Episode #2 has been completed... It's pretty much just a tournament summary. It can be found here
I talk about all 4 of my tournament cashes and summarize my play. Next episode (episode 3) we're going to talk about flat calling your opponents and trapping him, we're going to talk about limping. And we're going to talk about strategies for the loose and aggressive opponents
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Friday, September 21, 2007
Podcast #2 today!!!
Saturday... 9/22 I plan to do podcast episode number 2.. haven't been able to play a lot of poker lately, between work and other things I've been busy, but I played a cash game and made up for some lost ground from me getting beat a little overall in the sitNgos.
MTT with fields over 100 and actually over 1000 definitely are my best game and I missed out on a $3500 guarentee for only $7 an there were like 400 entries only. Lot of extra money in these so I'll be looking to play this maybe tomorrow if I remember, but otherwize probably not until next week. I think the more entries the greater my Return on my investments tends to be since more players= more money, and since I play a game where I accumulate chips and avoid getting all my chips as much as I can, all the chip accumulation from small pots adds up so much, and then on the bubble I steal, and when I finally do get all my chips in it's either with a hand where my opponent has very little chance of winning, or very late in tournament when I'm near or on the bubble or in the money.
I'm experimenting with a BIG pot BIG stack poker style where I'm REALLY overbetting a lot and using the all in move if the pot is right, it's another style that looks like a maniac style, but late in the middle stages of tournaments when I have a lot of chips it really gets me set up to get paid off since I know which opponents are likely to call and when they're strong... and I've done a lot of work with the mathematics of it, and I tested it at an ultimate bet qualifier... went from 20k to 65k back to 50k back up to 70k and then decided to go to bed, nearly autofolded into the money... I still want to do a lot of work with this method before I can actually explain it to you and tell you the "correct" way to play it and the correct situations. You really have to know your opponents and make a lot of tough decisions just like small pot poker, but it's exploiting when your opponent is too tight postflop and too loose preflop, or if it's someone that you can get a good read on you do it with position.
MTT with fields over 100 and actually over 1000 definitely are my best game and I missed out on a $3500 guarentee for only $7 an there were like 400 entries only. Lot of extra money in these so I'll be looking to play this maybe tomorrow if I remember, but otherwize probably not until next week. I think the more entries the greater my Return on my investments tends to be since more players= more money, and since I play a game where I accumulate chips and avoid getting all my chips as much as I can, all the chip accumulation from small pots adds up so much, and then on the bubble I steal, and when I finally do get all my chips in it's either with a hand where my opponent has very little chance of winning, or very late in tournament when I'm near or on the bubble or in the money.
I'm experimenting with a BIG pot BIG stack poker style where I'm REALLY overbetting a lot and using the all in move if the pot is right, it's another style that looks like a maniac style, but late in the middle stages of tournaments when I have a lot of chips it really gets me set up to get paid off since I know which opponents are likely to call and when they're strong... and I've done a lot of work with the mathematics of it, and I tested it at an ultimate bet qualifier... went from 20k to 65k back to 50k back up to 70k and then decided to go to bed, nearly autofolded into the money... I still want to do a lot of work with this method before I can actually explain it to you and tell you the "correct" way to play it and the correct situations. You really have to know your opponents and make a lot of tough decisions just like small pot poker, but it's exploiting when your opponent is too tight postflop and too loose preflop, or if it's someone that you can get a good read on you do it with position.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
bubble play 3rd cash
only recorded part of this bubble play... actually there was one hand that you'll probably see in the 2nd cash video with 88...
I caught the end of my KQs call all in from the big blind from someone trying to push me around.
Moved tables and folded a couple hands noticed one person trying to dominate the table, everyone else was tight. Raised with 78 and he tried to check raise me... Very unlikely that a J72 flop hit him, and who knows, he might give me way too much credit for a hand, if I get called I've got outs, but I really felt he was trying to bully me, so it was more of a reresteal than me thinking my hand was good there, although it probably was. He could have had AK, AQ, TT 99 88, J with bad kicker or nothing at all. As I've stated before I don't mind taking risks on the bubble to accumulate chips. the bubble came MUCH quicker than I wanted though, and I didn't really get a chance to steal the blinds. If I would have recognized it was approaching the bubble sooner I could have made some plays earlier, and then just stolen the blinds for a couple rounds. Flat called an early position raise with AQ... knew he was strong, a fold wouldn't be a bad decision, but I had position on him, and I felt he had like JJ,AK,AQs. I felt at this stage of the tournament he might try to limp with AA or KK. I figured a king comes he's going to lead out and I'm going to come over the top and win, but if a queen comes or an ace comes I'm going to win a decent pot. He bet less than a third of his stack so if he didn't have KK or AA it was an easy call... It would be a bad decision to push all in preflop because he could be strong, and if the flop misses, I get more information and a chance to outplay him. As it turned out I hit the queen, and he shoved... Well, to lay down to a bet in a pot like this when I HIT a pair I felt was playing too weak. He could have AK, he could have JJ and either felt to deeply invested into it and pot committed, or maybe he also has AQ, or maybe I gave him too much credit and he was just raising with KQs or KJs or rags intending to push. I figured I was beat about half the time here, but I could be beat and still win if I called and I was getting like 2 to 1. I was wrong, he had KK, but I got lucky and hit my ace and won.
--
post video I made a play on a guy who had raised a lot and gotten caught and raised the next hand. I had A3 and came over the top. It was bad timing and he went all in for like 1000 more chips so I had to call, he had 77, I hit my ace. played a little impatiently but it worked out okay, although I won't do that again. Then I had a flushdraw and gutshot draw and chose to checkraise the player all in, He had a set of 10s, I hit my flush, then he paired the board and won with a fullhouse and I was out.... I failed to gear down enough after the bubble.. I slowed down a little bit, but I was still over aggressive, and getting too involved in too many big pots with marginal hands and draws.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Zero to a thousand Poker Challenge Podcast ep 1
Click here to listen to the first episode of zero to a thousand poker challenge podcast
I finally figured out how to upload this podcast. I only have one made, but there will be more to come.
I would love your feedback.
I finally figured out how to upload this podcast. I only have one made, but there will be more to come.
I would love your feedback.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Zero to a thousand? OH BABY that helps!
Just ran REALLY well and got lucky as hell when it mattered most to win. I certainly played well up until the final table, but I took risks. Although my QQ got ran down by A6 in the biggest pot of the night multiway, I ended up shoving in with JT and picking up blinds, winning a coinflip with JT the next hand, then coming back and picking up aces to 2 limps and a raise, and finally going headsup down to one on one at the final table aginst the same guy who took all my chips with A6 vs QQ... But this time I would get my revenge...
