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....
Saturday, 30 August 2008
Friday, 29 August 2008
APAT - 7 card stud
We started with 3000 chips and after 2 levels I have 2000. Blimey is this game slow! I am keeping to the rules (folding if you can't beat the board) and was a bit unlucky to lose to a higher straight
At second break I have 7000. There were a couple of hands where it was pretty obvious what my opponent had so was able to get maximum chips when pairing a hidden Ace when my opponent had started with an open queen.
Made it to final table with a huge stack - pictures and commentary here www.apat.com/forum/index.php?topic=1921.105. This was all down to one crazy hand. To be honest i can't remember the exact details. We are down to 2 tables with antes of 100, bring in of 200 completion 500 and blinds 500/1000. I have 86 in the hole with an 8 showing. The bring in has a 5c up and that is raised by the player to their left who has 5d the player to my right calls with 7s. I decide to call since the raiser is Anne who has raised with any old rubbish earlier. The bring in calls so we have 4 runners with 2800 in the pot. Now the hands are:
P1-5cTd : P2-5d4d : P3-7sJs and I get Qh.
I check as does P1 - P2 bets 500 and we all call. I am happy to stay in because my queen is a high card and it is cheap . I am probably going to fold next round when the blinds double up.
Now we see:
P1-5cTd9c : P2-5d4d3d : P3-7sJs2s and I get 6h. So now I have 2 pairs. I check as does P1 then P2 bets 1000 and P3 calls. Now the pot is 6800 and so I am getting 7 to 1. I think that I may well need to hit my full house to win and I have only got 3 cards to make it - one 6 is out. However my hand is pretty well disguised - and I also know that I am not that good at this game so perhaps a little speculation is needed. I also figure I am up against 2 flush draws so may be I won't need my full to win. I call and then to everyone's surprise P1 raises another 1000. P2 folds - she says later say had AA in the hole (but not Ad). P3 folds - he says later he had a set (presumably 2s) but I can't really believe that. So now the pot is 9800. Now I am heads up so after I call this bet it will only cost me another 1000 to see the last 2 cards. His board is not that scarey, so perhaps he has no more than a draw too? I decide to call. He gets a K and I get a 4. he bets 1000 and by now I have to call. I blank on the river and am about to fold if he bets. But he checks to me and I show down the winning hand of 2 pairs.
At the final table I am undone by 3 slightly unlucky hands. First I have the eventual winner all in when I start by raising with split tens vs his Jh up card. He calles and then catches Qh which he bets out with his last chips - I have to call and he show Kh 4h - he makes his flush to double through.
Then I play a big pot when I pair my hidden A on fourth street when my opponent pairs an open J. We play to the river and I don't make 2 pairs. Finally I have A3 in the hole with T showing to match my opponents T. I am low on chips so when he raises the bring in I reraise for most of my stack. He calls but only has J in the hole. We don't improve until the river when he catches a J to knock me out. Shame!
I get a bronze medal and £300 - but I feel perhaps I should have done better...perhaps by avoiding confrontation in the 3 way play.
At second break I have 7000. There were a couple of hands where it was pretty obvious what my opponent had so was able to get maximum chips when pairing a hidden Ace when my opponent had started with an open queen.
Made it to final table with a huge stack - pictures and commentary here www.apat.com/forum/index.php?topic=1921.105. This was all down to one crazy hand. To be honest i can't remember the exact details. We are down to 2 tables with antes of 100, bring in of 200 completion 500 and blinds 500/1000. I have 86 in the hole with an 8 showing. The bring in has a 5c up and that is raised by the player to their left who has 5d the player to my right calls with 7s. I decide to call since the raiser is Anne who has raised with any old rubbish earlier. The bring in calls so we have 4 runners with 2800 in the pot. Now the hands are:
P1-5cTd : P2-5d4d : P3-7sJs and I get Qh.
I check as does P1 - P2 bets 500 and we all call. I am happy to stay in because my queen is a high card and it is cheap . I am probably going to fold next round when the blinds double up.
Now we see:
P1-5cTd9c : P2-5d4d3d : P3-7sJs2s and I get 6h. So now I have 2 pairs. I check as does P1 then P2 bets 1000 and P3 calls. Now the pot is 6800 and so I am getting 7 to 1. I think that I may well need to hit my full house to win and I have only got 3 cards to make it - one 6 is out. However my hand is pretty well disguised - and I also know that I am not that good at this game so perhaps a little speculation is needed. I also figure I am up against 2 flush draws so may be I won't need my full to win. I call and then to everyone's surprise P1 raises another 1000. P2 folds - she says later say had AA in the hole (but not Ad). P3 folds - he says later he had a set (presumably 2s) but I can't really believe that. So now the pot is 9800. Now I am heads up so after I call this bet it will only cost me another 1000 to see the last 2 cards. His board is not that scarey, so perhaps he has no more than a draw too? I decide to call. He gets a K and I get a 4. he bets 1000 and by now I have to call. I blank on the river and am about to fold if he bets. But he checks to me and I show down the winning hand of 2 pairs.
