DVDTalk Group Daily Poker Journal II

[El Scorcho]

For some reason I've been rolling at Wsex.com lately. THe games are awfully tough and awfully aggressive -- even at $1/2 -- but I've been firing back at a lot of players when they play against me. Pretty much everyone continuation bets and you can fire back at them and they'll eventually fold.

+$290 the last couple days +$130 in rakeback coming. w00t.

[LasVegasMichael]

Played at Ballys again last night for about 3.5 hours. 1/2NL with a $300 max

Night started out rocky. Turned tow pair with KQ and had to lay it down on the river when the board four flushed with an Ace (of course I wad not holding any of the suit).

Was down to $200, so I rebought for another $100 to bring me back to the max, as the table was tourist heavy (Ballys is one of the few tourist heavy poker rooms during this time of the year).

One hand that will become importand later happened around 9:25 or so. I had 33, limped, and then called a $7 pf raise from a fairly aggressive tourist on my left (his biggest weakness was not betting enough on any street (including pf). He tended to play decent hands, though.

There were about 4 players going to the flop of 855rainbow.

I checked, PF raiser checked, as did the rest of the table. Turn brought a 6.

I checked. PF raiser bet out $15 (into about a $60 pot). Everyone folded to me. I called (there was a method to my madness, here).

River brought a second 8. Two pairing the board, and CFing my two pair. I bet out $45. I figured him for an overpair. Having called the turn, I wanted to look like I had something on this board (other then a 6). Also, he doesn't like big bets. He tanked for a while, and mucked. He asked me what I had. I said "I think I had a boat." He looked at me with a fairly incincere grin, and the hand cncluded.

Then this hand came up about 15 minutes later.

UTG (about $500) raises to $15 (fairly tight aggressive internet player).
5 random callers (mixed stack sizes)
Button (about $400): Hero with 89os. I call the raise (this is a hand i cxan easily get a way from, and with solid pot odds, I figured why not?
SB: The guy I went up against in the previously described hand. He has not played a hand since the one described above.

Flop: 5c6d7c

SB: Bets out $15 into a $90-$100 pot.

UTG: Folds, along with everyone else, except for a guy on my right, who is a very tight player. He calls.

Hero: Raises to $60 straight (my thinking here was multiple. I figured the guy on my right for a flush draw, and maybe two pair, a set, or even OESD from the guy on my left, who was obviously tilting). I had ot protect my hand here, and let the players know that it was going to cost a lot to continue.

SB: Calls (OESD or flush draw made the most sense at this point, but I don't think he would have bet out with a flush draw).
Guy on my right: Folds (whew!)
SB: Calls.

Turn: 3c (doh!)

SB: Checks

Hero: ALL IN for about $350. I was severely annoyed by that card, but on the other hand, I was very suspicious of his check. Though most players check raise the turn with made hands, he was not the type to do it. I decided to put him to the test, and go all in.

SB: Thinks for a while, looks at his cards (which I LOVED. I didn't think he was the type to slowroll a flush or hesitate to call with it), and eventually, and reluctantly, CALLS.

Hero: 89os flopped straight.
SB: Ad7s (top pair, top kicker, drawing dead).

River: 5s

SB said "I couldn't get away from it. I thought you were bluffing." I firmly believe it was the setup from the 33 hand that led to this meltdown.

I had him covered by $9. Threw $10 to the dealer, and stacked a nice sized stack. He congratulated me, said nice hand, and left.

I racked up shortly after around 10PM. I normally don't play this late or this long, but I was going from there to the airport to pick up my brother in law and his flight was delayed, so I was killing additional time at the table). Ended up playing about 3.5 hours, and profited $500 exactly (mostly from that one hand).

All in all, a nice trip to Ballys. Will be returning there tonight for a few hours. Doubt if I will be playing this weekend much if at all due to family commitments, but we shall see.

[El Scorcho]

Good read, as always, Michael. It's amazing how many people are willing to stack off with a small pair like a pair of 7s. Most novices really want to pick off a bluff in order to have that one great story to tell when they return to their wives back home.

[LasVegasMichael]

So true. Reality is, the one great story is usually a bad beat (if they are honest with thier loved ones, which is often not the case).

