queens.

The very next hand I raise with AQs. h20fam calls and OKslim re-raises. we both call. The flop comes Q87 rainbow. OKslim and I cap the betting. On the turn I check/call and on the river h20fam bets/OKslim raises... I still have top pair but I have to be beaten... I fold. OKSlim has AQs. h20fam has 77, trips. He takes down $90.

I am down to $40 after those two crushing losses.

At this second that would put me down $80 at UB even after the bonus money I've released so far, with about $80 in bonus money to go.

Hand #160: I raise UTG with AKo. hangnman and indychild call. The flop comes jack-high, I bet, indychild check-raises all in for .50 more. I bet the turn which is a blank, and check/fold the river when hangnman bets out. AK losing to AJ. Ergh.


At this point oliegirl needs the computer for a bit and I end up logging out.

I log out iwth about $28(I actually timed out while AFK)

I have $425.35 in my UB account with $85.65 in bonus money to go. that's disheartening but I still hope to turn a profit here...

I join another 2/4 short table, hoping to reverse my fortunes here.

I start out playing against jbrennan17

Immediately we jump to 4 handed(after only 1 hand)

lineup: empty, empty, 619luckster, bucketsman, jbrennan17

Hand #5: AA UTG. I raise, buckets calls, jbrennan raises, I cap, buckets folds. Flop is queen high, I bet/jbrennan calls. Turn is another queen, I bet/he folds, I take the $23 pot.

hangnman joins to my left, he was at my table earlier when I got demolished. rjmoney joins in the final seat.

Hand #12: I have Q4s in the BB. free flop heads up with rjmoney. Flop comes KQ7. I bet out, rj calls. Turn gives me a flush draw plus my 2nd pair. I bet out, rj calls. River is a blank, I bet, he raises... nothign scary came out, and rjmoney just sat down, I go ahead and call there for the information. K3o, had me beat the whole way, dunno why he chose to raise it at the end there.

Hand #17: I limp with KTs. Flop comes AJ7, checked around(3 way). Turn makes my inside straight with a queen, I bet and all fold, $5.75 is mine.

Hand #20: I open-raise in the SB with AQo. hangnman calls. Flp comes king high(ugh). I bet out and he calls. Turn is a blank, I don't have any draws here... I check/call a bet(why call? I dunno). I check/fold the river.

Antoher open raise wit 77 fails, KQs raise takes me nowhere, and then a bad bad hand with JTs. i raise it on the button, flop top pair and bet it hard, only to lose to 89s that rivered a straight. I am down a quick $40.

I push again with AK, raise early, get re-raised and call, we are 4-way. Flop comes 555, I bet out, turn is a lower card than a 5, river an 8, there's a bet/raise from the two blinsd before me and I get out. Dammit. Another killer knocking me down to $40.

I only manage to win a $13 pot with KK and have $50.


This is all going fast... that's right we're only on hand #37.

Hand #37: I raise with JJ, and 3 people call. I go ahead and fold when an ace flops and there's a bet and a call before me, with 3 opponents, no way I have outs.

Hand #42: Free flop with A2o, ace flops and I win $6.75 with my bet.

I am winning $6-$10 on my big hands and all my good hands pre-flop that don't improve are costing me that much or more.

Hand #45: JJ again. I raise and 3 peopel call me. The flop has a king. I bet it and get one caller. I bet the turn and check the river, and I beat AQ for a $26.75 pot(finally! and I think I made a mistake not bettnig the river there). I am back to $60.

HAnd #49: AKs. I raise and get 3 callers again. Flop is Q88. checked to me(I'm on the button), I bet and only rjmoney calls. He check-raises me on the turn and I fold.

I am right back to $47.50.

Hand #61: KK, I raise, rjmoney calls, bucketsman calls. QQ5 flop. I bet/rjmoney calls. Turn is a blank, I bet/get checkraised. This time I've got a hand, I re-raise, and he just calls. We check the river and the fucker has AA. He plays every hand that way if he has anything at all. He's in almost every hand, he folds when he has nothing at all on the turn, and raises if he's got anything... He's up like $200.

I am down $80. I am getting absolutely slaughtered, I'm down almost $225 in just 4 shorthanded sessions here(before bonus money starts coming in)...

I push back up to $30 winning a $17 pot by betting a straight flush draw hard with JTs(these thinngs NEVER hit do they?). I win the pot on the turn.

rjmoney is now only up $90. he is a horrible horrible player(who is taking all my money).

WTF:

Pre-flop:

Bucketsman folds. Bujinin folds. radii folds.
LRN1968 calls. rjmoney calls. KG604 checks.

Flop (board: Jc 6h 6c):

rjmoney checks. KG604 checks. LRN1968 checks.

Turn (board: Jc 6h 6c Qc):

rjmoney checks. KG604 checks. LRN1968 checks.

River (board: Jc 6h 6c Qc 6d):

rjmoney checks. KG604 checks. LRN1968 checks.



Showdown:

rjmoney shows 6s 2d.
rjmoney has 6s 6h 6c Qc 6d: four sixes.
KG604 mucks cards.
(KG604 has 4c 3s.)
LRN1968 mucks cards.
(LRN1968 has 2s As.)


Hand #1853679-4273 Summary:

$.25 is raked from a pot of $6.
rjmoney wins $5.75 with four sixes.
----------------------------------------------------------------


On the river don't you HAVe to at least try to bet??



Back to our regularily scheduled losing.


WOOEEE RUSH:

Hand #1: KJo in the BB. 2 opponents, flop a king. Bucketsman calls me til the river then folds. I take $17.25 unopposed.
Hand #2: 4-way action for a raise, I have A7s. I flop a four flush, all four of us call a bet(bucketman leads out). The turn is an ace. bucketsman bets, I raise and everyone including buckets folds. $27 pot is mine.
Hand #3: Limp with 65s. Flop is 667. buckets bets out again. I just call the flop bet. Turn is a king, I bet out, he raises, I re-raise and he calls. He calls my river bet and my 6s are good for a $49 pot!

In those 3 hands I move back up to $72.

Hand #119: AA. I raise, bucketman re-raises. I cap it. Flop comes J22. he checks/calls me on the flop. The turn is a ten. he bets, I raise, he re-raises I cap it. The river is a queen. I just call his bet and he shows me JJ. He takes a monster $59 pot that knocks me all the way back down to $43.

Soon after, 45s flops a straight and wins me a $39 pot.

About two hands after that, AKs gets capped 3-way pre-flop. I'm up against KQ and QJ, a nice little chain of domination there. The board comes 8 high, and I win another $40 pot.

After 145 hands, I am at $89.


A steal with QQ puts me at $91 as we are 4-handed at the moment.

acligirl, empty seat, KG604(sitting out), bucketsman, and bujinin.

Another small pot, this one with 77 puts me at $93 briefly.

NETELLER joins in the empty seat, and KG604 leaves leaving another empty seat.

A good $17 pot with 99 unimproved pushes me up to $99!

aaaannnd a loss with AK vs bucketsman's 55 drops me to $81.

we go 3 handed but for a brief moment during the back and forth and up and down I have gone over $100 and have $103.25!


And bujinin takes the cake at the end. I get up to $120 before we go heads up. We play for about 15 hands. My cards were much better than his, but he was trying his hardest to make a stand against me. It just worked out that I was folding at all the right times. I made two boats with JJ in those 15 hands, and won $40+ pots each time. AFter the heads up play, I am up to $170 at the table. I go ahead and log off, thrilled at the result.


I now have $517.85 in my UB account with $66.40 remaining in my bonus. That means in actual play i'm down about $80 still. After the last few sessions though I'm thrilled with where I stand.

I start up a 2/4 short handed table.

dragon2524 joins right after I do. On the very first hand, I have pocket 4s, I raise and he calls. Flop comes T84, two diamonds. I bet out and he calls. The turn is an ace, diamond, flush it out there. I bet, he calls. The river is a queen, I bet, he raises, I re-raise and he calls me. He turns over QJ for the runner runner straight, and I am down $30 after the very first hand.

I work my way back pretty quickly, not really much memorable, but I play very agressively and get him to fold a lot, have a couple ace-high's hold up and hit a pair a couple of times that he raised me... by the time we go 3 handed, about 10 hands in, I am up about $2.

Early in 3-handed play(JBD1 has joined), I have 45 hearts on the button. I just limp and we're 3-way. Flop comes QT6, the 6 is a heart. We all check. the turn is the 3 of hearts, dragon bets out and I just call with my draws. The river is the 2 of hearts, and I have a rare straight flush! Unfortunatley, dragon checks, buthe does call me when I bet, and I win with the nuts.

4paws joins to my right and we're 4-way, 19 hands in. I have $108.75 so I'm up a little. Rick345 and parrotheadcub join, and JBD1 leaves, so actually we are now 5 handed.

Lineup: parrotheadcub, empty seat, dragon2524, Rick345, 4paws.

Hand #22: I raise UTG with AKs. parrot/rick/4paws all call me. Flop comes 883, I bet out when checked to me and only one calls. The turn is a 3rd 8 and I bet again. Rick345 must not have a pocket pair, and he lets me have the $19 pot.

dragon2524 leaves, but barkbbdog2 and hjumper join to fill the table up, 6 handed for now.

Finishing up my bonus is in sight, but it isn't likely to happen today as there is a wedding that I will be attending tonight. I need about 660 more points, I hope to get 100-200 in this session though, while of course hopefully posting a positive session as well.

Hand #36: JTs, I limp, flop top pair and end up calling someone else all the way down... I lose to KTo, and am vvery unhappy with how I played that hand.