It's funny because I teased him telling him to consider my chips a loan to him, telling him I'll get them all back... plus interest. I figured if I ran into him again, I would pick up a hand and let him try to keep running me over and bluffing away as he did whenever people called him . I met him again at the final table.
The final table was quick as hell. There were a few people a bunch of limpers and me completing on the SB and the BB raising. he raised pretty big, and i figured he was making a steal, or had a low pair, but I opted for the stop and go with AJ. On low card board I didn't shove all in so I made his decesion a little tougher, but I committed 3/4 my stack on the raise so basically was all in. The chips were right for this move, especially since I figured him for a pair which I have 6 outs, rags which he'll fold but if I push preflop he might be less likely to giv it up. or an ace with me either being dominated, or him dominating me, but if this was the case, I think he'd have to fold because he knows I could have hit. When he said "no way do you call there" either before or after I called, I knew that he was angry about it and didn't want me to call. This meant he probably didn't have AK or AQ because he wouldn't be so angry about it. he could have KQ, but my initial read could have been right, minus AK and AQ. I pushed and he said "no way you have anything" but he folded anyways. Not only do I get him to fold more often this way, but If I flop something big, I can lead out with a very small bet and he'll feel like calling will commit too much, and the bet is too small to fold to, so he'll probably push and I can get more when I hit. It was a very bold move to make, but at the final table you're not playing for second, you've done that all tournament, you gotta play to win, or to place top 5. The move was made a little earlier than I needed to, But I just felt like the guy was on a steal from the BB... his raise was a large portion in relationship to the chipstacks, which screamed "please fold!" He knew that people PROBABLY wouldn't want to commit a large amount of there stack. He actually raised in a position where if he gets called he can push all in. He has a lot of ways to win the pot, so if he's a maniac style player, he's raising with any hand there. I know how much people get aggressive at this stage of the table, and I really felt I could take it awy from him. I was getting just over 2 to 1 here. I actually felt like my hand might be best here, but it wasn't that big of dog with all the money in the pot, and I had a chance that I'd be a coinflip to the river, but had a large chance that my aggression would in anyways, or have 6 outs if not at least a large enough of the tim where it was the right move in the long run in terms of chips. In terms of survival it's a horrible move, and thus should never be done early on in tourneys or even in the middle part. But if you want to play for the win, it should be done. I think the above example is basically the perfect example of a stop and go. Ideally you'd do it with AQ. Some say hands like 88 or 99 are good hands too, but it depends, how likely you are to get called with 2 overcards to the board. Personally I'd rather be the one pushing with 2 overs, and if my oponent calls with a pair I got outs, but it does make some sense because a pair from preflop to the river is only a slight favorite, a pair to the flop is like a 70% chance of being best. However, you're probably only going to get called with a hand that has you absolutely crushed to 2 outs. Personally I'd rather push with outs, and be able to extract value if I hit.
So I took that pot down and jumped up from like 380K to 600k
it was a hell of a tournament and I outlasted over 4200 players and took down the win...
$222 baby!
I had no idea the challenge would get going as quickly as it did... nor did I think such a large portion would come from freerolls alone, but it did, and now I can play with some bigger cash. I'll do all the math and put up final table and stuff this weekend, and I'll try to get my other videos too
4th freeroll cash, I've just been on FIRE lately.
This was the luckiest I got in awhile... my opponent was raising every single hand, i opted to limp push him representing a monster hoping he would allow me to play some small pots. He couldn't have a hand everytime, but he happened to have one that time.. he flipped AA over but I caught a 4card flush with my Q7.. that's DAMN lucky. Then A5 the next hand I was raised and pushed and he had 55 and I hit my ace and won it. It was pretty rediculous, but I got him back for busting my Queens and THEN some.
anyways I got work early tommorrow, and I gotta get some sleep so moreto come later!
It's funny because I teased him telling him to consider my chips a loan to him, telling him I'll get them all back... plus interest. I figured if I ran into him again, I would pick up a hand and let him try to keep running me over and bluffing away as he did whenever people called him . I met him again at the final table.
The final table was quick as hell. There were a few people a bunch of limpers and me completing on the SB and the BB raising. he raised pretty big, and i figured he was making a steal, or had a low pair, but I opted for the stop and go with AJ. On low card board I didn't shove all in so I made his decesion a little tougher, but I committed 3/4 my stack on the raise so basically was all in. The chips were right for this move, especially since I figured him for a pair which I have 6 outs, rags which he'll fold but if I push preflop he might be less likely to giv it up. or an ace with me either being dominated, or him dominating me, but if this was the case, I think he'd have to fold because he knows I could have hit. When he said "no way do you call there" either before or after I called, I knew that he was angry about it and didn't want me to call. This meant he probably didn't have AK or AQ because he wouldn't be so angry about it. he could have KQ, but my initial read could have been right, minus AK and AQ. I pushed and he said "no way you have anything" but he folded anyways. Not only do I get him to fold more often this way, but If I flop something big, I can lead out with a very small bet and he'll feel like calling will commit too much, and the bet is too small to fold to, so he'll probably push and I can get more when I hit. It was a very bold move to make, but at the final table you're not playing for second, you've done that all tournament, you gotta play to win, or to place top 5. The move was made a little earlier than I needed to, But I just felt like the guy was on a steal from the BB... his raise was a large portion in relationship to the chipstacks, which screamed "please fold!" He knew that people PROBABLY wouldn't want to commit a large amount of there stack. He actually raised in a position where if he gets called he can push all in. He has a lot of ways to win the pot, so if he's a maniac style player, he's raising with any hand there. I know how much people get aggressive at this stage of the table, and I really felt I could take it awy from him. I was getting just over 2 to 1 here. I actually felt like my hand might be best here, but it wasn't that big of dog with all the money in the pot, and I had a chance that I'd be a coinflip to the river, but had a large chance that my aggression would in anyways, or have 6 outs if not at least a large enough of the tim where it was the right move in the long run in terms of chips. In terms of survival it's a horrible move, and thus should never be done early on in tourneys or even in the middle part. But if you want to play for the win, it should be done. I think the above example is basically the perfect example of a stop and go. Ideally you'd do it with AQ. Some say hands like 88 or 99 are good hands too, but it depends, how likely you are to get called with 2 overcards to the board. Personally I'd rather be the one pushing with 2 overs, and if my oponent calls with a pair I got outs, but it does make some sense because a pair from preflop to the river is only a slight favorite, a pair to the flop is like a 70% chance of being best. However, you're probably only going to get called with a hand that has you absolutely crushed to 2 outs. Personally I'd rather push with outs, and be able to extract value if I hit.
So I took that pot down and jumped up from like 380K to 600k
it was a hell of a tournament and I outlasted over 4200 players and took down the win...
$222 baby!
