Sometimes don't you just want to say! What were you thinking!!!
I had one of those moments on Wednesday. My wife was out of town and I wanted to go out and promote my new Thursday night game, so I went to play at the Ultimate Sports Bar. On Wednesdays they are a part on the Free Poker Network and had about 40 players. I got to see a few players that don't often play my games. Anyway, it was about 3 or 4 hands into tournament. There was a small raise preflop with lots of callers Flop was K-Q-J. I don't remember the suits as they were not important in this hand. There was a small bet compared to pot size. Three players called. Turn was a blank. Better makes a bet three times bigger then last bet. First player instantly calls, other player thinks a while and calls. River is a ten. Better makes a bigger bet, first player instantly calls and last player thinks even longer and folds what I am guessing was two pair. First player turns over K-3 off and second player shows K-2 off for a split pot! LOL! What were you thinking! It ends up a split pot as neither kicker plays. I have replayed the hand many times and wonder what could have the players been thinking. I am guessing that they thought there K junk was the best hand. I am thinking are you really that bad of a card player. The answer is simple YES! LOL!
I ended up making the final table. I have been trying to play more aggressive lately and so far it seems to be paying off. I did have pocket kings 3 times during the night and they got cracked 2 of the 3 times, but I did manage to not loss all my chips each time they were cracked. So, I must be doing something right. Finished 5th or 6th pretty much got blinded out as I was card dead most of the last table with blinds very high. That's two final tables their in the last two tries. I may have to go back again soon.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Tuesday Night
It was an interesting night at last nights game. I ran real hot early, but still managed to be short stacked by first break. Had a player on the table that was running even hotter. On one early hand I raised pre flop with poicket nines. Flopped a set with a very safe board hoping someone had paired the king that was showing. Bet 600 and got one caller. Turn was a ten. Bet out 1200 and got a caller. I did not put him on Q-J. River was a jack and he pushed all in. LOL he ran me down with his K-Q. I folded. I made the final table very short stacked but managed a great run of cards and made it to heads up against the only player ahead of me in the points. We were close to even in chips. We were both thinking the same thing. This was going to be a great heads up. First hand I have Q-2 suited. He calls from the small blind. I check. Flop is A-A-Q with gtwo diamonds. I don't believe that he has an ace because he didn't raise pre flop. He could have a queen with a bigger kicker. He bets out. I raise all in. He calls and show J-4 of diamonds. Hits his flush on the river and our wehat was thought to be a long heads up lasts one hands. Oh well, at least I got second! Nice hand sir! It was a good final table with mostly good play so another fun night at poker.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Sin City
Where does all my time go. It seems that I have been busier then ever this year. With working and adding at least one new bar it may even get worse. Here's a short update.
Went to Las Vegas this last weekend. Wanted to take my wife somewhere before she went back to work after having surgery six weeks ago. This was not a gambling trip but did get a little time in. I mostly played blackjack and ended slightly ahead at that. Played one 4 hr cash poker game session of 1-2 no limit. Bought in for 200 and cashed out for 201. I guess you can call that a winning session. I was up about a hundred when my aces were cracked by sevens flopping a set. I was able to get away at the turn and hold my losses to only a hundred. Had a nice time in Vegas. Saw the show Phantom at the Venetian. It was very good. Would say that my wife enjoyed it more then me but it was a good choice for an evening out. Had the most fun on Friday night when we went downtown. People seemed friendlier, that is workers, then out on the strip. I have never cared that much for downtown, but wouldn't think twice to go back again. Drove to the Red Rock Canyon. It is a beautiful place and especially at this time of year with the snow that had fallen their last week. It was funny watching people that don't see snow very often playing in it. I have lots of pictures up on facebook if you would like to see. The most surprising thing about this trip was how dead it was there. On a weekend when it should be busy most of the casinos and restaurants were unusually quiet. It must be the economy. Time for work. I will have to add more later.
Went to Las Vegas this last weekend. Wanted to take my wife somewhere before she went back to work after having surgery six weeks ago. This was not a gambling trip but did get a little time in. I mostly played blackjack and ended slightly ahead at that. Played one 4 hr cash poker game session of 1-2 no limit. Bought in for 200 and cashed out for 201. I guess you can call that a winning session. I was up about a hundred when my aces were cracked by sevens flopping a set. I was able to get away at the turn and hold my losses to only a hundred. Had a nice time in Vegas. Saw the show Phantom at the Venetian. It was very good. Would say that my wife enjoyed it more then me but it was a good choice for an evening out. Had the most fun on Friday night when we went downtown. People seemed friendlier, that is workers, then out on the strip. I have never cared that much for downtown, but wouldn't think twice to go back again. Drove to the Red Rock Canyon. It is a beautiful place and especially at this time of year with the snow that had fallen their last week. It was funny watching people that don't see snow very often playing in it. I have lots of pictures up on facebook if you would like to see. The most surprising thing about this trip was how dead it was there. On a weekend when it should be busy most of the casinos and restaurants were unusually quiet. It must be the economy. Time for work. I will have to add more later.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Full Poker Weekend
It has been a full poker weekend for me. I played the TPT tournament on Thursday and ran a game on Friday, Saturday and one more tonight. Here is a recap.