Hand #37: I raise with AQo. bark and HC(new guy) call me. Flop comes J93, I have the button here, and I bet out, both call. The turn is a queen, now I've got top pair. I bet again and both call. The river is a ten, 4 to the straight on the board. bark bets out, HC calls and I can't imagine neither of them have me beat... yup, K6 and K9, two straights. Saved myself a bet there.

I am down $4.50 at the moment.

Hand #41: hjumper limps, I raise on the button with AJ, and bark calls, as does hjumper. I don't have a read on hjumper yet but bark is way too loose. Flop comes AKx, I bet and only hjumper calls. Turn is another blank, I bet/he calls, the river is a king and we check it down, his AQ beats my AJ and I am down to $82.50 at the moment.

Hand #45: I get a free flop with 47o with bark and HC. we check all the way to the river, where a 7 hits the board. bark bets/HC folds. After having seen ark blindly bet the river twice already like this, I go ahead and call. He turns over a 6-high and my rivered pair of 7s is good for a $15 pot.

Hand #48: AQs in the cutoff. I raise and only black calls. The flop is 983. I bet/he calls. Turn is my queen, I bet/he calls. river is my ace. He bets out, I raise and he calls. He has 87o for middle pair ont he flop. The $30+ pot is mine.

bark appears to bet EVERY SINGLE RIVER if he's first in the pot, no matter what anyone else has done the rest of the hand, if he's still in it. People haven't caught on(or are betting to the river with absolutely nothing) because this seems to be working really well for him.


I only play two hands in the next 20. J2s in the big blind. I flop top pair and stupidly call down bark with someone else also calling. I lose to QJ.

I limp on the button with J9s, parrotheadcub raises behind me and a ton call. I flop a flush draw and call it down, never hitting. I'm down to $77.50.

Hand #69: I get Q8s in the big blind. I limp with 4 others. Flop is a beauty, Q83. I bet out, bark calls, hjumper raises, and I re-raise. Both call. The turn pairs the 3, I bet out and both call. The river is a jack, I bet and both call again. hjumper had QTo. bark had JT. I take down $47.50 and am back up to $108.

Hand #73: I limp with T8s early. The flop comes ten-high. I click to bet, but mistakenly raise HC... I dunno what I would have done if I wasn't opening the bet. Well, I raised. I continue the agression on the turn and HC folds to me. I now have $117.75.

Hand #77: I open-raise with 66. 4 callers. Oof. I go ahead and bet into the J32 flop but everyone calls again. i give it up on the turn when another overcard + the flush hit.

Hand #86: T3 in the big blind. Free flop and I flop a ten. T67 flop. I go ahead and bet out and both my opponents(HC and bark) call. The turn pairs the 6 and only HC is still in. We check the river and HC had me beat the whole way, T9. He rivered a straight(and didn't bet it, check-raise maybe?)

I again sit wit $99.75, right back where I started.

Hand #92: Red flags galore, I call a raise from the BB with JT. The flop comes jack high. luckily a bet and a raise before me let me get out. Oya. hjumper, the raiser, had JJ for trips.

That hand + blinding down a bit has me back down to $83.75 105 hands in.

Hand #114: I limp with Q9s. We are 4-way. Flop comes AJ5, with the ace and jack of hearts. I bet out and only HC calls. The turn is a queen. I bet and HC check-raises me... I go ahead and call, hoping for the flush. The river is another queen. HC checks again, I figure him for an ace and bet out. He check-raises me AGAIN. I call, and he has KT for the straight. Why the check-raise on the river??

As I'm typing it up I win two quick hands back.. I was down to abuot $55. I win a $25 pot off of bark with JT when I hit two pair, and I win a $42 pot with aces full of queens with my pocket aces.

So in a 5 hand stretch I fall from $80 to $50, and get back to $90.


Terribly cold cards in the next 20 hands see me drop to $76.75 by hand 140.

I hit two pair with 76s in the big blind and win a nice pot to push me back up to $91. Some solid agression with KQo in the small blind the very next hand pushes me back over $100, at a rousing $101.

Hand #151: I get A6o in the SB. I limp and we're 3-way. The flop has an ace and I bet/barkbbdog is the only caller. The turn is another ace and I bet/he calls. He calls again on the river and I take down a $24.75 pot.


Soon after I pick up the top end of a straight draw out of the small blind(56x flop and I have 78), I bet it down and get called all the way, I luck into a 7 on the river and my top pair wins the hand for me.

After 170 hands, I've pushed up to $133.75.

parrotheadcub just won a $76 pot from bark and HC with quad sixes... 66x6T board, bark adn HC capped it with tens, parrot had the 6.

Hand #177: I raise early with JJ. HC and bark call me, and the flop comes queen high. I bet it and get one caller, bark. The turn is my jack, I bet/he calls. The river brings a flush, I bet/he folds and I take down a nice pot.

Hand #180: I have J2s on the BB. the flop coems 89T, and bark bets, I call. The turn is a jack, he checks/I bet/he calls. The river is another jack, I bet/he calls and I win the pot.

That puts me up to $153, and bark goes broke after that. I decide to go ahead and leave with a profit here after my best friend leaves.

I earn 250 points also.

UB account: $575.60. Bonus money left, $41.40.

To update here:

UB account: $575.60. Bonus money left, $41.40.

I finished down $35 while earning the rest of my bonus here. I deposit $500, earn a $160 bonus, and cash out $580. BLEH.

I also followed cthomer's advice from another thread and looked up InterCasinoPoker. The site sucks. It is TERRIBLE. 3 tables nearly crash my computer. Two slow it down a lot. But the play of my opponents is worse than the site.

I deposited $100 into intercasino. It doesn't mention a poker bonus, but after 300 hands, $50 magically showed up into my account.

What does show up, is $90 that can be used in their non-holdem casino. I'll come back to that.

I played 300 hands at 6-man 1/2 tables against some of the worst poker players I've ever seen. I deposited $100, and after just 300 hands and a $50 bonus, I'll be cashing out $272.

CURRENT BANKROLL STATUS:

Partypoker: $856
PokerStars: $168
InterCasino: $272
Neteller: $782

TOTAL: $2078


Net Change since 6/20: + $223

I haven't played as much in the last two weeks, there have been 3 or 4 days where I didn't get any poker in at all, but Ihave played more than my share of poker, and basically been slightly ahead since a lot of that was bonus money.

JULY 1: $2078


Now, back to intercasino. I deposited $100, they gave me $50 free after 300 hands. That's poker money.

They also gave me $90 to use in their casino. That $90(and whatever I do with it, even if I run it up to $200 before I bet enough) is untouchable until I wager 25x$90, or $2250. If I still have any money left after I've wagered $2250 on their casino site, I can cash it out.

I played about an hour of blackjack last night. $5/hand, and I have $90 left still of my bonus money. I broke exactly even. At the advice of cthomer, I'm going to play 3 $2 blackjack tables instead, that should lower my variance i think. I'm reading up on basic strategy today(I have only played blackjack a few times) and hope to cash out some money from this soon, but if I lose the $90, eh, it was all free to begin with.

InterCasino does this once a month apparently. Every month you can deposit $100, and get $50 free for playing 300 hands, and get $90 to use in their casino. Terrible site aside, that is worth doing every month.

But I have decided, none of the other bonuses are. Ultimate Bet and PokerStars limit players are so much better than PartyPoker players, and the bonuses take so long to earn, that it's just not worth it to me to go get them I don't believe. When I had $500 or $600 it was worth it, but over $2000, I'm not sure that it is, if I can average a solid win rate a partypoker that i can't or don't elsewhere.

And thank you for reading a boring bankroll update, after this fit of blackjack at intercasino, I'll be back to partypoker.

I'm done with Intercasino now, I won about $70 playing the rest of my blackjack hands, using a basic stragery guide I foudn on the net. So the intercasino value is way up now that I can actually cash out that bonus money.

Partypoker: $856
PokerStars: $168
InterCasino: $439
Neteller: $782

TOTAL: $2245

Woohoo!

I still have to wait to get my PIN snail-mailed to me before I can cash it out, but that's no worry.

I've been playing well lately and am back up quite a fair amount, I figure its time to go try another tournament or two.

I enter another 3 table $30+$3 tourney.

I read over Fozzie's advice from before and hope to either bust out real early or win the damn thing, not much in between :)

So here's a hand by hand analysis, every fold documented, lets see how many hands I mispaly here.

Level 1 - 10/15 blinds


63o cutoff - 2, FOLD
56s MP, limp/fold to a crap flop

AKo MP - an early raise to 30(min raise) and a call. I make it 90, a call behind me and the original 2 call.

Flop, K88. I bet out 300 chips(pot was 385) and I win it right there.


I fold two crap hands while kiddo is talkign to em. There's a preflop all in between KK/JJ/A9. A9 wins of course.

83o UTG, FOLD
72o BB, folded to a raise.

75o SB, I limp in(I'll play any two for 5 chips). Flop comes 776. There's 65 in the pot, I bet 50 and get one caller(Hoffsome, the A9 all-in guy earlier). Turn is an ace, I bet 150, he raises to 300 and I call. River is a 2, I check/he bets 500... I debate, and I am in some trouble if I fold here, I decide I have a good hand that I'm not going to risk being bluffed off of, if he has me outkicked I lose. I call the 500, and he shows me pocket 5s. I win the huge pot and am up to 2175.


Level 2 - 10/20 blinds

26 players remain, I am 2nd in chips at the moment. The chipleader, TimArm, is also at my table.


Since the big 75o hand i've folded everything preflop..

7To, 95o, T8o, K8o, J6o, and J3o. I just got a free flop with T5o and folded that after the flop missed.