[atari2600]

went to the bike for the first time yesterday. nice place (looks nicer on the inside than commerce IMO).

first played the daily nooner tournament. very dissappointing.

i started off well, playing really good poker. i slowly but surely build my stack to the table lead with over 6000 (we start with only 800 chips). average was around 2000 or so. i did put one bad beat on a guy with runner runner for a flush but other than that i was outplaying almost everyone.

then it gets bad: a short stack goes all in and i call the extra 400 or so in chips and it was a race. my 88 vs his K10. hits 10 on flop. small hit no big deal. but frustrating.

then i have A10. flop is AXX. i bet, guy reraises me all in. i think for a long time and make the call. it was the right call since he had JJ and i was in good position. he hits his 2 outer on the river. ouch.

then i lose another race as my 88 loses to AK. then i run into AA with AK and lose. then im out when my 55 runs into KK. back to back hands.

there was only one real bad beat (the A10 vs JJ) so i cant complain but its frustrating to lose every race, and not be able to hit any cards while others do against you on every hand.

but thats poker

but right after i played a SnG and won my money back by placing 3rd.

then i decided to play some 3/6 limit. i rarely play 3/6, usually 2/4 but they dont offer 2/4 (at least i didnt see it).

after a few hours i was down to about $15 but somehow i built that back up to over $280. finally left with $200. not bad.

btw: people always say commerce has crazy action compared to the bike. in my experience (which means very little because that was the ONLY TIME ive been to the bike) its the opposite. when i play at commerce there is very little preflop raising.

at the bike last night 50% of all hands were capped before the flop. it was raise, reraise, reraise, cap...over and over and over. crazy. that might be normal to some of you but not to me.

fortunately i was able to adapt my game to the table and take advantage. hence i was able to go from very little to a lot in a relativey short period of time. you may lose a lot of money on hands but when you hit the flop or win a pot you win BIG. HUGE POTS. 6 or 7 people seeing a capped flop? thats a minimum of about $80 in the pot before seeing any cards.

best hand: had 77, flop brings another 7. turn yet another. got paid off all the way on my quads (first time i ever got quads in a cash game)

[namja]

I played 5 freerolls today at Golden Palace Poker (using action points; the prize pools vary from $75 to $1,000). I haven't cashed yet. Registered to play in 3 more. Fingers crossed.

[LasVegasMichael]

Played at Ballys tonight for a very short session (only 1.5 hours., due to some holiday family logistal issues).

Got in on a 2/5 ($500 max) table which is not a commonly spread game there from my experiences.

Table was fairly tight aggressive, very different from the normal 1/2 $300 max crowd. There was one full time pro playing, as well as two other solid regulars.

The pro played loose aggressive. Knew what he was doing, and was probably the best player at the table, though he did have some swings.

I played my usual TAG game, and won a few small pots over the course of the 1.5 hours. I never went to showdown. The game was shorthanded the entire time I was playing pretty much.

Ended up +$27 when it was all said and done after the session. Peaked at only +$55. Most flops were seen heads up with most posts raised PF.

Will probably be going back late tonight to entertain my brother in law and friend visiting for Christmas. If so, it will be a late night session. Will only be playing the 1/2 if we end up going back.

We shall see.

[namja]

I guess posting here earlier was good luck. On the very next freeroll (the $1,000 prize pool one), I am in the money. 451 entrants and 45 pays (from first place $266 to 45th place $5). Right now, 36 people left.

[El Scorcho]

I almost went to the casino an hour away to play some 2/4 or 3/6 today all day. Glad I didn't. Made $277 on Bodog and got to watch football in my underwear instead. Made 9.19 BB/100 hands.

Not a bad week off. +$670 playing 1/2 limit shorthanded.

[atari2600]

went back to the bike again yesterday. im beginning to like that place.

i first sat down at a 40 no limit table. somehow i built it up to over $350 with this being the highlight:

i have 56d. i limp but so do like 4 others. someone raises and since everyone calls i figure why not with such good pot odds. usually i wouldnt but i could end the betting so i threw in the extra 10 to see a flop.

flop is 8d9dJc. checked around to the orginal better who throws in 20. i call with my gut shot and flush draws. now heres where it gets good. before the turn, my opponent declares all-in blind.

turn is 7 of diamonds.

it doesnt get much better than your opponent going all in to your straight flush. and i thought my quads yesterday (in a limit game) were nice

raked in a NICE POT.

edit: forgot to mention there was a 3rd person in that pot who was already all in before the flop...he ended up with a full house.

after that table broke up i went back to 3/6 limit and played solid poker. was down to $50 from my buyin of $100 but i was able to build that to $240. left with around $200.

overall on the day i was up around $400. good day.

[El Scorcho]

Nice pull. I won a tournament against my own family tonight and made $80. I'm look forward to family holidays because they all suck so bad at poker. Not one raised pot preflop all night.

