Jess' birthday party and some poker

On Friday night me, Donald and big Chris rode up to Jessicas birthday party. We ended up having a bunch of fun, or at least I did. Nothing like getting hammered drunk to the point where her great grandmothers wooden chair broke when Donald sat in it and he decided it would make for good fire-wood. We had a fire going outside, plenty of alcohol and it was fun. I had a great time.

It was also the first time I've seen Donald that drunk, I see Chris that drunk on a bi-daily basis but not big D!

Then I played some Sunday tournaments today, the $215 on Stars, the $215 second chance, a $55 freezeout and the $530 on Full Tilt. A grand total of 0 cashes. I bust early in the second chance, QQ vs AK button vs big blind confrontation in the first level. Then in the "big" $215 on Stars I go very deep. I played a lot more aggressive than I ususally play these Sundays so was experimenting with that but no good.

The play I busted on, the average was about 50,000 chips so I had a decent stack and so did the villain in the pot, but I still don't totally hate my play. I just hoped he'd be able to let go of a 10 in that spot but it's hard to make anybody fold a pair, I still had the gutshot outs just incase. There were about 1150 players left with top 975 that paid $270 but I am playing to win not just to cash. I realize I could've folded and just made the money but I wanted to try and accumulate some chips.

PokerStars Game #7093125661: Tournament #35155947, $200+$15 Hold'em No Limit - Level XI (1600/3200) - 2006/11/19 - 19:26:21 (ET)
Table '35155947 555' 9-max Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: painless198 (159976 in chips)
Seat 2: WhooooKidd (53720 in chips)
Seat 3: eisenhower1 (63530 in chips)
Seat 4: Swaizey (76174 in chips)
Seat 5: Gowon (71910 in chips)
Seat 6: SmokeDaTree (92100 in chips)
Seat 7: mybologne (30702 in chips)
Seat 8: S. Zade (57750 in chips)
Seat 9: Maverick Sr. (123894 in chips)
painless198: posts the ante 160
WhooooKidd: posts the ante 160
eisenhower1: posts the ante 160
Swaizey: posts the ante 160
Gowon: posts the ante 160
SmokeDaTree: posts the ante 160
mybologne: posts the ante 160
S. Zade: posts the ante 160
Maverick Sr.: posts the ante 160
S. Zade: posts small blind 1600
Maverick Sr.: posts big blind 3200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Gowon [9d 9c]
painless198: folds
WhooooKidd: folds
eisenhower1: folds
Swaizey: folds
Gowon: raises 6400 to 9600
SmokeDaTree: folds
mybologne: folds
S. Zade: folds
Maverick Sr.: calls 6400
*** FLOP *** [Ts 8c 6s]
Maverick Sr.: bets 13700
Gowon: raises 48450 to 62150 and is all-in
Maverick Sr.: calls 48450
*** TURN *** [Ts 8c 6s] [8d]
*** RIVER *** [Ts 8c 6s 8d] [Kd]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Maverick Sr.: shows [As Th] (two pair, Tens and Eights)
Gowon: shows [9d 9c] (two pair, Nines and Eights)
Maverick Sr. collected 146540 from pot
WhooooKidd said, "nh"
Gjerstad is connected
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 146540 | Rake 0
Board [Ts 8c 6s 8d Kd]
Seat 1: painless198 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: WhooooKidd folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: eisenhower1 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: Swaizey folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: Gowon showed [9d 9c] and lost with two pair, Nines and Eights
Seat 6: SmokeDaTree folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: mybologne (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: S. Zade (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 9: Maverick Sr. (big blind) showed [As Th] and won (146540) with two pair, Tens and Eights


Then on Full Tilt I busted while typing these, I finished 800th something with 335 spots paying. A guy opens on the button, which he had done every time for 720. I have 4400 in the big blind and I shove allin with A-3 of clubs. He insta-calls with KJ off and spikes a jack and I'm busto there too. Just all in all an awful Sunday.

That might've been the best NL $2/5 I've played in.

I played a while yesterday. It was Jessicas birthday and we had a hotel room set up just as a getaway thing so I was just gonna play a couple of hours until she got here. I win a pot early when I turn a straight with J-10 on a Q-9-8-3 board and I raise him from $70 to $200 on the turn and he folded, so I was up a little bit from that. I originally bought in for $1000. I have one hand against this kind of wild crazy guy named Dave, he raises it to $15 in EP... a couple callers, I have 6-7 in the BB and I call. Flop is Q-Q-8 with two diamonds, I don't have a diamond. Everybody checks. Turn is a 5. I check, he bets $35, one guy calls... I'm thinking at least one of them has a queen and if I can hit an offsuit 4 or 9 I might hit it big.

My wish is granted, and the offsuit 4 rolls off for a no-flush board of 4-5-8-Q-Q. I check, Dave bets $115. I raise to $380. He thinks for a while, starts talking to me asking if I have a queen, then he says "I raise.", I didn't like that one bit. He raises it $600. I go into the tank big time on this one, he looks very comfortable with his hand and I somehow think he flopped 8's full with 88. He might've had 55, I do feel like he had me beat though. The way I played the hand and being out of the blind, me having Q-8 or Q-5 or Q-4 isn't unlikely so I doubt he'd reraise me with KQ or AQ. I decide to muck, face-up. Table starts talking about what a bad fold that was and that I had him, Dave doesn't show his hand... I feel better about it now because he is the type of guy that would've shown a big bluff. I turn off my ipod, still having my earplugs in and I overhear him leaning to the guy on his right saying "I can't believe he folded, I'm supposed to get paid" so I felt better about it. It's not a hard fold by any means but he's a reckless person so had to factor that in, but I felt I did the right thing.

After that I am stuck a little bit, I pick up a pot when I flop A-9-7 after it being raised to $50 preflop and I had 99. I actually get paid off in this hand when the 7 pairs on the turn giving me 9's full and he moves all-in on the blank river with QQ. I couldn't believe it. He called my flop raise, my turn bet and then moved in on the river. I even thought about it for a while on the river thinking he has aces full (I raised to $25 preflop he mini-raised to $50 so I knew he was big) I decided that if he has it he has it and I called.

Then I lose a disgusting pot that drove me to drinking. This one guy in the four seat was playing so bad. Many times he had top pair no kicker and he limped in every pot, making lots of bets. I call a small raise with 97 of clubs, couple callers and Dave checks in the BB. Flop is 7-3-2. Dave leads for $50, I call, the four seat calls. I'm thinking to myself roll off a 9 and let me play a big pot with Dave. An offsuit 9 rolls off on the turn and I start thinking this poker shit is easy, just think of whatever card you want and it'll come. Dave checks, I knew the four seat would bet anything if he had the chance he was just the kind of guy that you can always count on betting if checked to. He was horrible. I check to him intending to checkraise and hopefully trapping Dave in the middle, he obliged by betting $250 I think it was. I miniraise to $500 leaving him with only $140 behind. He calls. J rolls on the river and while it looks harmless I had a weird feeling when the card hit, I was thinking please don't show me J-9. I bet $100 he just calls and rolls over J-3 and I was pretty disgusted. Budweiser on table 8, please.

Now remember Jessica had her birthday and I was supposed to leave? She comes up to the poker room and sits down and she says she needs a drink anyway, so while she orders it I make her a deal that I'll give her part of my eventual winnings if I can stay about two hours and try to get even because I was stuck about $700 when she came in. I re-load for another $1500 and I'm in the game for $2500 when I start playing a little faster to catch up.

