End of the Year!

Happy Holidays to all my followers. I hoped you have enjoyed my stories as much as I have had writing them down. The end of the year brings to a close many things. The end of the first year of the CMPPA which had a very successful first year. The beginning of the CMPPA Bar League which I am sure will go through it's ups and downs as it grows. The end of the 1st year of my new business Central MN Poker. Thank god you can write off losses! The beginning of new including the New Years Eve marriage of my friends Ann & Steve, it's about time! Wish I could be there to help you celebrate. Year two of the CMPPA looking to be bigger and better then ever. My resolution for 2011 is to get a better paying job and to play more money poker tournaments. I think that the two may go hand in hand! Also to be nicer to all the players that suck out on me at my bar games. I know that you can't help it! LOL!

So to all I say,

Happy New Year, May all your hands hold up and your one outers hit true!
2011 looks to be a great year!

Tuesday Poker

It started as if was going to be a good night tonight. Flopped a straight with big slick and got paid off. I was up about 4000 in chips with 9-10 suited in the big blind. Flop comes 6-10-10. Player under the gun bets 1500 almost double the pot size. I call worrying I might be out kicked. Turn is a queen. He check and I do also. River is a 3. He bets 1500. I callnd turn over my ten. He says I have a pair of 6's. I start racking pot andthen realize he has two spades to give him a flush and the win. Ok so I am still at starting stack. I have K-Q on the button and raise to 500. I get 4 calers. Flop is 5-5-4. Player that flushed out on me bets 1500. This is the 4th time he has bet 1500 and had only shown second or third pair each time. I decide to call and see one more card. Turn is a Queen. He bets enough to put me all in. I call and he turns over A-5 to take me out. Lol! Figures! The one time all night he isn't bluffing I lose all my chips. Live and learn.

One Player Per Hand Please!

TDA Rule #12
No Disclosure
No Advice
One Player to a Hand - Players are obligated to protect the other players in the tournament at all times. Therefore, players, whether in the hand or not, may not:
1. Disclose contents of live or folded hands
2. Advise or criticize play before the action is complete
3. Read a hand that hasn’t been tabled
The one-player-to-a-hand rule will be enforced.

TDA Rule #7

Penalties and Disqualification - A penalty MAY be invoked if a player exposes any card with action pending, throws a card off the table, violates the one-player-to-a-hand rule, or similar incidents take place. Penalties WILL be invoked in cases of soft play, abuse, or disruptive behavior. Penalties available to the TD include verbal warnings and “missed hand” penalties. A missed hand penalty will be assessed as follows: The offender will miss one hand for every player, including the offender, who is at the table when the penalty is given multiplied by the number of rounds specified in the penalty; for the period of the penalty the offender shall remain away from the table. Tournament staff can assess one-, two-, three-, or four-round penalties or disqualification. A player who is disqualified shall have his or her chips removed from play. Repeat infractions are subject to escalating penalties.

TDA Rule #31
Exposing Cards - A player who exposes his cards with action pending may incur a penalty, but will not have a dead hand. The penalty will begin at the end of the hand.

I am posting these rules to remind players that they must keep their hands and it's content undisclosed whether they are in the hand or not. There has been a rash of exposing cards at many of my bar games as of late and it has become my new personal mission to end this. Talking about hands and using your cards to try and get an advantage is going to end. A good rule of thumb is to wait until the winning hand is raking the pot before you tell everyone what you would have had. We all get hands that would have won. It happens almost every hand played in a tournament. Nothing wrong with discussing it after the fact just wait!

Collusion

As a tournament directors you deal with many different issues that are as plentiful as there are people with different personalities. One of the hardest to spot and deal with is collusion at the table. It can be very obvious at times, but most of the time it can be undetectable. It can also sometimes be an unconscious thing that even the players don't realize is happening. Here are a few forms.

Dumping chips - This may be the easiest to spot. When one player plays a hand with another with a poor hand or mucks their hand without showing thus passing chips to that person to keep them going. In bar poker there are many times when a table has multiple players that are friends or relatives and you are relying on their honesty that they are playing the game to the best of their ability.

Playing every hand another player plays - This is a different kind of collusion that many might not consider it to be. This happens when my wife and I are at the same table. She will play every hand that I do because she wants to take me out. By doing this you may be passing chips to other player without even trying to, but because you wouldn't play the same hand against another player it is a form of collusion.

Signals - This maybe the hardest to catch if the players are smart enough. Players will signal the strength of their hand by a pre determined way to make sure the other doesn't lose too many chips or stays out of hand.

Checking down - If two players check a hand down with a hand that one of the two normally would bet with but don't because of who's in the hand also called soft play. This will happen many times over a night when two players that ride together are on the same table. The other form of check down collusion is when someone is all in and the player not to act first starts tapping the table in a check motion to try and get the other player to check down and even sometimes will verbalize it but saying " you know that the other player is all in".

Talking about hand when others are still in the hand - This one happens all the time. Two players will begin talking about the hand as people are still playing their hands. They may think that they are being quiet about it, but it can still affect how someone else may play their hand.

Card Flashing - Another big one in bar poker. When a player exposes their cards to others as they are folding, but doesn't show the whole table. You are giving one player information that the whole table is unable to get such as were you bluffing or did you have the best hand.

Language - When two players speak a different language then the rest of the table. They are able to talk about hands and what they have without anyone else knowing.

These are only a few that tournament directors have to deal with. Some are conscience and some are unintended. They are things to watch for on tables you play. If you notice something you think is not right just let the tournament director know and if they are any good at all they will deal with it, by talking to players, making announcements, moving players or if need be take the players out of the game.

Bubble Boy

One of things that I have managed over my many years of poker was to avoid the bubble boy spot. This meaning the last spot before points. I have prize bubbled a couple of times, but when I make it close to the points I usually make it in until last night. I made it to final table last night as the short stack with only 4500 left with blinds at 500-1000. Nine players were to receive points. There were several new players at this table and I had drawn the button, so I figured someone would get knocked out before it got to me. It was an interesting final group as after two hands it became easy to see that most of these players were limping in even at the high blind levels to see a flop. Third hand in I look down at A-Q of hearts. It's an easy all in push, but then I have 3 people in front of me that have just called the 1000 plus the small and big blind. My all in of 3500 more is going to do nothing to change them from playing. When it gets to my I think a bit and decide to just call as I can get away and still try to make points if I don't hit. Flop comes jack high with two hearts. First player beats 2000. Everyone calls up to me. So, now do I push in on the draw, just call, or fold. I know that I can't fold, because there is too much in the pot. I hate to push in on a draw and decide to call and leave myself with an out if I don't hit the turn. Two more players call behind. Turn is a heart and thank god I have the nut flush. Checked to me. I push in my 1500 and surprisingly enough only get one caller. We flip up and he has 10-5 off for two pair. The river is of course a ten giving him a boat on a four outer and making me the bubble boy. I guess I should have pushed in preflop, as the 10-5 says he would have folded, but he was the small blind and I am not sure he could have folded with all the odds he would have gotten. One guy says, I thought you were going to push in when you thought about it. I tell him what I was thinking about was should I fold the big hand and try and wait out the points. The very next hand two players get knocked out, so who knows maybe I should have folded!

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all my blog readers. I am going to continue with last thanksgiving tradition of things I am thankful for.

Of course, Thanks to my wife and children for putting up with me everyday.
Thanks to all that helped make the first year of the CMPPA a success.
Thanks to Dustin and Steve that help me to run my bar poker games.
Thanks to the bars that allow me to run their poker games.
Thanks to the good bar players that help me to become a better player.
Thanks to the donks that, most of the time, give me their chips.
Thanks to you that read my blog. At least I think some people read it!
Thanks to ESPN for their coverage of the WSOP and the boast it gave to poker, even though you gave us Norman Chad!
Thanks to all the parents that bring their kids to bowl the CMJTT tournaments, you never get enough credit.
Thanks to Rob Carper for his help with the CMJTT, even when his children are past the age to bowl it.
Thanks to Royal Ross for his vision to start the SMJTT. I look forward to a long and lasting relationship between the two organizations.
Thanks to Pizza Ranch for giving me a place of employment. You are a great bunch to work with!
Thanks Kara for making me have to get another dog. It makes me the second fiddle in the household. LOL!
Thanks to Lon and Kathy for inviting us on the upcoming cruise and all the fun we will have.
Thanks to whomever created the internet or I would just writing this for myself!

Have a great Thanksgiving and Holiday season! May your turkey be juicy, your wine be plentiful and your holidays be filled with the family you love!

Dave

CMPPA Main Event

As I am writing this we are only a couple of hours away from the grand finish of the St Cloud Series of Poker Main Event winner. They are currently at 7 players after 13 hrs of poker action yesterday. Current chip leader is Luke Haugen @ 257,000 chips with almost 40 percent of the chips in play. It is still any ones game with several quality players left.

My day was not so good, as I busted out about 41/2 hrs in as the second player down. I had what I thought was a solid strategy going in, but it proved me wrong as I always seemed to have the second best hand at the finish. Early I lost a big hand when I called a raise with A-5 suited with a couple of callers. I put the raiser on a small pair and was correct. Flop is A-K-5. Initial raiser makes it 450 after the flop with one caller to me. I hope to take this pot down now and raise to 2450. Bettor folds, but other player calls. I am now concerned, but feel I am ahead. Turn is a blank and I bet out 3000. Player calls. Now I don't know what he has. River is another blank. We both check and he turns over A-K. Wow! Just didn't see that coming. I would have expected a reraise preflop by AK especially by that player. It was a nice play by him as it got over 6000 of my chips. After this hand, I went on about an hour run of good starting hands and raised often. Many times had great flops to make big post flop bets only to get called and run down by flush draws on 3 different hands. Some days are like that, just wish it wouldn't have been during the biggest tournament of the year. Something to look forward to next year!

Thanks to all at my first table, even though you knocked me out, it made for an enjoyable few hours of mostly solid poker play. Something you rarely get in a bar game. Watch out for me next year!