I had no idea the challenge would get going as quickly as it did... nor did I think such a large portion would come from freerolls alone, but it did, and now I can play with some bigger cash. I'll do all the math and put up final table and stuff this weekend, and I'll try to get my other videos too
4th freeroll cash, I've just been on FIRE lately.
This was the luckiest I got in awhile... my opponent was raising every single hand, i opted to limp push him representing a monster hoping he would allow me to play some small pots. He couldn't have a hand everytime, but he happened to have one that time.. he flipped AA over but I caught a 4card flush with my Q7.. that's DAMN lucky. Then A5 the next hand I was raised and pushed and he had 55 and I hit my ace and won it. It was pretty rediculous, but I got him back for busting my Queens and THEN some.
anyways I got work early tommorrow, and I gotta get some sleep so moreto come later!
Monday, September 10, 2007
My 2nd cash pic
Here's a pic of my 2nd cash, my biggest cash, and my first win. $25. This tournament had under 500 players and the field was pretty weak at the right times. I didn't play as many hands as usual, and it was more of a helmuth style small ball (playing much fewer hands), but it was effective. I picked it up a little bit at times, and that's around when I had my first all in when I hit a set and my opponent pushed all in with a flushdraw. That was the only time I was all in other than the final table with a significant amount of my stack at play.
Once I got to the final table I opted to shove all in with 88 on the BB hoping that people would just fold and if they did fold I'd probably get people folding to my big blind. But I was called by AJ and managed to win. The only other time I was all in was when I was headsup with my opponent drawing dead. he had me covered by 1.5k so the next hand he was done.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
it was bound to happen
If you read the last post, you know that I said how well I played, and I just had to be playig more often so I could qualify/win more... that maybe when I start running well I'll get the big one...
Well I decided to multitable a little bit so I could play more. And Not only did I place in the money in one, but I won the entire thing... $25 Cash! Now that's enough to get my bankroll started... ESPECIALLY at world poker exchange where it's "no rake" you get all your rake back.
I was all in once before the final table with bottom set against a flushdraw...
I would have preferred to get it all in on the turn or just played a small pot UNTIL the turn, and if i had to check the turn to induce a bluff I would, but when your opponent shoves all in you don't have too much of a choice. So I took it down there. I'm not even positive it was all my chips at risk, but if it wasn't it was significant enough where I'd have a slim chance of advancing. I had quite a few people move in on me, but all my chips weren't at risk. I had a few flushes but there wasn't an all in it was just big bets. On the final table I shoved all in because I was the 2nd shortest stack about 6-7 handed. I got called by AK and won the coinflip and doubled up. So I had my money in as a 74% (set vs flushdraw) a 55% and finally headsup I was a 100%. So really based on when my money was all in on the line, I was about 40% to win.
That's not all... I just so happened to make it in the money at the bodog $1000 I'm guarenteed $2 at this point but I'm still playing and first place is $220...
Not bad considering I had to autofold quite a few hands to focus in one winning.
I got a portion of the final table 3 handed recorded that I'll get up for you soon so you can see a little bit how I play... Unfortunately you don't get a chance to see how tight I was playing before hand, but you do see what the effect of playing tight as well as realizing your opponents aren't calling stations or anything. I had to cut the vid short.. I was hoping that if I made it headsup I would have the video recording software done compiling it so I could record it it but I didn't get a chance to. Basically I tightened up within 2-3 mins before the next blind raise so I could steal again. With that done, I ended up grinding my way up until I got headsup. Once headsup I kept stealing pots until we were about even in chips. Then I had 45 on the button/SB raised it I hit the 5 on the flop and bet and my opponent called. Then I hit a 5 again and I bet and was raised pretty big. I called and I basically checked quickly the same way I did when I was on a draw earlier and decided to fold... My opponent shoved all in and I called and he had ace high and was drawing dead.
At Bodog's $1000 gaurentee I actually had to fold a lot more hands then I wanted to because of the autofold feature and laggy software... I played a AP tournamnet (to which I came in 444th) and tried to play an UB qualifier again, but I got too distracted so I put that one on autofold so i could play the others came back with 1100 with 150/300 blinds and basically checked down 83 BB vs SB and won, but after that my 88 lost to 44... I didn't have too much of a shot at comming back unless I won a big pot so I just flat called a raise inviting anyone and everyone in the pot. The flop came J42 and there was an initial bet and a raise and I pushed and the first bettor folded and the guy called with 44 and I was done. All these tournaments were difficult to keep track of, but I was still doing well.
Unfortunately I missed the part where I realized the bubble was comming up, but I did catch it towards the end of it, so I got to make an aggressive call when a guy shoved all in on my big blind. I had KQ and he had KJ. I took him out, but unfortunately couldn't run over that table because i moved tables right after that. I folded the first hand to make sure there were no maniacs at the table, but the next hand I got 78off and played... you'll have to see the video when it's done to check it out. an UTG raised and this was after the bubble so I had to just call with AQs. the flop came Q86 and the guy check raised all in. I knew he was strong, but he could have AQ, AK, JJ, or TT and I have all those hands beat so I had to call since I was getting nearly 2 to 1 on my money. He turned over KK but as I was saying Nice hand the ace peeled off. I'd like to raise right now but I have a loose player who occasionally plays like a maniac on my right, so I'm blinding down waiting for a hand, and Bodog's structure doesn't allow for too much waiting at this kind of table.
29 players left... fortunately blinding down to a short stack doesn't hurt me too much since there's 18k dead money in the pot and everyone's short stacked in relation to the blinds... so if I manage to pickup a hand and there's a limper or two whether double up or get away with the steal, I'm pretty much right back in it.
I'm going to try to be as conservative as the blinds allow me right now until I get a stack I can play around with. I might have to push from the button or small blind or big blind one of these times, but if I only get 1 caller I'm still going to have so much dead money. I'm just waiting to set a trap, but sometimes that hand doesn't come and you have to create profitable situations. I have the same guy minraising my blind every time, but others are calling behind him so a push from there would be a good spot.
As I was typing this I got lucky and beat a guy with A3 vs 77, I tried to resteal and he pushed but it was only like hardly a big blind more... but he just called someone down with pocket 2s after the flop, and he raised the next hand he was crippled I figured it could easily be a tilt situation so I thought my ace high could easily be the best hand and I was looking for a spot to resteal. On the big blind I picked up a pair with a flushdraw and decided to check raise all in. The guy had a set of tenss and although I hit my flush on the turn, the board paired on the river and I went out 20th place. Bodog claims to pay 6.40 to 20th, but it says "you finished 20th and recieve $3.04 so I'm not sure what's up with that... but between the software lagging, the lack of time to decide, the too fast blind structures, that's yet another reason why I don't like Bodog very much.