I had a sick sick pot with an asian guy who called $40 preflop after I raise with J-10 of diamonds. Flop is 9-4-3 I bet $75 he calls, turn is an 8 I bet $140 he calls, river pairs the board and I give up and check, he checks too. Instead of mucking my jack high like I normally do I turn it faceup, he thinks for a while, looks at my hand, looks at the board... then throws his hand in. Jack high good, ship it!

I have another amazing pot I gotta share, I call $75 preflop with QJ of diamonds. Loose call but we were playing very deepstacked and I loved post-flop play against these guys. 5 people take a flop ($380 in the pot). Flop is Q-5-3 rainbow. First guy leads out for $100, two guys call $100 I decide to call too. Turn is a 2 putting two clubs on the board, pot is $780. I check, first guy leads again for $100, same four seat guy who is a horrible player I didn't think it meant anything at all. Next guy calls, asian guy calls. The pot is now $1080. I start thinking these fuckers are just way too weak, if somebody had a set they would've raised the turn surely. I thought maybe there's a KQ out there but other than that I thought I could move them off the hand, I announce raise and toss my hundred in. I make it $550. First guy thinks for a long ass time before he folds, next guy starts talking to me saying he's got me beat, I keep talking back trying to go with the "a talkative relaxed and comfortable guy usually likes his hand" kind of thing so I sit and chat with him while he's trying to figure out if he can call, then the floor man comes over and says we gotta stop talking while we're in the hand. So he finally folds reluctantly, the asian guy starts thinking even harder. He finally calls. Hand... cookiejar... caught.... I really thought he had KQ and after the pot is so big I didn't think I could fire another barrel on the river. Pot now has over $2000 in it, and he's got another 500-600 behind. I decide to check the blank river, he thinks for a while and gives up and checks, I show my hand... the table goes nuts after seeing what I raised with, asian guy taps the table and mucks. Another budweiser on table 8 for the maniac swede.

I end up coming back and winning about $700 in the game, giving Jess a $200 share for staying the extra two hours then we went back to the room. Jacuzzi suite is the absolute nuts. King size bed, huge jacuzzi that my 6'2" self can stretch all the way out in and enough room for about four people. It was awesome.

Live tournament win

It really has been a while since I won a live tournament, and even though it wasn't for much money I'm still feeling very pleased with it. I've made plenty of live final tables in small tournaments but with no success, yesterday I got to take one down at last. It was a $125 buy-in at the Goldstrike, I think we had around 60 people. I started off playing very fast right off the bat, I had my chips up to 8000 with only two small showdowns I believe, we started with 4000. I get moved to a new table and I had about 10,000 going into the new table. I kept chipping up and was at around 18000 from just picking blinds and antes, pretty much, when I get moved again.

This table was a little tougher, I open in the second orbit after folding about 16 hands with KJ, I ger re-raised immediately and I fold. The next hand I open with AQ of diamonds, I get reraised again, and I started seeing the pattern that usually leads to my demise. I keep raising with mediocre hands, people come over the top with hands that doesn't necessarily always beat my hands so I was a bit frustrated when I decided to call with AQd. I had 17k at the start of the hand, I opened for 1200 he raised for 4600 more so I would be left at 11200 if I called and lost. He showed two kings and I was down to 11k. I pick up a couple more small pots when I had an insane suckout. I was still doing well in chips and I had A7 in the small blind, shortstack was in the big blind and another guy had limped. The guy had limped twice before and I wasn't having any alarm bells going off in my head. I completed small blind and flop was 8-7-2 with two clubs, I had the ace of clubs. We check over to the limper who bets 4000, I put him in for 6000 more and he instacalls with two aces of course. I river a two-outer 7 for a pretty sick beat. It wasn't a key pot for my tournament life but the extra 20k chips really did help.

Then I was sitting at about 40k and just cruising, losing some small pots here and there, playing very well around the bubble. Me and Jamie, not the Jamie from the Vegas trip but another one who play here locally were both on the same table when we were on the bubble and had 6 left. Literally every hand he didn't raise, I raised and vice versa. They were playing so tight to make the final table it was crazy.

Once on the FT and even right before the FT I ran into something that usually bugs me when I'm playing with friends. Tim Burt, my old roommate and Jamie who I know quite well were both there. Twice, when Jamie was shortstacked I folded a hand I'm 95% I had him dominated with because I didn't wanna be an asshole and knock him out when I know he is short on money too. Once he moves in on the button, I have AJ in the blind and I fold. He shows A-3 of diamonds. Then next time he moves in for 10,000 with 2000/4000 blinds and I have A-8 and I elect not to call there either. He ends up tripling up and he's sitting at 48000 and we are playing five handed when I make another bad decision.

He opens up for 16,000. He had been quite aggressive because the table was letting him, and I had folded so many hands I normally would've came over the top with that I was sitting here having a debate with myself if I don't need to try and stop him soon. I look down at K-J of hearts, not a strong hand by any means but I figured he'd give me a lot of credit if I raised as I hadn't done that with anything but total monsters. He says he has 27000 more. (In actuality he had 32000 more which I found out later when we counted his chips) I said I'm all-in, he said "Swede I got two aces bro I gotta call" and I'm like uh-oh. Flop K-J-8 turn deuce river K and I make kings full for another sick beat. I play terrible sometimes.

Yet again it was an important pot as it would've been the difference between having 140k chips or having 40k. Then we're down to four handed, me and Tim Burt have been trading chipleads all along. We bust out the other two and its me and him, I have him outchipped 150-160k to his 75k. We start talking about a deal, we decide to save $200 each and play for the remaining $600, fair enough I thought. I picked up some chips early by making a play with 7-5. I limp in, he checks, flop is K-J-9 I believe, he checks, I bet 6000, he insta-raises to 20000 and I know he's aggressive and a good heads-up player. He raised so fast I didn't think he necessarily had a hand either I really thought he just knew I was weak and me three-betting this hand will scream huge strength, I reraise to 48000 and he thinks for a while and folds. We trade blinds a few times and I pick up K-K. I miniraise his blind to 12000, he moves in with Q-10 of spades, I call. Flop is J-8-x turn A and he's got a double belly buster now and I make the set I don't want to make on the river when the K hits and he makes a straight, all of a sudden he has chip lead. We go back and forth again and then we take a new count with me at 110k him at 130k and we decide to just chop it.

We got $1600 a piece, plus some tournament entry vouchers, so not a ton of money but it still felt good to win a tournament. Then I went to play some cashgames, played very poorly and lost about $500 there in unnecessary fashion. I'm about to go play some tonight again, just woke up after spending a few hours last night listening to music before I went to bed at 11 AM.

And the beat goes on, da da dum da dum dum...

It has to click sooner or later. I played a $50 freezeout today on Stars, 550 entrants. I finish 13th. That paid like $318 but it is so brutal to keep coming close. In the last four tournaments I went deep in I haven't even gotten to the final table and every time I get sucked out on to go out. It is really getting to me, this time the average chipstack was about 62000... I have 30000 in the small blind and AK of hearts, everybody folds to me I shove in, he calls with A7 of clubs and not only hits his seven but he makes a flush too.

I'm starting to be convinced that my karma is horribly bad and it is being compensated now by punishing me on the table! I am at least playing better than I have in a while, I keep going deep just have nothing to show for it. I also played the $11 rebuy, still in that one but I have very few chips sitting at half of average right before the money.