College Bowling Weekend

This will be another blog about bowling. sorry poker people but I spent the weekend in a bowling center watching my son bowl a college tournament. It was a very fun time. My son Kyle bowls for MN State Mankato. It's the same school that I bowled for many years ago. They have been doing very well this season, so I was looking forward to watching. College bowling is different then most bowling tournaments. There are two parts. Day one is usually 6 games of regular bowling and day two is Baker bowling, which is when bowler 1 bowls frames 1 and 6, bowler 2 does 2 and 7. It is a true team experience that most bowlers never get a chance to try. After the 1st 6 games Mankato had a 177 pin lead over the 2nd place team. The top 5 individual scores are named to the all tournament team and My son was 2nd, but only lost to his team mate Jon, so that's ok. It was kyle's 3rd all tournament in a row. On Sunday during the baker the team got off to a slow start and lost most of their lead in the first 4 games. They bowled 28 games of baker, but soon picked it back up again. Then on the 17th game they did something that the school had never done before. They bowled a baker 300 game. It was exciting to watch and a lot of pressure on the last bowler. He started the 10th from with a cross over, but came back strong the last two for the 300 game. They went on to win the tournament by 288 pins, a truly dominate weekend. Congratulations on your win and 300 game. It was fun to be there to be a part of it!

You can find information on college bowling at www.collegebowling.com. MN State is currently ranked 8th in the nation and Kyle is in the top 10 individually. I am sure that after last weekend they will move up even more. Great job guys!

On a side note, after watching bowling all weekend, it was my turn to bowl on Sunday night. They inspired me as I started with a 281 game. It was a first for me. LOL! If you are bowling please laugh along with me. In all my years bowling I had never seen a 281 game before. It is difficult. I had the 1st 10 strikes, then a 5 count and got 1 on the spare. Oh well, maybe next time. Back to poker this weekend with the CMPPA main event on Saturday and Sunday. I am sure there will be something blog worthy from it!

Ladies Night!

Over the past few months we have had a rash of people pulling their cards out of the muck after the hand is over to show their cards. I have been making announcements about this at most of my tournaments that if you do this you will receive a one round penalty. As of yet, I hadn't ever actually given anyone a penalty until last night. We are almost to first break last night when a big hand happens and one of the ladies pulls here cards back out of muck to show the person next to her. I just look at here and say You didn't just do that did you!. She says what and I say you pulled your cards out of the muck. So, I give her a warning and tell her next time it will be a one round penalty. Then out of the blue she says that she wants me to give her a penalty. Ok, you have to sit out a round. Then I get up and make an announcement to the rest of the tables and tell them that they have been warned. There is only one more hand and then we are on break. I am chipping up at a table as they are finishing their last hand and right in front of me another lady pulls her cards out of the muck and now I have to penalize her because I did the other. Then later when we are one player from final table a different lady pulls her cards out of the muck right in front of me and I am forced to give another penalty. Last night we had 4 women play in the tournament and 3 of 4 got a penalty all for the same reason. I know that this is kind of a petty thing, but I have always believed in trying to run tournaments properly,maybe it's a gender thing! I never expected to ever give 3 penalties in one night! Got to love bar poker!

Ethical Issue

As a tournament director you run into many issues that you are supposed to act on in the best interest of the game. Some are technical and some are ethical. I ran into an issue this weekend that I should have acted on but chose to say nothing and in the end it cost me a lot of chips.I was running very hot early on my Saturday night game and had a nice chip stack. As a tournament director you end up giving names to players or styles of players. Most times I keep them to myself. One such player was dealing, I call him douche bag, LOL! I noticed that when he dealt from the position that I was sitting I was able to see all the cards being dealt. Now, I should have said something right away and called a miss deal, but decided to play the hand out and speak to him about it later. The cards are dealt and I have A-10 suited. I make a small raise. It is raised again by pocket 8's and then rerasied again by pocket 9's. It is folded to me and normally I would fold my cards to a raise and a reraise, but I know what their cards are. I have a big stack and figure it to be a check down because one of the players is all in. It is a lot of chips but I can afford to make the call and I know that I have two overs to both their pairs. So I call, because of the information I received because of douche bag. You know that you get what you deserve because the whole board was a blank and the 9's end up winning a big pot and go from almost out to a big stack that took them all the way to 4th. Another player asked me why I had called there and I told them that they had to read this blog to find out why I had called. It is an ethical issue to me as a tournament director because you are supposed to do things that are for the best of the game and I chose to ignore it at that time and use the information to my advantage, which did me nothing but loss a bunch of chips. I would love to hear opinions on this subject. Should I have stopped that hand as it was dealt or is that just information like a tell that is available to anyone that pays attention?

Disciplined Poker

I have been trying to play better disciplined poker at my bar games in the last few weeks. I had gotten a little bored and was playing way too many hands just trying to out play people and what you find out fast in bar poker is that it is difficult to out play people until the blinds get high because some one is going to call. Tuesday is the only game that I currently run and play every week, so I have been trying to make a run at the top spot to get a direct seat to a tournament at Milacs. It has not been going very well. I played solid poker all night. Raising at the right times, folding at the right times. I was not a big stack, but had enough to make the points. We were about 3 places from final table, when I looked down at KK. Everyone folded to me so I push all in to hope to take down the blinds and if some one calls I am ok with that also. It is folded to big blind and he is thinking hard. He must have an ace. He has been running hot, so I am expecting a call. He finally calls and turn over A-10. Now, I am concerned, because I have had bad luck with pairs against an over ace. First card comes off and it's a king. Yes, I am feeling much better. Then you know what happens, Jack and then Queen. LOL! I flop a set, he flops a straight. Board doesn't pair so I'm out. So much for playing better it still got me to the same position. Oh well, there is always next week!

Online Tournaments

I so rarely get to play an online poker tournament and it had been a while so I played a couple on Full Tilt. I tried the rush poker and found it very fun and fast paced. I am sure that there is a strategy, but it will take a few more tries. I played the weekly Twitter Poker Tour, www.twitterpokertour.com, event last Thursday and made final table and ended 5th for a nice $25 payout. Today I played a satellite for s FTSOP event and was taken out when my turned full house was beaten by quads. I was also playing the $1 entry $10,000 guaranteed event and made a nice run until my turned full house was beaten by quads. Is it really possible for that to happen twice in a span of 1 hour! It makes one wonder. As many live tournaments as I play if I see a full house beaten by quads more then once per month it would surprise. I guess I will just have to take a few more months off and then play again!

If you have never played a TPT event, you should give it a try. $5 plus 1 every Thursday night at 8pm central on Full Tilt. The password is tptpoker. The play is very good and they have a great podcast with knowledgeable guests each week. A very good prize with several different sponsors. Hope to see you at the tables!

HORSE Tournament

It isn't very often that any of us get to play a live HORSE tournament, which is one of the reasons to have one as part of the St Cloud Series of Poker that is being run by the Central MN Poker Players Association. I knew it was going to be a challenge as many players don't have a lot of 7 card stud experience and this event was being played as a limit event. Some of my rustiness showed up early. In a hand in 7 card stud. I reraised on the turn and bet the river and then turned over my cards and announced that I had the wheel only to be told that I had a pair of 5's and a busted flush draw. Guess I should have looked at my cards one more time. To make it even worst, a few hands later in Stud hi-low, I called all the way to the river and announced that I had a nine low but of course stud hi low is an eight or lower game. At least the blinds were low and it really didn't cost me much for being a dummy. LOL! My early run of cards was very poor. I had great starting hands but was not able to put anything together as the hands played out. My chips were dwindling fast. I was playing too many hands thinking I could out play people that had no experience playing games other then holdem. That lack of experience just caused them to play hands that they shouldn't and draw out on me several times. We started with 15,000 in chips a big starting stack. By the time blinds hit 200-400 I was down to 800 in chips and it was looking like I would be the 1st one out. I got all in on a set of 9's in stud split and took down a nice pot to get back to 2000. Then I made a couple of nice calls and soon was back to over 25,000. In one holdem hand, I had pocket 7's in the small blind. In debated on a reraise but decided to call because of how had limped in already. BB raises. There ends up with 3 players in hand and I put both other players on big cards. Flop is nine high. I am sure that I have the best hand. I check and BB bets and I call. Turn is another small card. I check call again. River pairs the board. I check and BB bets. Other guy folds. At this point in time the river bet is a big bet. I put bettor on high cards, but he has bet the whole way. I am still sure that I have best hand and debate a reraise. I decide to call just in case he has a pair bigger then mine and turn over my 7's. He mucks his cards and immediately on tilt. He can't believe that I had called the whole way with a pair. I told him I was pretty sure that I had the best hand the whole way. The one thing about this is that I had debated on raising preflop. I am glad that I hadn't because it would have changed the way the whole hand would have played out and I think I would have won less chips. Unfortunately, several very inexperienced players never stopped chasing and catching and it took a little of the fun out of the tournament. (you know who you are!) I did end up in 5th place and cashed for almost enough to pay the bar tap, so I would call it a successful day. Congratulations to Dustin Hoff who played well all day and took down the event and he also wrap up player of the year honors for the CMPPA'S 1st year.

Table Talk

In bar poker there is always a lot of table talk and a lot of times it boarders on collusion. Last night I had several examples. The one that sticks out the most is I am fairly short stacked and blinds are getting high. We are only a few spots from the points and I was looking to point up last night. I look down to QQ. Great, I will move in when it gets to me. Girl under the gun raises 4 times BB. She has not raised once in the time that she has been on my table and has only called. As soon as she makes the raise the two players next to me begin talking to themselves. Aces one says and then the other agrees. She never raises with out AA or KK. Now I know that I should be warning them to keep quite, but I am only one paying attention, so I decide to wait until after hand. It gets to me and I am not happy. This should be an instant all in for me, but how do I not take into account the info from the other players. One of the players sees that I am contemplating and is actually shaking his head at me. I am trying to make points so I fold and so does everyone else. She doesn't show her hand, but someone saw as she folded and told me pocket 3's. I suppose I still could have lost, but it would have been a big chip up if I had won. I did end up making the points and finished 7th, so maybe it was the right move at the time, but I should have went with my instincts instead of the table talk. Later in tournament I had to warn two players that what they were doing was collusion if they continued their talking. I am not against table talk when it is heads up, but not when other players are in the hand. So, please be mindful!