TPT game. I have not played online poker for over 2 months. The regular TPT game was on and I had some time so I played. A dollar from each player was going to Haiti so why not. It was an interesting game for me. First, I didn't know that they were now podcasting during the tournament and I found the discussion to be very interesting. For the first hour I must have had A-junk about every two hands. I folded most and played a few. My chip stack moved up and down. After the first break, I raised preflop with A-Q and was reraised. I called and flop was Q-and two unders. I pushed all-in and was called by pocket kings and I was done. Thanks guys for the podcast it was fun. Hope to be back soon to play again. For more info go to www.twitterpokertour.com
Friday- I usually don't play on friday but was in the mood to play so did. I now remember why I don't play on Fridays. 5000 in chips 25-25 blinds and the first 4 pots averaged about 4000 in chips. Out in 30 minutes. Chased a fglush draw becuase of the size of pot and then ran into a big pair after flopping top pair. I will know better next week.
Saturday- It just started bad and in a way got worse as the night went on. I arrived to set up to be told that we would be playing in the porch tonight because they had a lot of parties. The problem is the porch has no heat, barely any lights and no TV's. That is a problem on playoff football weekend. In the end they moved us to the dining room. It has very little light but at least we could watch the game and get waited on. As seem usual lately, I lost about 1/2 my stack in the first two blind levels and then made a nice comeback before the first break. I was able to play a lot of hands and make a lot of raises. It was fun until I got out flopped with big slick by K-Q with the board Q-Q-3. I did fold after the turn but not before losing 2/3 of my chips. He did a nice job of slow playing them and waiting for me to get agressive, which of course I did. Then it got even worse a DJ showed up and said that he needed to set up and at 10pm they would be starting thier salsa night. The problem is we don't finish untill 11. So, I had to move oner more time. I hope this is not a trend for the bar I run the tournaments.
In non poker news, My son made the cut at the CBA bowling tournament on Saturday. He bowled again today and finished 13th. I know he is disappointed, but good job for making the cut and getting your money back. Wait a minute, that was my money back! Yeah!
My wife has been in Iowa with her mother since Wednesday, which has made it very lonely here. I look forward to her return. They avoided a near diaster while there. It was nothing bad except for almost losing something of value. I am glad that it was found. It would not have been fun to explain what had happened. Can't wait to see what treasures my wife will return with from shopping in Des Monies. At least I will get a meal from Hickory Park in Ames. The best BBQ place that I have ever eaten.
TPT game. I have not played online poker for over 2 months. The regular TPT game was on and I had some time so I played. A dollar from each player was going to Haiti so why not. It was an interesting game for me. First, I didn't know that they were now podcasting during the tournament and I found the discussion to be very interesting. For the first hour I must have had A-junk about every two hands. I folded most and played a few. My chip stack moved up and down. After the first break, I raised preflop with A-Q and was reraised. I called and flop was Q-and two unders. I pushed all-in and was called by pocket kings and I was done. Thanks guys for the podcast it was fun. Hope to be back soon to play again. For more info go to www.twitterpokertour.com
Friday- I usually don't play on friday but was in the mood to play so did. I now remember why I don't play on Fridays. 5000 in chips 25-25 blinds and the first 4 pots averaged about 4000 in chips. Out in 30 minutes. Chased a fglush draw becuase of the size of pot and then ran into a big pair after flopping top pair. I will know better next week.
Saturday- It just started bad and in a way got worse as the night went on. I arrived to set up to be told that we would be playing in the porch tonight because they had a lot of parties. The problem is the porch has no heat, barely any lights and no TV's. That is a problem on playoff football weekend. In the end they moved us to the dining room. It has very little light but at least we could watch the game and get waited on. As seem usual lately, I lost about 1/2 my stack in the first two blind levels and then made a nice comeback before the first break. I was able to play a lot of hands and make a lot of raises. It was fun until I got out flopped with big slick by K-Q with the board Q-Q-3. I did fold after the turn but not before losing 2/3 of my chips. He did a nice job of slow playing them and waiting for me to get agressive, which of course I did. Then it got even worse a DJ showed up and said that he needed to set up and at 10pm they would be starting thier salsa night. The problem is we don't finish untill 11. So, I had to move oner more time. I hope this is not a trend for the bar I run the tournaments.