Results so far
Pokerstars: $0.15 in account, can't use to play anything.
Bodog: 3.04.. wait $6.40 I guess the message was wrong but they transfered it right.
World Poker Exchange:$25
Total Bankroll: $31.55 from freerolls alone and it's been less than a month since the challenge. When it comes to freerolls, Chris Ferguson ain't got nothing on me! :)
So far I've placed in the money or qualified in about 25% of my tournaments by my estimate... Which is good, but considering how well I've got my money in, it could be better.
I think picking up the Micon System Secrets helped me realize some things that may help me get a few more pots... For example: there's a lot more value than I realized in making moves with A5 and stuff mid-later on against opponents who like to steal with KQ and defend the blinds with KJ.
Certainly don't spend the money on the Micon Secrets if you are just freerolling yourself for fun, but realize that once you have the money, just being able to win a pot or two more every hour in a tournament could be enough because then your double ups will mean more, and you'll be able to sit around a little longer without making a move and be able to pickup that hand you need. It could mean the difference between making the money and not, and over every tournament you play in your career, it will make a huge difference.
For now you might just want to sit at a Barnes and Nobles or a library and read Dan Harrington's books Harrington on holdem, or Daniel Negreanu's Power Holdem Strategy, Or Brunson's Supersystem I and II.
But if you can afford it, audio programs like the Micon Secrets offer the benefit of being able to listen to it at night with the lights off before you go to sleep or to listen to it while you play, you can pause it without losing your spot, and for some people audio is much easier to follow. It also gives you "video lessons" with Gank, so you can watch him dominate the tables and see his hole cards. If you think watching me at the freeroll tables is valuable, you have to check this out.
He also offers a 100% money back guarantee, so You can always try it out for 60 days and send him a message back and dump it.
Anyways, I've made the mistake of cashing in one of these bodog events then proceeding to play and dump off the money, so I'm going to bed and I'll grind my way up in the "beginner sitNgo's" or cashgames... Based on my bankroll I can only sit with about $1.6 for sitNgos and cash games and .63 for MTTs. However, I'm allowing myself to play the "minnimum" games while I'm starting out since the only alternative is more freerolls.
Now that I got my cashed rolling in, I'm going to figure out this podcasting thing and get it set up. I'm going to load up the videos, and if I can, I'll see if I can use ourmedia.org to load videos larger than 100MBs. If I can and actually am able to link to them, I'll actually record entire tournaments with audio to them.
I got a lot planned, hopefully I can get to it all fairly quickly.
seeya next time
-Mike
Well I decided to multitable a little bit so I could play more. And Not only did I place in the money in one, but I won the entire thing... $25 Cash! Now that's enough to get my bankroll started... ESPECIALLY at world poker exchange where it's "no rake" you get all your rake back.
I was all in once before the final table with bottom set against a flushdraw...
I would have preferred to get it all in on the turn or just played a small pot UNTIL the turn, and if i had to check the turn to induce a bluff I would, but when your opponent shoves all in you don't have too much of a choice. So I took it down there. I'm not even positive it was all my chips at risk, but if it wasn't it was significant enough where I'd have a slim chance of advancing. I had quite a few people move in on me, but all my chips weren't at risk. I had a few flushes but there wasn't an all in it was just big bets. On the final table I shoved all in because I was the 2nd shortest stack about 6-7 handed. I got called by AK and won the coinflip and doubled up. So I had my money in as a 74% (set vs flushdraw) a 55% and finally headsup I was a 100%. So really based on when my money was all in on the line, I was about 40% to win.
That's not all... I just so happened to make it in the money at the bodog $1000 I'm guarenteed $2 at this point but I'm still playing and first place is $220...
Not bad considering I had to autofold quite a few hands to focus in one winning.
I got a portion of the final table 3 handed recorded that I'll get up for you soon so you can see a little bit how I play... Unfortunately you don't get a chance to see how tight I was playing before hand, but you do see what the effect of playing tight as well as realizing your opponents aren't calling stations or anything. I had to cut the vid short.. I was hoping that if I made it headsup I would have the video recording software done compiling it so I could record it it but I didn't get a chance to. Basically I tightened up within 2-3 mins before the next blind raise so I could steal again. With that done, I ended up grinding my way up until I got headsup. Once headsup I kept stealing pots until we were about even in chips. Then I had 45 on the button/SB raised it I hit the 5 on the flop and bet and my opponent called. Then I hit a 5 again and I bet and was raised pretty big. I called and I basically checked quickly the same way I did when I was on a draw earlier and decided to fold... My opponent shoved all in and I called and he had ace high and was drawing dead.
At Bodog's $1000 gaurentee I actually had to fold a lot more hands then I wanted to because of the autofold feature and laggy software... I played a AP tournamnet (to which I came in 444th) and tried to play an UB qualifier again, but I got too distracted so I put that one on autofold so i could play the others came back with 1100 with 150/300 blinds and basically checked down 83 BB vs SB and won, but after that my 88 lost to 44... I didn't have too much of a shot at comming back unless I won a big pot so I just flat called a raise inviting anyone and everyone in the pot. The flop came J42 and there was an initial bet and a raise and I pushed and the first bettor folded and the guy called with 44 and I was done. All these tournaments were difficult to keep track of, but I was still doing well.
Unfortunately I missed the part where I realized the bubble was comming up, but I did catch it towards the end of it, so I got to make an aggressive call when a guy shoved all in on my big blind. I had KQ and he had KJ. I took him out, but unfortunately couldn't run over that table because i moved tables right after that. I folded the first hand to make sure there were no maniacs at the table, but the next hand I got 78off and played... you'll have to see the video when it's done to check it out. an UTG raised and this was after the bubble so I had to just call with AQs. the flop came Q86 and the guy check raised all in. I knew he was strong, but he could have AQ, AK, JJ, or TT and I have all those hands beat so I had to call since I was getting nearly 2 to 1 on my money. He turned over KK but as I was saying Nice hand the ace peeled off. I'd like to raise right now but I have a loose player who occasionally plays like a maniac on my right, so I'm blinding down waiting for a hand, and Bodog's structure doesn't allow for too much waiting at this kind of table.
29 players left... fortunately blinding down to a short stack doesn't hurt me too much since there's 18k dead money in the pot and everyone's short stacked in relation to the blinds... so if I manage to pickup a hand and there's a limper or two whether double up or get away with the steal, I'm pretty much right back in it.
I'm going to try to be as conservative as the blinds allow me right now until I get a stack I can play around with. I might have to push from the button or small blind or big blind one of these times, but if I only get 1 caller I'm still going to have so much dead money. I'm just waiting to set a trap, but sometimes that hand doesn't come and you have to create profitable situations. I have the same guy minraising my blind every time, but others are calling behind him so a push from there would be a good spot.