Funny Incident

At least I thought it was funny and I am probably the only one. At my Tuesday game it is the hand before break and I get called over to a different table. As I get there a player is pulling their cards out of the muck and is not happy. I am not sure how the hand had played out but the board had 4 hearts on it and it was a pretty nice size pot. At the end of the hand player A had turned over their cards and announced that he had ace high and the other player mucked their cards. Player B thought that A had an ace high flush, but player A had announced only ace high and did not miss represent the hand. Player B had a jack high flush and was mad that they had mucked the best hand. I ruled that as long as player A had not miss represented the hand that he was the winner because B had mucked their cards. Well as you can imagine B was not happy, Blaming me and the other player for their mistake. I was busy chipping people up and the rant was still on. Finally I looked at player and said it was time to stop blaming me and player A as they were the one that had mucked their cards. It was their mistake not anyone else. All they had to do was turn up cards and player B would have won. This player was now on serious tilt, but still had a big chip stack. When play restarted, someone at my table asked what had happened and I explained and then said watch, Player B will be out soon. It took about one blind level and I hear player down from that table and over comes player B and throws the draw card at me and storms off. Lesson to story. Always turn your cards face up at show down because cards always read. The only way a tournament director can bring cards out of the muck is if the muck was caused by a clear misrepresentation of the hand.

Poker Patience

My poker patience took a good work over at last nightrs bar game. We had a much smaller then normal turnout, only 21 so we started with 3 tables of 7. I sit down and check out my table and see that I have 3 of the regular women players all seated around me. All these ladies are very nice people that love to play poker, but lack much in the skill and willingness to learn department. They all play very similar. They rarely fold preflop and will not lay down a pair or a draw. On most night I will get a lot of chips from this type of player, but not last night. I actually had very good starting hands early and raised several times and almost always at least two of the 3 would call. On the continuation bet at least one if not both would call and then I would have to give up because I was bet. I lost a lot of chips on a hand that was raised preflop by one of the better players on the table with me and one of the ladies calling. All I had was a weak ace, but I figured I could outplay the good player after the flop. On the flop I ended up with a pair of aces but not that great of kicker. Bettor made a continuation bet and I just called because I wasn't sure if he didn't have me beat. Turn was a blank and he checked. Now I knew that I was ahead of him, so I put out a little larger then pot size bet of 1500. Women next to thinks a long time and calls. I am sure that she is on a draw. Original bettor folds, just as I expected. River brings a 3 heart on board, so I check to see where I am at. She immeadatly puts out big bet. I fold and tell her nice catch on your flush. She turns over k-4 of hearts, She had no pair and only a flush draw but called preflop and all bets with nothing. That's how my night went. I lasted a little longer but with all three catching there didn't seem to be a point in playing anymore. In the end all three made final table and all were knocked out very shortly as their luck had run out and blind were high enough to make the chasing hurt. Next weeks plan if I encounter this situation again I am just going to fold until the blind levels get high enough to deal with their play.

Quote of the night by an occasional player. I had to call I had my favorite hand. What your favorite hand someone asks. Pocket hearts! I love to play any two suited hearts! LOL! Goodn information for future reference, but really your favorite hand is any two hearts!

Friday Game

Fridays game had a big turn out with almost 50 players. You start with 5000 in chips and there is always lots of action early. The table I was at had a newer player that had no sense about how to play poker and called the 1st two hands down and turned over King high on one and second pair on the other. The third hand I had pocket 8's and raised to 250. Got three callers including that player. Flop is Q-8-4 two clubs. I bet 600 and only that guy calls. Turn is a king. I bet 1000 he calls. River is a small card. I bet 1000 and he calls. I turn over my set of 8's. He turns over ace high. Guess I missed played that hand, probably could have gotten more chips. LOL! I play very solid along the way and make final table close to chip lead. We have lost 2 players already and I am under the gun with A-Q suited. I raise to 15,000. Blinds are 300-6000. Guy next to me calls and so does another out of position player. Flop is 7-4-2 rainbow. 1st player bets out 6000. I call and so does other player. Turn is a nine. 1st player moves all in for 14,000. I can already tell the other player is going to call. At this point there is over 70,000 in the pot and I don't see how I can fold with only having two overs. I still have over 15,000 if I make the call. I am grumbling because I don't want to call but so much in the pot. Other player calls for a little less. I turn over my A-Q. The others turn over K-Q and the bettor turns over A-8. The table goes wild. Is it possible that I really hacve the best hand. River is a J and I take down the huge pot with A high and a queen kicker and take out two players. Thank god for pot odds or I would have folded. It just goes to show you that you never know in poker. BTW, I ended up taking the tournament down. It was nice for a change!

Playing the Player

Many people have made this statement many times, but here it is again. Poker is a game about playing people as much as it is about playing the cards. One doesn't always need the best hand to win and if you only wait for the best hand you will not win consistently. Here is an example from a recent bar outing. I am the big blind with a short stack maybe 3000 in chips with blinds at 100-200. A player that can be read like a book raises to 1200. I immediately put her on A-K or A-Q suited. I have 7-8 off. I know that I am going to call as soon as she raises and if the flop doesn't come big cards I know I can push and take the pot down. Flop is 4-6-8. I have flopped top pair and a gut shot. Bettor bets 1200 again. I move all in for 600 more. She of course calls and turns over A-10 suited. Not even as strong as I thought. Turn is a 5, I now have a straight and win hand. Player goes on tilt about me calling her big raise with 7-8. I tell her why I called and that puts her on tilt more. In the next two hands she losses all her chips and goes from chip leader on table to being out of tournament. She had to wait for another player and continues steaming just off the table. This player is one of the most predictable players that I have ever seen and doesn't understand why she is not doing as well as she used to. It's simple. Play all hands the same and it doesn't take long for even bar players to figure it out. Would I have called the raise against two or three other players at the table. Absolutely not. It's an easy fold, but I will play any two cards against a player that I am 90 percent sure that I know what they have and can get them to fold after the flop. The moral is mix it up and play more hands and don't just wait for the monsters. They don't always win.

The lost art of spare shootng!

This blog is not going to be about poker, but the other game that I have spent most of my life involved in bowling. This weekend my wife and I drove to Milwaukee to watch our son Kyle bowl in his 1st collegiate tournament in two years. It was a big tournament with 70 teams participating. His team did very well placing 7th out of 42 teams. He finished 8th out of almost 300 bwolers. The format consisted of 9 games of regular team bowling where each player bowls their own games and 10 games of baker bowling, which is a game with each player throwing 2 frames. What was very noticeable was the lack of skill in the spare shooting part of the participants, except for the top few bowlers. Bowling has become a game that due to technology a person is able to throw more strikes then in past because of the way new equipment, mostly bowling balls, hook more with little effort from the thrower. Most of the kids that are bowling on college teams now grew up in a time when they have learned how to make a bowling ball hook as much as possible to get the best angle into the pocket to create the best chance to strike. When it comes to spare shooting, they don't worry about it as much as they know that they will get more strikes to make up for it and still have a good game. This means the biggest difference between the good bowlers is their ability to pick up spares. Picking up spares requires a lot of practice, something the average bowler doesn't do any more. In the tournament that I watched, if each member of a team picks up one more spare per game over the course of the tournament it would be an additional 50 pins per game plus 10 for the baker games. This totals 550 extra pins in the tournament. For a team like my sons, it would move them from 7th place to 1st or 2nd place. I am not sure as I have not seen the final totals. So, is spare shooting an important part of bowling. Hell yes! It is a lost art form that the youth need to realize is the difference between winning and losing. So next time you are practicing the game of bowling make sure you spend an equal time shooting at spares as you do throwing strikes. It will make you a better player.

Over Valuing Hands

Why is it in bar poker that when players get two face cards that they think they have a monster hand. The other night there was a hand that was raised preflop by a big amount and then called by two players. After the flop raiser made an even bigger bet and was called by the 1st player and second one folded. After hand was over I was talking to the player that had folded and asked why he had called. He had been complaining about his hand and having to fold. I told him I was sure that raiser had a big hand in which he had aces and other player also had a big hand which turned out to be kings. He told me that he had Q-J suited so he had to make the call. So, I say to him, you called a big raise with a quick call with Q-J suited. Yes, he says I had to play my big hand. Now you know that I am trying not to laugh out loud at him because he is serious. To him Q-J suited is a big hand with no thinking about position and what happened before it got to him. Now I say to him, what would you have done with 2-3 suited in the same scenario. He says I fold no question. I say then why not fold Q-J suited, it's basically the same hand. Now he gets defensive. That's not the same hand. Q-J is way better then 2-3. He still doesn't get it but that's ok. Here are some percentages. With Q-J against AA and KK your odds of winning preflop are 15.44. Your odds with 2-3 are 14.73. You have gained .71 percent by playing Q-J over 2-3. Now lets try a little different scenario. Players have AK and AQ both suited. With Q-J and 2-3 you have the same odds at 25.52. AK unsuited and pocket 10's. Q-J is 29.98 and 2-3 is 17.24. There you gained over 12 percent with Q-J but only because pair is under pair. Now make it QQ and it's Q-J is 12.90 and 2-3 is 17.81 your gaining by playing 2-3. So remember, two face cards is not always the hand to play. You must play them differently each time based on position and what has happen before it got to you or just ask yourself, would I play 2-3 suited in this positon and then just fold the Q-J.