[namja]

Damn, I played about 15 freerolls in the last two days. Only cashed in 3 of them: won $15, $5, and $5. Oh well.

[El Scorcho]

It makes me sad to see someone that used to play cash games is now diving into the world of freerolls.

[Superboy]

Atari, I love the Bike. Great poker house.

Haven't been playing much lately, but been running some people over bad...

$5/5 no limit, max $500 buy in.

45d on the button. Loose, tricky player to my left raises $5. EVERYONE CALLS. So I figure, why not. Blinds call as well.

Flop comes: Ad2x3d. Preflop raiser checks. I put him on trip aces immediately. Middle position bets out $50 and everyone folds to me. I cold call expecting a push coming from my left. It comes, and the original better calls. I call.

UTG: AA for trip aces
Middle position: 22 for trip twos
me: 45 for the bike.

don't hit the flush but they don't improve. $800 pot.

[ElementZ]

I had some crazy cold cards last night but still managed to finish 2nd in both home games. A new guy played and he was the luckiest fucker ever. 4 left and here are 3 hands that he put the last 3 players out on.

He had 66, other guy had AQ. Q hits on flop, buddy spikes a 6 on the river.

3 left, him and another guy end up all in, cant remember the cards but he his gutshot straight on the river.

I am heads up with him and am a huge dog. I raise with A5., he calls. Flop comes AA7, I go all in, he calls with A7

[namja]

Originally Posted by El Scorcho

It makes me sad to see someone that used to play cash games is now diving into the world of freerolls.

Yeah, sad indeed.

Since the spring of 2005, I had been on a major roll. Won a big tournament at Doyle's Room. Got table share of two huge jackpots--table share was over $1000 each--at San Manuel, an Indian casino in southern California. Every month was a winning month. Never had more than two losing sessions in a row (most sessions were 2-5 hours with a few that lasted up to 15 hours). Etc.

Then the last couple months have been incredibly harsh. So I'm trying to lay low until the beginning of a new year. Starting next week (Jan '07), I'm gonna start a WSOP fund. A bunch of friends and I are hoping to enter the $1,500 NL event. Save up $100 a week via poker, and I should have enough to cover the entry fee and travel expenses.

[bigsoos]

Tried my hand at $1/$2 NL for the first time tonight on PokerStars. Ended up leaving the table up $200.

Here are 2 of the biggest pots I took down:

PokerStars Game #7622985320: Hold'em No Limit ($1/$2) - 2006/12/26 - 23:12:30 (ET)
Table 'Umbriel III' 9-max Seat #5 is the button
Seat 1: hiholdemjj ($198 in chips)
Seat 2: TorontoSars ($116.45 in chips)
Seat 3: Daantje72 ($263.70 in chips)
Seat 4: dliberty ($98.45 in chips)
Seat 5: scorpionfish ($171.55 in chips)
Seat 6: bigsoos ($155.60 in chips)
Seat 7: i'm stroking ($100.90 in chips)
Seat 8: hydronman ($95.35 in chips)
Seat 9: The Pantsman ($140.20 in chips)
bigsoos: posts small blind $1
i'm stroking: posts big blind $2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to bigsoos [Ks Kd]
hydronman: folds
The Pantsman: folds
hiholdemjj: folds
TorontoSars: folds
Daantje72: folds
dliberty: folds
scorpionfish: folds
bigsoos: raises $4 to $6
i'm stroking: calls $4
*** FLOP *** [4s 9s 8h]
bigsoos: bets $12
i'm stroking: calls $12
*** TURN *** [4s 9s 8h] [3s]
bigsoos: bets $20
i'm stroking: raises $62.90 to $82.90 and is all-in
bigsoos: calls $62.90
*** RIVER *** [4s 9s 8h 3s] [6c]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
bigsoos: shows [Ks Kd] (a pair of Kings)
i'm stroking: mucks hand
bigsoos collected $198.80 from pot