At the final table I am undone by 3 slightly unlucky hands. First I have the eventual winner all in when I start by raising with split tens vs his Jh up card. He calles and then catches Qh which he bets out with his last chips - I have to call and he show Kh 4h - he makes his flush to double through.
Then I play a big pot when I pair my hidden A on fourth street when my opponent pairs an open J. We play to the river and I don't make 2 pairs. Finally I have A3 in the hole with T showing to match my opponents T. I am low on chips so when he raises the bring in I reraise for most of my stack. He calls but only has J in the hole. We don't improve until the river when he catches a J to knock me out. Shame!
I get a bronze medal and £300 - but I feel perhaps I should have done better...perhaps by avoiding confrontation in the 3 way play.
Sunday, 24 August 2008
GSOP 2008 - Some interesting hands
I played in the Gutshot £500 buy-in tournament played over the bank holiday weekend. More information here http://www.blogger.com/www.gutshot.com/bforum/showthread.php?t=28629&page=6
I got in via the £30 rebuy satellite - so it had cost me £90 to play.
We started with 20,000 chips and blinds 50/100 - 90 minute levels.
Not much happened until level 2.
Hand 1 - blinds 100/200.
I have JJ in the small blind. The button makes a standard raise of 600, so I reraise to 2000 and he calls. Flop is KQ9 so I decide to bet 3000 into the 4000 pot. He reraises to put me all-in and I have to fold. I think I should have checked the flop and folded perhaps...
I got in via the £30 rebuy satellite - so it had cost me £90 to play.
We started with 20,000 chips and blinds 50/100 - 90 minute levels.
Not much happened until level 2.
Hand 1 - blinds 100/200.
I have JJ in the small blind. The button makes a standard raise of 600, so I reraise to 2000 and he calls. Flop is KQ9 so I decide to bet 3000 into the 4000 pot. He reraises to put me all-in and I have to fold. I think I should have checked the flop and folded perhaps...
A typical JJ hand!
Hand 2 - blinds 400/800 100 ante.
I am running low on chips - I have 15,000 - when I pick AA in the BB - beautiful. Even better there is a standard raise to 2.5k and a reraise to 7.5k. I am tempted to call, but think it better to get heads up if possible so shove in my final 15k. Surprisingly they both fold. Should I just call here? I am not convinced.
A nice boost to my chips - and gets me to the end of day 1 with 24,000.
Hand 3 - blinds 500/1000 ante 100
My stack has dwindled to 16,000 when I get AK under the gun. I raise to 3000 and I am called by the small blind. The flop comes A89 and he checks to me. I bet 5000 and he raises me all-in. I think he can easily have AQ / AJ but unlikely to have A9 or A8. Or perhaps he has a set of 8's or 9's. I have to call and he shows A8. The turn is T and I now have quite a few outs. The dealer pops a 9 to counterfeit his pair of 8's so I double up.
The moral of this tale is don't call with a weak A!
Hand 4 - blinds 600/1200 ante 200
We are now down to 24 players. Only 9 get paid and the average stack is about 70k. I have about 30,000 so I am pretty much in all-in territory. I pick up 88 on the button and when it is folded around to me I make a standard raise of 3.5k. The big blind calls. Flop is Q53 with 2 clubs - he checks so I bet 6000 to see if he has a Q - he calls. The turn is a red 4 and he checks to me. I decide to see the river and it comes Kd. He checks again and I bet 8k. He has a massive stack and reraises me all-in. I think he is bullying me and call but he shows q7 to knock me out. I don't think I played it very well at all - I should have just shown down at the river.
My excuse is that it had been a bit of a marathon and I was looking to double or quit. I am sure Gareth would not have cracked here.
Hopefully another lesson learned...
Sunday, 13 July 2008
WSOP 2008 - Back home
A quick retrospective on my week in Vegas.
Railbird seems to rather like the place - she has stayed on for the last 3 nights at the Wynn - I hope she will be well behaved without me to keep an eye on her.
I tried a few table games - there were several different ones and got a couple of flukey wins to make me a $1000 winner on them overall.