PokerStars Game #6990918871: Tournament #35144523, $50+$5 Hold'em No Limit - Level XV (2000/4000) - 2006/11/12 - 01:50:06 (ET)
Table '35144523 8' 9-max Seat #9 is the button
Seat 3: Gowon (30041 in chips)
Seat 4: Herschel (28940 in chips)
Seat 5: SovietSteel7 (146189 in chips)
Seat 6: nickj7777 (38470 in chips)
Seat 7: Gonzo (32120 in chips)
Seat 8: CuE8BaLL (28326 in chips)
Seat 9: KOOUT (80687 in chips)
Gowon: posts the ante 200
Herschel: posts the ante 200
SovietSteel7: posts the ante 200
nickj7777: posts the ante 200
Gonzo: posts the ante 200
CuE8BaLL: posts the ante 200
KOOUT: posts the ante 200
Gowon: posts small blind 2000
Herschel: posts big blind 4000
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Gowon [Kh Ah]
SovietSteel7 said, "thought you were tilting"
SovietSteel7: folds
nickj7777: folds
Gonzo: folds
CuE8BaLL: folds
KOOUT: folds
Gowon: raises 25841 to 29841 and is all-in
Herschel: calls 24740 and is all-in
*** FLOP *** [4s 6c 5c]
Gowon said, "come on"
*** TURN *** [4s 6c 5c] [7d]
Gowon said, "get real not again"
*** RIVER *** [4s 6c 5c 7d] [3c]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Gowon: shows [Kh Ah] (a straight, Three to Seven)
Herschel: shows [7c Ac] (a flush, Ace high)
Gowon said, "this is so ****ing sick"
Herschel collected 58880 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 58880 | Rake 0
Board [4s 6c 5c 7d 3c]
Seat 3: Gowon (small blind) showed [Kh Ah] and lost with a straight, Three to Seven
Seat 4: Herschel (big blind) showed [7c Ac] and won (58880) with a flush, Ace high
Seat 5: SovietSteel7 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: nickj7777 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: Gonzo folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: CuE8BaLL folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: KOOUT (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)

I finally won a tournament.

I played the $22 headsup tournament with 256 entries. You play headsup matches and you have to win at least three matches to be in the money, and I played real well in this one. The first four opponents I was never in any trouble in any of the matches, I steamrolled them fairly well. Then the fifth match I was up against a good opponent but in a key pot I flopped two pair, he turned a smaller two pair and I won. In the sixth match I was allin preflop after he raised, I reraised allin with 99 and he called with A-10 and that was the first time I was allin with a coinflip for my tournament life. I flopped a 9 and that was it.

The next hard match was the final, I was already guaranteed over $700 and we were playing for another $700 and change. I managed to beat him after the longest and most grueling out of all the matches, he was by far the best player of the bunch. The key pot in the match was

PokerStars Game #6977037078: Tournament #35144423, $20+$2 Hold'em No Limit - Match Round VIII, Level II (15/30) - 2006/11/11 - 02:09:56 (ET)
Table '35144423 1' 2-max Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: Gowon (1365 in chips)
Seat 2: MJ1978 (1635 in chips)
MJ1978: posts small blind 15
Gowon: posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Gowon [8c 8h]
Gowon said, "I was buzzesd by round of 32"
Gowon said, "no lie"
Gowon said, ":)"
MJ1978: calls 15
Gowon: checks
*** FLOP *** [5d 6h 4d]
Gowon: checks
MJ1978: bets 60
Gowon: raises 120 to 180
MJ1978: raises 1425 to 1605 and is all-in
Gowon: calls 1155 and is all-in
*** TURN *** [5d 6h 4d] [Qs]
*** RIVER *** [5d 6h 4d Qs] [5c]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Gowon: shows [8c 8h] (two pair, Eights and Fives)
MJ1978: shows [6c 9c] (two pair, Sixes and Fives)
Gowon collected 2730 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2730 | Rake 0
Board [5d 6h 4d Qs 5c]
Seat 1: Gowon (big blind) showed [8c 8h] and won (2730) with two pair, Eights and Fives
Seat 2: MJ1978 (button) (small blind) showed [6c 9c] and lost with two pair, Sixes and Fives


And after that I was able to take it down, first paid right around $1400 so it was nice. I am still disappointed about the $5.50 rebuy. But it was fun winning 8 straight heads-up matches.

Another day online, another day of tournaments

This was a disappointing night of tournaments, again. I end up winning small at the end of the night but that was it. Not the big break and the big cash that I really, really need.

I played the $5.50 rebuy went on that super hot streak and I was playing well, I didn't get my chips in bad a single time and I was really happy with how I was playing. Then I run into two hands that totally take the wind out of me, Austin had just came over (maybe he's my unlucky charm) and was watching me play. First I lose this one, when the average is just around 200k and I have 650k.

PokerStars Game #6975078782: Tournament #35144408, $5.00+$0.50 Hold'em No Limit - Level XVIII (6000/12000) - 2006/11/10 - 23:21:24 (ET)
Table '35144408 208' 9-max Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: chrissy25 (172490 in chips)
Seat 2: BernieV (94620 in chips)
Seat 3: Bebert004 (289606 in chips)
Seat 4: 1st_BAT (139758 in chips)
Seat 5: shae juan (169868 in chips)
Seat 6: cashmany (170873 in chips)
Seat 7: dimitzio (230463 in chips)
Seat 8: Gowon (659587 in chips)
Seat 9: Cabbagehead (119824 in chips)
chrissy25: posts the ante 600
BernieV: posts the ante 600
Bebert004: posts the ante 600
1st_BAT: posts the ante 600
shae juan: posts the ante 600
cashmany: posts the ante 600
dimitzio: posts the ante 600
Gowon: posts the ante 600
Cabbagehead: posts the ante 600
Gowon: posts small blind 6000
Cabbagehead: posts big blind 12000
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Gowon [Qh Ah]
chrissy25: folds
BernieV: folds
Bebert004: folds
1st_BAT: folds
shae juan: folds
cashmany: folds
dimitzio: raises 24000 to 36000
Gowon: raises 622987 to 658987 and is all-in
Cabbagehead: folds
dimitzio: calls 193863 and is all-in
*** FLOP *** [3d 8h 2c]
*** TURN *** [3d 8h 2c] [3c]
*** RIVER *** [3d 8h 2c 3c] [2s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Gowon: shows [Qh Ah] (two pair, Threes and Deuces)
dimitzio: shows [Js Jd] (two pair, Jacks and Threes)
dimitzio collected 477126 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 477126 | Rake 0
Board [3d 8h 2c 3c 2s]
Seat 1: chrissy25 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: BernieV folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Bebert004 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: 1st_BAT folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: shae juan folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: cashmany folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: dimitzio (button) showed [Js Jd] and won (477126) with two pair, Jacks and Threes
Seat 8: Gowon (small blind) showed [Qh Ah] and lost with two pair, Threes and Deuces
Seat 9: Cabbagehead (big blind) folded before Flop


That is just a standard coinflip, so no sweat, just was bad that the pot was so huge. Then I make this call that was a tough one but ended up being correct, and this one stung a wee bit more.

