54th out of 1101....

Just played in a 6$ tournament on Partypoker. Lasted until 54th place, paying out a little over 15 bucks. What irritates me about the tournament was the last hand. I have pocket 9's one away from the button, everyone limps around, I make it 13000 to go, I get two callers, one of them being the BB. I have about 47000 behind it,so I figure if I get callers, whatever the flop is, I am going to push all in. Flop comes A/10/8 rainbow. I push my last 47k and some change in, first guy folds. Second guy thinks forever, and then decided to call me with 10/J, I just couldnt understand the call. He had atleast 98k left, and hes risking almost 50% of the rest of his stack on middle pair. I wasnt giving off the vibe of a loose player, so it just baffles me at that call. If he insta-called maybe I let it go, but he actually took his time bank to think about it. Oh well, atleast I showed something for that tourny.

Memorial Day weekend at the S.H.O.P.

E and I rode up to Pops house for some Saturday night poker. Got in around 6 or so, and suprisingly found a seat open. E didnt want to play immediately, so he told me to sit down. Im wondering this moment if thats because he didnt want to sit next to the dealer, which was the same thing I was thinking.

But, I sat down, and immediately got involved in a hand with Christian, I got A/5, flopped middle pair, and continued to bet at it thinking he was on a straight draw. He ended up having two pair, and put a nice little dent in my stack early.

Getting dented early caused me to play tight. I was forced to fold suited connectors I would normally play to marginal raises before me. The table was aggresive all night for the most part. Alot of tough action, some good players, some fools, and quite a bit of gambling. If you didnt hit atleast two pair on the flop, you were probably going to lose. Saw alot of rivered bad beats as well.

I did have two good hands back to back. I got pocket Queens one hand, raise to 15, got one caller, and alot of limpers folding. Flop came nothing threatening, maybe a flush draw, and bet out. won the hand. The very next hand though, I get pocket ladies again, proceed to bet 15. Got three callers. Flop comes A/5/6, two spades. I bet out 25, Alex makes it 75, 50 on top. I think forever, convinced he had an Ace with a flush draw. But, my judgement got the better of me, and I put him on two pair A/5. I folded by Queens, and he told me I was close, showed me A/6. E says they were suited, but I dont think they were.

Anyways, I think I played good, didnt get outplayed, just took some hits early and it caused me to be cautious. Not the way I wanted to play, but it didnt bother me either. I was in a good mood last night, and the only thing I regret is not getting 300, that might have made a difference.

Just another Thursday night...

Well, I did the weekly Thursday night game with my buddies. And contrary to popular belief, I actually help these guys learn how to play poker. I believe we have moved from the teaching part more into the,"its time to learn your own game" session of the class, I know enough about poker to get myself by, but I dont think I could teach these guys, because I havent mastered it yet. They still have to learn things like draw percentages, pot odds, all the types of draws, and the rest of those little intricacies of this game that take awhile for you to fully remember and understand.

We have one guy named Brian who is just way too damn stubborn to fix his game. He plays uber-tight, rarely if ever bluffs, and when he does, its for a min raise that he doesnt understand is going to get called 90% of the time. I tried to do my best Travis impression and started calling tightass, donkey, predictable. Anything I could think of to get him to think more strategically. But alas, he let the rest of us draw out on him, didnt catch too many good hands, and essentially lets himself lose all his money. I doubt I could get him to come out in any of my games, but I think he could learn alot more if he had more money on the line.

Larry has come along nicely. He still has alot to learn, but thats mostly because I just cant teach him the things he could learn at the bigger stakes games. He tells me he has to get some business things in order, and then he intends to attend some games with me. So, hopefully in a month, Larry will become another member of the 1/2 crew.

I took my sister with me last night. She is completely green when it comes to Poker. I tried to teach her a little on Partypoker before we left, but play money sucks so bad. She held her own for a long time, even going so far as to outlast Brian throughout the night. Brian rebought at one point because Rhonda took the rest of his money. She eventually busted out, and it was Larry and I heads up for about a half an hour.

Larry and I eventually ended up splitting the money on the table. I left with a little more than he did, but thats to be expected. Im still hoping we can get more players in, because I could use the money. I miss playing with the herd, I really need to learn some bankroll management.

Another night at the poker school...

As you know from a previous post, I run a sort of poker school with a couple of friends of mine who have recently caught the poker bug. We do this on a Thursday night, and we only get between 4 or 5 people a night. I hope it picks up sooner, because even though Im teaching these guys the rules of poker, the strategy that I know of, and the things you should know at a poker table, I am doing this to make some money, thats why I consider it a class. I personally dont think Im much of poker connoisseur, but compared to these guys, im Daniel Negraneua.