A3s, SB. I make a small move with this, the button is short stacked and limps, I raise it to 50, and only the short stack calls. I bet 100 chips into the flop and win the pot right there, ready to fold to a raise.

KTs button, I fold to a large pre-flop raise(which ended up all in, it was made with KTo by kaynip).
84o cutoff, folded
86o cutoff - 1, folded
A9o MP, folded(too tight?)
92o UTG+1, folded

kaynip goes out, AT vs AK.

62o, UTG folded
A4o, BB, folded after the flop misses to a 100 bet
63o, SB, folded


Level 3 - 15/30 blinds

6 players are gone, I have stayed steady at 2190 chips.


69o, button, folded
A3o, cutoff, I open-raise to 80 and steal the blinds
T5s, cutoff-1, folded
KQo, MP, folded to a raise from UTG. I thought I probably had the best hand, but he was a larger stack, I'll open-raise KQ from anywhere now I think but I don't want to go calling raises with it.
K4s UTG, folded

66 BB, free flop 5-way. Flop comes 553, two spades, I bet the pot(150) and get called only by the big stack at the table. The turn is a queen, I slightly underbet the pot(325) and win it there. I am now up to 2490 in chips.

TT button. I hate this hand. Hoffsome raises to 85, I re-raise to 200, he calls. He goes all in for 1500 on the flop, and I have to fold when it doesn't have a ten.

A9o cutoff, folded to a large raise pre-flop
K8o cutoff-1, folded
Q7o UTG+1, folded
Q5o UTG, folded

Level 4 - 25/50 blinds

J2s, BB. Free flop for me, it coems Q96, and I bet the pot(200 with 3 limpers) and win the pot right thre.
crap, SB, folded.

chipleader TimArm goes all in with QQ and gets called by BrentPearson's AJ. ace wins.

AKo, button. jlddpv raises to 100, he only has 400 chips left after that, I re-raise to 400. I win the pot right there. Up to 2590 chips.

84o, cutoff, folded.
65s, cutoff - 1, folded
K2s, MP, folded

There are still 24 ppl left, by the way.

K5o, UTG + 1, folded
54o, UTG, folded
Q7s, BB - free flop against sslon. Flop comes KQQ. He bets out 100, and I call. Turn is a jack, he bets 150 and I call. I go ahead and bet out on the river(a mistake probably, but I figure he was getting ready to check ti down if he had nothing), and I win the pot there. I am up to 2865 in chips.
JTo, SB - folded to a raise
Q6o, button, folded


Key hand #1
AQo, cutoff, hoffsome raises to 100, I just call his raise, as do two others. Flop comes QQx, two hearts. I have no heart. hoffsome bets only 50, I raise to 150, and he is the only caller. The pot is 750 by now. The turn is a 3rd heart. I bet out 800, he goes all in for 2100. He goes all in a lot. At the drop of pretty much anything. I honestly feel I'm in the lead ehre. I call. He turns over JJ, but the jack is a heart. A 4th heart hits the river and I am down to 500 chips, with the blinds going up.

How poorly did I play that hand? hoffsome goes all in a ton, that's why I called pre-flop, I knew if I pushed at him I couldn't call an all-in. On the flop perhaps I should have bet more... or perhaps I played ok and just got drawn out on, I'm not sure.

Level 5 - blinds 50/100

I steal the blinds once, then go through the blinds and stay at exactly 500 chips, when we drop to 20 players, and merge tables.

9 men at the table after the merge(19 left total)

J3o cutoff - 1, fold
T7o, MP, fold
T4s, UTG+2, fold
32o, UTG+1, fold

16 left, they started dropping like flies. I need at least two double-ups to have a prayer though.

J3o, UTG, fold

Key Hand #2
96s, BB, two small stacks go all in(but I'm small two). They have 179 and 396 chips total. My hand isn't so good, but their hands aren't likely to dominate mine considering the stack sizes... I let the time run out and figure this is my best shot to triple up. I call. I see 44, and A5s. A 6 hits the flop, and another 6 hits the turn. I am up to 1075 chips after my SB passes, and still alive.


There are 13 players left after that.

I fold some junk to get around to my BB:

A4s. sslon limps from the SB, I check. Flop is all hearts, I fold to a bet.

Level 6 - 75/150 blinds

73o, SB, folded

13 left, I am now down to 900 chips, and this table is 6 handed.

64o, button, folded

A7s, cutoff, sslon limps, I raise to 300, sslon cals. The flop misses me, sslon checks, I go all in for my last 600, and he folds. I have 1425.

very next hand.

JJ, I steal the blinds with a 3x blind raise. 1650 chips now.

T5o, UTG, folds

K7o, BB, folded to a large pre-flop raise.

FINAL TABLE


69o, SB, folded
53s, button, folded

SomCallMeTim is our chipleader at 7086, Hoffsome has 6256. Two guys have 3500ish, and its downhill from there.


I am currently 8th in chips.

SomCallMeTim raises pre-flop 3 straight hands. On the 3rd one he shows 72o after the table folds.

I get total crap and keep folding.

SomCallMeTmi raises again next hand, MrKanish goes all in, Tim calls, kanish has KJ, Tim K9, KJ holds up.


Blinds hit 100/200 in 3 minuets, I hope they run through me first.

Tim is gone. He pushes again, A4o, hoffsome plays wit QJ and hits on the flop. Tim goes all in, hoffs calls. Hoffsome has 11,403 chips now, a mortal lock for the money.

Tim going out allows me to skip the big blind. I dump by SB of K2o to a pre-flop raise and have 1350 chips left.



9 of us left, hoffs has 11,000+, two guys in the high 3800s, one guy right at 3000, one at 2900, the rest of us wallowing near 1000 chips.


J6s, button, folded.
Q6s, cutoff, folded.


Level 8 - 100/200 blinds - hour break

9 of us are left.

Hoffsome - 11253
flavorpacket - 4047
Bobsub - 3750
visionsgus - 3005
MrKanish - 2906
sslon - 1431
Me - 1350
clambake - 1173
TimArm 1085

A5o, cutoff-1, folded (AK/KT end up all in) - Clambake doubles up off of flavorpacket.
A4o, MP, folded
K9o, UTG+2, folded to a big raise from hoffsome - hoffsome/timarm go all in, hoffs' AT beats tim's 88, and we're down to 8.
K7s, UTG+1, folded

surely I am too tight here, but bigger hands than mine have turned up each time too, so I can't complain

96s, UTG, folded

Big Hand #3
79o, BB, sslon raises the min out of the SB, and I call. Flop hits my 9, and I go all in on the flop. I am up to 1850 when he folds.

78s, SB. folded to me, I raise and bobsub says "Q2" and folds.

I am up to 2100. I believe I've more than made up for my potentially weak play with aces by pushing my shit hard and winning.

AJo, cutoff-1, I open-raise to 400. I win the blinds again.

A3o, cutoff-2, folds.
T2s, MP, folds

I am now 5th out of 8 people left. We are all jumbled up though.

MrKanish goes all in with KQ spades on a flop w/ 1 spade/2 clubs. BobSub calls with KJ clubs. A club hits and bobsub knocks out kanish.

We are down to 7.

bobsub immediately gives a ton back to visionsguy, top pair vs trips, ouch.


5 places pay:

Hoffsome - 13,000
VisionsGuy - 6800
bobsub - 2751
flavorpacket - 2374
Me - 2150
clambake - 1946
sslon 1000

sslon goes all in, I have KQo behidn him... I fold. I think that is pretty weak but if he's on an ace or a pair I'm 50/50 at best.

I open-raise to 400 with JTs. visionsguy calls me. Flop comes J33, I bet the pot(committing me but not all-in yet)... he folds.


I'm up to 2650, bobsub and I are basically tied for 3rd in chips.

On the last hand at this level, clambake goes all in, sslon calls. JJ vs AQ, JJ holds up and sslon is out 7th.

Level 8 - 150/300 blinds

next place pays. I got to avoid the blinds with that stroke of luck.

hoffs and visions guy are in barring a monster mistake. clambake has pushed up to 4000 chips. I have 2650/bobsub 2500/flavorpacket 1725, one of us are decidedly most likely to go out.


It turns into blidn stealing from here, I make a couple of folds in the blinds that I don't like but with hands I don't want to risk it all with.

bobsub goes all in for 2051 with 99, and doubles up off of hoffs who calls with A6 and doesn't hit the ace.


flavorpacket and I are the two weak stacks now, 2200/1874. I've been folding everything, flavor has played a couple of hands.


UTG+1, I raise with A9o. I steal the blinds to keep up with flavorpacket who just finished stealing a sec ago.

A2o in my big blind, ugh. I left hoffs steal when he puts me all in pre-flop.


clambake and flavorpacket go all in, clambake has him covered. UGH. flavor has AKs, clam AQo. 89TJ on the board and if that suckout didn't win me $90 I'd feel bad.

In the Money

I steal right away with AJo. I then give up a bit with 76s, calling a min raise and folding when the flop misses me.


I am *very* short stacked here.

bobsub and hoffsome go at it, a 3000+ pot. bobsub takes the chiplead when hoffs makes a big bluff that bob has the balls to call.

I raise with A9o on the button, bobsub calls. I go all in when undercards flop. Bob folds, I creep back up to 2200. I am still less than half of the next stack.

I fold J6o in my BB to a raise, AJ6 flops, argh. bobsub and hoffsome go at it again. hoffs goes all in on the flop, these are the two giant stacks. bobsub says he has a hand but it isn't worth that, and folds.


Level 9 - 200/400 blinds

clambake goes at hoffsome and is down to 4000 chips, 2nd smallest to my 1700.

clambake goes all in with KK vs bobsub's 77, a huge pot, too bad for me, that could have knocked one out.