PokerStars Game #6975386049: Tournament #35144408, $5.00+$0.50 Hold'em No Limit - Level XX (10000/20000) - 2006/11/10 - 23:42:42 (ET)
Table '35144408 208' 9-max Seat #8 is the button
Seat 1: l4t1n (173013 in chips)
Seat 2: BernieV (166240 in chips)
Seat 3: Bebert004 (202296 in chips)
Seat 4: Deep Denial (330474 in chips)
Seat 5: He's full of (163474 in chips)
Seat 6: KURRKOBRA (207385 in chips)
Seat 7: dimitzio (625999 in chips)
Seat 8: Gowon (573220 in chips)
Seat 9: Cabbagehead (273648 in chips)
l4t1n: posts the ante 1000
BernieV: posts the ante 1000
Bebert004: posts the ante 1000
Deep Denial: posts the ante 1000
He's full of: posts the ante 1000
KURRKOBRA: posts the ante 1000
dimitzio: posts the ante 1000
Gowon: posts the ante 1000
Cabbagehead: posts the ante 1000
Cabbagehead: posts small blind 10000
l4t1n: posts big blind 20000
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Gowon [Qc Ac]
BernieV: folds
Bebert004: folds
Deep Denial: folds
He's full of: folds
KURRKOBRA: raises 186385 to 206385 and is all-in
dimitzio: folds
Gowon: raises 186385 to 392770
Cabbagehead: folds
l4t1n: folds
*** FLOP *** [Th 3d 6c]
*** TURN *** [Th 3d 6c] [6s]
*** RIVER *** [Th 3d 6c 6s] [8c]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
KURRKOBRA: shows [8h Jh] (two pair, Eights and Sixes)
Gowon: shows [Qc Ac] (a pair of Sixes)
KURRKOBRA collected 451770 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 451770 | Rake 0
Board [Th 3d 6c 6s 8c]
Seat 1: l4t1n (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 2: BernieV folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Bebert004 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: Deep Denial folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: He's full of folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: KURRKOBRA showed [8h Jh] and won (451770) with two pair, Eights and Sixes
Seat 7: dimitzio folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: Gowon (button) showed [Qc Ac] and lost with a pair of Sixes
Seat 9: Cabbagehead (small blind) folded before Flop

Once again I would've been over 800k and gigantic chipleader, this time we had like 45 players left out of 2100. I just can't seem to get lucky late.

Then we're down to 20, almost down to two tables. The chipleader has a disgusting stack he has 3,3 million with the average at 650k. I'm short with 330k and he opens on the button, I gave him a wide range of hands even though I think he will call with most of it but he makes a gross call with K9o to knock me out. Once again it has to be on the river.

PokerStars Game #6975798591: Tournament #35144408, $5.00+$0.50 Hold'em No Limit - Level XXI (15000/30000) - 2006/11/11 - 00:13:13 (ET)
Table '35144408 208' 9-max Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: l4t1n (493401 in chips)
Seat 3: Bebert004 (260296 in chips)
Seat 4: wincent1 (312636 in chips)
Seat 5: little b33 (1322548 in chips)
Seat 6: KURRKOBRA (939588 in chips)
Seat 7: Menyook (3227909 in chips)
Seat 8: Gowon (325835 in chips)
l4t1n: posts the ante 1500
Bebert004: posts the ante 1500
wincent1: posts the ante 1500
little b33: posts the ante 1500
KURRKOBRA: posts the ante 1500
Menyook: posts the ante 1500
Gowon: posts the ante 1500
Gowon: posts small blind 15000
l4t1n: posts big blind 30000
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Gowon [7h 7c]
Bebert004: folds
wincent1: folds
little b33: folds
KURRKOBRA: folds
Menyook: raises 60000 to 90000
Gowon: raises 234335 to 324335 and is all-in
l4t1n: folds
Menyook: calls 234335
*** FLOP *** [Th Ac 2d]
*** TURN *** [Th Ac 2d] [4s]
*** RIVER *** [Th Ac 2d 4s] [Kh]
Gowon said, "man"
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Gowon: shows [7h 7c] (a pair of Sevens)
Menyook: shows [9s Kd] (a pair of Kings)
Gowon said, "i am running so bad"
Menyook collected 689170 from pot
Menyook said, "sorry"
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 689170 | Rake 0
Board [Th Ac 2d 4s Kh]
Seat 1: l4t1n (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 3: Bebert004 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: wincent1 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: little b33 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: KURRKOBRA folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: Menyook (button) showed [9s Kd] and won (689170) with a pair of Kings
Seat 8: Gowon (small blind) showed [7h 7c] and lost with a pair of Sevens

I'm sort of just wishing that I would run good for a little while and take one down, I feel like I'm playing the best poker I've ever played and I'm continuously losing money? Am I really overvaluing myself that much or can you run bad for six months? I'm afraid its the former and not the latter but I keep getting my money in good in tournaments just can't catch anything. It is really getting to me and I'm developing alcoholism in the process! I knew I needed to get some habit to keep me busy.

I won two satellites on Full Tilt. I won a main event ($530) seat and a $215 seat to their first event this coming Sunday. I end up breaking about even in cashgames and I think all in all for the day I win the two seats and $250. I'm still so grossed out about how this night ended up that I want to run my head through a wall. Fuck poker.

When you run ridiculously well at poker (no sarcasm)

After the next couple of entries I might decide to split up into writing two blogs, one with poker and hand histories and hand analyzing and one for all the rest, which I would like to get back into writing about.

Anyway, this is how I went from 20k chips to 160k chips and chipleader in the matter of one orbit and 10 hands. When you run well, this is a fun game.

Seat 1: Loonbat (44125 in chips)
Seat 2: buck_mac (11966 in chips)
Seat 3: SnoopDoggggg (23726 in chips)
Seat 4: Gowon (21480 in chips)
Seat 5: PSweeney (30586 in chips)
Seat 6: INTREPID FOX (29517 in chips)
Seat 7: MachoLatino (35270 in chips)
Seat 8: horsewhiskey (15255 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 9: DHic (60233 in chips)
Loonbat: posts the ante 50
buck_mac: posts the ante 50
SnoopDoggggg: posts the ante 50
Gowon: posts the ante 50
PSweeney: posts the ante 50
INTREPID FOX: posts the ante 50
MachoLatino: posts the ante 50
horsewhiskey: posts the ante 50
DHic: posts the ante 50
Gowon: posts small blind 400
PSweeney: posts big blind 800
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Gowon [Qh Kh]
INTREPID FOX: folds
MachoLatino: raises 1600 to 2400
horsewhiskey: folds
DHic: folds
Loonbat: folds
buck_mac: folds
SnoopDoggggg: folds
Gowon: calls 2000
PSweeney: folds
*** FLOP *** [Kd Qs 9s]
Gowon: checks
MachoLatino: bets 2400
Gowon: raises 16630 to 19030 and is all-in
MachoLatino: folds
Gowon collected 10850 from pot


HAND NUMBER TWO

Dealt to Gowon [Th Ad]
MachoLatino said, "had aj should have called"
MachoLatino: folds
horsewhiskey: folds
DHic: folds
Loonbat: folds
buck_mac: folds
SnoopDoggggg: calls 800
Gowon: raises 1600 to 2400
PSweeney: folds
INTREPID FOX: folds
SnoopDoggggg: calls 1600
*** FLOP *** [4d 8s 2h]
SnoopDoggggg: checks
MachoLatino said, "get u next time"
Gowon: bets 3200
Gowon said, "k"
SnoopDoggggg: calls 3200
*** TURN *** [4d 8s 2h] [2d]
SnoopDoggggg: checks
Gowon: bets 7200
SnoopDoggggg: folds
Gowon collected 12850 from pot
Gowon is sitting out