As I was typing this I got lucky and beat a guy with A3 vs 77, I tried to resteal and he pushed but it was only like hardly a big blind more... but he just called someone down with pocket 2s after the flop, and he raised the next hand he was crippled I figured it could easily be a tilt situation so I thought my ace high could easily be the best hand and I was looking for a spot to resteal. On the big blind I picked up a pair with a flushdraw and decided to check raise all in. The guy had a set of tenss and although I hit my flush on the turn, the board paired on the river and I went out 20th place. Bodog claims to pay 6.40 to 20th, but it says "you finished 20th and recieve $3.04 so I'm not sure what's up with that... but between the software lagging, the lack of time to decide, the too fast blind structures, that's yet another reason why I don't like Bodog very much.
Results so far
Pokerstars: $0.15 in account, can't use to play anything.
Bodog: 3.04.. wait $6.40 I guess the message was wrong but they transfered it right.
World Poker Exchange:$25
Total Bankroll: $31.55 from freerolls alone and it's been less than a month since the challenge. When it comes to freerolls, Chris Ferguson ain't got nothing on me! :)
So far I've placed in the money or qualified in about 25% of my tournaments by my estimate... Which is good, but considering how well I've got my money in, it could be better.
I think picking up the Micon System Secrets helped me realize some things that may help me get a few more pots... For example: there's a lot more value than I realized in making moves with A5 and stuff mid-later on against opponents who like to steal with KQ and defend the blinds with KJ.
Certainly don't spend the money on the Micon Secrets if you are just freerolling yourself for fun, but realize that once you have the money, just being able to win a pot or two more every hour in a tournament could be enough because then your double ups will mean more, and you'll be able to sit around a little longer without making a move and be able to pickup that hand you need. It could mean the difference between making the money and not, and over every tournament you play in your career, it will make a huge difference.
For now you might just want to sit at a Barnes and Nobles or a library and read Dan Harrington's books Harrington on holdem, or Daniel Negreanu's Power Holdem Strategy, Or Brunson's Supersystem I and II.
But if you can afford it, audio programs like the Micon Secrets offer the benefit of being able to listen to it at night with the lights off before you go to sleep or to listen to it while you play, you can pause it without losing your spot, and for some people audio is much easier to follow. It also gives you "video lessons" with Gank, so you can watch him dominate the tables and see his hole cards. If you think watching me at the freeroll tables is valuable, you have to check this out.
He also offers a 100% money back guarantee, so You can always try it out for 60 days and send him a message back and dump it.
Anyways, I've made the mistake of cashing in one of these bodog events then proceeding to play and dump off the money, so I'm going to bed and I'll grind my way up in the "beginner sitNgo's" or cashgames... Based on my bankroll I can only sit with about $1.6 for sitNgos and cash games and .63 for MTTs. However, I'm allowing myself to play the "minnimum" games while I'm starting out since the only alternative is more freerolls.
Now that I got my cashed rolling in, I'm going to figure out this podcasting thing and get it set up. I'm going to load up the videos, and if I can, I'll see if I can use ourmedia.org to load videos larger than 100MBs. If I can and actually am able to link to them, I'll actually record entire tournaments with audio to them.
I got a lot planned, hopefully I can get to it all fairly quickly.
seeya next time
-Mike
Saturday, September 8, 2007
running bad when it matters in tournaments
I can't tell you how many times I've been in dominant position late in tournaments only for the guy to suck out after all my money is in. It can be very frustrating at times when you play so good, but its not enough
Recently there were about 140 players left in a qualifier needing to get top 30 to qualify. I was about in 100th place but still had plenty of chips. I had been playing really tight, but I made 1 steal from the SB after a limper and one small raise and on the flop steal after it was folded to me. People were respecting my raises, but I felt like I probably had gotten a little more respect than I should and that someone was going to catch on.
I pick up KK after a limper and so I raised it the exact same amount as I did before from the SB after a limper and I got called. I knew he must have figured that I couldn't have a good hand all of those times... I had about 13000 in chips and I raised to about 3400 at 300/600 blinds. I was called from the button and the flop came 346 with 2 spades. I could have shoved all in right here and take it down, but I elected to bet small to try to extract value rather than protect my hand ... The reason being that taking down an extra 4500 probably wouldn't give me enough to make it into the top 30 without having to take a coinflip... Getting all of his chips meant I was going to have over 30k and be able to coast into the top 30 with an occasional steal and a small pot played with a big hand allowing me to get all my chips. I also couldn't see him folding AK here anyways, and if he had a weaker ace he's only going to hit on the turn 6% of the time, and if it doesn't come I'm getting all of my money in. So I bet nearly half my chips and he after thinking forever decides to call. The turn is a queen and I shove in. He calls turning over QJ! what he was doing in the hand preflop I really don't know other than he had position and I may have been stealing, but calling on the flop there is nuts. But I have no problem with him playing like that... I know in freerolls you expect this kind of thing so you can't be too suprized... But having 1/4 of my money in preflop as an 80% fav a third of my money in on the flop as an 95% fav, and the rest on the turn as an 88% favorite, the river queen sure suprized me.
I don't know in this situation if there was anythign I could have done better this tourney. The only other time I was all in is when I limp then a guy raised and someone else called in EP I raised with 9s midway through trying to represent a big hand like AA or Kk. The guy called with the EP player still left to act letting him in the hand and I knew I was beat. But I only had 1/9th of my stack in preflop so I was going to fold if I missed. But a 9T3 flop hit and the EP player lead out and so I shoved all in knowing they both were really strong and the other guy pushed over the top causing a fold and I had a set vs KK. I was If you consider that my chips were in preflop as a 20% dog, but I got 90% of them in as a 90% favorite. So you can say that overall I was about an 85% favorite with my money in here. Now the KK vs QJ hand I was an 86% fav a 95% fav and a 88% fav, so lets just say about a 90% fav based on overall what I was when I got my money in...
So 90% chance to win and an 85% to win. Of the 90% that I survive, I'm going to survive again 85%... If you could say with certainty that I would make the money from there, I had An overall chance of 76.5% chance to make the money. I can't say I've been in a better spot. I wouldn't say it was absolute certainty though... I'd say there was about a n 88% chance that if I win that hand I go on to qualify. If I get stuck at a maniac table, or if everyone left plays really conservative and I'm card dead I might have to take a chance. I also might have to play aces all in preflop at a maniac table, but I'm NOT going to have to take a coinflip unless I get really card dead at a maniac table. So given that I'm 88% to win if I win that hand I'm still 67.3% to qualify.