I have A9 UTG. I raise, hoffsome re-raises me the min. I call. I go all in on the flop which is rags but I am pot committed now. hoffsome has 44, and I have a ton of outs. The board pairs the turn and gives me a flush draw. I have 6 outs to pair the board, 8 to flush me(he has the 4 of diamonds, stealing an out), any 9 or any ace. TONS of outs. 19 I think.

I miss. Game over, man.


I net $90 for my 5th place finish, which in additon to my solid play lately at party, puts me over $1000 there. (I was $850 in my last bankroll update).


Not bad, I am curious about what people think of some of the key hand,s espicially the AQ hand.

Partypoker: $1013
PokerStars: $168
InterCasino: $439
Neteller: $782

TOTAL: $2402

*very* pleased with this, my slow and steady climb has brought me back up almost to my baseline of $2500. That's the level that oliegirl and I have agreed is my starting point every month for poker. Anything I win during the month over that comes out to pay down debt/pay up savings. This is where I want to be. If I don't get greedy and don't try to jump too much, I should be back to where I was when this dynasty started, just playing more steadily at multiple 1/2 or 2/4 tables instead of 1 5/10 table.


Speaking of that, I've played 37 1/2 sessions, won in 23 of them(62%), I've one $155, for a win rate of 2.17 per table hour.

Playing multiple tables at a time that puts me at $11.88/hr in real time. A rate I'm quite pleased with for 1/2. I've played 2250 hands at 1/2. I plan on playing 4000 or 5000 hands and if I'm still winning at a solid($10/hr or more real time) rate I will then make the jump to 3 2/4 tables and see how I do. I'm sure I will do fine, but I am being extra conservative here and allowing myself to continue the slow buildup.

Radii, do you keep any statistics on the sit and gos you enter? I play stars $5+.50 sit and gos exclusively and keep track of my statistics, such as how many times I finish in each place, what my in the money% is, and my return on investment%. I find its a good way to measure skill and progress. I only started doing this recently so I dont have a good sample size yet, but my stats are:

1st - 3
2nd - 3
3rd - 8

Total - 23
ITM% - 60.87%
Winnings - $180
Profit - $53.50
ROI% - 42.29%

the ROI is pretty important. When I look at my stats and see 8 3rd place finishes, I am pretty disappointed. However, many sources report that a 40%+ ROI is about as good as you can expect in sit and gos (most say greater that 45% is "unsustainable). Granted my sample size is very small (by all accounts, you need probably 200 tournaments) but seeing these numbers really helps my confidence, especially when they are still good after I bust out of a few in a row.

EDIT - btw, I have a spreadsheet that does this automatically, if anyone is interested.

I haven't been for these 3 tables. I spent a signifigant amount of time before the start of this dynasty playing $50+$5 SnG's and I was tracking it then.

I should start trackign the 3-tables that I play for sure. They don't e-mail hand histories for them so I can't load the results into pokertracker like I did for the 1-table ones when I played them a lot.

I take another shot at $30+$3 NL 3-table tourney, lets see how I can do in this one.

Level 1 - 10/15 blinds

63o UTG, fold
72o BB, fold to a 100 raise pre-flop

Key Hand #1
Q7o SB, I limp for 5 chips. Flop comes Q49. I bet the pot(60 chips) and get three callers behind. Ick. The turn is an ace. I check, so does everyone else. The river is a 7, I've got two pair now... I bet out 250 chips. A rare board w/ no straights or flushes possible. pdalton calls me. HE WAS THE BUTTON. Why did he check AK on the river when we all checked to him? My Q7 beats his AK and I have 1475 chips.

J4s button, folds
T5o cutoff, folds
44 cutoff-1, limp with 6 others. fold to a bad flop.
QJo MP, folds
T3o MP, folds
82o MP, folds
J8o UTG+1, folds

Level 2 - 10/20 blinds

Still 29 left. My 1460 chips is good for 3rd overall, not much separation yet.

64s, UTG, folds
87o, BB, fold to 145 raise from EP short stack all-in.

Key hand #2

AA, SB. short stack won last hand, goes all in again for 320. DINGDINGDING I think. one person calls. That's 620 in the pot. I raise it up to 700. The one caller who has chips left thinks for quite awhile and calls. I go all in on the flop and he folds. I almost went all-in pre-flop. Glad I didn't, I got an extra 400 chips out of him. The all in player had KK, neither of us hit. I am up to 2480.

For now I am the tourney chipleader

6xo, button, folds.
J3o, cutoff, folds.
64o, cutoff-1, folds - a large 3-way pot builds up here, with BBMASTA taking down about 900.
J3o, MP, folds - down to 8 left, the guy that called my big pre-flop raise has been raising every ahnd and finally goes out.
K2s, UTG+1, folds

Level 3 - 15/30 blinds

WE are down to 24. I am still 2nd or 3rd in chips with 2480. 2nd at my table is 1725.

T2o UTG, folds
92s, BB, free flop, folds when it missed.

Key hand #3
98o, SB, I limp into 4-way action. flop is good, T74 rainbow. I check and call a 50 chip bet. The turn is a 9. I call a 100 chip bet, I assume I'm best if I hit, and my implied odds are enormous. The river misses me, I check, so does everyone else, and I see pocket 3s, and A4o... I win! That's a shocker. I am up to 2840 there.

J5o, button, folds
J8o, cutoff, folds.
85s, MP, folds
J8s, MP, folds (I considered an open-raise here but didn't)
A8s, UTG+1, I raise to 75, and the BB calls. An ace flops, I bet the pot and I win it.
K3s, UTG, folds

Level 4 - 25/50 blinds

22 players remain.

T3o, BB, free flop with only the SB. Flop comes Q55, he checks, I bet the pot(100) and he calls. He leads out on the turn and I fold.
Q8o, SB, folds
Q3o, button, folds

Key Hand #4

KK, Cutoff. wto limpers to me, I raise to 4x the BB, up to 200. eddystone calls out of the SB(he is #2 in chips at the table). Iketowin also calls me as does pdalton. FLop comes QJ6 rainbow. Checked to me. What do you do? two I have heavily covered, eddy I only have covered by 800.I bet big. All in, decide now. I want AQ to call and I don't want an ace calling for cheap. eddy thinks for a long time and call.s WOW, the one I didn't really want action from. Welllll, he shows me Q7s. No 7 hits. At table 3 Apestyles has run himself up to 5500 chips. I now have 4955. 3rd is 2100.

CRAP.

We merge to 2 tables, 19 left. apestyles sits two to my left. I hate that.

85o, UTG, folds

WOO, BB goes all in and loses. I get to skip my SB.

K4o, BB, folds to a large pre-flop raise.
T9s, button - this is tough b/c apes is in the BB when I'm on the button. folded to me, I raise to 150. apes calls. I dont' want this. KT6 flop, I bet 250 into it, prepared to slow down if he stays in, but apes folds. I am over 5000 chips, 5080.
crap, cutoff, folds.

Level 5, 50/100 blinds

We still have 18 left.

KJs, MP, large raise before me and I'm out.
86o, MP, folds
Q7o, UTG+1, folds

Key Hand
K2o, BB. Free flop with three others. flop comes KT3, tow hearts. I have th backdoor heart draw and top pair. I bet out 400, brian8065 goes all in for 667, 267 more to me. Everyone else folds, so of course I call. He has AK, with the ace of hearts. Bleh. The turn pairs the board's 10, so when I pair my 2 on the river its irrelevant. I'm down to 4263, but sitll a dominant second.

84o, SB, folds. QQ vs TT knocks out someone here at my table.
83s, button.
J4o, cutoff

Level 6, 75/150 blinds

We're down to 15 now.


QJs, MP. Two limp before me, I limp and we see a 5 way flop with me being last to act. I fold to a large all in though. Shoulda raised there if I wanted to play.

Down to 14 now.

42o, UTG+1, folds.
K5o, UTG, folds

Key Hand
T2o, BB. I get a free flop. Flop comes T52, all clubs. I bet the pot and (I'm writing this up way in the past now) dude to my left goes all in for about 1200 more. I think for awhile and call, if he's got the made flush I'm just in trouble. He has JJ with the jack of clubs, so he has tons of outs. He never hits them though and I am up to about 5900.


xx
53o, button , folds
T5o, UTG. I might have missed a hand here, or some nasty attrition knocked us down, but now we're down to 10 final table action baby!
... few hands go by
KTo, SB. one limper and I raise the minimum. heads up on the flop. Flop has two aces. I bet into the pot about 500, if he has an ace he'll push me, if he doesn't I'll win. I win.

Level 7, 100/200 blinds - hour break


Ten Left:

apestyles__ - 8016
Me - 6118
robert_graf - 3500
rnasello - 2928
usafruct - 2255
BOOTCASTER - 1808
LION_KING - 1775
mpettitt01 - 1575
BBMASTA - 1405
chnyaman - 620

apes and myself are in great positions. Either of us could fold our way into the money now, though I'm not sure that's really waht I want to do, I do want to win this thing.

A3o, button, folds
35o, cutoff, folds
T5s, cutoff-1, folds
96o, cutoff-2, folds (flop 766, arr)
T6s, MP, folds
J7o, UTG+2, folds - apes busts out two in one hand and jumps up to 9711 chips - down to 8 left
63o, UTG, folds
Q4s, BB, fold to a 1000 raise.
J9s, SB, I raise to steal the blind(folded to me). rnasello calls, but folds to my flop bluff(bluffed 700 into the 800 pot there, a big risk but I would have still been 2nd by a lot).
58o, button, folds
K8o, cutoff, folds
Q2o, cutoff-1, folds
59o, UTG+2, folds
54o, UTG+1, folds
A6s, UTG, folds - maybe should try to steal here, but I'm better off playign position I think
35s, BB, fold post flop to a bet

Level 8, 150/300 blinds

8 remain still.

apestyles still has the dominant chip lead at 9711 chips. I am still solidly in 2nd with 6118. Robert_Graf has 4400, no one else is over 3000, still in great shape to make the money and be a force.