HAND THREE

Dealt to Gowon [Jh Qh]
horsewhiskey: folds
horsewhiskey has returned
DHic: folds
Loonbat: folds
buck_mac: folds
SnoopDoggggg: folds
Gowon: raises 1600 to 2400
PSweeney: folds
Gowon said, "here's your chance!"
INTREPID FOX: folds
MachoLatino: folds
Gowon collected 2450 from pot
Gowon: doesn't show hand
MachoLatino said, "not w 24"

Seat 1: Loonbat (43975 in chips)
Seat 2: buck_mac (11816 in chips)
Seat 3: SnoopDoggggg (17976 in chips)
Seat 4: Gowon (36280 in chips)
Seat 5: PSweeney (29236 in chips)
Seat 6: INTREPID FOX (28167 in chips)
Seat 7: MachoLatino (29520 in chips)
Seat 8: horsewhiskey (15105 in chips)
Seat 9: DHic (60083 in chips)
Loonbat: posts the ante 50
buck_mac: posts the ante 50
SnoopDoggggg: posts the ante 50
Gowon: posts the ante 50
PSweeney: posts the ante 50
INTREPID FOX: posts the ante 50
MachoLatino: posts the ante 50
horsewhiskey: posts the ante 50
DHic: posts the ante 50
MachoLatino: posts small blind 400
horsewhiskey: posts big blind 800
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Gowon [3d 6d]
DHic: raises 1600 to 2400
Gowon said, "good hand to crack my hand w/"
Loonbat: folds
buck_mac: folds
SnoopDoggggg: folds
Gowon: calls 2400
PSweeney: folds
INTREPID FOX: folds
MachoLatino: calls 2000
horsewhiskey: calls 1600
*** FLOP *** [9d Qd 8d]
MachoLatino: bets 27070 and is all-in
horsewhiskey: folds
DHic: folds
Gowon: calls 27070
Gowon said, "you actually might bust me here...."
*** TURN *** [9d Qd 8d] [4c]
*** RIVER *** [9d Qd 8d 4c] [4h]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
MachoLatino: shows [Qc Ad] (two pair, Queens and Fours)
Gowon: shows [3d 6d] (a flush, Queen high)
Gowon collected 64190 from pot

Dealt to Gowon [9c Th]
INTREPID FOX: folds
annodv: folds
horsewhiskey: folds
DHic: folds
Loonbat: folds
buck_mac: folds
SnoopDoggggg: calls 400
Gowon: checks
*** FLOP *** [8s Qs Kd]
SnoopDoggggg: checks
Gowon: checks
*** TURN *** [8s Qs Kd] [7c]
SnoopDoggggg: bets 1600
Gowon: calls 1600
*** RIVER *** [8s Qs Kd 7c] [6d]
SnoopDoggggg: bets 3200
hayvanlarus is connected
Gowon: raises 16000 to 19200
SnoopDoggggg: calls 11326 and is all-in
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Gowon: shows [9c Th] (a straight, Six to Ten)
SnoopDoggggg: shows [Qd 8d] (two pair, Queens and Eights)
Gowon collected 34252 from pot

Seat 1: Loonbat (76736 in chips)
Seat 2: buck_mac (10291 in chips)
Seat 4: Gowon (84401 in chips)
Seat 5: hayvanlarus (62711 in chips)
Seat 6: INTREPID FOX (27242 in chips)
Seat 7: annodv (29400 in chips)
Seat 8: horsewhiskey (12380 in chips)
Seat 9: DHic (56558 in chips)
Loonbat: posts the ante 75
buck_mac: posts the ante 75
Gowon: posts the ante 75
hayvanlarus: posts the ante 75
INTREPID FOX: posts the ante 75
annodv: posts the ante 75
horsewhiskey: posts the ante 75
DHic: posts the ante 75
annodv: posts small blind 600
horsewhiskey: posts big blind 1200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Gowon [Jd As]
Gowon said, "dont know why I folded that"
DHic: folds
Gowon said, "I surely would've spiked something"
Loonbat: raises 2435 to 3635
buck_mac: folds
Loonbat said, "lol"
StrandB is connected
MachoLatino [observer] said, "you are the suckout king gowon"
Gowon: calls 3635
hayvanlarus: folds
INTREPID FOX: folds
annodv: folds
Gowon said, "I dont think I've sucked out yet"
Gowon said, "have I?"
horsewhiskey: folds
*** FLOP *** [Ac 5h 7d]
Loonbat: bets 4565
Gowon said, "you move in for gigantic overbet when I flop a flush"
Gowon: calls 4565
*** TURN *** [Ac 5h 7d] [2h]
Loonbat: bets 8595
Gowon: raises 10605 to 19200
Loonbat: calls 10605
*** RIVER *** [Ac 5h 7d 2h] [Jc]
annodv said, "i wasnt that strong lol"
Gowon said, "i wasnt either anno"
Loonbat: bets 25625
Gowon said, "A2o"
Gowon: raises 31301 to 56926 and is all-in
Loonbat: calls 23636 and is all-in
Loonbat said, "gg then"
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Gowon: shows [Jd As] (two pair, Aces and Jacks)
Loonbat: shows [Th Ah] (a pair of Aces)
Gowon collected 155722 from pot
Gowon said, "gg loon"

The 24 hour long live session

Austin called me and said he was gonna go play at the Goldstrike, I had just finished an online session winning about $1600 playing 1/2 nl 6-max tables. I played about 2000 hands and then I wanted to go play some live. I go up to the Horseshoe and get on the $2/5 NL list. While I am waiting, Austin calls me again. He said they are spreading $1/2 pot limit Omaha next door at the Goldstrike. They don't always spread Omaha and I enjoy playing it, so I walked over there. We were seven handed when I started playing.

I pick up a couple small pots playing quite tight when I decided to open up a bit after we drop down to six handed and they're all fairly tight. I open up for $8 on the button with 10-9-9-7 suited once and big blind and another guy calls. The flop is 9-8-3 with two diamonds. I'm not suited in diamonds. I flop top set and open ended, the first guy leads out for pot which is like $25 or something. I reraise pot, he reraises pot again this time to a little over $200. I put in the rest of my money (I covered him) and he calls. He has K-10-7 and another low card I can't remember but it was irrelevant. He has K-10 of diamonds. He's got a huge draw too except we share the same straight-draw. Turn is the ace of diamonds and he's got the nuts, board fails to pair on the river and I'm stuck around $400 I think. I move over and play $1/2 nl, I get most of it back. Then I lose a couple small insignificant pots. Bobby Schulz was playing in the game and running well, he cracked my kings twice in small pots and after a while I realized the game wasn't that good so I wasn't going to get even here. I lost $500 exactly when leaving the Goldstrike.

I walk into the Horseshoe, buy in for $500. The game is fairly good, Roland, ultra tight John and Wayne were some of the people in there. I start out playing ridiculously tight, which Roland comments on, and it lets me win a pot later. A weak player raises the button to $25, Roland calls in the small blind I call in the big blind with 98. Flop is 7-7-3 or something of the sort, all rags, we check to the weak guy who leads into the pot, I know that Roland thinks he is weak and Roland raised, I re-raised... Roland claims he folds 7-5 because I'm playing so tight. I doubt that, but still.