In non poker news, My son made the cut at the CBA bowling tournament on Saturday. He bowled again today and finished 13th. I know he is disappointed, but good job for making the cut and getting your money back. Wait a minute, that was my money back! Yeah!
My wife has been in Iowa with her mother since Wednesday, which has made it very lonely here. I look forward to her return. They avoided a near diaster while there. It was nothing bad except for almost losing something of value. I am glad that it was found. It would not have been fun to explain what had happened. Can't wait to see what treasures my wife will return with from shopping in Des Monies. At least I will get a meal from Hickory Park in Ames. The best BBQ place that I have ever eaten.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
First CMPPA Tournament
Saturday was the first tournament of the Central MN Poker Players Assoc. (CMPPA). We had 19 members turn out. Not too bad for the first. Tournament was 15,000 in starting chips and 30 minute blinds, so lots of time to wait for good hands which of course I did not! LOL! The playing level was good with the few non patient players getting knocked out early. I made it to final table as short stack and was able to get a few chips to play with. There were only a couple of hands to talk about. My first was at final table in small blind. I have pocket 10's. Min. bet is under the gun and moves all in with a very short stack. If you don't remember min bet guy go back and reread a few of my posts. It's great that he is all in as I am sure that I will have the best hand when I call. On the button is a very sold player who reraises a whole bunch to try and get heads up. I put him on AK or a big pair otherwise I think he just calls. I think for a long time and fold because he had me covered. Min bet guy has pocket 4's and other has pocket 9's. My hand would have won a big pot, but I still ok with folding there as most times I would be dominated. The hand of the night was at 4 players in the tournament. There is one small stack, one medium and two big stacks. I didn't see how the early played out but at the turn the first player to act moves all in. He is the second stack at the table. The big stack is also in hand and goes into a long thought process. Finally he pulls his card protector and says he is going to flip a coin. He flips and it lands on the calling side and he calls. He turns over the nut flush draw with no pairs. The all in turns over the king high flush draw and losses. Now I can see the bet to try and win but I can't see calling off most of my chips with a flush draw with one card to go and no pairs let alone do it with a coin flip. It worked out for him as he had the best hand, but lets make the call by using your skills of reading and deduction not by a coin toss. If I have to toss a coin to decide I am folding. I am not knocking him it was his way of making the decision, I just don't agree with the move.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
My week in Poker. (so far)
It has been a very busy week for me. My wife has been feeling better and I have wanted to go and play a tournament at a casino. Bar poker is a great social outlet and helps with the itch to play poker but nothing is better then putting your money on the line in a cash tournament.
Monday - Drove to Milacs to play there $60 buy-in game. The temperature in MN was -5 that day. 18 players due to cold weather with 5 players reentering. They were paying 5 places. I was very card dead all night but did manage a double up with aces in the second hour. Folded a lot with not a lot of hands that I could have won. Made it to final table as one of the short stacks and was waiting to push all in. Did manage to take down the blinds a couple of times, but was down to 2400 chips with blinds at 600-1200 with 7 players left. There was one other player that had 2000 in chips. I am know looking for any ace to push in. I look down at one ace and decide to push in. Player under the gun moves all in. Good I am thinking at least I won't have to play with more then one player. Guy to my right immediately pushes all in. Wow! Now what do I do. I look at my other card and it is a four so I have A-4 suited. I think about it and fold as I have 5 more hands and I must be way behind the way the hand played out. Both players turn over K-Q. What the ????! Of course I would have won the hand and announced it to table. The dealer whom I have known for years says how can I fold my hand. Oh well at least I am not out. Two hands later other short stack moves in and both the blinds call. Both check the flop and it looks like a check down. There was K on flop. Turn brings a Q. Small blind makes a bet and big blind raises. SB moves all in and BB calls. SB has the most chips. Go SB!!! He turns over K junk. BB turns over a Q. SB holds up and knocks out two players and I make the money. I have replayed the hand many times. How does BB reraise with second pair that close to bubble. Good for me I cashed.
Tuesday. Ran my bar game. Made final table and folded my way to 6th. I am in second overall in points. I have been playing well on Tuesdays.