PokerStars Game #7623312240: Hold'em No Limit ($1/$2) - 2006/12/26 - 23:33:30 (ET)
Table 'Umbriel III' 9-max Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: hiholdemjj ($231.15 in chips)
Seat 3: Daantje72 ($334.70 in chips)
Seat 5: scorpionfish ($219.45 in chips)
Seat 6: bigsoos ($253.50 in chips)
Seat 7: ctguy1002 ($40.75 in chips)
Seat 8: $BckDoorJoe ($202.80 in chips)
Seat 9: The Pantsman ($87.70 in chips)
Daantje72: posts small blind $1
scorpionfish: posts big blind $2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to bigsoos [Qh Kh]
TorontoSars has returned
bigsoos: calls $2
ctguy1002: folds
$BckDoorJoe: calls $2
The Pantsman: folds
TorontoSars leaves the table
hiholdemjj: raises $6 to $8
Daantje72: folds
scorpionfish: folds
bigsoos: calls $6
$BckDoorJoe: calls $6
*** FLOP *** [Td Qd 3c]
bigsoos: checks
$BckDoorJoe: checks
hiholdemjj: bets $14
bigsoos: calls $14
$BckDoorJoe: folds
*** TURN *** [Td Qd 3c] [7h]
bigsoos: checks
hiholdemjj: bets $8
bigsoos: calls $8
*** RIVER *** [Td Qd 3c 7h] [Qc]
bigsoos: bets $40
hiholdemjj: calls $40
*** SHOW DOWN ***
bigsoos: shows [Qh Kh] (three of a kind, Queens)
hiholdemjj: mucks hand
bigsoos collected $148 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $151 | Rake $3
Board [Td Qd 3c 7h Qc]
Seat 1: hiholdemjj (button) mucked [Ac As]
Seat 3: Daantje72 (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 5: scorpionfish (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 6: bigsoos showed [Qh Kh] and won ($148) with three of a kind, Queens

[El Scorcho]

I am continuing to destroy the $1/2 limit 6-max games on Bodog. Up $510 + $100 bonus in the last 3 days. If you like people calling you down with 3rd pair, this is your place.

+$1000 in the last 9 days. w00t. I love 2 weeks of time off!

[bigsoos]

I got these 2 wins within 3 hands, yeah baby!

PokerStars Game #7632347063: Hold'em No Limit ($1/$2) - 2006/12/27 - 16:20:54 (ET)
Table 'Devosa' 9-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: Schwasi ($109.50 in chips)
Seat 3: chicopaname ($65.55 in chips)
Seat 4: AllTheWay33 ($187 in chips)
Seat 5: rdp4319 ($114 in chips)
Seat 6: jesper777 ($249.75 in chips)
Seat 7: Boykee ($258.55 in chips)
Seat 8: bigsoos ($113 in chips)
Seat 9: madcat69 ($106 in chips)
rdp4319: posts small blind $1
jesper777: posts big blind $2
Schwasi: posts big blind $2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to bigsoos [Ah Ac]
Boykee: folds
bigsoos: raises $6 to $8
madcat69: folds
Schwasi: raises $20 to $28
chicopaname: folds
AllTheWay33: folds
rdp4319: folds
jesper777: folds
bigsoos: raises $85 to $113 and is all-in
Schwasi: calls $81.50 and is all-in
*** FLOP *** [Tc 2h 9c]
*** TURN *** [Tc 2h 9c] [Ts]
*** RIVER *** [Tc 2h 9c Ts] [7s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
bigsoos: shows [Ah Ac] (two pair, Aces and Tens)
Schwasi: mucks hand
bigsoos collected $219 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $222 | Rake $3
Board [Tc 2h 9c Ts 7s]
Seat 1: Schwasi mucked [Kd Ad]


PokerStars Game #7632368663: Hold'em No Limit ($1/$2) - 2006/12/27 - 16:22:24 (ET)
Table 'Devosa' 9-max Seat #7 is the button
Seat 3: chicopaname ($65.55 in chips)
Seat 4: AllTheWay33 ($187 in chips)
Seat 5: rdp4319 ($113 in chips)
Seat 6: jesper777 ($246.75 in chips)
Seat 7: Boykee ($258.35 in chips)
Seat 8: bigsoos ($223.50 in chips)
bigsoos: posts small blind $1
chicopaname: posts big blind $2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to bigsoos [Th Kh]
AllTheWay33: folds
rdp4319: folds
jesper777: folds
Boykee: folds
bigsoos: raises $2 to $4
chicopaname: calls $2
*** FLOP *** [Ah 9c Qh]
bigsoos: bets $5
chicopaname: calls $5
*** TURN *** [Ah 9c Qh] [8h]
bigsoos: checks
chicopaname: bets $10
bigsoos: raises $30 to $40
chicopaname: raises $16.55 to $56.55 and is all-in
bigsoos: calls $16.55
*** RIVER *** [Ah 9c Qh 8h] [Qs]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
bigsoos: shows [Th Kh] (a flush, Ace high)
chicopaname: mucks hand
bigsoos collected $128.10 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $131.10 | Rake $3
Board [Ah 9c Qh 8h Qs]
Seat 3: chicopaname (big blind) mucked [Jh 6h]

Up +$360 in the past 2 days, w00t!