83o, SB, folds - a raise to 800 gets called by 1, then rnasello goes all in, apestyles calls. AA vs 88, apes had no chance.

apes has 7580 now, I have 5968(after SB), rnasello has 5050, robert_graf 4400...

A3s, button, folds to a large raise.
22, cutoff, folds BBMASTA is down to his last 150 chips
A8s, cutoff-2, I open-raise to 800, rnasello calls me(he's the #3 stack, bleh), so does mr 150 chips. we end up checking it all the way down, the board 2-pairs and we split the pot with my A8 and his AQ. We're now down to 7.
AQo, MP, I call the min raise made by robert_graf, rnasello goes all in behind us, and graf and I fold. rna shows AA.

6 left, apes has 7500, rna 6850, me 5660, robert_graf 3500, usafruct 3100, bootcaster 1900, mpettit 825.

I fold my UTG hand, it sucked.

K7o, BB, graf limps, I check. Flop AK2. Graf bets 300, I raise it to 800. He folds and I push back up over 6000, and the top 3 are again totally dominant, I'm 3rd and I double the #4 stack.
J8s, button, folds to an 800 raise. rnasello's AKs flushes to beat mpettit's pocket 6s.

Level 9, 200/400 blinds

I'm 3rd out of 6. rnasello now leads with 9100 chips now. apes 2nd with 6900. I'm 3rd with 6100. 4th is 2900.

J2s, UTG+1, folds

rnasello is stealing a ton, but every time he wins a hand w/o a flop he shows... AA, AK, A7, AK his last 4.

AJo, UTG, I raise the min to 800. BOOTCASTER goes all in for 1558. It's up to me, and I call. He has QQ. 789 flop, x turn, T river. my straight puts us inthe money!

In the Money

apes and I are basiclaly tied for 2nd.

apes steals the first two hands in the money with raises to 1100.

I raise to 1000 with A8o on the button. Good steal.

I fold a weak ace(A3o) UTG. too weak 5 handed probably.

I let apes steal my BB with Q5o.

next time around i have 42o, apes steals again.

I raise with KJo on the button. good steal, staying around 7500.

Level 10, 300/600

usafruct and rovbert_graf are hanging on with 2900/1300 respectivley. apes/rnasello aren't pulling far away.


I get AQo in my first big blind. all fold to me.

T9o in my BB, I try a steal raise and rnasello gives it to me. For the moment, I'm in 2nd with 8376.

usafruct is down to 760 on his BB, he folds to an open raise by apes anyway. usa down to 460 through his blind, and robert graf is down to 1100 on his(folding to me in my BB, another free round).

I limp with pocket deuces on the button. I hope RNA has the sense to check it down with me to knock out usa fruct. He does, and his Q5 wins when the board has two pair.

I have crap in my BB but a short robert_graf folds ot me anyway.

robert_graf doubles up to 1900 with TT.

apes and rnasello go at each other for the first time in a long time, a 3000 pot pre-flop, this could drastically change things. 5000 pot on the turn. if apes wins this rna is hurt(still easily 3rd but way behind me). apes bets 2000 on the turn, AKQ7 board w/ 2 hearts. rna goes all in!! 2100 more for apes to call. Apes is a moron. AK vs KJ. rna iis now a massive chipleader with 13,250. apes has 7600, I have 6100 after I fold my BB to a 5000 raise by rnasello....

robert_graf goes all in for his last 1000, I have 83o on the button. apes calls the 400 left. graf doubles up again, apes had shit(but had to call)

Level 11, 400/800 blinds

apes forces rober_graf all in on the first hand. GRR. apes has J9, rober T7. rober doublesu p to 4200.

I'm still second but its a lot closer now, anyone could go out at any minute but rnasello.

I raise to 1600 with A2s, steal the blinds, up to 8000.

Key Hand
32o in my big blind, bleh. apes limps and I get a free one. UHOH. This could be big. 622 flop. I check/call a 1000 bet. turn is a 3! FULL HOUSE. apes goes all in, I call. Apes shows KK. No king hits and my 2s full of 3s wins the day.

I am chipleader, by about 3000 chips.

A steal of RNAsello's BB puts me up quite a bit.


a weird hand with robert_graf cripples him. I have J6, call a min raise from him, we check to the river, I hit a 6 on the river, he bets 800, I call it, and he had nothing but thought I'd fold.


graf all in against rnasello(oh lord he's thinking... it's 400 chips man). K4 vs 64, doh. two kings on the flop. graf is back up to 2800 and stayin alive.


I win a 6000 pot 3-way for 2000 each, graf's all in. HEADS UO.


I have a 2:1 chip lead, about 20,000 to 10,000

He takes 4800 pot with AT vs my A6.

Next hand I have AT, flop top pair after raising to 2000. 78T fllop. I bet 3000 into the 4000 pot. I win it. Back to 2:1 lead.


Level 12 - 500/1000 blinds

a few steals back and forth.

I raise with A6s, he calls. A55 flop. I bet half the pot, he folds.

23,000:7000 chip count.

free flop with 78. flop is 862. I bet 2000, he calls. Checks on the turn, and I had him misread. I thought he had top pair on me. He had a flush draw that he hit on the river. Terrible play by me.

19,000:11000

I raise with T9s and he comes over the top of me, I fold.

16,000:13,000

I win two straight hands then have a big one where i have K8 and raise, he calls and flop is 3 low spades. I keep the pressure on and win it.


79o, free flop, TT9 flop. I lead out for 2000. He goes all in. Does he have it? I've been raising hard. I gotta think he has it. If not this is a very good steal.

rna finall calls me down, I have A8 and an ace hits the turn, he calls when I bet the river and I beat him and we're bakc to ~20,000:10,000


Level 12 - Blilnds 750/1500

We're at our second break.

I have 19,018 chips, rna has 10,982.

First hand after the BB I have the rockets. AA. I limp. K63, two diamonds flop. I bet the min, 1500. He folds.


Key Hand :)

free flop with QT. Flop is QT8, two spades. I check and then call a 1500 bet. Turn is a blank, rna bets out 1500 again, he's down to about 3500 chips after this, I figure he's committed and if he's on a flush draw I'm not letting him see the last card for anything less than all his chips. I re-raise all in. He calls.


QT83 board. I have QT, rnasello shows J8. He has 6 outs. None of them come.

I finish in 1st place and have $270 to show for my $33 entry fee!!!!!

Suh WEET!

Grats, man. some iffy plays in there, but in general, solid :)

I'm on a roll, so lets see if I can keep it going.

Another $30+$3 NL 3-table tourney here.

I get seated at table 1, so there's not likely to be any moving around for me.

Level 1 - 10/15 blinds

86o, button, folds - the first pot ends up being a 1000 chip pot, with a straight draw and a crappy pocket pair betting hard

Key Hand #1
AQo, cutoff - I raise to 45 and get heads up with rjlacha, the pocket pair from the last hand. Flop comes AKT, two hearts. He bets 15 chips and I just call. Dumb move there, I figure I have him beat but I have to raise, and after his calling last hand I figure he'll call me down no matter what I do. He bets 15 again on the blank on the turn and raise him up to 75 chips total. He calls. The river brings the flush, rjlacha bets 15 chips again. I debate raising, I think I'm likely best, but he could well be trying to sucker me into raising... perhaps I outthought myself here. He has pocket 9s, and I win the pot. Up to 1175. I could have gotten a lot more out of that.

Q7o, cutoff-1, folds - rjlacha busts out rustler1 with a full house made from J9o. our first casualty and the guy that plays every hand has 2800 chips early.
84o, MP, folds
A2o, MP, folds
22, UTG+1, folds - rjlacha has AA and wins another 700 chips. 15 chip bets into a 150+ pot on the flopand turn, then a pot sized bet on the river
T9o, UTG, folds - another casualty, this time fibonacci goes all win with QQ and gets called by AJs on a bad flop
KTs, BB - free flop 3-handed. Flop comes K75, two hearts(I have spades. I bet the pot(45) and dwcbroker calls. Turn pairs the 5, I bet the pot again(135 this time) and dwc folds.

Level 2 - 10/20 blinds

I have 1240 chips after winning two small pots on the first round. Two people are gone, both from my table.

xx SB, folds
T8s, button, limp w/ 3 others, the BB raises to 170, and we all fold
83o, cutoff, fold
99, cutoff-1, dwcbroker raises to 40 before me, I just call. I don't want to get terribly involved in this pot without a good flop for me, and I expect more callers to come. I'm the only caller, and the flop is 3 overcards, I fold. I don't like how I played that but I'm really not sure what I could have done differently that doesn't put a ton of chips on the line with a marginal pair.
83o, MP, folds
94o, UTG+1, folds

someone is moved to our table, Gengar, with 1730 chips. 27 left.

T6o, UTG, folds
86o, BB, fold pre-flop to a 3x blind raise.
A2o, SB, limp into 5 way action, fold on a bad flop
Q5o, button, folds
Q9o, cutoff, folds

Key Hand #2
AQo, cutoff-1, rjlacha limps to me, I raise to 60(3x the blind), the SB and rjlacha both call. T92 flop. I bet the pot, 200 chips. rjlacha calls me. HE goes into his "bet 20 chips" mode ont eh turn and river, which I'll call down... he has AK. I am down to 840 chips on that one.