I played a couple more tournaments - Thursday $550 at the Venetian - unfortunately my Aces were cracked by Jacks - so Aces 4 times this week. One time I picked up the blinds, once I tied with another pair of Aces and the other two times they were cracked. The other tournament was at the Wynn a $200 60 runner affair. I got trapped with a big blind special - one of those typical flops where my hand of A6 of diamonds looked like it had turned into a monster when the flop came 642 with 2 diamonds. However my opponent had limped with 53 and I did not improve. This knocked me down to 600 chips with the blinds at 200/400. I went all in with Q6 on the button after one limper - I was called by the BB and the limper. They had A7 and AT but I hit my 6. A round later I went all-in again on the button with J7 and the BB thought forever before calling with AK - and was suprised I has such a poor hand - clearly a cash game player. I got luck again to hit my jack. So now I had 3000 chips and when I limped with AK under the gun had 2 limpers followed by a raise from the cut off I was happy to go all-in. He called with 45 and got a straight - ironic.
So on poker tournaments I was $1000 down.
On my last night I decide to try a cash game - 2/5 no limit. Got KK quite early so was up to $700 after buying in for $500. However I got involved in a limped pot with 34 in the BB. When the flop came 34K with 2 clubs I led out for $20 pot bet and got 2 callers. Turn was a 7. I bet $75 and one caller. River was T, and now there was no flush. I bet $150 and he reraises me all-in. Oh s**t. I should have folded but somehow the word call escaped my lips - oh dear - he had turned a straight.
I was down to $250 and hoping to get involved with a crazy drunk Serbian who was raising everything and the very next hand I get AT spades in the SB. The serbian raises to $50 (his usual opening bet) in mid position. One call from beardy on the button who has had a few run-ins with the serb. I reraise all-in. The serbian of course shoves over the top for $500. Beardy thinks and calls eventually. I am not surprised to see the serb table T8 but when beardy shows 87 it is a bit of a shock. The dealer, of course, flops QJ9 and no get out for me. I should have reloaded but I had just had enough and slunk off to bed.
So my total gambling loss was $500 for the week - perfectly acceptable.
I would be very happy to return to the Wynn - but not sure whether I will be able to afford it.
...and finally a tip if you fly to Vegas - check in online a few hours before flying back and turn up at the airport about 1 hour and a quarter before your flight time and you won't have to queue for ages.
Railbird seems to rather like the place - she has stayed on for the last 3 nights at the Wynn - I hope she will be well behaved without me to keep an eye on her.
I tried a few table games - there were several different ones and got a couple of flukey wins to make me a $1000 winner on them overall.
I played a couple more tournaments - Thursday $550 at the Venetian - unfortunately my Aces were cracked by Jacks - so Aces 4 times this week. One time I picked up the blinds, once I tied with another pair of Aces and the other two times they were cracked. The other tournament was at the Wynn a $200 60 runner affair. I got trapped with a big blind special - one of those typical flops where my hand of A6 of diamonds looked like it had turned into a monster when the flop came 642 with 2 diamonds. However my opponent had limped with 53 and I did not improve. This knocked me down to 600 chips with the blinds at 200/400. I went all in with Q6 on the button after one limper - I was called by the BB and the limper. They had A7 and AT but I hit my 6. A round later I went all-in again on the button with J7 and the BB thought forever before calling with AK - and was suprised I has such a poor hand - clearly a cash game player. I got luck again to hit my jack. So now I had 3000 chips and when I limped with AK under the gun had 2 limpers followed by a raise from the cut off I was happy to go all-in. He called with 45 and got a straight - ironic.
So on poker tournaments I was $1000 down.
On my last night I decide to try a cash game - 2/5 no limit. Got KK quite early so was up to $700 after buying in for $500. However I got involved in a limped pot with 34 in the BB. When the flop came 34K with 2 clubs I led out for $20 pot bet and got 2 callers. Turn was a 7. I bet $75 and one caller. River was T, and now there was no flush. I bet $150 and he reraises me all-in. Oh s**t. I should have folded but somehow the word call escaped my lips - oh dear - he had turned a straight.
I was down to $250 and hoping to get involved with a crazy drunk Serbian who was raising everything and the very next hand I get AT spades in the SB. The serbian raises to $50 (his usual opening bet) in mid position. One call from beardy on the button who has had a few run-ins with the serb. I reraise all-in. The serbian of course shoves over the top for $500. Beardy thinks and calls eventually. I am not surprised to see the serb table T8 but when beardy shows 87 it is a bit of a shock. The dealer, of course, flops QJ9 and no get out for me. I should have reloaded but I had just had enough and slunk off to bed.
So my total gambling loss was $500 for the week - perfectly acceptable.
I would be very happy to return to the Wynn - but not sure whether I will be able to afford it.
...and finally a tip if you fly to Vegas - check in online a few hours before flying back and turn up at the airport about 1 hour and a quarter before your flight time and you won't have to queue for ages.
Wednesday, 9 July 2008
WSOP 2008 - Day 5 - a familiar story
This is becoming a bit of a habit.