So, considering this table is sort of weak, and the lack of players really does urk me, I brought along my brother. It went along as usual, we played 5 handed most of the night. I proceeded to bust everyone at the table, and eventually ended up with just me and my brother having all the chips at the table. My brother actually played well all night, he was much more tighter than the first time I watched him play a cash game, he had quite a bit of luck against stronger starting hands that he would outflop, and he generally just watched and learned when I threw out some of my limited poker knowledge. It was a goodnight had by all, and now that the man with the plan for this game has decided to try and bring in a few new heads, hopefully this will eventually become a weekly atm game for me if I need some extra cash for the weekend.

Dont get me wrong, I fully intend of helping these guys learn how to play. But playing against a bunch of other guys who watched it on ESPN, and essentially try to emulate something they saw the night before, well, thats really not going to teach you anything. I keep telling Larry, the business owner who wants to become a pro someday, that he needs to come and learn in the fire of some of the games Ive played in, I have thoroughly learned through these sort of backroom poker games, where pots upwards of five or six hundred dollars arent uncommon. Thats where the real action is. He tells me he wants to play in these games, but I think he wants to become a little more comfortable at a table with people(considering hes one of the online guys) before he comes to a "real" game with me.

Eventually I will get him out of his shell, and he will see that these little buddy games were playing right now just arent going to cut it if he wants to be the next Doyle Brunson.

hot and cold continued...

So, I end up checking out from showboat around 11, and head over to Caesars to try and make my money back. I think this is where I went wrong. E told me about this guy he knows saying that when he goes to AC, he sticks to a plan he set for himself, and it worked and made him money, and that if he ever deviated from his set plan, he lost his money and it became a waste of a trip. So, like I said, this is where I went wrong. I had the intention to play at the Trop, to try something new, and to have a few familiar faces around me to chat with from time to time, because being up that way by yourself does kind of suck, I usually end up talking to strangers about stupid shit that I couldnt care less about, and it just becomes a nuisance. But, I went to my more comfortable casino simply because I felt that was my winning house, mostly because Im superstitious to an insane amount, I have to play at places Ive won at, because I feel my luck factor is better at these comfortable places. But, I really should have tried something new, and I didnt, and I ended up playing from noon until about 430, and slowly bled into my remaining money. E showed up around 3 or so, and began playing on an opposite table that he said was nice and easy, and he pretty much doubled up his money in the little over an hour he was there. I myself attempted to switch tables during the day, but the fucking floor people would tell me nothing was open, when I heard a few times for seats open at 1/2 tables, and mine was full, that kind of urked me a little because I wanted to move to another table almost immediately after I got there, mine was way too tight, but alas, some of the floof people at Caesars actually seem to care about their players, and some do not, this is a sad thing I have noticed during my play there, you have the dicks who act like your wasting their time while they stare at girls with tig ol bitties at the 2/4 game, and you have people that genuinely go out of their way to make sure your taken care of, ive found out that a lovely woman named Marcy was very polite, and went out of her way during my short wait when I arrived the first day to find me a seat. The second day I had a dick named Tim who kept staring around me like I didnt exist, and he wanted to brush me off as quickly as possible.

Anyways, so I bust out of the cash game, and proceed to go get my cellphone, along with E's charged because we both have dead ones. I tell E I will be back at 5 so we can head over to the showboat for the imaginary 6 o'clock tourny. I get E, and he tells me he doubled his money sitting at that table, because a few were idiots, one was a drunk, and most of them were just people wanting to donate money, lol.

We arrive at the Boat around 5:45, and go upstairs to register for the tourny, we find out that the imaginary tourny that starts at 6, actually starts at 7,lol. So me and E go grab a bite to eat, pretty good food for the insane amount they charge for that buffet, they must add 10 bucks strictly for the entertainment value, lol, we saw a marching band walk through twice playing Nawlins music. Chill around the house of blues poker room, watching idiots play 2/4 limit, and flirting with the dealers. I met a lovely dealer named Xian, who fits the description of a china doll almost to a T!. She was very nice, and explained to me that chinese food that dominated this country isnt real chinese food, and that if I want some real chinese food, I need to hit some chinese food restaurants in chinatown in manhattan, she said the food there reminds her of home. We chat for awhile with people around, and then the tourny begins......