I got right around $500 and they are gambling in some pots when I'm thinking about adding another $500 to the table because most pots are big and I hate playing shortstack poker. I decide not to for now. I limp in late position with two sixes, tight John has limped UTG... blinds check. Flop is Qc 7c 6x. John leads for $25, I raise to 90, he reraises to 250 I believe it was. I only have 2-- more behind that. I go into the tank big time, I am so close to throwing my hand away here. I'm trying to think of what I can beat, the only hand I can realistically beat that he limps UTG with is 76 suited since he played it so hard. I think he would raise QQ. There are basically four hands I put him on, 76s, 45 clubs, 89 clubs or 77. The queen is a club so that rules out AQ of clubs. I spend a lot of time thinking about this hand and I make a dumb fucking all-in for the rest of my chips here. He makes the flush on the turn and I show my 6's after the river blanks and throw it in the muck. A few people were telling me there's no way I can throw that away and that they thought I was just hollywooding when I took forever to decide on the flop.

The thing is, he is one of the tightest players I have ever played with, bar none. I have to give him a hand on the flop. He 3-bet my raise on the flop so if I give him a range of hands, most of them beat me except the draws which are still favorites. I think I played this hand very poorly and it is a fairly easy laydown on the flop. I think if I hadn't been stuck from the Goldstrike game, I could muck this and move on.

I reload for a thousand and I'm in the game for $2000 now. The session was so long that I've forgotten most of the pots, I lose another $300 and I reload for $500 more... putting me in the game for $2500 exactly.

I remember one good call I make, this young talkative (and funny) black guy whose name I forget, he's a friend of Adrians though I believe, was running the table. He was involved in a lot of pots. He limps early position, I limp behind with 10-8 offsuit and someone makes a small raise of $20 late position and we both call. The flop comes down 10-6-4 rainbow. He leads early position for a potsized bet of $60. I had previously seen him do this with draws a lot and I didn't really put him on a big hand, I called while deciding what to do on the turn, preflop raiser folds. Turn is a J. He bets really quickly $125, if I remember right. I really think I have the best hand at this point and I decide to call again. The river pairs the 6. He bets $285. This was a really big bet for the size of the pot, and I can't think of a single hand he would do this with unless he flopped a set. The one and only hand I am worried about is pocket fours. He wouldn't bet this much after I call the flop and the turn even with J-10, I don't think he limped a big pocket pair. The guy who raised behind me likely held AQ or AK and while this doesn't rule out somebody else having AA or KK it wasn't his style to limp big pairs. He opened for big raises with big pairs, he'd splash around a lot with small hands. I keep thinking he has 7-5 or 5-3. I'd hate to be wrong and lose $500 with a very mediocre hand that I could've tossed preflop but something didn't smell right. He either had 44, 75, 53 or 64. I beat half the hands I put him on and that isn't quite good enough. I act like I'm about to fold and I look over at him and he's kind of having this big grin on his face, looking over at Adrian, and I interpret that as he is about to show a big bluff. I call, he says good call I missed my draw and ship it to the swede.

I lost a few really tough hands after this, I finally got aces allin preflop against the same guy I beat with 10-8... unfortunately he had the other two aces. I actually turn a club flushdraw with my ace of clubs but I miss. Then I lose a rough pot with two tens. Raol who plays tight and who in my opinion can't really get away from a hand reraises to $100 preflop after I raise with tens, I put him on anywhere from JJ to AA to AK. Nothing less. Flop is K-J-10 and while I don't absolutely love it, when he bets $150 which is a big bet I do like it. I don't think he has a set anymore, I smoothcall. Turn is a rag, he bets again, I raise he calls. River is a queen for the lovely K-Q-J-10 board and he bets $150 and I instafold, he flashes the Ace. I knew he would've paid me with ace king there too, that is what is so sick, that pot had me riled up.

I then lose another one to Larry. I flop top set of kings when I raise in the cutoff, he's in the pot but I get no action. Very next hand I make a $40 raise with 8-8 and he calls, then he checks in the dark. Flop is J-8-7 and he checks, I check, turn is a 9 and I don't like it but he bets $60 I call. River is a 6 he bets $100 I make a crying horrible call and he shows 10-9 of hearts for the flopped nuts. The turn saved my ass. I still couldn't get a single set to hold up.

I lose another big hand to some ridiculous beat and I'm now 22+ hours into the session when I go on tilt in one hand. I raise 53c to $20 early pos, two callers, the young black guy whom I beat with the 10-8 reraises to 100. I know he's got a big hand but I decide to call anyway and pray to get lucky and stack him. Flop is Js 10c 9c I flop a flushdraw. I check planning to checkraise allin but he only bets $125. I all of a sudden get a bad feeling he flopped a set. I have $950 total after the preflop raise and I can't move in for $775 more that would look fishy, I thought. I decided to just smoothcall and see what he does on the turn. The turn is a queen. I check again, he bets $250 this time. I weigh my options here, when I call him preflop... I normally would have something that flopped a set on this board. If he has a set himself with JJ, TT, 99 like I thought he did, this was a horrible card for him. If he had aces, he can't call a raise either. If I'm wrong and he somehow has AK or KK I still have some outs, I announce raise and put my $250 out there. I said $550 more and put myself allin, he calls instantly. Uh-oh. He goes "You have AK, you have AK?" I said no, I don't have AK. He shows KK. No club on the river and I go home now.

In retrospect I should never have been involved and if I raise the pot on the flop I would probably have given me a better shot to take it down. BUT I don't totally hate my play here, he just happened to have a hand that hit the turn or else I think he has a hard time calling. If you look at it from his perspective, and disregard the fact I'm splashing around with 53c. If I raise preflop, call $100 preflop I am usually not splashing around. The flop comes dangerously coordinated, I smoothcall his raise. On the turn when he bets $250, there's room for him to fold for $550 more if he really does have JJ, TT, 99 or even AA. But it was still unnecessary to get involved.

Goldstrike Tournament Report $335 Sunday tour

Another tournament report from the past Sunday tour, it has been over 36 hours since I played the tournament so if I get any chip amounts wrong I apologize. I saved a lot of my hands in text messages though so it should be semi accurate.

We started with 90 people and a chipstack of 6000. Blinds were 25/25 and 40 minute levels, so a pretty good amount of play. Early on I play really, really tight. I decide to not really mess around too much. First level of 25/25 I get to misplay a hand immediately. I raise KK to 150, guy on my left who was an old man who only had shown down monsters so far makes it 450. I decide to smoothcall instead of reraise and take a flop. The flop is 10-9-4 with two clubs. I check, he bets 900 which is close to a potsized bet. I just call. Turn is the 6 of clubs putting three clubs on board. I check, he checks. At this point I'm thinking I'm ahead in the hand. The river pairs the board making the final board 10c 9c 4x 6c 4x. I check thinking I'll either let him bet a smaller pair or bluff with A-K. I basically had him on 10-10, JJ, QQ, KK, AA or AK and that was it. He bets 2000. I go into the tank thinking if he really flopped a set of tens or if he has aces. I reluctantly make the call and he shows me Ac Qc for the nutflush. I had a total misread and I lost a bunch of chips.

A little later on the 25/50 level I open for $200 with two queens (QQ). I get three callers and the flop is 10-8-8. The blinds check, I bet 500 and I get one of the blinds to call. I'm not liking it. The turn is a J. He checks, I check behind. River is another J. He bets 300. The bet is so small I'm not sure if it is a total valuebet or a weak bet with a ten. I pay off the 300 and he shows me 98 for the flopped trips.

