Friday, 9 January 2009
Over to 2009
No more action after my return from Vegas. For 2009 see http://www.charliepoker2009.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, 21 October 2008
US Trip - October - Las Vegas - who is the fish?
Well I think I am going to retire from poker. I can't seem to get anywhere either in cash games or tournaments.
To give you 2 examples, in the tournament today.
1 : The player under the gun throws in a 500 chip when the blinds are 50/100. He wanted to raise but did not say so, therefore when I asked if it was a call the dealer said it was. I had 65 in late position so I called. Then I can't believe it when the BB raises to 400. The UTG guy just calls and I fold in disgust. The dealer flops 659 rainbow. Bet of 1000 is called. Turn is 6. Bet of 1500 is called. I would surely have nearly tripled up here.
2 : The hand that eliminates me. Blinds are 100/200 with 25 ante. I have 2500 chips. 4 limpers to me in the BB with 84. I check. Flop is 28Q rainbow. All check. Turn is 7. I think I must be winning so push all in. Called by a guy who was slowplaying AA. Nice.
You know they say that when you look around the table and you can't see the sucker then it is you. Well I certainly feel like that at the moment.
As some consolation, the Ceasars tournament that Mark and I played in on Monday did have that tall American swimmer bloke in it http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/article/5334/tournament-trail-q-and-a-michael-phelps - and he was at my table for a while. Seemed like an OK guy - it sounded like he gets a lot of grief about being a poker fish (!) when he does not deserve it. It was reassuring to see artifically enhanced blonde ladies asking for his autograph.
Oh and it seems that the gossip is that the World Poker Tour is about to go bust - you heard it here first...
To give you 2 examples, in the tournament today.
1 : The player under the gun throws in a 500 chip when the blinds are 50/100. He wanted to raise but did not say so, therefore when I asked if it was a call the dealer said it was. I had 65 in late position so I called. Then I can't believe it when the BB raises to 400. The UTG guy just calls and I fold in disgust. The dealer flops 659 rainbow. Bet of 1000 is called. Turn is 6. Bet of 1500 is called. I would surely have nearly tripled up here.
2 : The hand that eliminates me. Blinds are 100/200 with 25 ante. I have 2500 chips. 4 limpers to me in the BB with 84. I check. Flop is 28Q rainbow. All check. Turn is 7. I think I must be winning so push all in. Called by a guy who was slowplaying AA. Nice.
You know they say that when you look around the table and you can't see the sucker then it is you. Well I certainly feel like that at the moment.
As some consolation, the Ceasars tournament that Mark and I played in on Monday did have that tall American swimmer bloke in it http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/article/5334/tournament-trail-q-and-a-michael-phelps - and he was at my table for a while. Seemed like an OK guy - it sounded like he gets a lot of grief about being a poker fish (!) when he does not deserve it. It was reassuring to see artifically enhanced blonde ladies asking for his autograph.
Oh and it seems that the gossip is that the World Poker Tour is about to go bust - you heard it here first...
Saturday, 18 October 2008
US Trip - October - Commerce Cash
I have come over for a repeat of the stag weekend trip earlier in the year. Mr B is here and we will be looking for action.
First night (or should I say morning) I play about 90 minutes of $5/10 with a buy-in of $400 dollars.
Early on not much happens. There is a lot of limping and I get value on a couple of draws which don't hit.
I only get dealt three premium hands:
1 - TT on the button - I raise a couple of limpers and all fold.
2 - KK in the BB. I make a $60 raise after 4 limps. Only one caller - flop is 998 two clubs I bet all in for $140 and he reluctantly calls. Another club comes but his big ace is no good.
Before relating the final hand, to give you an idea of the weird play, this was one of the biggest pots. There is a cowboyish type who has a big rack of chips - clearly he has been hitting flops, because he is a bit clueless. This pot also influences my last hand. There is a raise from mid position by Mr Arabian to my right and it is called by cowboy on the button and tight local on the BB. Flop is AQ6 all spades. Pot is about $80 and tight local goes all-in for about $120, Mr A reraises all-in to about $300.
OK - you are Mr Cowboy - what hands can you call with? I would have thought you need to have a spade or a set. Oh no - he calls with A9 clubs! and surprise suprise the other guys have AQ. However they split since even when 4s comes on the river neither of them has a spade either.
Equally weird is when I called a min raise to $20 on the BB with J9d. A flop of TJQ all hearts looks nice at first so I lead out for $60 into an $80 pot expecting to get raised by someone with a heart and then I can fold. However only one caller - the button. Turn is Kh - oh dear - surely my straight is no good here. I check - so does he. Likewise on the river which is 4d. I show and he mucks. Eh? How could I win there? He must have had a pair without a heart I guess or may be KQ, but how you can call a flop bet without a heart I will never know.