Donkey Dave

We all have those moments when we make calls and suck out and have those donkey moments that you embarrassed to admit that you played a hand that way. Last night was a classic moment for me. It was early in my Tuesday game and I was on a table with 5 ladies that all have varied levels of skill. Yes, I am trying to be nice! My starting hands were running very good, but usually turned to junk in a hurry. They was no raise that wasn't being called. When on a table like this I tend to play hands based on who is in the two blinds. Players that tend to check, I will limp in with pretty much any two cards. I am in late position with K-5 off. BB will almost always check so I call preflop. Gets to BB and she raises 250 more. I have 100 in. There are 3 callers before it gets to me so I call and so do the two behind me. Flop is K-7-4. BB bets 1500. Everyone folds to me. Know what I know is she has a pair, but what pair does she have. I know that she doesn't have A-K because she would have checked with it. There is already over 2000 in pot so I decide to call and see one more card and see if she checks and I will know where I am at. Turn is a K. WOW! She bets 1500 and I just call. I am know certain that I am ahead, but want to play cautiously just in case she has a K with a better kicker. River is blank. She checks and I decide to check and turn over my k-5. She turns over pocket aces and goes immediately on tilt by my call of her bet after the flop. I take down a nice big pot and almost double. It was a donkey play but the way she bet the hand allowed me to catch up. I would have certainly folded preflop to a more experienced player. I guess what goes around comes around as later in the tournament I KK and ran into KK for a split pot that I thought I would win and then pushed all in with 77 late in blinds in early position to run into QQ and JJ and come up short of the points. Maybe a lesson was learned, at least by me anyway!

Birthday Casino Trip

I so rarely get a chance these days to go and play a tournament at the casino. It was my birthday yesterday and decided it was time to go and play a real tournament at Milacs casino. Normally on a Wednesday I would go to Hinckley and play their tournament, but was online checking out my options when I noticed Milacs had an $80 buy in with what seemed like a decent structure. I got there about 20 minutes before tournament started and sign up. I was the 4th person to sign up. Went to sit at my table when it was time and they were up to 8. Wow I am thinking what did I get myself into. I asked the dealer if this was normal and he said yes and that they would end up around 20 people. Which they did. In the early rounds things didn't go to well. Turned a straight on a hand that someone had flopped a full house and later flopped top pair top kicker and other player flopped two pair and rivered a full house, but did manage to stay in as s short stack. Finally won a few hand in a row to get a nice size stack back and then hit the jackpot. I was big blind with Q-9 suited and was able to check. Flop came 9-7-5 two of my suited. Made a pot size bet and got a caller. Turn was a Q. Caller makes a pot size bet. I move all in. He instantly calls and I am sure I am done. He turns over K-J and has a gut shot. The table can't believe that he called off almost all his chips on a gut shot. He says I thought I had K-Q. I end up winning a big pot and become chip leader. I think I would have made sure of my hand before pushing most of my chips in. Thank you! I was pretty card dead for most of the rest of the night, but managed to win enough pots to get me in the money. Had A-K in mid position and raised. Got reraised by under the gun limper. He didn't have much left, so I pushed all in. He had AA and I lost. Now, I am short stack. A few hands later, I an the BB. Under the gun player, a weaker player, doubles my BB. I have 2-4 of clubs. I am pretty sure based an his past betting that he has a big A. I decide to call. Flop is Q-6-4. He makes a small bet. I decide to call and see one more card. Turn is a 3. He bets just under enough to put me all in. I am already in the money and too far invested to fold. I am sure now that he has an over pair, but I have several outs. I move all in. He turns over jacks. I say well I got a few outs anyway and hit a 4 on the river. All guy had to do was bet more preflop and I am gone. Blinds come around a couple of more times and I am know getting short stacked and need an all in hand. The other two have big stacks and I am sure that they are waiting for me to go out so they can chop money. I am big blind with A-4 with under the gun guy calling. That is how he played all night. I push in. He calls with AA and I am out in 3rd. Next time on a Wednesday I will drive to Hinckley for more players.

CMPPA Event #5

Saturday was the fifth event of the Central MN Poker Players Association (CMPPA). I ended up at a table with 6 very solid players and two weaker. It was very fun with blinds being 30 minutes and starting with 15,000. It was a nice change from a normal bar poker game. It also helped that I had a nice card rush early to become the chip leader. One of the weaker players is very tight and plays very few hands. When I am on a table with him, I will usually raise his big blind because if he doesn't fold preflop he will after the flop unless he has caught something. I did raise his BB the first two times around and won both pots. The third time there were some early position limpers that I didn't think would fold so I decided not to raise preflop and called with 6-8 offsuit. It got to him and he raised to 3 times the blind. Two players in front of me called and player behind me I could tell was going to call, so I decided to call and play cautiously. Flop came Q-5-7 rainbow. Everyone checked to BB and he bets out 600. I decide to call and see one more card. Turn is a 9. Bingo! I check. He bets out 1200. I reraise to 5200. I am happy to take pot down now with the size of the pot. He calls. I am know thinking he must have a set. I wasn't expecting a call. River is a 3. I move all in and he calls all his chips. I turn over straight. He shows a set of 9's. What a great turn card for me. I was a little surprised that he called the river bet with only a set, but he must have thought I had two pair. I did end up with most of the chips of the other weak player when I flopped a straight and he flopped two pair. He made a nice lay down at the turn when I pushed all in. I was afraid of a flush. He thought I had a set. The interesting thing is I put him on tilt when I wouldn't show him my hand. He asked if I would show if he folded and I said absolutely not. He didn't last much longer as he thought I had bluffed him out of the hand. I did make the final table much later in the day with a mid size stack and was feeling very confident. This is when I may have made my only mistake of the day. I am still not even sure if I missed played this hand or not. I am the small blind and look down to pocket aces. Everyone folds to me so I just move all in. I am happy just to take blinds in this position. BB was not paying attention and didn't notice that I had pushed in and announces raise. Someone tells him that I had moved all in and he calls and shows pocket 7's. I think he thought that I was making a move on him. Turn is a 7 and he has me covered by 1000 in chips and I am knocked out in 10th. I would have been close to chip leader had I won the hand. I could have played the hand slower and I think he would have folded after the flop. It was a valuable lesson learned. I assumed that he fold to my big bet. I didn't think he would have a hand in that position. On the other hand I will take the 82-18 percent preflop anytime. It was a fun day that ended with a very solid final table that included two runner runner suck outs, but that will have to be for another day.

Slow playing

At my game last night fairly early in tournament, blinds are at 50-100, I have 3-4 off and I limp in. Mostly because of who the big blind is a new very weak player. BB raises to 500. Now normally I would fold her, but for some reason I decided to see a flop. I can't seem to remember but it was all over to me, so I am waiting to fold. BB checks and so do I and one other player. Turn is a 3. BB checks again. I think about betting but am sure that BB has a pair bigger then mine so I check. Other player checks. River is a 3. BB bets out 1500. I move all in. Other player folds. BB insta calls me for less and turns over pocket queens. I turn over my 3-4 and take down a huge pot. The BB is you really called me with 3-4, boy did I play that hand bad. LOL! Not from my perspective. Thanks for slow playing and letting me catch up. I would have folded to any bet on flop or turn. So remember it always pays to slow play!

Hole in game

At last nights bar game a player that I have a lot of respect for came up to me after getting knocked out of the final table and said to me " that is one of the biggest holes in my game" and then went on to explain. He had been knocked out by pocket kings that had limped in preflop and then called all bets and all in when player had flopped top pair. Now I don't see this necessarily as a hole in your game. There are always going to be players that will slow play KK or AA. They have a monster but want to get as much out of it as possible and are not worried if they get knocked out or there are players that just never raise and only call. I think this follows very closely with a player flopping a set with a small pocket pair even if that player had called a raise before flop. I think it is more a matter of do you want to get all your chips in with only top pair or do you need to be more conservative and leave your self an out in case someone has a monster. I do understand where this player is coming from. He is on final table with blinds very high, so all in when you think you have the best hand is usually the right move, but you know that this player could have just about any hand. Anything from A-junk, a draw or even a set. We have all seen it many times at bar poker. Is it a hole in the game. I think not. It is something that just will happen once in while and you have to deal with it's consciouses. It is final table and at sometime you are going to have to put all your chips in, even if you don't have the best hand.

Top 10 Tourney

When people talk about poker being a game of skill vs luck, all they need to do is look at free poker point systems and you will get your answer. If poker were a game of luck then the same people wouldn't make it to the finals of my top ten tournaments. On Tuesday, it was the last of my buy in winning tournaments. I am changing to a casino run finals starting next week. It was maybe the best final 10 that I have ever seen in all my years running poker. For those that don't know, I have been running 12 week sessions for a few years now with the top 10 in points playing for a Casino buy in to a major event. The top 10's chips are based on their point accumulation over the weeks. This top 10 had I think 7 very solid players and 3 wild cards. The 3 wild cards were the 1st 3 knocked out and made for some great poker down the stretch. Almost every hand was raised preflop and most raises had a small amount of callers. In fact it was so you actually could raise and not get over half the table to call. One of the big early hands had me in BB and Dustin in small blind. I had K-6 of clubs and was able to check. Flop came 5-7-8 two clubs. !st player bets 125, Dustin raises to 625. I put him on a set and decide to call and see one more card as I can tell that one of the wild cards is going to call and I assume that 1st bettor will call. I was right except first bettor folds. Turn is a K. I now have top pair with a open ended straight and flush draws. Dustin bets 1200. I decide to call and wild card folds. River is a club that doesn't pair board. Dustin checks. I bet 1600 and he calls and turns over 4-6. He had flopped a straight. After this hand I went on a nice card rush and was close to chip leader most of the tournament. Got to heads up with Fitzwell and we decided to chop the prize, so I paid him $150 and I will go and play the buy in. It was nice to be able play poker for a whole night and make the right raises and folds and not have to guess all the time what the other players may have. I am sure that between all of us that there was some bluffing going on, but I say to all "well played" and thanks for a fun evening. Even though, I ended up with the big prize. I still would have been saying the same if I lost! I can't wait to be able to test my skills at a big event!