Key Hand #3
AA, cutoff-2, I raise to 60. A short'ish stack, ketsul, raises to 220. I re-raise him all in, he had 420 total going into the hand. Ketsul calls me, he has AJs, my aces hold up. Right back up to 1290

KTo, MP, folds
A8o, UTG+1, folds

Level 3 - blinds 15/30

crap UTG, folds

There's 24 people left, I'm still in fine shape for this level.

J3o, BB. Free flop, I hit top pair on a J97 board. I bet the pot, 90 chips, but fold when seahawk pushes it up to 300.
T8o, SB, folds
QJo, button - tough hand for me. Made easier by an open-raise before me. folds
58o, cutoff, folds
A8o, cutoff-1, folded to me and the table has been very tight... I open-raise. BB gengar calls, I bet the pot ont he flop regardless of what it was, and I win the pot.
xx, MP, folds
KK, UTG+1, raise to 90, win the pot. OUCH.

Key Hand #4
AKo, UTG, raise to 90. all folds to the BB, dwcbroker raises to 220, and I just call. The flop comes down AT7. dwc bets 250, and I raise to 700. He folds.

T5o, BB, folds

Key Hand #5

A6s, SB. The button(dwcbroker) limps, I raise to 90, and he calls. The flop comes KJ3, and for some reason I become a pussy. I check/call it down. Checing the flop and calling 30 bets on the turn and river to see dwc catch a pair on the river with his Q8s. I have no idea why I did that, and I have to play more agressively than that to keep going here. Dumb.

a few hansd folds while I'm writing it up.

Level 4 - 25/50 blinds

T9o, UTG+1, folds

some hands undocumented b/c of talking to the fiancee. I win a small pot with A7o out of the big blind when I hit an ace, and I steal the blinds with an open-raise with QJo in the cutoff.

We're down to 19 left, there's 9 at my table now, some new faces. I have 1785 in chips and continue to slowly build and remain just above averrage. I'm 5th out of the 9 at my table in chips, but 2nd is only 400 above me and 8th is only 350 below me... someone needs to break out here, hopefully me.

Q5o, UTG+1, folds
42o, UTG, folds
76o, BB, dwcbroker limps, and we check down a bunch of suited high cards and he wins with a king.
24o, SB, folds

Level 5 - 50/100 blinds

J4o, button, folds
AJo, cutoff, I call the min raise made by dwcbroker(200 bet). seahawk goes all in behind me, and dwc goes all in over him, I fold. dwc has QQ vs seahawk's A8. QQ holds up and we're down to 18.

I have 1510 chips at this poitn, a little below average but 7th out of 9 at my table. The toher table has a lot of short stacks, I'd be 4th out of 9 there.

xx, folded in MP
T5o, UTG+2, folds
A6o, UTG+1, folds
QTo, UTG, folds

The short stacks at the other table go fast, we're down to 16. I get to skip my BB thanks to party's player moving system.

Key Hand #6
A8o, SB. folded to me, I raise to steal the blinds. carrie27 thinks hard before caling. Flop comes A63. I bet the pot, 400, which carrie calls. The turn is another ace. Pot size is 1200 now, we're both under 1000. i go all in. I have the better hand pre-flop... but she caught 2 pair. A8 vs A6. Carrie's A6 full house vs my simple trip aces crushes me.

I am crippled with 310 chips.

Key Hand #7

AJs, very next hand, button. I go all in, Two others are in the hand. They dont' check it down... one of them bluffs with king-high to get heads up with me. His KJ vs my AJ. An ace hits the turn and I'm still alive with 1080 chips.

xx, MP, folds
xx, UTG+2, folds
94s, UTG+1, folds
73o, UTG, folds - gengar goes all in with QQ, ERACHustler calls with TT preflop. A ten on the river and gengar is gone.
Q9o, BB, 4-way free flop, KJ4, I fold to a bet on the flop.

Level 6 - 75/150 blinds

QTo, SB, folds to a large raise pre-flop

There are 15 left, I am 2nd shortest stack in the game, shortest at my table.

Key Hand #8

What's the cure for short stacks? AA, button. dwcbroker raises to 300. I consider a re-raise but I need to get a big score here. I just call. The blinds both fold(would anyone else just call here? Or is an all-in for 900 the better move? I'm going all in regardless of what flops). The flop comes 345, all diamonds. dwc bets, I raise all in, he calls. UGH. QJ diamonds. I need a diamond. The turn gives me a straight, a deuce, no help. The river, a ten of diamonds! My flush wins!

...

a few folds during the writeup

Key Hand #9
I raise to 425 with AKo UTG. fibonacci goes all in behind me for 2200. We're about even in chips, this is a legit all-in. I think down to about 4 seconds left, and fold. Does anyone call here? I still have 1600 in chips, short, but alive.


Everyone folds to my BB.
K8o, SB, fold to a pre-flop raise.

At this point I have 1610 chips left. There are 14 people left. The average stack is 2100, there's a 1000 stack at each table being short.

97o, button, folds.

blinds will be 100/200 next time they hit me.

KJs, cutoff - a limp + an all in for 1000 by dwcbroker and I fold this one
43o, cutoff-1, folds
T6o, UTG+1, folds - dwcbroker all in for 1330 pre-flop, he's trying to build by stealing the blinds I assume. It works again
Q6o, UTG, folds

Level 7 - 100/200 blinds - hour break

14 left, more than the last couple of times I've made it to the break. I expect massive attrition during the next level as the blinds catch up with a lot of us, myself could be included with just 1610 chips. I'm BB on the first hand back, so 2 hands in I'll be down to 1310 if I don't win a hand.

94o, BB, fold to a raise
T7o, SB, folds

That leaves me with 1310 chips, there are 3 of us right around 1000-1400 that are the short ones at this table.

Key Hand #10
68s, button. I make the worst decision in history. I decide I'm going to steal here. Why is that so bad? The two biggest stacks at the table are in my blinds. I raise, ERACHustler calls. Well, I love the flop, open ended straight draw + flush draw, QT9, a 7 or a J give me a straight, two spades ont ehf lop. I go all in for 900 and win the pot. Back to 1810

crap, cutoff, folds - the other two short stacks go all in against each other. 98s vs KQ. 98s wins, and dwcbroker is down to 200 chips, rvest is up to 2100.
crap, next hand, folds
95o, UTG+1, folds - dwcbroker is all in here for his last 220. He goes out 14th.

Q3o, BB, folded to me, YAY
52o, SB, folds

Still at 1810.

K7s, button, I open-raise to 500 chips, I hate this w/ two giant stacks behind but I have to steal sometime. ERAC calls again. A king flops, and I go all in. ERAC calls. He has KT. UGH. but I'm saved! There's a queen on the board, and the board pairs. Our kickers dont' come into play, and we split the money from the SB.

KQo, cutoff, folds to a 1000 chip raise before me(should I play here? I'm basically committed at this point if I do)
xx, UTG+1, folds
73o, UTG, folds


12 left now and we're 6 handed at both tables. I'd love to make a move before we go to one table.

64o, BB, folded to me, WHEE again.
Q5o, SB, folds

Key Hand #11
AKs, button. My 3rd straight steal attempt on the button. Well... this time there are two limpers before me. That's 700 in the pot. I make it 1000 to go. rjlacha calls me. I go all in for my last 800 on the flop, 744. HE FOLDS. w0w0w0w.

I now have 3360 in chips. Holy crap.

xx, cutoff, folds.
K2s, cutoff-1, folds
T6s, UTG, folds
52o, BB, free flop 3-way, AQ5 flop and I fold to a 600 bet.

Level 8 - blinds 150/300

Q2, SB, folds

There is no big chipleader here. There are 5 people with 3000-4000 chips, I have 3010 after my blinds here. This is still anyone's ball game big time.

K8s, button. I make the min raise, ERAC has had enough of me stealing I think. I almost folded b/c I've been stealing so much from this position. He goes all in behind me, and I fold. Down to 2410.
K8o, cutoff, folds.

11 people left. Someone has 375 chips at the other table, final table any second.

Q3o, cutoff-1, folds. On the other table the 375 triples up to 900. On my table rjlacha doubles up to 1540, holding off the final table for another moment.
59o, UTG, folds
72o, BB, folds
64o, SB, folds

We're down to 10 now. I have 1960 in chips, and I am on the button for hand one of full table action.

J6o, button.

Big stack has 4580, 2nd has 3925, 4 total in the 3000's, 3 in the 2000's, and 2 of us under 2000, me and rjlacha.

ATo, cutoff. A big stack raises all in before me. I fold. rjlacha calls. TT vs AQ. rjlacha hits a queen and doubles up to 3080.
69o, cutoff-1, folds

rusty has 1970 now, i have 1960.

J3o, cutoff-2, folds, rjlacha wins a 2100 pot to become the table's chipleader
K2o, MP, folds
72o, UTG+2, folds - rustysea limps UTG. Interested to see what he does that with. Carrie raises to 1200, rusty all in, carrie calls. 66 for rusty, aK for carrie. trip 6s for rusty, carrie is crippled, down to 500 chips. Rusty is new chipleader with 5590
83s, UTG+1, folds
44 UTG, I don't have rusty's balls I guess. Fold. Blinds are big, I gotta loosen up, but this is still UTG at a full table.
73s, BB, free flop, it misses, I fold to a bet
K7o, SB, carrie is down to 200 chips. I'm all in if it's folde to me. NOPE. rvest goes all in, rustysea calls. carrie folds. 88 vs QQ, QQ holdsup and rvest is out tenth.


Level 9 - 200/400 blinds

Carrie goes out on the first hand at this level. 8 let, I'm the shortest stack.