I immediately get the feeling that my table is extremely passive and tight, no one is going to raise or call unless they have a decent pocket pair, or the higher face cards. I just decided that anytime I get an ace with anything, im raising. My strategy works for awhile, I pick up blinds and limpers here and there, slowly building my stack up, then I get all in with a guy with my pocket Kings, he has A/Q off, he raises UTG for 1000 with the blinds at 100/200. I reraise to 3500 from one behind the button, he reraises me all in for his last 4000, I call, he turns an ace, and I get knocked down to about 3000.

Later on in the tourny, I get A/5 of clubs on the button, I raise to 3000, leaving me with a little over 2500 left, guy in the BB goes all in with pocket 3's. I have him covered by 400, we flip it over, and I spike an Ace on the flop, oh, but whats this? all spades on the flop? and he has the three of spades? Yes, this is what happens when get a little too greedy, dude rivers another spade, and im sent to 400. I end up going all in with my BB, and I lose to a fullhouse. I look at E, and hes still going strong in the tourny.

I wait around for E chatting with some people from New Jersey, two nice sisters and their mother who rode the bus in to play some table games. Jane, Lisa, and Sherri. Sherri looks a little young for a woman with two daughters over the age of 21, and she proceeds to become my best friend from Maryland, lol. I end up sitting down with them at the 2/4 limit game, and try to teach Sherri and Jane how to play limit, though none of us were doing very good, we kept getting outdrawn. But wouldnt you know it, my cold deck spell comes to and end, because my very first hand when I sit down is pocket J's, I win that pot, and go on to see hole cards like A/K, A/Q, 10/10, K/Qs, and just about anything you could think of. But, even though I flop top pair in alot of the hands, I dont get two pair, and someone else does, and I end up washing out of that game in a little under an hour. I go out into the lobby, where Jane comes walking out, we talk for a little while about this or that, she has two kids, I have three, she has a boyfriend, I have a wife, blah blah blah, I talk to her sister for a little while, because they are waiting for their uncle to bust out of the tourny. I honestly wish I was single at that point, because these girls were interested, and I think me and E coulda swung some tail on the beach with these girls, id have given them a ride home if necessary, lol, but alas, Im married, and faithful, so I dont get to shit like that anymore. LOL, now that I think of it, I hope my wife doesnt read this, because I hurt my back playing too much poker, and she might think I did something I shouldnt have to make my back wack out like that. I seriously think I slipped a disk in my back, because its still hurting pretty good two days later, oh well. Anyways, back to the girls. Jane goes outside to smoke a cigarette, and I tell her ill wait for her in the lobby so we both have someone to talk to. As that happens, some dude from Miami, I cant remember his name, comes over and starts talkin to me about this, that, and the other. Blah blah blah shit, like I said. Jane comes back, but I cant get this guy to stop talking, so she goes over and watches her uncle finish the tourny, then proceeds to leave for the long cab ride home...lol, guy from Miami really could have left me alone, I was enjoying the conversation with Jane alot more, even if I knew it wouldnt go anywhere.

I break from the Miami guy to watch E finish strong in the tourny. I saw a few all ins from him that either hold up, or outflop the people hes up against, I watch him make a few moves to take down alot of blinds and limpers, whether he was bluffing or not I dont know. But he eventually makes the final table, and he gets going good, gets into 6th place. And then he goes all in with his pocket 6's, they dont hold up, and we end up leaving to go home around midnight. And isnt that lovely, because I have to be at work at 7 the following morning.

All in all, it was an ok trip. I played with confidence, even if the deck wouldnt cooperate, and I end up ending my cold deck streak playing suckout 2/4 limit. It was good to have E ride back with me, because alone, that ride blows serious donkey cock, even though E fell asleep a little before we hit the harbor tunnel, we enjoyed talking about the weekend and the shit that happened. Cant wait to go up again.

Hell of a time to go cold and then hot...

Headed up to AC this weekend with the maryland crew. Trav/Nelly/Keenan went up friday, I think Pops, Syd, and Nick headed up too, overall I think Maryland was represented very well in south Jersey this weekend. I ended up leaving late Saturday morning after doing some errands for the wife, gasing up one car only to realize the tags are dead because of emmisions, and going back home to get my truck(shitty gas mileage).

I end up in AC around 4 o'clock, my father played in the Borgata 750. tournament earlier that day, and ended up busting out in the secound round because of losing back to back all ins with pockets Kings, both times he got sucked out on back to back, I think that really shocked him because he couldnt stop talking about it when I met him at Casears.