Interesting Poker Weekend

It was my 3 day stretch to run poker this weekend and it was an interesting one. Friday was a TOC with the winner getting a $250 casino buy-in and when they got heads up nether one wanted the buy-in both just wanted cash. So, I ended up purchasing the buy-in for half price. Hope I end up making money at the casino to show them how it is done. Saturday was just a regular night and it must have been a full moon, because it was crazy poker night. I thought at two different points that I was going to have break up fights and had two people pick up their chips because they didn't want to play anymore. It was because of all the crazy people. Get to final table and I am dealing and the drunk guy that had caused a lot of the problems keeps calling all ins with the worst hand and wins. He gets to heads up and it's loud in the bar because of UFC fight. He can't hear and hardly function and after a long heads up of "it's your turn" he finally loses. Then the grand finale, last night was a TOC type night with extra cash prizes and everyone getting chips stacks based on points accumulated over the past weeks. I started with the minimum chips of 4000. First hand I am BB and have A-J off. My table is full of very poor players and I would normally raise with this hand, but decided to check. Flop is Q-J-10 of diamonds. I have the ace of diamonds. Small blind checks. I bet out 200 and get no one to fold. Turn is an eight of spades. I check. Person on right bets 500 and has a straight, but everyone calls so I do to with my straight and flush draws. River is a small card not a diamond. Person bets out 600 and small blind calls, so I fold. Bettor turns over A-9 with a straight. Small blind turns over A-K and wins after flopping a straight and never once making a bet with it. Very next hand, I am small blind with K-5. Several people limp to me so I call as I know that BB will never raise preflop. Flop is K-3-9. It is checked to my, so I throw out a small 200 bet and get many callers. Turn is another king. A good player bets out 500. I call but now am weary. River is a blank and he checks. I bet out 200 and he reraises to 1100. Why didn't I just check! I call knowing I am probably out kicked. He turns over 99 and wins with a full house. Two hands in and lost over half my stack. I did make a nice comeback, but only lasted a little while longer. When we got down to final table, as I always do we have a redraw for seats. Now this is easily the worst final table that has every been assembled in bar poker. One of the guys, whom I have written about before is in my book a cheater. He draws his card and then right in front of me switches cards with a very nice lady that plays regularly. I look at him and say absolutely not you must move to seat that you have drawn. I say in my book that is cheating and if you ever do that again I will take both players chips away and you will be out of tournament. The nice lady is now mad because I called her a cheater and after she is knocked out pulls me aside and is almost crying telling me she would never cheat. So now I am pretty sure that she will never come back and play again. I hope she does, but switching cards in a redraw is never ok. I know it was not her fault, but I felt that a point needed to be made to the cheater guy and to let everyone know not to switch cards when you draw for your seat. I have always felt that bar poker needs to be played by the same rules as in a casino, but am tired of being the bad guy because I enforce the rules. I think I need a vacation!

Poker Room #1

Bellagio
Las Vegas NV
www.bellagio.com

This was the easiest pick of all as the poker room at Bellagio is the undisputed hub of poker in Las Vegas and maybe the world. Home to some of the biggest cash games in the world, yet the average person like myself can go in and play one of the many lower level games. The room consists of 40 tables and the famed Bobby's room that has two tables for high stacks action named after former WSOP champion Bobby Baldwin that designed the poker room. The hotel is a 5 diamond rated hotel and comes with a price to match. The food by many of the great chefs of the world is fantastic. Don't forget about the free fountain shows in the lagoon out front and the gardens located near the hotel entrance. They are some the best freebies in Vegas. So, if you can afford to stay and play, this is the ultimate vacation spot or if not, like me stay across the street and walk over and enjoy the finest poker room anywhere

Amenities

5 Diamond Rated Hotel
World Class Restaurants, Shopping & Spa
40 Table Poker Room
Bobby' Room
Best High Stakes Tournaments in Vegas
Home of WPT Tournament of Champions
Cirque du Soleil® O one of the best Cirque shows in town

Charity Event

Wow, it has been a long time. This summer is going fast and all my extra time has been spent at the lake or taking care of a new puppy which by the way is worst then taking care of a baby. At least a baby you can put diapers on. Here are some updates.

Last weekend was the first annual charity event for the CMPPA. I was a little disappointed with the attendance of 60 but event went smoothly and we raised almost $1100 for Cancer research. Players started with 10,000 in chips and blinds were 30 minutes for the 1st 4 hours and then 20 min. for the rest. My chip stack spent the day going up and down until I called an all in with pocket queens and was knocked out by A-4. I seem to be in stretch where I can't win to the 2 or 3 outer. It is certainly where I want to be in the hand if I am all in. Hopefully this streak will end soon. I started on a table that had several tighter players and it, but what made this table interesting was the fact that early on players keep getting AA or KK. I had AA twice early in the tournament and the first time they were cracked. Another player had KK twice and lost both times with them. It was one of those tables. As the tournament moved on, we got many new players to the table that changed the play on it. A player was moved in to my left that I will call player C. Player C is very aggressive and like to reraise any raise that I make. He has done this on my occasions when to my left and today was no different. I finally asked him if he was going to reraise me every time and he basically said yes. It is good and bad. I won several pots when I had better starting hands, but it takes away the chance to bluff at anything as you know you will get called or raised. Then it happened. I reaised to 1600 under the gun with pocket 4's. C moves all in for 12,000 in chips. The button thinks for a little bit and calls. I fold my 4's. C turns over pocket 9's and button has pocket kings and takes out C. I asked him why he would reraise so much with 99. His answer was that he wanted to be heads up with me. I say the only hand that would call that big of a bet is a hand such as AA or KK. I like C but was glad to see him leave so I could get back to playing my poker game. My advice to C. Don't move all in in early position with anything less then a big hand. If you want to reraise then make it to 4800 and be able to get away if someone calls or reraises you. Then instead of being out you could have had chips to give to me!

Another interesting had was raised and reraised preflop by two players. Flop is K-K-4. Hand is played all the way to river. One player turns over AA and the other KK. He flopped quad kings and then got bet into all the way to river and AA called his big bet at the end. Why does that never happen to me! It was another case of over playing AA. It was clear by the turn that the player had at least one king and AA should have been able to fold to the big river bet. I do give him credit for not getting them all in preflop and staying alive in the tournament.

Hand of the night

Last night in a hand early in the tournament, I look down to KK. Blinds are 50-100. I raise to 300. Hoping to get several callers and no ace on the flop. 3 callers and flop comes J-10-3. BB bets 600. I raise to 2600. He thinks quite a while and calls. Turn is a Q. He checks. Now for some reason I think he may QQ, so I check. River is a 9 giving me a straight to the king. He checks. Now I know that I should bet here, because I still think he has a set of queens, but I decide to check and announce that I have a straight and turn over my kings. He turns over pocket aces. LOL, I was behind the whole hand and rivered him. What I find amazing is the fact that we both played it so conservative after he called my reraise. He could have easily reraised my 2000 reraise and I would have moved all in with the worst hand and sucked out. In hind site I probably should have bet the turn and river but just wasn't sure where I was in the hand. He on the other hand also played very conservative. It just goes to show that you don't have to be all in early in hand with kings or aces. At least I was on winning end for a change and I give him credit for not lossing all his chips with aces.

Poker Room #2

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Formally Cherokee Casino
Tulsa OK
www.hardrockcasinotulsa.com

This is one of the best Poker Casinos that I have ever played in. They have 36 poker tables with lots of cash game options and the players to fill them. Tournaments are king here with two daily events and home to the OK state championship and many other big events. This is the home Casino of Scotty Nguyen. He comes to most of their big events. Great location with a very nice hotel, lots of dining options and night club options. A lot of casinos that you go to poker players are treated as 2nd class citizens but not here. Poker is king here.

Amenities

36 table poker room
Bead beat jackpots
Players card comps program
Major poker tournaments
Home of Scotty Nguyen
Lots of Dining options
Newly remodeled hotel rooms
National entertainment
Night clubs

Limping Aces

I am pretty sure that I have talked about this before, but here goes again. When you have a big hand such as aces or kings and the pot has not been raised then you must make a bet. I know that some of you like to mix up your play, but slow playing big pairs is slow death. It may work once in a while to limp with them, but it is not worth the risk. Remember it always better to win a small pot then to lose a big one. This example is from my Tuesday game. I was on a table with a lot of players that like to limp pre flop. Five players are in the hand for 100 each. Big blind checks. Flop is 3-6-7 with two of one suit not sure which. Min bet guy is first to act and bets 100. BB rasies to 600. Min bet guy calls. Turn is a blank. Min bet guy bets 100. BB pushes all in and min bet calls and turns over aces. BB turns over 4-5 unsuited and wins 80 percent of min bets chips. After hand BB says why didn't you raise. I would have folded. Min bet says I like to mix it up with aces and play them different. LOL! I have never seen him play them any other way then limpimg them. That same night I have JJ on the button with 3 limpers to me. I raise 6 times the blind and get 3 callers. Flop is all unders. Player makes a small bet and I move all in over the top as I have them covered and don't want anyone with an over to catch. Player calls and turns over aces. I lose 75 percent of my stack, but am not worried as I still have enough chips and the players on my table are mostly poor. I end up winning all my chips back over the next few blind levels and winning the tournament. So remember, If you have a big hand make a raise or a reraise. You don't have to commit all your chips, but you must get rid of weak hands that will sometimes out flop you.

Poker Room #3

Saloon #10
Deadwood South Dakota
www.saloon#10.com

Maybe one of the most famous poker rooms in the world. It's just like stepping back in time to play poker with Wild Bill Hickok, well before he was shot anyway. Not a lot has changed but this is a place where change would be wrong. Poker is king in Deadwood. The state allows bets up to $100, so even if it is not no limit it is close enough. Cash games are a plenty with a few tournaments thrown in. Win 25 percent of bad beat jackpot by getting Aces and Eights the hand that Wild Bill had when he was shot.

Amenities

History
Lots of great cash games
Wide variety of games played
Bad beat jackpots
Free beverages
Live music
Restaurant on site
Lots of hotels close by

Poker Room #4

Rio Hotel & Casino
Las Vegas NV
www.riolasvegas.com

All I really need to say is World Series of Poker! This is where it all happens. If you have never been, go just to take in the sights and sounds of a WSOP event. The room is a buzz and you are able to get up close and personal with the pros and celebrities. Just don't bother them while they are playing. They have it all great cash games and lots of tournaments. Dealers are world class and tournaments well run.
The Rio is an all suit Hotel with 4 star rooms and world class restaurants including the best all you can eat seafood buffet in Vegas.The Rio really does have it all.