[atari2600]

Originally Posted by Superboy

Atari, I love the Bike. Great poker house.

me too. damn i wish i knew about this place earlier.

i went for only the 3rd time last night and brought home another $100+.

key hand: flopped the nut straight and had two callers on my re-raise all in. $150 pot AT LEAST. one guy had the nut flush draw and another had J (he was short stacked and actually hit a 3rd J but it wasnt good enough)

now if only my tournament play could catch up to my cash game play. however, i am having a hard time avoiding bad beats and being rivered in tournament. got hit 3 times yesterday alone. frustrating.

Haven't been playing much lately, but been running some people over bad...

$5/5 no limit, max $500 buy in.

45d on the button. Loose, tricky player to my left raises $5. EVERYONE CALLS. So I figure, why not. Blinds call as well.

Flop comes: Ad2x3d. Preflop raiser checks. I put him on trip aces immediately. Middle position bets out $50 and everyone folds to me. I cold call expecting a push coming from my left. It comes, and the original better calls. I call.

UTG: AA for trip aces
Middle position: 22 for trip twos
me: 45 for the bike.

don't hit the flush but they don't improve. $800 pot.

nice.

[bigsoos]

holy crap, after playing much of the day going up and down I went on one hell of a winning streak! I love $1/$2 NL on PokerStars! Out of the last 7 hands I didn't fold PF, I won 6 of them and left the table up $430.

So how do you guys usually cash out of Neteller? Check or EFT?

[El Scorcho]

Eft.

[Superboy]

Originally Posted by atari2600

me too. damn i wish i knew about this place earlier.

i went for only the 3rd time last night and brought home another $100+.

key hand: flopped the nut straight and had two callers on my re-raise all in. $150 pot AT LEAST. one guy had the nut flush draw and another had J (he was short stacked and actually hit a 3rd J but it wasnt good enough)

now if only my tournament play could catch up to my cash game play. however, i am having a hard time avoiding bad beats and being rivered in tournament. got hit 3 times yesterday alone. frustrating.



nice.

Tourney play is tough...i don't like how once you get knocked out, it's over. Bad beats hurt the most in tourneys. However, play in enough of them and a solid game will win you good $$$. The only downside is that you usually end up spending so much time and $$$ that is better devoted to cash games.

I want to play in more NL games but i've switched back to 4/8. I can make $1000 a week easy. Limit has it's downsides (shitty calls) - but i'm sure most of you know already the kind of stupid shit that happens in cheap NL games. Example: friend of mine has AA. him and some other guy go heads up preflop, reraising the hell out of each other. Then comes the push...$500 down the drain as his 2-7 offsuit hits trips on the river. In limit, shitty calls come, but you can limit your losses so easily.

[LasVegasMichael]

Played last night at Ballys for a couple hours.

As is typical for the few days right after Christmas, the place was ripe with Asian and Persian gamblers.

At my NL table, there was one drunk Englishman spewing chips, one semi pro grinder, and three aggressive Asians (of the Commerce variety), who would straddle every round and call down with mediocre holdings.

My Dad and I played at the same table (father son bonding, awwwwww

I was pretty much card dead the entire night. Made some plays here and there and walked away up a hundred bucks but my Dad, on the other hand, only played 45 minutes and turned a $100 buy in into $550! Luck was on his side, as he managed to spike three sets nearly back to back, all with people all in against him.

He likes to do this shortbuy thing, where he only buys for the minimum, and pushes so he doesn't have to make decisions later. I keep telling him that it is not a winning strategy, but after a night like last night, I guess I should just shut up for a while.

[atari2600]

Originally Posted by Superboy

Tourney play is tough...i don't like how once you get knocked out, it's over. Bad beats hurt the most in tourneys. However, play in enough of them and a solid game will win you good $$$. The only downside is that you usually end up spending so much time and $$$ that is better devoted to cash games.

tell me about it - i cant catch a freakin break. i guess since they are so cheap you get alot of people who will call with anything.

I want to play in more NL games but i've switched back to 4/8. I can make $1000 a week easy. Limit has it's downsides (shitty calls) - but i'm sure most of you know already the kind of stupid shit that happens in cheap NL games. Example: friend of mine has AA. him and some other guy go heads up preflop, reraising the hell out of each other. Then comes the push...$500 down the drain as his 2-7 offsuit hits trips on the river. In limit, shitty calls come, but you can limit your losses so easily.

exactly - no limit has higher risk, higher reward. nature of the game.