Anyway - to my last hand.
I am looking to leave so I have found a rack for my chips - I am about $50 up so I have $450 in front of me and will play until I am about to post my blind. I get JJ in the cut off and after 2 limps (including Mr A) I raise to $40. The cowboy reraises to $100 from the SB and then Mr A raises it to $200.
Mr A has up until now played quite straightforward. I thought that if he had one of the 3 pairs that beat me, he probably would have raised the original limper. Also he has been involved in a few pots with Cowboy and I would think he figures cowboy could be raising with anything. 3 options:
1 - fold - against 2 tight players - may be - but not in this spot given the history
2 - call - possibly to try to see a flop, but I would rather be heads up. Cowboy could reraise and if Mr A calls perhaps I would have to fold.
3 raise - and it will have to be all in. I think I am likely against Ax big or may be TT/99.
I go for 3 and Cowboy folds. Unfortunately Mr A has the Aces and I don't get lucky.
So $400 down...time for bed
First night (or should I say morning) I play about 90 minutes of $5/10 with a buy-in of $400 dollars.
Early on not much happens. There is a lot of limping and I get value on a couple of draws which don't hit.
I only get dealt three premium hands:
1 - TT on the button - I raise a couple of limpers and all fold.
2 - KK in the BB. I make a $60 raise after 4 limps. Only one caller - flop is 998 two clubs I bet all in for $140 and he reluctantly calls. Another club comes but his big ace is no good.
Before relating the final hand, to give you an idea of the weird play, this was one of the biggest pots. There is a cowboyish type who has a big rack of chips - clearly he has been hitting flops, because he is a bit clueless. This pot also influences my last hand. There is a raise from mid position by Mr Arabian to my right and it is called by cowboy on the button and tight local on the BB. Flop is AQ6 all spades. Pot is about $80 and tight local goes all-in for about $120, Mr A reraises all-in to about $300.
OK - you are Mr Cowboy - what hands can you call with? I would have thought you need to have a spade or a set. Oh no - he calls with A9 clubs! and surprise suprise the other guys have AQ. However they split since even when 4s comes on the river neither of them has a spade either.
Equally weird is when I called a min raise to $20 on the BB with J9d. A flop of TJQ all hearts looks nice at first so I lead out for $60 into an $80 pot expecting to get raised by someone with a heart and then I can fold. However only one caller - the button. Turn is Kh - oh dear - surely my straight is no good here. I check - so does he. Likewise on the river which is 4d. I show and he mucks. Eh? How could I win there? He must have had a pair without a heart I guess or may be KQ, but how you can call a flop bet without a heart I will never know.
Anyway - to my last hand.
I am looking to leave so I have found a rack for my chips - I am about $50 up so I have $450 in front of me and will play until I am about to post my blind. I get JJ in the cut off and after 2 limps (including Mr A) I raise to $40. The cowboy reraises to $100 from the SB and then Mr A raises it to $200.
Mr A has up until now played quite straightforward. I thought that if he had one of the 3 pairs that beat me, he probably would have raised the original limper. Also he has been involved in a few pots with Cowboy and I would think he figures cowboy could be raising with anything. 3 options:
1 - fold - against 2 tight players - may be - but not in this spot given the history
2 - call - possibly to try to see a flop, but I would rather be heads up. Cowboy could reraise and if Mr A calls perhaps I would have to fold.
3 raise - and it will have to be all in. I think I am likely against Ax big or may be TT/99.
I go for 3 and Cowboy folds. Unfortunately Mr A has the Aces and I don't get lucky.
So $400 down...time for bed
Saturday, 27 September 2008
Virgin Poker Festival at Loose Cannon
I played the main event on Saturday 27th September - having qualified on line at Virgin Poker.
We started at 2 pm with 10,000 chips and a good slow structure.
In first 2 levels made a couple of largeish laydowns
Played 67 with flop of 789. I call a bet. Turn is 6 and river 9. Limp a5d from the button. Flop k69 one d. I bet and get called. Turn 6 river 9 both diamonds but I fold to big bet from the small blind.
after the break I have a6s on the button flop is j94 two spades. Blinds are 100/200 so when mid pos limpet bets only 600 I reraise to 1500. He calls and then checks the raggedy turn. River is a beautiful spade and he check calls my 1500 bet - sweet.