I lose a pot with two jacks and I'm down to 1500 chips having only played three hands, KK, QQ and JJ playing them all poorly. Big Chris busts out of the tournament and asks for a ride home and I'm thinking about just throwing away my chips since the blinds are now 100/200 and I am so short anyway. A few minutes later a guy who limped a lot, sitting to my right limps again. I look down at Ks 8s. I move in for 1500. Everybody folds, and he folds too showing A4 offsuit. I show my K8 since I don't intend to get crazy again and I want action next time. I pick up 500 in the pot so I'm up to 2k. I get Q-10 of spades a little later, same guy limps, Big Chris is sitting behind me and I show the Q-10s as I muck and he tells me I'm crazy! I move in again with A9 and I'm sitting at 2600 when this hand occurs. The blinds are now 100/200 with a 25 ante. I look down at A-A in early position. Since every move I've made so far has been all in, I don't like opening for 600 all of a sudden just because I have aces. I figured with the allin moves I've made I am more likely to get action if I move in. I move in, guy to my left instacalls, the guy to his left calls also. Wow. I have the ace of hearts, ace of clubs and the flop comes down J-10-3 with all diamonds! I'm hating the flop so badly, especially when the first guy checks and the second guy says that he is all-in. He shows Ks Qh for only an open ended straight draw without any diamonds either. I dodge his six outs and I more than triple up, I end up having 8600 chips when I get moved to a new table.

I sit down next to Brian Moore who is a good friend of mine, he is on my right. The very first hand at the new table, the blinds are 200/400 with a 50 ante and I open up for 1200 with KK in early position. A maniac who came from the table that broke earlier and I had played with him the first two hours (The same man with KQ that made me triple up with aces) immediately makes it 5000. I announce all-in for 8600 and he calls. He shows QJ offsuit. Flop is A-6-3... turn is a blank and he's drawing dead and I double up to about 18000 with all the antes and blinds etc.

The VERY NEXT HAND I pick up 8-8 under the gun. I yet again raise to 1200. The small blind calls and Brian Moore in the big blind calls. The flop comes down Qc 9x 8c. I flop bottom set on a semi scary board. The guy in the small blind leads out for 2500, he only has another3000 behind so he's shortstacked. Brian smoothcalls the 2500 and he actually has me covered. I think for a bit how to play this, and with so many draws on the board, I decide to move in with bottom set. The small blind calls, and Brian immediately says I call. I know I'm in trouble now because he has such a big stack there's no way he'd jeopardize it unless he has me beat. I'm terribly afraid he has 9-9 for a higher set but he flips up J-10. Which strangely enough is the best hand he probably can have for me because he'd never move in with just a flushdraw or two pair or anything like that, so in the range of hands he'd move in with, "just" a straight might be the best one for me. The other guy shows Q-J which kind of sucks because he takes one of my outs. The turn is a J... so now to win the main pot of about 17000 I have only three cards to make me a winner. One of the remaining eights or one of the two remaining nines. To win the sidepot of about 27000 against Brian I have only seven cards to make me a winner. The river is the beautiful eight of diamonds giving me quads and Brian obviously gets very pissed off as I get shipped a total pot of 43200 and become the chipleader by a decent margin.. I lucked out big time.

I can't remember the next hand I win but according to text message notes when we get down to 18 players I am at 61500 chips and I'm still the chip leader. I then play a very strange pot in the 800/1600 with 200 ante level. A very aggressive guy opens up for 4200, I call the 4200 with 2-2 and we are both really big in chips so I'm hoping to flop a set against him, if he wasn't as deep as me I'd never take the call. He had about 55000 or so. A lady in the big blind calls also. The flop is Q-10-3 and I almost thought I flopped a set for a second until I see the 3 instead of a 2. The lady checks, the original raiser checks and I decide to bet 8000 into the pot hoping I can just take it down, the lady in the big blind thinks forever and decides to move in and it is only 2300 more to me. The pot is almost 34000 now and I'm getting like 16:1 and I'm praying she has a big draw and while my wish is granted, I call and she shows KJ she has an awful lot of outs. Any Ace, King, Jack or Nine makes her a winner. She's got 14 outs on the flop. The turn is another queen so now she can win with any of the three tens too. 17 outs going into the river and she does hit a 10. The final board shows Q-Q-10-10-3 and my pair of deuces gets counterfeited and the dealer ships her the 36000 pot. After the hand I have 44900 exactly.

I pick up a few uncontested blinds and the next big hand I get involved in a guy opens for 4000 and I take the call with A-9 in position, the blind also calls. The flop is Q-8-7 with two clubs. He checks and I check. The turn is a K an he checks to me, I bet 5000 and he calls. River puts the 6 of clubs on the board for a final board of K-Q-8-7-6 with three clubs. He checks, I bet 12000 and he calls with 10-10. I thought he was weak and ran the bluff all the way but got caught. I was down to 31000 after that hand.

The blinds are still 800/1600 when a semi loose guy opens up UTG for 4200. One of the guys covering me cold-calls the 4200. There's now 12400 pot and I look down at A-Q. I decide to shove all-in thinking I might be able to pick up the pot here without a showdown at all. The first guy folds and I'm liking my hand now. The second guy, who has me covered takes a LOT of time to think before he finally calls with 10-10. The flop is all blanks and a beautiful ace hits the turn and I double up to 64000. He makes some comment about how I must be an internet player because I think A-Q is a good hand. I said yes sir, AQ is the nuts, I will shove with it every time!!

We are now down to about 16 players, with top 10 getting paid and I turn on the heat big time. I go from 64000 up to 130000 now just torturing the bubble only having to show down one hand. The only hand I had to show was when I raised A8, a guy smoothcalls, a shortstack pushes for 4000 more and I call and the other guy calls. Flop came A-J-x (x= rag) and first guy checks, I check. Turn is another low blank he checks I check. River is an 8 and I bet 10000 into the dry sidepot and he calls with 10-10. I get that one shipped to me.

We're down to 12 players almost in the money when I make a bad slip. I raise A2 offsuit on the button to 9000 with 1500/3000 blinds. Both the blinds call. Flop is Jc Jx 8c. They check, I check behind. Turn is a 4. Small blind checks, aggressive guy with lot of chips in the big blind bets 6000. I call with no pair, no draw with the intention of playing this hand like I flopped a total monster and raising him on the river no matter what. The river is the K of clubs for a final board of Kc Jc Jx 8c 4x for a completed club flush. He bets 6000 again. It was such a small bet int oa pot that had over 40000 in it that I decided to raise to 20000. It was a small enough raise that I didn't commit too much and I thought he couldn't really call without a jack or a flush, and I put him on an 8 honestly. He started thinking for a long time and I'm really liking my play at this point until he calls with Q4 of clubs. He made the flush on the river and I'm down to 88000 and he took the chiplead from me.