Key Hand #11
A9o, button. rusty limps, I go all in for 1500. rusty calls with KJ. Flop QQJ. Turn 4. River ACE. IM ALIVE.

I go from the short stack to right in the middle. 5th with 3620.
xx, cutoff, folds - fibonacci all in with AK. called by ERACHustler's KK. two aces on the board. ERAC is short stack of the momen with 1830.
62o, cutoff-1, folds
xx, MP, folds. - AK vs AK all in, two giant stacks against each other. This is dangerous. Just bam, all in pre-flop.
A4o, UTG+1, folds
84o, UTG, folds

Key hand #12
K9s, BB. ERAC raises to 1000. I call the 600 to see the flop. Flop misses me and I fold when he goes all in. Questionable? Probably so. I am down to 2420 after the SB passes through me and I have nothing there either.

two hands folded.
K2o, cutoff, folds to large raise
K3o, cutoff-1, folds - 88 vs A8, 88 holds up and rjlacha is over 5000 chips, and keemo is out 8th.
T7o, MP, folds
58o, UTG, folds

two more until the money, but I am short stacked. Tons of us in the 2000-3500 range though, anything could happen.

82o, BB, I have to fold to a raise here. rusty raises to 2000 on the button, shows 77.
J9o, SB. again fold to a large pre-flop raise.
56o, button, folds

1820, short stack by 900 or so now.

73o, cutoff, folds
79o, MP, folds
AJo, UTG+1. All in pre flop, I steal the blinds, up to 2420.
99 UTG. I raise to 1200. I steal again. Up to 3000.
J8o, BB, paco_II raises big before me, I fold.
Q3o, SB, folds - BB short stack calls a raise by rusty, but folds to 800 bet on the flop


Level 10 - 300/600 blinds

I'm on the button. ERAC has 1730, isuquinndo 2580, me 2420. PACO 3145. The other 3have more than 4500 in chips.

J3o, button, folds

Key Hand #13
A6o, cutoff - rjlacha calls my min raise. WOO. A86 flop!!!! Two pair. I go all in for my last 1200. rjlacha calls me. He shows pocket tens. He's got two outs. I hit a 6 on the turn, no ten comes, and I'm in graet shape!!!

I am now 2nd biggest stack with 5400

AKo, UTG, min raise steals the blinds.
79s, BB, ERAC goes all in for 1700. I'm not calling 1100 there.
AA, SB. folded to me, I raise the minimum. I hope I'll get action, ERAC defends his blind hard. Nope, he folds. I win the big blind only.
xx, button, folds. rjlacha out 6th, AQ vs A9, but a 9 hit the board.

6 left, next one out puts us int he money. ERAC has 1730, isuquinndog has 1080. The rest of us are at or over 5000.

a few crap hand folds.

Two key hands #14/#15
82o, BB. isuquinndog goes all-in. It is only 400 more for me to call, I htink I have to. I call he has A8 and he doubles up.
AKs SB. I call the min raise by rustyseas. The flop misses me totally and he bets big. He's the chip leader, and we're very clos to the money. I don't think I can put my tournament life at stake against the big stack here. I fold.

ERAC goes all in for 1730 and no one calls. All of a sudden any of us but rusty is in danger. I have 4060, short stack has 2630. I'm still in 2nd.

I fold crap UTG. rusty/isuquinn go at it, ISU gose all in for 1860 on the flop, rusty says "nut flush draw" and calls. He's up against JJ, and isuquinndog has gone from 1000 chips to 7000.

WOO. paco busts out ERAC with 99 vs A6, and we're in the money.

In the Money

A8s, SB, I steal the BB with a raise.

It's wide open. RustySea 8990, isuquinndog 8500, paco_II 5100, me 4060, fibonacci 3200

Level 11 - 400/800 blinds

3 handed action, the two chipleaders and the short stack for the minimum. The short stack wins it.

KQs UTG. I raise the min to 1600. I steal the blinds.
J8o BB, paco steals right back.
47s SB, folds to a raise
Q6o button, folds

table got tight all of a sudden

42s MP, folds
K8o UTG, folds
KJo BB. Free flop w/ paco. I flop middle pair, QJx. paco bets 800, I raise to 2600, he folds. paco is short w/ 2700 now. everyone else over 5K
xx SB, folded to large raise.
63s button folded.

A8s, MP, steals the blinds w/ min raise.
97o, UTG, folds - paco down to 1940 losing BB to rusty
89o, BB. paco folds to me, yay. Didn't want to have to decide that.
T2o, SB, folds
87o, button, folds to all in from paco. paco vs rusty. KJ/K9. paco has KJ and doublesup+ the blinds.

big stack - 6680. Small stack - 4400. I have 6460.

76o UTG folds
Q5o BB. folds to me, yay
AJ SB. folded to me, I raise the min, steal blinds. I'm 2nd by a fair amount now.
Q4s, button, steal blinds. I'm chipleader for a moment.
Q4s, cutoff, folds - paco raises to 2000, isuqinn calls. paco all in on the flop, ISU very short if he folds. isu says "got the queen(top pair)" I assume he's on a smaller pocket pair. isu folds.

paco and I have near 9000, rusty 6850. fibonacci and isu 2800/1700.

ISU doubles up next hand, A4 vs K9, two aces hit.

64s BB. ryusty raises all in, doh. rusty shows AJo.
QT SB. I raise, isuquinn thinks a lot. HE goes all in. 2240 more for me to call. I fold. big differnce in 6460 and 4000. I fold. Rusty says "you do that move too much, Olie" (I'm playing on my OlieGirl acct).
T8o UTG, folds.

fibonacci is gone. isuquinn all in with JJ, fibonacci TT. JJ wins.

66,BB. rustysea raises min. i go all in for 6500. He folds.


Level 12 - blinds 500/1000

paco 9100, me 8060, isuquinn 7030, rustysea 5750.

23s, BB. fold to a steal.

K7s, SB. steal blinds.

isuquinn down to 5000. Rusty tells us "I go all in or fold on all small pairs" after showing 33 after an all-in raise. Thanks for the info.

isu wins a big pot going all in. We're all tied basically. all of us between 6500-8000

Rusty going all in a lot. Shows KJs this time. He seems to go all in or fold on anything.

I lose a little limping with 87s from SB after button limped too. folded on the flop.

Rusty all in 7250. paco thinking hard. folds :( rusty AKs shown.

I have to fold 62o in my BB to a raise and I'm down to 5000 chips. 4500 after 32o in SB.

I am decidedly short now.

Key Hand #16
fold J2o. Raise KTo UTG. isuquinn re-raises me just 1000. I call and there is 7000 in the pot, I have 1500. I go all in on pretty much anything here. ISU calls when the flop is all undercards. He has AQ. I am out.

I had 4500 chips left, the blinds hit the next hand and would have drained me to 3000 if I didn't get anything. That seemed like the right place to make a move, 4 handed I'm decent to have the best hand I think.


I take $135 home for my efforts, a profit of $102.

That's 3 straight 3-table's in the money, I've very pleased with these results.

Key Hand #8

What's the cure for short stacks? AA, button. dwcbroker raises to 300. I consider a re-raise but I need to get a big score here. I just call.


I think you need to re-raise all in here, personally. you want him to PAY for his drawing hands (and face it, any hand is drawing vs AA).. Smack him upside the head for raising you, and make him decide.

On a roll, I'll play these until I lose one at least.

$30+$3 NL 3-table tourney.

... This one we join in progress, I had some laundry folding to do so I wasn't able to write up the earliest stages.



We're 1/2 hour into this one. In the first 30 minutes there were 3 hands worth noting. I made a big steal with TT, blulffing hard into a king high flop with 3 opponents who had called a raise pre-flop. Another steal later with AQ on a king high flop after one person had called my raise.

I had 1200 at that point. I had QQ, I raised to 100 pre-flop(15/30 blinds at the time), a giant stack went all in, he had been making huge plays constantly, no way could Iput him on AA/AK/KK... I call quickly, and I am at ~2500 after I double upa gainst his pocket 7s.

[b]Level 4 - 25/50 blinds[b]

24 people remain, 33 minutes into the tourney.

After i fold my BB to a large raise, I have 2460 chips.

Big Hand #1
A8o, SB, I limp into a 4-way pot. J99 flop. Checked around. An 8 on the turn, I bet the pot(200), one calls and one goes all in behind me for 600. I fold and suprisingly the guy that called me also folded. I drop to 2210 after that one.

xx, button, folded
32o, cutoff, folded
Q7, MP, folded

7 people at my table, 21 left overall. dpark has 2300 chips, I have 2210, we are dominant chip leaders over the rest of the table right now. dpark is 2 to my right.

ATo, UTG+1. I fold it. The table has been too loose for me to push real hard from this position(like i did in my SB). Indeed, 4 people saw the flop for a raise, not many flops I'd like to see there.
9xo UTG, folds - 3 short stacks are all in. AA/JJ/99. JJ hits trips and isn't such a short stack anymore.

Down to two tables now, 17 left after some big attrition. I move to table 1 and see a lot of new opponents. dpark is directly to my right now. there are two very large stacks here, 3920(rhino2112, two to my right) and jynx_ur_hand(3300, about midway across from me).

73s, cutoff-1, folded

couple more crap hands folded

Level 5 - 50/100 blinds

82o, BB - I fold to a steal from rhino.
A3o, SB - I make a weak limp, it looks like this is getting checked around, I make a bet on the turn and take the pot.

I have 2310 chips, above average and more than enough to pressure a few of the guys at my table.

A5s, button. I fold this after the two giant stacks raise/call a raise.