Then the cooler. I call a min raise with 78s from late position as does the button and big blind. Flop is 69T giving me the nut straight. There are 2 checks to me but the button has been quite agressive so I am pretty sure he will bet. He bets 800 and BB raises to 3000. I naturally move all in and the BB calls. He has TT for a set but the dealer turns a 6 to fill him up. I am virtually dead with 1200 chips. A few hands later I have A2 in bb and after two limps and a board of 972 I move all in but called by T9.
I do not think I could have avoided anything really.
We started at 2 pm with 10,000 chips and a good slow structure.
In first 2 levels made a couple of largeish laydowns
Played 67 with flop of 789. I call a bet. Turn is 6 and river 9. Limp a5d from the button. Flop k69 one d. I bet and get called. Turn 6 river 9 both diamonds but I fold to big bet from the small blind.
after the break I have a6s on the button flop is j94 two spades. Blinds are 100/200 so when mid pos limpet bets only 600 I reraise to 1500. He calls and then checks the raggedy turn. River is a beautiful spade and he check calls my 1500 bet - sweet.
Then the cooler. I call a min raise with 78s from late position as does the button and big blind. Flop is 69T giving me the nut straight. There are 2 checks to me but the button has been quite agressive so I am pretty sure he will bet. He bets 800 and BB raises to 3000. I naturally move all in and the BB calls. He has TT for a set but the dealer turns a 6 to fill him up. I am virtually dead with 1200 chips. A few hands later I have A2 in bb and after two limps and a board of 972 I move all in but called by T9.
I do not think I could have avoided anything really.
Thursday, 25 September 2008
APAT Stud - I am interviewed
Here it is - my interview before the stud final http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzxZldC-50o
Saturday, 13 September 2008
Poker player tournament - Brighton
This tournament was sponsored by poker player magazine.
100 runners paying £50 each with the winner getting a gukpt seat as well as £1500.
We started with 5000 chips with blinds 25/50
Early on I called a raise with ak and the flop was a67 all diamonds. I raised a bet of 300 to 900 and he called. Turn is a rag but I smell a rat so I check behind. River another rag and when he checks I do too and he shows a flopped flush.
I win some chips later when I reraise a flop of q75 with 2 spades when holding kqd. I think he probably had aq because he said he thought I had a big flush draw.
Not much happens then the fickle poker gods strike.
First I have 62 on the bb when the blinds are 150/300. The flop is T96 after 3 limps. All check. Turn is a 6. I check ready to raise but no takers. River is A so this time I am sure someone will bet. Sure enough someone bets 800 and calls my extra 1000. Sweet.
Next hand I am sb. I have 57h so I call 3 limpers. Flop is a beautiful 77A so I check. No action. Turn is Q surely someone will bet. I check BB bets 400 and is raised to 1500. There are 2 diamonds now so I think the raiser probably has the Ad. Clearly the bb had Q so he folds. Raiser calls my all in and shows 78. So looks like a split until he catches an 8 on the river.
Now I have 600 chips but the very next hand I get as and I double through qq.
After the break blinds are 200/400 so I am looking to go all in. I get T9h in mid position so I am in. There is a call all in from someone with 600 and 2 further callers. The bb is getting good value too so we end up 5 way. Flop is 236 turn 9 so when my nemesis bets and the others fold I am happy to see the other all in show 55 and the bettor 65. But then he rivers me again with a 4
He had better win it!
100 runners paying £50 each with the winner getting a gukpt seat as well as £1500.
We started with 5000 chips with blinds 25/50
Early on I called a raise with ak and the flop was a67 all diamonds. I raised a bet of 300 to 900 and he called. Turn is a rag but I smell a rat so I check behind. River another rag and when he checks I do too and he shows a flopped flush.
I win some chips later when I reraise a flop of q75 with 2 spades when holding kqd. I think he probably had aq because he said he thought I had a big flush draw.
Not much happens then the fickle poker gods strike.
First I have 62 on the bb when the blinds are 150/300. The flop is T96 after 3 limps. All check. Turn is a 6. I check ready to raise but no takers. River is A so this time I am sure someone will bet. Sure enough someone bets 800 and calls my extra 1000. Sweet.
Next hand I am sb. I have 57h so I call 3 limpers. Flop is a beautiful 77A so I check. No action. Turn is Q surely someone will bet. I check BB bets 400 and is raised to 1500. There are 2 diamonds now so I think the raiser probably has the Ad. Clearly the bb had Q so he folds. Raiser calls my all in and shows 78. So looks like a split until he catches an 8 on the river.
Now I have 600 chips but the very next hand I get as and I double through qq.