Amenities
3 daily tournaments
World Series of Poker Home
Free show in the casino
Great Hotel
Seafood Buffet
Vince Neal Ink on site
Lots of poker promos

2010 WSOP

I started watching the first night of 2010 WSOP late last night after my poker game ended. It was the 50k Players Championship which is a mixed game event, but watching the final 8 you would never know that it was not No Limit Holdem. They played the whole final table in Holdem. I assume that they do that for TV, but how can you have a tournament that was played the whole way in a mixed game format finish in only no limit. I am guessing that most of the chip stacks on that final table were won when playing the games other then no limit. I love to play HORSE and don't get to play very often, but when I do most of the time I win most of my chips playing the Stud games as not that many younger players have experience playing stud especially Razz. Come on ESPN we get lots of chances to watch great players playing holdem. Let us see them play the other games too!

Playing tired

I have been working a lot as of late between running tournaments and working my other job. I am sure that the pros deal with this all the time. How to play when you are tired. I suppose that most just down an energy drink or 5 hour energy shot, but I have never been one to use that stuff. Patience is the key when you are tired. Play less hands and take your time when you do to make sure you are using your correct judgement.

It was an early night for me tonight at my Tuesday game. I blame part on being tired and the rest on the current streak that I am in of getting top 10-20 hands and raising and then getting out flopped. First hand tonight I am big blind with 10-8 suited blinds are 25-50. Mid position player raises to 125. I put him on a mid to small pair. I decide to call with one other player to my left. Flop is K-10-3 rainbow. I check and so does player to my left. Raiser makes a 250 continuation bet. I forget about player behind me and think I have best hand and call. Player to my left raises 250 more. Initial bettor folds. I fold. Player shows a King. I laugh and say you didn't need to show we knew what you had. Next hand I am in small blind with QQ. Several limper's to me. I raise to 300. Same guy to my left raises to 1200. It's a big raise. I am thinking he must have a big pair but am I bigger. Flop is all under 9-7-6. I check he bets 1200 again. I call again. turn is a 10 making a straight possible so I bet out 1600 and see where I am at. He moves all in. I look at him and say " you don't believe that I have pocket 8's". I say I will fold to your aces and muck. He turns over aces. I have now lost 3/4 of my stack in two hands. Two hands later I have pocket j's and move all in and take down the blinds. Yea, a moral victory. Next hand I have A-9. I Limp in. Flop is A-6-7 rainbow. I bet 300 and get one caller. Turn is a ten. I bet 500. He calls. River is a ten. I bet 500 he reraises me all in. I only have a thousand left and am pot committed. I call. He turns over 10-8 off suit and I am done. to another runner runner hand.

Moral to the story. Get more sleep if you want to play better poker. I should not have bet out the 1600 and I should have moved all in after the flop and the last hand. Oh well better luck next time and even better 4 days weekend at the lake to get me out of this poker streak!

Poker Room #5

Sorry it has been a while. Got a new puppy and it reminds me of having babies again taking up all my spare time.

Rivers Edge Poker Room
Grand Casino Milacs
Garrison MN
www.grandcasinomn.com

This is the closest card room to my home. It makes the list because it is where I end up playing the most. they run tournaments every day with two on week days. This is a great room for playing tournaments. the buy ins are reasonable and the play is predictable. I won several tournaments there. Their staff is some of the best in MN.
Tuesdays at noon they have a 50 plus 10 freeze out that can get up to 80 players for it. The best to play are the Friday night or Sunday afternoon with a higher buy in and better play. It is not the best poker room for cash games during the week as tables are limited and play is suspect so stick to tournaments. The casino is located close to Lake Milacs one of the best walleye lakes in the world and has fishing launches from Eddy's Resort. Milcas is an alcohol free casino that can be both good and bad.

Amenities
8 table poker room
Daily tournaments
Poker room next to restaurant and close to hotel.
Bathroom and soda located near.
Bad beat jackpots
Hotel has great rooms and you can get a poker room discount.
Great steak house on site
Near great resorts and fishing

First Hand of Tournament

It is the first hand of Tuesdays bar game and as always I am sitting in big blind position. I do this as it is close to check in table. If you have played cards with me you know that I hate when everyone limps in on BB. As usual there are 6 of 9 players in when it gets to me. I have pocket kings and blinds are 25-50. I raise to 550. Button and small blind call. Flop is Q-5-Q. Great! Checked to me. I make a 600 continuation bet. Button calls. I figure I am dead. Turn is a blank. He checks. I know I should check, but decide to fire another 600 just in case he doesn't have a queen. River is another blank. He bets out 600 a fairly small bet compared to the pot. Now I know I am beat, but it is such a small bet I call anyway and turn over my kings. He says I got a queen and goes to turn his cards over and while he was dealing he had pushed his cards into the muck. I know it is a bad way to win a pot, but I have been there and done that and if he had protected his cards he would have won a nice pot.

Moral of the story. Always cap your cards especially when you are dealing for yourself in bar poker.

I made a nice run and made final table, but as usual had no luck once there.
I am heading to lake for a 4 day weekend, so see you all next week!

Poker Boredom

I think we all go through stretches of time when we become bored with things in life. I have been now running bar poker tournaments for over 8 years and could run one in my sleep. I have met many great people from different back rounds that have become my friends that I would never have had the chance to otherwise. I have owned a poker magazine and an online gaming site. I have met many poker celebrates. I have played in many big poker tournaments. I believe that I have a wealth of knowledge about poker and the people that play. I have blogged about all the interesting and weird things that happen in bar poker games. I have written a beginning of a book about bar poker. Don't get me wrong, I have enjoyed all that poker has brought to me from a night sitting on the couch watching the World Poker Tour with my family wondering if there was a bar promotion somewhere in the poker craze. I feel as if I am going through the motions when I play in my bar poker games. I find myself playing more hands and bluffing more just to see if I can get away with it. I am making after the flop calls that make no sense just to see if I can get lucky. I know that it isn't good for the my overall poker game. I blame it on boredom of playing poker with the same people week after week. People that I like or people that I don't it really doesn't matter. The answer is I need to go and play more poker at casinos or card rooms, but that takes time and money. It also doesn't help that I live a long way from any casino or card room. I have noticed that my tolerance for people has been shortening. For this I apologize and will try and improve on it. I am wondering if poker pros go through this same type of thing. I am sure they do, but wonder more on how they deal with it. I suppose some use drugs and alcohol or even go to therapy. None of those are an option for me. I guess I will just keep at it and hopfully play my way through this.

Have a great 4th of July weekend!

Poker Room #6

Bally's
Las Vegas NV
www.ballyslasvegas.com

This is not the biggest or the fanciest poker room in Las Vegas, but I find it very comfortable. It is located mid casino and right next to the bar, so you always get great bar service. Bally's is part of the Harrahs Casino group, so dealers have lots of WSOP experience. They run daily tournaments at 11am and Mon-Thurs @ 6pm. My favorite is the 1-2 no limit table. It is a nice mix of locals and tourists. It is my favorite place to stay and play spot. I have fared very well over the years in the cash game department. If you are there make sure to go back to the Tequila Bar and try the millionaire margarita made with 100 year old Grand Marnier. It is the best I have ever had!

Amenities
Great Location on the strip close to everything
Nice hotel
Excellent food and beverage
10 poker tables
Rated one of the best small rooms in Vegas by allvegaspoker.com
Connected to the Paris

Poker Room #7

Leelanau Sands Casino & Lodge
Peshawbestown, Michigan
www.casino2win.com

Leelanau Sands is located on Traverse Bay of Lake Michigan. It is wine and cherry country. It is one of the most beautiful areas that I have ever been to. It is not the easiest place to get to. I flew into a small airport in an even smaller plane from Milwaukee and then rented a car and drove two hours. I was there to cover and play in a Heartland Poker Tour event. Would highly recommend this area for a summer vacation.

Amenities
18 table card room
Daily tournaments
81 room hotel
restaurants on site and close by
Close to many attractions
Located on Lake Michigan
In the heart of Michigan wine country
Host to many of Michigans biggest poker tournaments

Just when you think you have seen it all!

This story comes from Dustin who was running my Saturday night bar game.
Three players in the hand unraised preflop.
Flop is A-10-J.
Player R checks (Dustin sees his hand and he has Q-3)
Player T checks
Player A Folds

Two players left.
Turn is a King.
Player R has a straight but checks. He doesn't know that he has a straight, because there is no way he wouldn't bet it if he knows.
Player T Folds

Player T wins the hand without making a bet and not having to show his hand and still doesn't know that he has a straight. Mucks his cards.

Dustin says out loud " Did that just happen" in which the table replies "Yes"
Both players folded there hands when they could have checked and seen another card.

The interesting part is that player T never folds a hand and is usually the first one out of the tournament and Player R never bets unless he has a big hand, so he didn't know he had a straight.

LOL! Just when you think you have seen it all!
Sorry I missed it.

Poker Room # 8

St Croix Casino
Turtle Lake Wisconsin
www.st croixcasino.com

The main reason this poker room makes my list is that it is the closest to me that offers cash game no-limit holdem. MN has a $60 max bet law, so no limit is not an option. This is a very small casino in a very small town just 2 hours east of st cloud. Easily the best part of this casino is the poker room. Have played 1-2 and 2-5 no limit there with great success. Many players drive from the Twin Cities area to play there. The best night to go is Thursday's as they have a nice 50 plus 10 tournament with the best seafood buffet around. They offer all you can eat king crab legs for under twenty dollars. Just remember to get there early as long lines form for this buffet.