Previous to this tournament, since the challenge the best I've been to qualify has been about 30%. I flat called a raise with JJ and had to dump it after an AK flop and he shoved in. I played QQ to the river twice and won a pretty decent sized pot but wasn't all in. I wasn't even at very weak tables so I actually had to selectively play small pots, more like Helmuth does than Daniel Negreanu. I made a pretty good bluff firing two bullets on the flop and turn with 94. After playing really tight I opened up under the gun with 94 on a good player's BB (that was capable of folding). After being checked to on an AJ4 flop I bet and my opponent just called. J hit the turn making a third heart on the board. If my opponent had a small pair or a weak ace which was the most likely, he'd be out to even a small bet. I bet like 1/3rd of the pot on the flop and 40% of the pot on the turn, so I only needed to be right on the turn 40% of the time for it to be a good bet. I showed my bluff so I could have someone call me down when I had a set or big pair but the table broke up. Other than that I didn't make any big moves. I played position and chopped small pots but really didn't get a chance to very often. I played really rock like, limping with AK AQ and AJ and folding if it missed and there was bets. There were just a couple people betting huge on the flop. In the past I'd play small pots preflop with drawing hands, but I really didn't have that many chips to try to hit something big at that time, and there was usually only 1 or two in the pot so if I hit a pair with a flushdraw, it might not have been good, and I wouldn't have that many people in the pot to get paid off. Once I picked up the hands, I was just called down so I didn't have to be all in, but I could still commit a large enough amount of my chips for me to accumulate chips with lesser risk. When the blinds and ante got involved I was waiting for a chance for it to fold toe me so I could try a 2.5X big blind to either take it down preflop or on the flop. But that never happened, so i ended up stealing from SB with KJ and from CU with T9s both after limpers... Sure, had the QQ gotten rivered I would've lost a fairly significant amount, but had the flop come AK3 I could fire out a small bet and see where I'm at get away with the hand fairly cheap. The JJ most likely DID get cracked, but I only lost a couple big blinds because I played a small pot. Maybe my opponent had TT, but there's no reason to extract value at risk of elimination until it gets later, the blinds get significant and pot gets big and conditions get tough.
It's not that suprizing that I've only qualified once, because I've been a 20% and 30% and 25% and now about 70%... But it's certainly frustrating to have it be late in the tourney when my moneys in so good and I'm only 1 double up away from being in such good position to qualify and not winning. I guess I have to just start playing more. Hopefully when I start running good, I'll qualify, and then place deep in the money of the BIG 1k tourney. If that happens... watch out, my journey to 1K should be just around the corner.
Recently there were about 140 players left in a qualifier needing to get top 30 to qualify. I was about in 100th place but still had plenty of chips. I had been playing really tight, but I made 1 steal from the SB after a limper and one small raise and on the flop steal after it was folded to me. People were respecting my raises, but I felt like I probably had gotten a little more respect than I should and that someone was going to catch on.
I pick up KK after a limper and so I raised it the exact same amount as I did before from the SB after a limper and I got called. I knew he must have figured that I couldn't have a good hand all of those times... I had about 13000 in chips and I raised to about 3400 at 300/600 blinds. I was called from the button and the flop came 346 with 2 spades. I could have shoved all in right here and take it down, but I elected to bet small to try to extract value rather than protect my hand ... The reason being that taking down an extra 4500 probably wouldn't give me enough to make it into the top 30 without having to take a coinflip... Getting all of his chips meant I was going to have over 30k and be able to coast into the top 30 with an occasional steal and a small pot played with a big hand allowing me to get all my chips. I also couldn't see him folding AK here anyways, and if he had a weaker ace he's only going to hit on the turn 6% of the time, and if it doesn't come I'm getting all of my money in. So I bet nearly half my chips and he after thinking forever decides to call. The turn is a queen and I shove in. He calls turning over QJ! what he was doing in the hand preflop I really don't know other than he had position and I may have been stealing, but calling on the flop there is nuts. But I have no problem with him playing like that... I know in freerolls you expect this kind of thing so you can't be too suprized... But having 1/4 of my money in preflop as an 80% fav a third of my money in on the flop as an 95% fav, and the rest on the turn as an 88% favorite, the river queen sure suprized me.
I don't know in this situation if there was anythign I could have done better this tourney. The only other time I was all in is when I limp then a guy raised and someone else called in EP I raised with 9s midway through trying to represent a big hand like AA or Kk. The guy called with the EP player still left to act letting him in the hand and I knew I was beat. But I only had 1/9th of my stack in preflop so I was going to fold if I missed. But a 9T3 flop hit and the EP player lead out and so I shoved all in knowing they both were really strong and the other guy pushed over the top causing a fold and I had a set vs KK. I was If you consider that my chips were in preflop as a 20% dog, but I got 90% of them in as a 90% favorite. So you can say that overall I was about an 85% favorite with my money in here. Now the KK vs QJ hand I was an 86% fav a 95% fav and a 88% fav, so lets just say about a 90% fav based on overall what I was when I got my money in...
So 90% chance to win and an 85% to win. Of the 90% that I survive, I'm going to survive again 85%... If you could say with certainty that I would make the money from there, I had An overall chance of 76.5% chance to make the money. I can't say I've been in a better spot. I wouldn't say it was absolute certainty though... I'd say there was about a n 88% chance that if I win that hand I go on to qualify. If I get stuck at a maniac table, or if everyone left plays really conservative and I'm card dead I might have to take a chance. I also might have to play aces all in preflop at a maniac table, but I'm NOT going to have to take a coinflip unless I get really card dead at a maniac table. So given that I'm 88% to win if I win that hand I'm still 67.3% to qualify.
Previous to this tournament, since the challenge the best I've been to qualify has been about 30%. I flat called a raise with JJ and had to dump it after an AK flop and he shoved in. I played QQ to the river twice and won a pretty decent sized pot but wasn't all in. I wasn't even at very weak tables so I actually had to selectively play small pots, more like Helmuth does than Daniel Negreanu. I made a pretty good bluff firing two bullets on the flop and turn with 94. After playing really tight I opened up under the gun with 94 on a good player's BB (that was capable of folding). After being checked to on an AJ4 flop I bet and my opponent just called. J hit the turn making a third heart on the board. If my opponent had a small pair or a weak ace which was the most likely, he'd be out to even a small bet. I bet like 1/3rd of the pot on the flop and 40% of the pot on the turn, so I only needed to be right on the turn 40% of the time for it to be a good bet. I showed my bluff so I could have someone call me down when I had a set or big pair but the table broke up. Other than that I didn't make any big moves. I played position and chopped small pots but really didn't get a chance to very often. I played really rock like, limping with AK AQ and AJ and folding if it missed and there was bets. There were just a couple people betting huge on the flop. In the past I'd play small pots preflop with drawing hands, but I really didn't have that many chips to try to hit something big at that time, and there was usually only 1 or two in the pot so if I hit a pair with a flushdraw, it might not have been good, and I wouldn't have that many people in the pot to get paid off. Once I picked up the hands, I was just called down so I didn't have to be all in, but I could still commit a large enough amount of my chips for me to accumulate chips with lesser risk. When the blinds and ante got involved I was waiting for a chance for it to fold toe me so I could try a 2.5X big blind to either take it down preflop or on the flop. But that never happened, so i ended up stealing from SB with KJ and from CU with T9s both after limpers... Sure, had the QQ gotten rivered I would've lost a fairly significant amount, but had the flop come AK3 I could fire out a small bet and see where I'm at get away with the hand fairly cheap. The JJ most likely DID get cracked, but I only lost a couple big blinds because I played a small pot. Maybe my opponent had TT, but there's no reason to extract value at risk of elimination until it gets later, the blinds get significant and pot gets big and conditions get tough.