After the break blinds are 200/400 so I am looking to go all in. I get T9h in mid position so I am in. There is a call all in from someone with 600 and 2 further callers. The bb is getting good value too so we end up 5 way. Flop is 236 turn 9 so when my nemesis bets and the others fold I am happy to see the other all in show 55 and the bettor 65. But then he rivers me again with a 4
He had better win it!
Saturday, 30 August 2008
APAT - Main event
This was a pretty good tournament starting with 10k chips with 40min levels. I managed to not lose all my chips when playing out this hand:
Blinds are 50/100 and I limp with 88 in mid position. 5 players see a flop of JJ8 - sweet! It is checked to me and I naturally check. The turn is Ks to match Js. The SB bets 200 and I just call after the BB folds. I hope for a raise from late position but only one caller. I pray for a spade to come to make someone a flush but instead it is a K on the river. The SB bets out and I have to throw my hand away. He is raised all-in and calls and of course they both have K rag. So that river was the case K to screw me.
I don't go on tilt but shortly before dinner after several all-ins that are not called my A6 move from the button is called by the BB with AK. The dealer ships me a 6 to get me up to 12k chips.
I play a couple more biggish pots, doubling up when my AK beat QQ and then taking out a short stack with JJ vs 99.
I now have around 40k in chips when I make a routine raise from the button to 6k when the blinds are 1/2. I have ATd so when the big blind who has about 70k reraises me to 20k I think that he is just trying to bully me back. I decide that I am going to need a lot more chips so I go all-in. He calls with AK and I suck out with a T on the river. He is not happy.
I think this is a major leak in my game. I seem able to fold to a reraise if I am stealing from the cut off or nearby but for some reason I never believe the blinds have a hand when they play back at me.
This puts me on 80k with about 40 left from 200 and not much happens for a couple of levels until we are getting close to the end of the 2k/4k level. It is now after midnight and we have been going since 2.30. It is amazing how one moment you have 20x BB and then suddenly it all goes wrong.
I have to fold my BB and SB to raises. Down to 74k. I pick up KQ in the cut off so make a standard raise to 12k. The button raises all-in and I have to fold. Then the blinds go up to 3/6. we play one orbit and I get nothing playable and I lose another set of blinds. Down to 53k. I get QT suited in the cut-off. Now I should possibly have gone all-in but instead I raise to 15k. The button goes all-in over the top again and I have to fold. Now I only have 38k. 2 hands later I get KTh. I go all-in, reraise all-in to my left with AQ followed by call with AA. It is all over.
So now I have an APAT bronze and silver medal, but no gold....
Blinds are 50/100 and I limp with 88 in mid position. 5 players see a flop of JJ8 - sweet! It is checked to me and I naturally check. The turn is Ks to match Js. The SB bets 200 and I just call after the BB folds. I hope for a raise from late position but only one caller. I pray for a spade to come to make someone a flush but instead it is a K on the river. The SB bets out and I have to throw my hand away. He is raised all-in and calls and of course they both have K rag. So that river was the case K to screw me.
I don't go on tilt but shortly before dinner after several all-ins that are not called my A6 move from the button is called by the BB with AK. The dealer ships me a 6 to get me up to 12k chips.
I play a couple more biggish pots, doubling up when my AK beat QQ and then taking out a short stack with JJ vs 99.
I now have around 40k in chips when I make a routine raise from the button to 6k when the blinds are 1/2. I have ATd so when the big blind who has about 70k reraises me to 20k I think that he is just trying to bully me back. I decide that I am going to need a lot more chips so I go all-in. He calls with AK and I suck out with a T on the river. He is not happy.
I think this is a major leak in my game. I seem able to fold to a reraise if I am stealing from the cut off or nearby but for some reason I never believe the blinds have a hand when they play back at me.
This puts me on 80k with about 40 left from 200 and not much happens for a couple of levels until we are getting close to the end of the 2k/4k level. It is now after midnight and we have been going since 2.30. It is amazing how one moment you have 20x BB and then suddenly it all goes wrong.
I have to fold my BB and SB to raises. Down to 74k. I pick up KQ in the cut off so make a standard raise to 12k. The button raises all-in and I have to fold. Then the blinds go up to 3/6. we play one orbit and I get nothing playable and I lose another set of blinds. Down to 53k. I get QT suited in the cut-off. Now I should possibly have gone all-in but instead I raise to 15k. The button goes all-in over the top again and I have to fold. Now I only have 38k. 2 hands later I get KTh. I go all-in, reraise all-in to my left with AQ followed by call with AA. It is all over.
So now I have an APAT bronze and silver medal, but no gold....
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