I part with my father who goes to play some blackjack. I head into Caesars poker arena and sit down at an empty table because of a short wait for a seat. I end up getting called over to open up a new table, sit down at seat 7 and proceed to get down to business. I end up pissing through my initial buy in of 240 in the first hour on sick hands that just kept getting outflopped.

One hands inparticular was pocket J's one off the button, I raise to 11, get two callers. Flop comes 3/A/9. I bet out 15 to see where im at, call, call. turn nothing, checked around, river 3, checked to me, I raise 40 into a little over an 80 dollar pot. BB folds, guy before pushes all in for a little over 250. I think, decide im beat by either an ace or 3, I fold, guy flips over A/3 off.

Sick hands like that for awhile, I rebuy for another 200, end up getting back to about even, start getting into the rythm of things, and just continued to float around even most of the night. my father stops by around 8 and tells me he got me a comped room at the showboat and gives me the room cards. I end up cashing out around 11:30 for a little under 600. I drive to the showboat, check in, and decide to take a shower, get a bite to eat, and change clothes and head down to the house of blues poker room and see whats crackin.

When I walk into the Showboat poker room, they have one table with open seats, and I go take a look, everyone at an average of about 250-300. I look at the guy in the seat 4, who seems to have two racks of reds, a tower of greens next to it, and some scattered chips next to that. So, it seems 300 is a good idea here, though I wanted to buy in for my 560 something, I decide 300 is enough.

Once again, I end up getting either cold decked, or getting PP's in the hole, with someone having a better PP against me pre flop. I end up shipping my entire 300 trying to take a chunk out of the moneybags in the 4 seat, but alas, he caught any fucking draw he needed, or any overcard he needed, and proceeded to knock me down to 100 bucks. He loses a big hand to someone else at the table when he flopped two pair and someone got a set, ends up losing about 400, and decides to cash out. So, its short handed after this with 7 people left, I end up going stone cold, try to make some moves that dont work, and end up pissing my 300 buy in away around 4 in the morning. head upstairs and proceed to PM E saying not to worry about coming up because Im probly going to leave early in the morning, pass out watching some shitty movie on the only good movie channel in the hotel(HBO), and end up getting a wake up call from my dad around 10 that woke me from my slumber, and a few messages from E saying hes already on his way up, and that I need to go make my money back, and hell spot me for the showboat tourny he wants to play in.

Ill pick up the rest of this story on my next post...

LOL @ Poker Etiquette....

So, a couple of the people I play with tell me I dont know all the poker ethics that the local players have, so I decided to read up on some opinions on what to do, and not to do, at a poker table, here are some of the interesting things I have found.

Poker Etiquette Rules Top-10

1.Swearing
Pretend that your Grandmother is at the table, and she's a very, very nice person.

2.Dealer or Player Abuse
It's not nice to be mean to people anywhere.

3.Playing Slowly
It's not fun for the other players when they have to wait forever for you to make a decision. Some people use this as a tactic to make other players nervous, but they're just drawing out the game.

4.Splashing the Pot
Throwing your chips into the current pot is rude because it makes it hard for people to see what your bet is. Stack neatly and make your Mom proud.

5.Acting in turn
Refrain from a betting action like folding your hand, until the action comes to you. This gives information to people before their turn to act.

6.String bets
This is another poor etiquette tactic to create a response in the opponent. Only grab the amount of chips that you intend on betting, so not to freak out the other players by making them think you're betting more than you actually are. Place them in one action, don't string out the bet.

7.Hitting on the Other Players
Regardless of whether or not you've never seen a poker player that hot before, you should refrain from hitting on the other players at the table. I suppose this could be used to freak out some of the more advanced players, but a hand on the thigh could result in cranial damage. Maybe wait until you've won the hand, you'll have a better chance at the bar later on. :) No

8.Comments During a Hand
It's not appropriate to make comments about possible hands being played regardless of whether you're in the hand. This can give unfair advice to less seasoned players. This is especially true when talking about your hand or the cards you just threw.

9.Intentionally Avoiding Blinds
Games like Hold 'Em and Omaha, where blinds are required, it is not appropriate to leave the table intentionally whenever it is your turn to pay your blind. Some players use this tactic to avoid an unfavorable betting position.

10.Don't be a Jerk
No one wants to play with jerks. All the above can be summed up into this statement. Sure, often the stakes are pretty high and the temptation to do something uncouth to better your position becomes large, but a win with class is actually a victory.

Most of the other sites I read were pretty much the same rules, with more or less explanation here and there. It appears I had some things to learn, I myself dont like to offend people in any way, so I figured Id brush up on these unspoken rules.