Amenities

12 table card room
Unattached hotel with shuttle service
Bad Beat Jackpots
Weekly tournaments
1st monday of the month Women's only tournament
Hot dogs & beverage machine in room
Restrooms in poker room
Seperate smoking room

Poker Room #9

In my number 9 spot is

Grand Casino Hinckley
Royal Oaks Poker Room
www.grandcasinomn.com

This room has been hurt badly by the new card room just 30 minutes to the south, but continues to be a favorite of mine. The new room is very cozy and bar service is available. They have a very nice hotel with a big spa for you or your significant other. It is best to go on a tournament night or on the weekends to get the best range of cash games. Their tournaments tend to run longer blind levels and start with more chips then most of the other MN poker rooms. In the past they have hosted Heartland Poker Tour events, but now are using the MN State Poker Tour for their bigger events. In fact,they have one upcoming in November. Go to www.minnesotastatepokertour.com for more details.

Amenities
Plenty of room between tables
Bad Beat Jackpots
Food & Beverage service
Soda machine in room
Restrooms and smoking room in card room
Points for playing
Hotel with Spa
Live music nightly on site
One of the best steak houses in MN

Top Ten Poker Room's #10

I could start by talking about tonight's set over set hand or getting my aces cracked , but it's time for my top ten poker room countdown. Now, I will state that to be in the list I have had to play there. I been to many great poker rooms and didn't get a chance to play there, so I am excluding those ones. Here goes!

#10
Northern Lights Casino Walker MN
www.northernlightscasino.com

This poker room has a special place for me. It was the first casino to agree to run state tournaments for the Free Poker Tour that I started back in 2003. At the time we had a state record 436 players that sat down in the same room to compete for cash prizes. It was a fun event. I sold the FPT back in 2006 and it was soon history after that. Back then it was new territory and it was difficult to get a casino to host an event. Now most do it regularly. I have also played a couple of Heartland Poker Tour Events there. Now they are involved with the MN State Poker Tour, but I didn't get a chance to play this event. As far as a poker room goes it is very small with 6 tables. They run tournaments every day of the week, but the cash games are limited most days of the week by player numbers. The summer is a great time to visit as this is a lakes area with many outdoor activities. This poker room may be a little out of the way, but it will be worth the trip to visit. It is located about 2 hours north of me here in St Cloud. It's a great area so check it out!

Slow Play

Earlier this week at one of my bar games I had an interesting thing happen. All the slow players ended up on one table and of course it was mine. A little back round. Starting chips were 7000 and blinds are 20 minutes for the first hour. Starting at 25-50. We take a break at one hour after the 75-150 blind level. At the first break we had played 18 hands not even twice around the table. In the first 11 hands four players had been knocked off the table. How does this happen. It starts with everyone at table limping in no matter what position and then someone makes a nice size raise with a hand and then everyone one that limped has to think about if they should play their junk hand or not. The first player then calls, so as more players call it increases the pot odds and make others call. In the first 18 hands aces were cracked twice and two other time they won, but were only raised preflop once. Of the players knocked out one was intoxicated, one had never played bar poker before and limped in and then made outrageous raises after the flop and one was a good player that got his aces cracked on the river because it was suited! In a strange way it was a fun table. Chips were flying around the table and all you needed was a big hand and you got paid off.

Here are a few Bar Poker etiquette rules.

1. Pay attention! Act when it is your turn. Blinds go quick in bar poker. If you have to be told more then once a time around the table "it's on you" you are not paying attention.

2. If you need time to think. Just say I may need a minute on this hand. This lets people know that you are paying attention and they will not be asking you to act.

3. If you don't know just ask. Some of you bar players are not mathematicians. If you need to know how much you need to call just ask someone will help you.

4. Don't be offended if someone calls clock on you. If you think for more then one minute you are using a substantial amount of time in a 15 minute blind level. Think about it, if every player took about a minute on a ten player table you would only get 1 1/2 hands per blind level.

The moral is be ready when it is your turn to act and if you have to think that hard and long you should have folded a long time ago.

Week in review

Yes, I know it has been a while! The summer brings a busy time of year for me, between the lake, work and running poker it doesn't leave much time for blogging. Here is a quick update.

Have had a great time at the lake the past few weeks with lots of visitors and finally some fish have been caught and eaten. The weather here in MN has been incredible, which means we are due for some bad days. If you would like to see fish photos just go to my facebook page and take a look.

Poker has been very interesting as of late. You would think that in a state like MN my attendance would go down in the summer, but the opposite happens. We get more people. More people mean more stories! LOL! I have run several games over the past 5 days and there is much to talk about.

Last Friday night. Sat down at my table and commented. "Wow this is quite a table!" In the first hour I had an incredible run of cards. Aces, kings, queens, jacks, AK, AQ and many small pocket pairs. Started with 5000 in chips and at break had 1200. It started with the jacks. I raised fairly big and got one call flop was all unders. Made a bigger bet and was reraised. After much thought, I folded and showed my jacks. Player turned over kings. Good lay down. Later I have kings and raise big again. One caller flop is 10-9-3 rainbow. I make a big bet and get reraised big. I fold and show my kings. He shows pocket 10's for a set. Another good lay down. You get the idea. Anyway, I come back from the 1200 to make final table and finish 5.

Saturday. Get to table and am sitting next to my friend Fitzwell. I say "Wow, this table is worst then last night." We have two players that play every hand even to a raise and two limper's no matter how big of a hand they have. It is almost impossible to put someone on a hand. I raise with AK and get 5 callers. Flop is A-10-7. I beg and get one callers. I bet the turn bigger, her calls. Flop pairs board. Both check and he has a set of sevens. This player then goes on a rush and takes several players out. At 1st break he has over 50,000 in chips. He continues to play every hand and doesn't make it to next break. I am out just after the next break.

Sunday. I play very well and make final table. I am short stacked with the blinds at 4000-8000. I am small blind for 4000 with 4 more back. I need to move all in. Button moves all in, so I have a chance to triple up. I call with 6-7 of clubs. BB folds. Flop is 4C-3C-5C. Yes, I just flopped a straight flush on my forced all in. I triple up, but still end up 4th.

Tuesday. I have a very reasonable table with Fitzwell on my left again. I limp in with 5-8 offsuit. Flop comes 6-7-9. I make a big bet because of a flush draw. One caller and he is a terrible player that could have anything. Turn is a 7. I bet again and he reraises me. Now, he is a person that almost never raises so I am a little leery, but I call. Turn is an 8, no flush possible. He bets 1500. I have him on a set and call and hope he doesn't have full house. I turn over my straight. He turns over his Q-10 off for a bigger straight. Really! Really! you called me all the way with a gut shot and worst yet, you reraised me on the turn with nothing. Now I can understand if it was a person that has some poker knowledge, but on most weeks this guys is one of the first ones out. I am all in a few hands later with my remaining few chips and it is an early exit for me. Guy that won all my chips and was a big table chips leader was gone in the next three blind levels.

Congrats to Fitzwell for taking down both the Sunday and Tuesday games. It must be time for a Casino run!

I am going to try something different for my next few blogs and am going to list my top ten favorite card rooms and give a little incite into them.

All right maybe it wasn't a quick update! See you next time!

Craziest Poker Night Ever!

I would like to call tonight another crazy bar poker night, but that would be the mother of all understatements. It was looking like another good night of poker at McCann's tonight. There was a nice turn out and the twins game was already going so that means cheaper beer. I got all the chips and seat assignments and headed to my table. I took a look around the table and the only thing that could come was " this is going to be an interesting table" My friend Fitzwell was nodding his head as fast as he could. It only took about 10 hands for two players to go on massive tilt. One when he was rivered by a flush, but to top it off he says he only called because he had a straight flush draw. Yes, he did have a straight flush draw on the river when he caught his flush. LOL! He had called a big raise preflop and big bets each street with the 3-4 of hearts to almost get a straight flush. I did take advantage of his tilt and take him out a few hands later when he pushed with what I suspected was a weak hand and was right. Then it really started to get worst. We had a beginner player on the table that was calling a lot of hands and running incredibly hot. In the whole night she probably played over 100 hands and called many all ins. Not one time was she ahead and she maybe only lost 3 times the whole night. Here is one of her losing hands. I am big blind. She is under the gun and raises three times the big blind. Now she has not raised almost the whole night, so I put here on a big hand. Several people call so I do also because of the pot odds. Flop is A-K-J all hearts. She beats out 1200. Someone reraises to 3200. Everyone folds. She calls. Turn is a blank, small card no heart. She bets 1200, raiser raises 3000 more. She calls. River is another blank. She checks. Bettor puts in 5000. She calls and turns over pocket 4's with the 4 of hearts. Other player has A-Q with the queen of hearts and wins. She gave up over 11,000 in chips with 4 overs and flush and straight possibilities, but it was ok as it was only 1/4 of her stack. Later she was asked why she had called so much with 4's. She says I thought I had the best hand.
BTW she ended up winning the tournament. I guess there may something wrong with how I play as I have never won on Saturday night!

My incredible hand of the night was late in the tournament. I am short stacked and need to move all in soon. My buddy Rod is dealing far across the table and exposes an ace as it is coming to my. Thanks Rod. I get my next card and of course it's an ace. Damn, I would have had pocket aces. I get the burn card and look at it and it's another ace. How about that I had three aces in one hand. I move all in and get called by Jacks and they hold up for a more then double up. I make the final table and move all in with A-K and get called by super card catcher and she has J-9 and ends up with a full house!

Tomorrows a new day and poker game. I am sure it won't be as interesting as tonight. If it keeps up like tonight, I may need to get a recorder or start taking notes as it is getting hard to keep up on all the bad beat stories! Maybe we need a new reality show called Bar Poker at McCann's!

Strange Incident

If you play a lot of poker you see a lot of strange things happen. I don't know if it is karma or just a weird coincidence, but here is a strange incident that happen to me last Tuesday.

I had a little time before my bar game to run that night and I hadn't played online for a very long time. I decided to play a turbo sit & go on Absolute Poker. I was quite a way into the tournament and had played very aggressive to this point. I had a little under 1000 in chips in a 1500 start event. I have pocket 3's under the gun and raise to 250 a little less then 3 times the big blind. Flop is 2-3-4. I move all in for my last 900 and get called by A-Q, so I am in pretty good shape. But, this is online poker and the 5 comes on the river to give other player a straight and knock me out.