They finally bust another person and we all go into the final table and we're in the money, I enter the final table second in chips after the guy I just tried to make a move on. We redraw for new seats and the guy I just tried to make a move on, the chipleader gets to sit two to my left, an aggressive guy with lot of chips is on my immediate left. Charlie Chan (I think that's his last name) who is a very good tournament player is three to my left. I hate my table draw. I open a pot early on with some rag hand, the chipleader calls, I bet the flop and he folds. I'm realizing quickly he's wanting to play a lot of pots with me. The next hand that occurs makes me laugh because I'm in the big blind and he raises it to 9000. I think jesus he's going after me every time, an older man in late position reraises to 19000. The chipleader guy calls. The flop is Q-4-2. The chipleader guy checks, the other guy moves allin, chipleader calls and the old man has JJ while the chipleader has Q2! He raised my blind with Q2 and then called a reraise with it and flopped two pair. He busts the old man and I make a joke telling him that apparently raising with AQ is being a poor internet player while calling a reraise with Q2 makes you a superstar. It made me laugh at least.

I then get JJ in mid position, I open for 12000. The chipleader who wants to bust me calls. The flop is Jh 9h 3s. I flop top set. I lead out for 8000, he raises to 16000. I'm thinking wow I'm actually getting to double through him finally! There's a heart flushdraw and a straightdraw on board. He's in position and mini-raised me. I felt he might have a heartdraw and incase he had total air and was semibluffing with like KQ I decided I'm moving in, thinking he'll call with a heartdraw and incase he had a big hand too I might get him to commit his chips. He thinks for a LONG time and I'm praying for a call when he finally folds. If I was in position, I could've slowplayed it but oh well.... I didn't wanna smoothcall, check to him on the turn and let him check behind and catch up too much. 98500 after that hand.

I forget the exact chipcounts but I raise A-3 of diamonds and a shortstack raises allin and it is only like 5000 more to me, I call and he shows A4. Johnny Grooms, the tournament director says "Chop the pot! It'll be a chop!" (more often that not that will be a chopped pot as the kickers won't get to play) The dealer puts out the flop and the door-card (the first card showing) is a 4. A-4-2 on the flop. I start rooting for a 5 and I get close on the turn, when the turn is a 3 giving me a useless two pair. The river blanks and I double him up. A little later I raise with A7 of spades and Charlie moves in and yet again I have to call him as he has like no chips... he shows AK and I flop a 7 and get lucky on him, turn is a blank but the river is a King and he takes the pot. I then open 8-8 and have to fold to a big reraise, next hand I play I open with A-Q and yet again fold to an allin reraise. I'm down to 56000 chips and we're still 7 handed when I open for 12000 under the gun with 9-9. The guy on my left goes allin immediately. I'm pissed about all the hands I've laid down so I decide I'm calling this one. It is 32000 more to me. I count out the 32000 and it is only going to leave me with 16000 chips but I decided I'm calling. The lady on my right says "I call" and I'm now in a big predicament. She has me covered and I only have 99. I decide that there has to be a better spot as if I'm not already dominated by a pair they must have plenty of overcards. I fold. The guy moving in shows AQ the lady shows AK... the flop comes down A-9-2 and I'm about to get sick. I still don't think I can make that call for my tournament life but of course, I would've ended up close to tripling up.

The blinds go up to 3000/6000 with a 1k ante so it is costing 16000 per round to play. Under the gun I look at my first card and it is the ace of clubs, I move all-in deciding any ace is good enough I don't want to blind to death. Next guy folds and Charlie thinks for a very long time before calling. Everybody else folds, he shows 9-9. I toss up my ace and I take a second to peel the second card hoping I at least have something bigger than a 9 so it will be a coinflip but it is a 7. I brick out completely not catching the ace and I bust out in seventh place.

Oops, I did it again.

I haven't posted in a long time and this entry is going to be purely about poker. Today I don't have many good news to tell however, so it will end up being just another bad beat (bad play?) entry! I played the monthly Sunday tournament at the Goldstrike. I managed to finish 7th for around $1450 or something like that, even though I held the chiplead for most of the last three hours of the event. I made a couple of errors, I guess, mainly in not following up my raises by calling re-raises when I probably should've. I then ran a little bad in showdowns too in the allin confrontations going 0 for 4 in the last four allins, so all in all I guess it is an ok finish.

Today I managed to pull another patented swede special. I sit down in the $1/2 NL game with $300. I make a few hands early and get it up to about $700 and change when I switch tables. On the new table I just start making every hand. I play at least 60% of the pots and I end up making so many two pairs and straights and flushes I was making myself sick. I had one fun pot against the dealer Vince from the Horseshoe. He straddles it for $4 on the button, I'm in middle position with 1o-5 of hearts. I'm about to muck my hand when he yells "Swede!" and points at his straddle, basically trying to get me to raise it, since I had every other time. I said, alright! and I threw $22 out there. I got three callers and one was Vince Flop was K-6-5 rainbow, no hearts. I basically totally bricked the flop. First two guys checks, I take a stab bet of $60 into the pot and Vince calls. I'm done with a hand unless I improve. Turn is a 10. I bet $120, he calls immediately. River is an 8. I decided to check and he checks behind and I show that ugly monster of a hand. I could've valuebet the river I suppose but I honestly felt bad about how many pots I beat him out of, I really did. I kept sucking out left and right.

So it didn't take more than four or so hours and I had ran my $300 up to about $2400. Of course, being $2100 winner and having 7 times your buy-in in pure profit should be good for most people? Not me. You can see where this story is heading.

I was sitting next to Austin, I had just peaked my chipstack in the highest of the night when he gets up to talk to a buddy. I lose a brutal hand when I call $20 preflop after I had straddled on the button with 6-7 of diamonds. Five people take the flop and it is $100 in the pot preflop. Flop is 7-7-3. The semi tight youngish guy leads out for $25. I immediately make it $75 thinking I'll probably get action from any overpair right here and was trying to make it look like I'm stealing, he calls. Turn is an ace. He leads again for $50, I make it $175 and he calls. River is a 10 and he moves in for about another $180. I'm getting a sinking feeling he has aces full right here but there's around $650 in the pot and I decide to call, he shows T-T for a rivered boat. That hand was what started the downfall.

I lose a series of fun hands to a new guy who sat down, I lose Q-9 to K-9 on an A-9-9 flop. I lose AA to K4 of spades on the As 3d 7s flop. I then make a really poor play, I assume, even though I can't really take the call. The guy who sat down was playing every pot. We are now five-handed. I've never played with him before but he sat down with $200 playing hyper-aggressive and he now has about $1800 infront of him. A lot of it from me. He just beat me in a hand right before this one and I announced at the table I'm stone cold tilting now. He raises it up to $20 under the gun, I'm next to act and make it 50 with QJ of spades. He is the only caller.

Flop is Qc Jc 9s. I love the flop even though it is very coordinated. He checks, I bet 80, he immediately raises it to $180. I call. Turn is an offsuit 4. He checks again, I bet $200, he leans back and says "Wow you probably have three queens or three jacks, I guess I'm allin, you got me beat." That speech usually means they have a giganormous hand most of the time and there was $660 in the pot and it would cost me $900 more to call. I really, really didn't think I had the best hand and I folded QJ. He showed the same hand, Qd Jh. He outplayed me good on that hand but I really didn't feel good about calling.

Then after that it was basically over, I was down to $600 infront of me after being in the game for $600 so I was dead even. I lose another $400ish pot with 4h 2h on a J-4-2 flop after the J pairs on the river and he beats me and I end up losing around $300 on the day. The game was unbelievably good and I don't regret staying and playing fivehanded as I easily thought I was the best player at the table, all four of the other ones seemed fairly new but I just couldn't beat them tonight. It is always frustrating coming back from a $2100 win to booking a loser in a $1/2 game but one of these days I'll learn to quit winner.