It's not that suprizing that I've only qualified once, because I've been a 20% and 30% and 25% and now about 70%... But it's certainly frustrating to have it be late in the tourney when my moneys in so good and I'm only 1 double up away from being in such good position to qualify and not winning. I guess I have to just start playing more. Hopefully when I start running good, I'll qualify, and then place deep in the money of the BIG 1k tourney. If that happens... watch out, my journey to 1K should be just around the corner.
Friday, September 7, 2007
Poker Secrets
I'm constantly trying to learn how to improve my game. As a poker player, you play the game to make money. If you want to earn money playing poker, every bit of information you can gain, every book you read, every program or coaching service you download is so important over the course of your career. 1 extra big bet per hour, one extra move in tournaments that help you get to the final table even 5% more often, all of that just compounds on itself because everytim you get enough to move up in cash, that 1 big bet per hour is THAT much more important. That extra 5% of final tables is HUGE. That's the ultimate goal in poker, to make as much per hour, whether you play tournaments, cash games, or sigNgos as possible.
Also very important is bankroll management. It doesn't matter HOW much money you make with your style, if you play with too much of your bankroll and lose it all and don't have other income to quickly regenerate your bankroll, everything is done, and all that you made is useless... On the other hand, if you don't play with enough of your bankroll, you're limiting how much you can make.
Throughout the course of your career, there's nothing better that you can do than to dedicate some of your money andinvest it in the development of your game.
There are many great books out there in poker, but many of them everyone seems to impliment. But you see poker is a game where there's always some sort of counter strategy. That's why so many people are willing to give most of their strategy. The pros really learn at a faster rate than everyone else. They adapt, they take risks, they read books, they talk with another among the poker community. There's always something more to learn, and as a poker player who wants to make money, you're going to have to do something to get that edge over all the casual gamblers, as well as learning how to beat the experienced veteren.
There's nothing that will help your game quicker than learning from someone that already has ammassed years of experience. Whether it's watching them, talking with them, listening to them, or playing with them, or reading a book by them. By far the best way to learn is by watching the great players play as you see their hole cards, and hear them explain every move. Many people say there's no better way to learn then by experience, but that's simply not true.
Experience certainly is a must, but the amount of experience you need can be shortened So very quickly. I'm sure you've heard the phrase "practice doesn't make perfect, PERFECT PRACTICE makes Perfect"
You can take years and years and loads of cash to learn how to "practice perfect" (or play close to perfect as you can based on the information you know), or you can dramatically shorten the time that it takes to learn, and learn from someone who's already had thousands upon thousands of multitabling hours both live and online experience.
So study whatever information you can find available, and take your game to the next level.
Update: Micon Reveals poker secrets
Also very important is bankroll management. It doesn't matter HOW much money you make with your style, if you play with too much of your bankroll and lose it all and don't have other income to quickly regenerate your bankroll, everything is done, and all that you made is useless... On the other hand, if you don't play with enough of your bankroll, you're limiting how much you can make.
Throughout the course of your career, there's nothing better that you can do than to dedicate some of your money andinvest it in the development of your game.
There are many great books out there in poker, but many of them everyone seems to impliment. But you see poker is a game where there's always some sort of counter strategy. That's why so many people are willing to give most of their strategy. The pros really learn at a faster rate than everyone else. They adapt, they take risks, they read books, they talk with another among the poker community. There's always something more to learn, and as a poker player who wants to make money, you're going to have to do something to get that edge over all the casual gamblers, as well as learning how to beat the experienced veteren.
There's nothing that will help your game quicker than learning from someone that already has ammassed years of experience. Whether it's watching them, talking with them, listening to them, or playing with them, or reading a book by them. By far the best way to learn is by watching the great players play as you see their hole cards, and hear them explain every move. Many people say there's no better way to learn then by experience, but that's simply not true.
Experience certainly is a must, but the amount of experience you need can be shortened So very quickly. I'm sure you've heard the phrase "practice doesn't make perfect, PERFECT PRACTICE makes Perfect"
You can take years and years and loads of cash to learn how to "practice perfect" (or play close to perfect as you can based on the information you know), or you can dramatically shorten the time that it takes to learn, and learn from someone who's already had thousands upon thousands of multitabling hours both live and online experience.
So study whatever information you can find available, and take your game to the next level.
Update: Micon Reveals poker secrets
Monday, September 3, 2007
end of first cash video
Ok so I managed to record a brief bit.. Hopefully as I figure things out, I'll be able to actually get more footage, and I'll have me explaining my thought processes behind my moves and I'll be able to get the entire tournaments on tape (minus the whole waiting thing)
anyways here it is enjoy.
Update: I sat down with the .28 cents at .02/.04 limit, the only game I could sit at.
Unfortunately I failed to realize that if it got below 20c it wouldn't let me at a table. But after playing AK and missing the flop, I was down to 19c. I then after a rotation relized that the table had gotten short handed. With a limited bankroll the last thing you want is to pay blinds every 5 hands, so I left. I went to sit down elsewhere having 15c and it wouldn't let me because it said "you must have 20c to sit down...
So basically my first freeroll win got me nowhere and I'm stuck with .15c that I can't do anything with.
anyways here it is enjoy.
Update: I sat down with the .28 cents at .02/.04 limit, the only game I could sit at.
Unfortunately I failed to realize that if it got below 20c it wouldn't let me at a table. But after playing AK and missing the flop, I was down to 19c. I then after a rotation relized that the table had gotten short handed. With a limited bankroll the last thing you want is to pay blinds every 5 hands, so I left. I went to sit down elsewhere having 15c and it wouldn't let me because it said "you must have 20c to sit down...
So basically my first freeroll win got me nowhere and I'm stuck with .15c that I can't do anything with.
First CASH!!!!