I get to poker that night and end up sitting next to a player I had not seen for a long time. He lives in the cities and doesn't play much anymore. It was fun catching up with him. We are almost an hour into the tournament and we start talking about online poker and I tell him the story of todays online beat. We both laugh and make the comment about online play and how you can sometimes tell when you are going to river or be rivered by someone. The very next hand after the story, I look down and see that I have pocket 3's. Wow, I think. Is that weird or what. I raise 3 times the big blind and get 3 callers. Flop is 2-3-4. Unbelievable. Now what am I going to do. I make a big bet because after earlier I want to take this pot down right now. Player I was just talking to thinks for a long time and then finally folds his draw. Everyone else folds and I turn over my threes and explain to the table how bazaar that it was to get that hand and have that flop at that precise time. At least this time I won! That just shows one of the differences between live and online play. My friend probably would have called with his draw online as most people do, but is able to fold it in a live game. To make it more interesting later we were talking about A-Q and the very next hand I had A-Q and won another nice pot. I laughed and showed my cards to him and said now we better talk about aces. No such luck!

Opening Fishing weekend

What a great weekend for opening of fishing here in MN. The weather was exceptional. I have the sunburn to prove! Now if only the fish had been a little more cooperative. My weekend started on Wednesday with it rainy and cold. I headed up a couple of days early to get some work done so we could fish all weekend long. Luckily, the rain held off enough for me to get the mowing done and rake up the shoreline. We had a lot of relatives coming for the weekend , so I also needed to get our other RV unwinterized so people could use it. My wife had to work on Wed. and Thurs. so it was only me and ny dog tenpin. It was a relaxing couple of days. Went fishing once and went to town to play poker one night. More on that later. Friday came and the sun came out. Guests showed up and the fun began. Had several happy hours around the fire and did manage to catch a few fish. I pretty much caught one of everything throughout the weekend. Caught about a 3 pound muskie on opener and did manage one nice 4 lb walleye on Saturday night. I think it must have been the cold weather that we have been having over the past 2 weeks, because everyone was predicting a great opening weekend of fishing and it was the opposite. We had to work very hard to caught a few fish. Going again on Wed. and Thurs. this week and think it will be prime time for the crappies. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera at the lake, so no pictures until Friday. Sorry.

Went in to town on Wednesday night to play bar poker at the local bowling center. It is a game a long time ago that I used to run. I remembered a few players, but how times have changed. They played on regular tables from Sam's Club LOL. They had a nice turn out about 40 players. Started with 3000 in chips with 15 minute blinds. It is always fun to play with new players. I played very well and was chip leader on table for most of the night until I made a bad read. Actually, I made a good read and bad read. I didn't think he had flopped a straight, but missed that he had flopped a set. Oh well, I had played for two hours and was out of beer. It was one of the few times that I made a call based on how much beer I had. I blame you Fitzwell!

Thanks to all my family for making it a fun opener. Hopefully next time the guide does a better job of finding fish!

Another Casino Trip

The weather was so bad on Wednesday and Thursday that we gave up on going to the lake and decided a trip to Hinckley sounded good! Wrong answer!!!!
I played in the Wednesday freeze out. A tournament that has a great structure, so I was excited to get a chance to play. I arrived at 5:50 with a 6pm start. It was not looking good I was the 6th person to sign up. At 6 there were only about 10 players but by 6:30 it ended up with 31, so not too bad. My bad luck continued again. In the second blind level, I raised preflop with K-8 suited. Got several callers. Flop is K-9-8. I bet about the pot and get two callers. Turn is a deuce. I bet 1200 and get reraised by 1200. Now I am worried. I call. Turn is a blank. I check. Player moves all in. I fold and he shows me a set of 9's. I lose about half my chips. I then get a bunch of small pocket pairs that I see a flop with and then fold when I don't hit. I am now down to 2000 chips and in bad need of a double up. I get A-10 suited, but decide to limp in and see If I can catch a flop. Guy to my right raises 400 more and several people ahead of me call, so I call. Flop is 10-6-3 rainbow. I push all in. Guy that raised behind me says he is probably way behind but that there is too much money in pot fold calls. Turn is a king and you can guess it! River is a queen and I am out! Didn't even last an hour. How depressing. I get a big hand and I still don't have the best hand or I lose to runner runner. Boy is this getting old. It makes me wonder if I am doing something wrong or I just stuck in one of those ruts we all get into.
It is not only hold-em. I couldn't win a hand at blackjack either. It was a winning trip for the casino this time. Better luck next time!

100th Post!

Wow, This is my 100th post. Thanks to all the bad bar poker play for helping me get there!

Last night my weekly Tuesday game was an unusually strange one. Turn out was great with 32 players on a nice night. Had a few 1st time players which can make things extremely interesting, especially when they ask questions about how to play. The strange thing is we didn't lose a player for the whole 1st hour. I am not sure, but don't think this has ever happened before. Now remember we are talking about bar poker! Here are a few strange events other then no one getting knocked out early.

Down to 4 handed with one good player, one fair player and two poor any ace type players. Good player is under the gun and moves all for a little more then big blind. Small and big blind call. Hand is checked down and board ends up with 4 hearts on it. All-in turns over A-J no hearts. Small blind turns over 6-2 hearts. He had turned a flush and continued check down. (that's a whole blog in itself). Poor player turns over 7-3 with the 7 of hearts to win the big pot. 6-2 guy goes on tilt for not raising after the turn. LOL! So know I am left with two bad players and a fair one. Good things blinds were high or I could have been there all night. It came down to 2 or 3 calls every hand and then a check down until someone hit a card and then a bet and everyone folds. This went on for many hands until one player finally went short and was all-in on blind and lost. Now to heads up. Even stacks with fair and bad player left. Bad player will only bet if they think they have a good hand or hit the board. Bet and you will win. Fair player decides to start calling dark when he is small blind. What a move. He has taken away his ability to raise and the other player will check every time. He has taken away a chance to take the blinds down or two find out the strength of the other players hand. Fair player finally bluffed at a pot after the flop with a low end straight draw and was called by the nut high end. At least my agony was finally over. I tried to explain to fair player what he had done wrong and his answer was. You know that makes sense. Enough said!

Casino Tournament

It's been a long time since I was able to go to casino and play a tournament, but my luck from the weekend continued last night. It did start out like it was going to be a good night. First hand I have AK and raise to 250 with most of the table limping. One person calls. Flop is Q-J-3. Checked to me so I make the 600 continuation bet and get one caller. Turn is a blank. He checks. I check. River is an ace. He bets 1000. I call and win a nice pot to start the night right. Several hands later under the gun. I have KK. I raise to 250. I get 3 callers. Flop is 9-8-4 two hearts. I want to get rid of the draws and table is playing solid poker so far so I move all in. There is close to 1000 in th pot so I am happy to take it down now. I get a call by a the short stack at the table for 2500. I turn over my kings and he shows aces. LOL. I lose again, but strill have about 3000 in chips so am ok. I get several small pairs over the next few hands and just limp in or call and end up folding them all to overs and big bets. Now down to 1800 and there is 10 minutes left in re-enter period. I decide I must try and double up or I will rebuy. I am big blind with J-8 suited. Under the gun goes all in for less then me. I am sure he is thinking the same as me. Guy that had the aces has lost most of his stack but has more then me calls. I move all in and he calls. Under the gun turns over K-4 suited and the other guy has KK. Wow, I need some help. Flop is J-J-6. Wow! Miracle flop. All I need is to avoid the case king. You already know what is going to happen! Case king on the river to take me out. Now I know going into hand that I was taking a big risk before the hand started, but a miracle flop and then to lose to a one outer on the river. That finished me off. I decided that I better save my $60 re-enter and go play slots and wait for a cash game to start. I find my wife and she is doing good, so I take the abuse from her about being out of the tournament and go play a few slots untill we go get something to eat. I play a game that has a 50 free spin replay and hit it right away. After all the spins I win enough to pay for my tournament entry and be a little ahead. YES! Dinner was geat with all you can eat crab. Played a little more slots and gave part back, but over all a very fun trip. Tonights a new night hopefully this streak of lossing with big hands is now over. At least it gives me something to blog about!

Poker Weekend

It was a weekend full of work and poker, but I wouldn't say it was one of my better poker ones. On all three nights I was crippled early and knocked out. I am not sure if it's because of the weather but my bar poker patience has been at an all time low lately or maybe I am not getting the right reads. You be the judge.

Saturday night - Second hand of the tournament. I raise 5 times the big blind in middle position with a couple of limpers behind me. I have 9-6 of spades. Flop is Q-6-2 two spades. I bet 600 and get one caller. I put him on top pair. Turn is third spade. I bet 1200. He calls. River is nothing. I bet 2500. He calls. I turn over my flush. He turns over A-J spades for the nut flush. LOL! No reraise at any point with the nuts. Lose over half my chips on second hand. Guy that won hand plays every hand until break and ends with a huge chip stack.

Sunday night - Second hand. I am small blind. Six player limp in to me. I have A-J hearts. I raise to 250. Get four callers. Flop is A-K-Q rainbow. I bet 600. Two callers. Turn is another Q. I check. First player bets 500 and second player raises 500 more. Now I know that I should fold, but the bets are so low compared to the pot size I decided to call and see one more card and see if I can get the miracle straight card or fold. First bettor reraises 1000 more. Other player calls. Once again I know I should fold but I know have so much in the pot I call the 1000. River is a 10 my miracle card, maybe! I check hoping for the others to check. First player moves all in. Second player instantly calls. Wow, hit my miracle card but it was the wrong card. I fold my straight face up. First player turns up KK for kings full and second player turns up A-Q for queens full. LOL! I was never ahead in the whole hand. KK and AQ both limp in and then smooth call the turn bet . Got to love bar poker. I should have been able to get away from hand at several points, but the low bets and reraises made the pot odds to call so high. Over half my chips gone on second hand.

The only good part of the weekend was that I got paid to play all weekend even if I didn't get to play very long!

On a side note, I got my dock and lifts in on sunday before the game. Now it's time to start fishing. Thanks for the help Kyle and boy does my back hurt today. Only six more days until first fishing trip. It's going to be a long week!