When I had my first go at the main event in the WSOP I made it into the second day. In the first session I ended up in a big pot with my opponent needing to hit one of only 3 cards in the deck - he did.
This time I pick up pocket rockets (AA to those unfamliar with the jargon) on the button (last to act). I always peak at my cards straight away so as each player is deciding what to do I am thinking come on raise and joy of joys the man to my right raises to 1200 (blinds are 250/500/with 50 ante). I reraise to 2500 and then the BB, who has a massive stack goes all-in. The original raiser folds and I of course call - confirming the BB's question - do you have the Aces? He has KK but the m*therf*ng dealer flops him a third cowboy sending me to the rail.
I return to the Betfair lounge to discover I am not alone, there has been similar carnage elsewhere.
I rush off to the Venetian where there is a 600 runner deepstack event with buy-in of $300. I just get in before the first break. Unfortunately soon after I lose $2000 of my starting stack of $10000 after making a big raise with TT and continuing on a flop of Q98. With turn K I have to fold to a bet. With blinds 100/200 and 25 ante I call a raise all-in of a short stack who has about 5000 when holding AQs on the BB. His TT holds up. I then move all-in for my last 2500 from late position with KJd, but the BB wakes up with KQ and I am out.
So not a good day at the office....
When I had my first go at the main event in the WSOP I made it into the second day. In the first session I ended up in a big pot with my opponent needing to hit one of only 3 cards in the deck - he did.
This time I pick up pocket rockets (AA to those unfamliar with the jargon) on the button (last to act). I always peak at my cards straight away so as each player is deciding what to do I am thinking come on raise and joy of joys the man to my right raises to 1200 (blinds are 250/500/with 50 ante). I reraise to 2500 and then the BB, who has a massive stack goes all-in. The original raiser folds and I of course call - confirming the BB's question - do you have the Aces? He has KK but the m*therf*ng dealer flops him a third cowboy sending me to the rail.
I return to the Betfair lounge to discover I am not alone, there has been similar carnage elsewhere.
I rush off to the Venetian where there is a 600 runner deepstack event with buy-in of $300. I just get in before the first break. Unfortunately soon after I lose $2000 of my starting stack of $10000 after making a big raise with TT and continuing on a flop of Q98. With turn K I have to fold to a bet. With blinds 100/200 and 25 ante I call a raise all-in of a short stack who has about 5000 when holding AQs on the BB. His TT holds up. I then move all-in for my last 2500 from late position with KJd, but the BB wakes up with KQ and I am out.
So not a good day at the office....
WSOP 2008 - Day 4 - Hugo nearly makes it
Fellow big game player and Betfair team member Hugo was down to only 3000 chips at the start of the second day. He managed to cling on until the penultimate hand of the day before being eliminated - a very good effort. I shall have to match his patience if I can.
Tuesday, 8 July 2008
WSOP 2008 - Day 3 - and Relax
Today is our day off - but no rest for us. We go off to the Las Vegas Outlet mall for cheap shopping and I manage to get 2 pairs of Levis for $60 - bargain. Without wishing to diss the RB this trips takes a bit longer than it has in the past.
Back to the Wynn for a party by the pool in some Cabanas hired by Betfair. RB reports that to hire a parasol here is $400 a pop so I suspect we will not be in one of these again on our own account.
Have got a few links for you:
Bluff magazine report on my day : http://www.bluffmagazine.com/poker-news/WSOP-Main-Event%3A-Day-1d-Recap-1486.htm
Official WSOP update page : http://www.worldseriesofpoker.com/tourney/updates.asp
Betfair blog:http://betting.betfair.com/wsop/
After dinner we go to see Love - the Beatles show at the Mirage. I went to this last year but more than happy to go again - it really is excellent. In some ways the show itself is a bit irrelevant - just hearing the music properly is quite amazing - even for an old cynic like me.
Got to get to the Rio promptly at midday tomorrow to make sure we don't miss Hugo's start - he's only got 3,400 chips left!
Back to the Wynn for a party by the pool in some Cabanas hired by Betfair. RB reports that to hire a parasol here is $400 a pop so I suspect we will not be in one of these again on our own account.
Have got a few links for you:
Bluff magazine report on my day : http://www.bluffmagazine.com/poker-news/WSOP-Main-Event%3A-Day-1d-Recap-1486.htm
Official WSOP update page : http://www.worldseriesofpoker.com/tourney/updates.asp
Betfair blog:http://betting.betfair.com/wsop/
After dinner we go to see Love - the Beatles show at the Mirage. I went to this last year but more than happy to go again - it really is excellent. In some ways the show itself is a bit irrelevant - just hearing the music properly is quite amazing - even for an old cynic like me.
Got to get to the Rio promptly at midday tomorrow to make sure we don't miss Hugo's start - he's only got 3,400 chips left!
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