I finally did it guys... 2weeks into the challenge (and 4-5 tourneys I believe)I posted my first cash.
So How much bling did I cash?
haha, ok so not much. Probably not enough to get my bankroll going... I can't sit in on no limit tables unless I have $1 so it's .02/.04 limit with 14 big blinds and only 7 big bets or more freerolling. I'm going to kind of give it some time before I just jump into it.
I really didn't play well I figured two people were strong because there was a raiser under the gun... a caller in early position so I flat called with 58suited hoping to hit... I hit the 8 and they bet out too strong, and I shouldn't have called but the UTG checked and the caller bet. I figured the caller could have just AK or something and he was bluffing though so I called knowing if I hit, I'm getting it all... basically then I called but didn't anticipate a check raise and got trapped between. Proabbly didn't QUITE have the odds to call, but there was enough of a chance that they were both bluffing or had a weaker hand... Plus if I folded now I would have to take a bunch of risks to get back in it, so although it may be considered a small mistake, I think folding would put me in a position where it would significantly limit my play, and force me to have to get in very iffy all in situations and I may have a chance to find profitable situations. It was also not worth my time to keep trying as a short stack as I really wouldn't gain much experience as a short stack, and the overall value I was playing for... So I got lucky once there... Then Didn't catch a hand for ever... and it wasn't a table for me to be able to see flops... It was aggressive with re-aggression raising and reraising and some calling.
There were a few loose calls as well. I think I called a couple raises hoping to hit and get it all but for the most part I didnt pick up a hand. I finally managed to inch my way in. I finally was moved tables, but it was pretty late by then, I was at a point where I really didn't have enough chips to make anyone in there right mind fold. So I was stuck waiting blinding down. So in the big blind I was raised and forced to either check or go all in. I figured there was at least a chance that if I checked I could check it down and stay in for one more hand in which I'd have even BETTER pot odds, and someone just might raise after a bunch of callers and isolate me headsup in which case I'd septuple up or something. Anyways I checked and flopped a fullhouse. I could have checked figureing somone might bet, but they might bet big and scare away people... so I pushed getting 1 person to fold and like 3 others to call. After this I had a couple of rotations go by... I probably passed up a steal opportunity when it folded around to me with 2 spots away from the button and I had 79, but if I were to steal it would have to be all in and I just didn't trust the big blind not to call. I folded like crazy again and then I had 27 on the big blind after raises and then only like 3X on the small blind on the next hand. I had 48 and I could fold and give up good pot odds (antes were in) move in and get called 90% of the time, or complete the big blind and move on the flop and my opponent will miss the flop a third of the time, making him much more likely to fold. As it was my opponent decided to min raise me. At this point it was useless to move in on the flop or after the flop as I would not only have enough for a min bet so I just moved in. My opponent had T8 and we ended up both hitting our 8s and the board paired and a jack hit so we split. The next rotation on the big blind I picked up K2 and it was me and the small blind. I moved in and got called by T8 again! I won the hand again. I managed to move in on the big blind the next hand and pick it up, and then I got AT and moved in and got called by two players and won. Anyways. I basically was in survival mode the whole time, but managed to survive much longer than I thought. The blinds were huge after that last triple up (they moved up again) and I checked the big blind, and then somehow the small blind put me all in.
Might not be a big cash, but it's progress.
The hands might not be in order. I have the end part on video ( after I was near or in the money). I kept it restricted to only the hands I played. I didn't set up the microphone commentary.
So How much bling did I cash?
haha, ok so not much. Probably not enough to get my bankroll going... I can't sit in on no limit tables unless I have $1 so it's .02/.04 limit with 14 big blinds and only 7 big bets or more freerolling. I'm going to kind of give it some time before I just jump into it.
I really didn't play well I figured two people were strong because there was a raiser under the gun... a caller in early position so I flat called with 58suited hoping to hit... I hit the 8 and they bet out too strong, and I shouldn't have called but the UTG checked and the caller bet. I figured the caller could have just AK or something and he was bluffing though so I called knowing if I hit, I'm getting it all... basically then I called but didn't anticipate a check raise and got trapped between. Proabbly didn't QUITE have the odds to call, but there was enough of a chance that they were both bluffing or had a weaker hand... Plus if I folded now I would have to take a bunch of risks to get back in it, so although it may be considered a small mistake, I think folding would put me in a position where it would significantly limit my play, and force me to have to get in very iffy all in situations and I may have a chance to find profitable situations. It was also not worth my time to keep trying as a short stack as I really wouldn't gain much experience as a short stack, and the overall value I was playing for... So I got lucky once there... Then Didn't catch a hand for ever... and it wasn't a table for me to be able to see flops... It was aggressive with re-aggression raising and reraising and some calling.
There were a few loose calls as well. I think I called a couple raises hoping to hit and get it all but for the most part I didnt pick up a hand. I finally managed to inch my way in. I finally was moved tables, but it was pretty late by then, I was at a point where I really didn't have enough chips to make anyone in there right mind fold. So I was stuck waiting blinding down. So in the big blind I was raised and forced to either check or go all in. I figured there was at least a chance that if I checked I could check it down and stay in for one more hand in which I'd have even BETTER pot odds, and someone just might raise after a bunch of callers and isolate me headsup in which case I'd septuple up or something. Anyways I checked and flopped a fullhouse. I could have checked figureing somone might bet, but they might bet big and scare away people... so I pushed getting 1 person to fold and like 3 others to call. After this I had a couple of rotations go by... I probably passed up a steal opportunity when it folded around to me with 2 spots away from the button and I had 79, but if I were to steal it would have to be all in and I just didn't trust the big blind not to call. I folded like crazy again and then I had 27 on the big blind after raises and then only like 3X on the small blind on the next hand. I had 48 and I could fold and give up good pot odds (antes were in) move in and get called 90% of the time, or complete the big blind and move on the flop and my opponent will miss the flop a third of the time, making him much more likely to fold. As it was my opponent decided to min raise me. At this point it was useless to move in on the flop or after the flop as I would not only have enough for a min bet so I just moved in. My opponent had T8 and we ended up both hitting our 8s and the board paired and a jack hit so we split. The next rotation on the big blind I picked up K2 and it was me and the small blind. I moved in and got called by T8 again! I won the hand again. I managed to move in on the big blind the next hand and pick it up, and then I got AT and moved in and got called by two players and won. Anyways. I basically was in survival mode the whole time, but managed to survive much longer than I thought. The blinds were huge after that last triple up (they moved up again) and I checked the big blind, and then somehow the small blind put me all in.
Might not be a big cash, but it's progress.
The hands might not be in order. I have the end part on video ( after I was near or in the money). I kept it restricted to only the hands I played. I didn't set up the microphone commentary.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