Key Hand #2
ATo, cutoff. a short stack limps, I raise to 300. The short stack has about 450 left, if he calls me we're going all in on the flop I'm sure. Everyone else folds and he calls. He has 190 chips left and the pot is 700. The flop comes 992. he checks, I bet 200, he calls all in. DOH. Q9o. Queen on the turn and I'm dead to that.

Down to 1820 after that unfortunate flop.

K7o, cutoff-1, folded
97s, MP, folded
K2o, UTG+1, folds
72o, UTG, folds

92o, BB, free flop 4-handed. hard to get a good flop with 92o though and I fold on the flop.
J9o, SB. jynx_ur_hand has played his big stack well and is up over 5000 chips. He raises here and I fold. - TheFar goes all in, jynx calls, QQ vs A8s. TheFar doubles up.
J8s, button. Folded to a 300 raise from rhino.


Level 6 - 75/150 blinds

14 are left. TheFar gets moved and there's 7 at my table now.

My 1670 stack is now below average, the couple of hands I've tried to play haven't worked out well for me at all.

Down to 13 after 58o goes all in on a AK5 flop. 6 at my table.

94o, cutoff, folded. Down to 12, QQ vs 77.

Rhino one both of those all in's, he's up over 5000 chips now, wile jynx has fallen to 4100.

K5s, button(thanks to the all ins and people getting moved.. weird huh?), folded to a large raise from rhino.
37o, cutoff-1(guy that got mvoed got skipped for his button), folded

Key Hand #3
A8o UTG - I raise to 300. I have been silent hopefully I'll get respect. Wellnow. ROOKIE33 all in for 1366, rhino all in over the top of him. I fold. rookie has KK, rhino AA. king on the flop and rookie is looking good.

86o, BB. Folded to a 900 all in raise.
K8o SB, there's an all in before me, I fold, its called. rookie wins another big hand and dpark is gone.

We merge to 1 table during that, dpark is out tenth.

9 are left, unfortunately, I am the short stack here. TheFar, Juneyur and myself are under 1500. one guy as 2500, one has 3100, the rest are over 4K. Chip leader has 6300. I need a big hand to double up here. The blinds will likely be 100/200 when they hit me, I'd have 850 left if I fold through them, and the next time around would be decision time for me.

63s, UTG, folded - 4 people limp early, the button raises to 350, 2 call... 1600 pot pre-flop. jynx gets crippled going all in with KQ, 2nd pair, vs A8, top pair + flush draw. jynx is down to 1500 on the loss.

Level 6 - 100/200 blinds - hour break


bdc17 has 7568 chips
burk2828 - 5611
rookie33 - 4662
rhino2112 - 4284
wildd1 - 3063
jynx - 1502
juneyur - 1205
Me - 1145
TheFar - 960

blinds go through me right after we start back up. I certainly don't like my position but with a full table I feel I am very patient and play a short stack well.

hm, well. So much for having to play a short stack well, just go all in and hope to get lucky.

Key Hand #4
QQ, BB. rookie limps, rhino folds. Do I just go all in here or see a flop? I check to see the flop, afraid he'll just fold if I go all in from the BB. Flop comes 78T. I go all in on the flop and he calls. He has A9o. No ace, no cards to complete his straight. I double up+ a little to 2390. Comments on the pre-flop check?

crap, SB, folds.

I am 6th in chips now. Still short, and still need to improve to make the money, but I have life now.

53o, button, folds
42o, cutoff, folds
Q6o, cutoff-1, folds
32s, MP, folds - very limpy table, 3 ppl see the flop for the blind bet. two short stacks are in this one. and juneyur is gone, AT vs AQ, QTx flop.

Key Hand #5
KK, UTG+1. I raise to 500. wiilldd1 calls. CRAP. A87 flop. Does he have an ace? Can I NOT go all in here? please please comments here... I check. He chekcs. Turn pairs the 7 on the board. I check. He bets 500, into the 1300 flop. I think for a long time and re-raise him all in. He folds.

KTo, UTG, folds
K4o, BB, folds to a large raise.
Q3o, SB, folds

After that big hand I have 3290 chips, still below average, but in much much much better shape, I now expect to make the money unless a break goes against me.

I fold crap on the button and the cutoff. We lose wiilldd1 and are down to 7. Only two stacks are shorter than me. So maybe I'm ont in the great position where I can "expect ot make the money"

a few folds... then

Level 8 - 150/300 blinds

A3o, BB. rhino limps and I check. The flop is all hearts. My 3 is a heart, but that's it. We check to the river, rhino overbets the pot, and I fold. He shows a flopped flush.
75o, SB, folded. - TheFar wins a big pot and I'm the 2nd smallest stack now.

xx button, folded - Jynx (the short stack) goes all in for his last 900. J9 vs 33 when bdc17 calls him. jynx hits a straight with his J9 to double up.

K5o, cutoff, folded
J3o, MP, folded
T4o, UTG+1, folded - TheFar and jynx get involved in a 4 way pot. neither of them give up much though, and our positoins remain the sam.e
52o, UTG, folds. - jynx and thefar both limp again, 4 way pot with two big stacks and them to. jynx goes all in for 1404. Rhino calls. jynx has a straight draw. Rhino has a pair + the same draw. jynx is out.
T7s, BB - limped and checked down against a big stack, I lose to Q7.
J9o, SB, folded to raise.

right now its me and TheFar in the most trouble on the bubble. 2770 for him, 2390 for me. No one else is under 4000.

KJo, cutoff, folded to big raise, TheFar steals the blinds.
Kto, MP, folds
94s, UTG, folds - burk raises, thefar calls the pre-flop raise. TheFar gives it up on the flop though.
76o, BB. TheFar raises to 1000 pre-flop, I have to fold.
32o, SB, folds.
97o, button, folds - 4 limpers, not TheFar though
56o, cutoff, folds - 3 limp to see the flop again, but quick folds post flop

Level 9 - 200/400 blinds

I'm down to 1940. TheFar is at 2770, he's stolen much better than me.

T2s, MP, folds
Q9o UTG, I conisder playing but don't. TheFar has 2170 after blinds pass him.

K6o, BB. TheFar raises, rhino calls and I get outof the way. Rhino check-raises on the flop and TheFar is hurt bad, 970 chips.
J6s, SB, folds to big raise.

looking back up the list I regret not playing that KJ up there, now I'm just hoping to make the money any way I can

34o, button, folds
37o, cutoff, folds
77, MP. TheFar's big blind. I could fold and hope he blinds out, or I can play hard. I go all in. I steal the blinds.
KQo, UTG, I raise pre flop and steal the blinds again.

TheFar has 370 chips, I have 2140.

KK, BB. noooo come on, just give me crap until I make the money. burk2828 raises pre-flop. I call the min raise.

The flop comes JTx. What do I do? 1700 pot, I have 1800 left. I go all in. I'm really very torn here but I just cannot see myself folding in this spot. I go all in. burk calls. He has KQ, straight draw and backdoor flush draw. An ace on the turn gives him the straight and I bust out on the bubble, no money for me.


Thoughts? I almost certainly could have folded into the money after those two steals of the blinds, but I'd have been crippled. With KK I could have put myself in a position to win.

I was 50/50 on that decision. I can most definitely see your reasoning there, and it is very possibly what I should have done. At that point, my idea was "My chips are going into the middle no matter what happens here. What's the best way to get his in too." But I can see your point there for sure.

Key Hand #4
QQ, BB. rookie limps, rhino folds. Do I just go all in here or see a flop? I check to see the flop, afraid he'll just fold if I go all in from the BB. Flop comes 78T. I go all in on the flop and he calls. He has A9o. No ace, no cards to complete his straight. I double up+ a little to 2390. Comments on the pre-flop check?

Giuhhhhhhhhh.. I don't like this play, myself, not from a mechanical standpoint but because I get so snake bit on these. The amount of A-rag K-Rag hands that you'll see will beat your poor Q's when the A or K comes down (which it usually does) I would raise half your remaining chips (of course you are pot committed, but this is not a "information gathering" raise, it's a "here little fishyyy" type thing) I find that people assume you're stealing with that raise (since you didn't all-in, and have chips left), so they'll be more willing to bite

I agree with The Foz.

There are very few flops that help you, here... Only AQx, or KQx, really...

So what that means is, you get a crap flop of AKx or something where you're in a tough spot, or the flop is xxx and he has nothing to call you with. Might as well get all the chips in before the hand; you aren't usually going to lure him into anything extra on the flop.

No all-in preflop?? Kind of surprised you didn't do that; you make it seem like you knew you were committed to the pot anyways - why not just get it in preflop when there's a chance you steal the blinds?

Good points on the QQ hand. I think youre right, the check there was rather weak.


On the KK hand, I am definitely happy with how I played it pre-flop. On the flop, I'm not as sure but I don't think I did too much wrong here.

Here's my reasoning on the KK hand. This is one of the rare spots where I could lay down KK even though I'm a short stack late in a tourney. If the flop comes straight-flush possible or there's an ace, I can lay my hand down and just play for the money. But with any kind of a decent flop for me, I can go all in and be pretty certain I'm going to have the best hand.

I'm definitely curious about this, I was ready to lay the KK down to an ace flop, but, perhaps there was a better way to play it.

Thanks for all the comments so far.

I posted about this on another poker board I read (over at fool.com, there is an "On Tilt" board, it's not free though, I just love the site in general so I pay for it), and there were a good 10 replies or so... and I've totally reversed my thinking here. All-in or fold, and a fold is pretty weak given that on the bubble of a tournament bigger stacks are going to be willing to steal with a ton of hands, but may not be willing to risk a signifigant amount of chips with very many at all.

I should have gone all-in pre-flop, or maybe, *maybe* considered folding if I really really wanted to make the money more than anything.