Wednesday. Went to Hinkley for the night. I took a day off of work and met my daughter, her boyfriend, my mother inlaw and father inlaw thier. Hinkley has a $70 buy in with 7500 in starting chips and 50 players. I started really well doubling up by 1st break. I was on the button in one hand and limped with K-5 suited. SB raised about 3 times and there were several callers when it got to me. They was enough chips in pot so I called. Flop is Q-5-4. SB bets out 200 into a pot with 3000 in it. He must have a set of queens. Everyone fold to me. There is so much money in the pot I decide to call the 200 and fold if I don't improve. Turn is a 3 of my suit giving me second pair with a flush draw. He bets 800. Again a very small bet into a big pot, he got queens. I call hoping to catch my flush or fold. River is a 2 not my suit, but it puts 2-3-4-5 on board. I quickly make a value size bet of 1200. He goes wild and folds his queens face up into the muck and goes on tilt about not playing the hand very well. Any way, I win a big hand that I had no business being in the first place. During second hour I have lost a few chips but still a decent stack. I have JJ. Player to my right who is playing tight raises 3 times the blind. I reraise about 2 times her raise. She calls. Flop is K and two unders. She checks. I bet about the pot and she reraises all in. I start taking it out. I don't think she has AK because I am sure she would have bet the flop with it. She must have a monster, so I fold my jacks face up hoping she will show. She shows 2-2 and hit a set on the flop. It was a nice getaway by me but cost me half my chips. Raised a couple of more times and lost and soon was out when I pushed with A-10 and BB had A-Q. There was one 2-6 spread cash game so I sat down for an hour, but it was a waste of time. The only one winning was the casino. Most pots were only $10-15. By the time you tip and pay rake it was a losing proposition. Played a lot of blackjack and hit a nice win on a slot machine to make it a profitable and fun trip.
Friday. Ran my bar game, but don't play in this on. It is a big crowd and they drink a lot, so I feel it's better to not play and play crowd control. LOL! As you all know I am very big on following all the rules when I run a tournament. Last night I did something that may have been right for the game at the time, but after thinking about it I would have done it differently next time. There is an alcoholic that plays every Friday. He drinks a lot and is an any ace guy. If he has an ace he is not folding no matter the situation. He will call off all his chips with nothing but an ace. Last night he had a big chip stack and was bearly function able at the table. I see his hand and he has 10-7 of hearts and flop was 3 hearts. He makes a decent size bet and only one player calls. Everyone on table knows that caller has the ace of hearts. Turn is fourth heart and caller makes a big bet. Any ace guy calls with his flush that he flopped. River is nothing. Ace of hearts guy makes another big bet and of course is called because I had flopped a flush guy wasn't going to lay it down. He turns over his 10-7 and announces that he had flopped it. The other guy turns over his ace and then throws his other card face down in the muck. He is pulling chips in and I say to him. You just mucked your cards. Annie of Annies Aces is on the table and agrees. I decide to let it go with a warning mostly because of who was in the pot. It was the wrong thing to do and if it happens again I will call the cards mucked. It was a night of bizarre happenings, because earlier someone that knows better took their chips with them on break and I should have pulled them but gave a warning. Now both these players made the final table and wouldn't if I have not made the decisions that I had. It just goes to show that there is a lot of responsibilities in being a tournament director and your decisions can effect an out come.
Today is the CMPPA tournament so I am sure that I will have more to write about soon.
Monday - Drove to Milacs to play there $60 buy-in game. The temperature in MN was -5 that day. 18 players due to cold weather with 5 players reentering. They were paying 5 places. I was very card dead all night but did manage a double up with aces in the second hour. Folded a lot with not a lot of hands that I could have won. Made it to final table as one of the short stacks and was waiting to push all in. Did manage to take down the blinds a couple of times, but was down to 2400 chips with blinds at 600-1200 with 7 players left. There was one other player that had 2000 in chips. I am know looking for any ace to push in. I look down at one ace and decide to push in. Player under the gun moves all in. Good I am thinking at least I won't have to play with more then one player. Guy to my right immediately pushes all in. Wow! Now what do I do. I look at my other card and it is a four so I have A-4 suited. I think about it and fold as I have 5 more hands and I must be way behind the way the hand played out. Both players turn over K-Q. What the ????! Of course I would have won the hand and announced it to table. The dealer whom I have known for years says how can I fold my hand. Oh well at least I am not out. Two hands later other short stack moves in and both the blinds call. Both check the flop and it looks like a check down. There was K on flop. Turn brings a Q. Small blind makes a bet and big blind raises. SB moves all in and BB calls. SB has the most chips. Go SB!!! He turns over K junk. BB turns over a Q. SB holds up and knocks out two players and I make the money. I have replayed the hand many times. How does BB reraise with second pair that close to bubble. Good for me I cashed.
Tuesday. Ran my bar game. Made final table and folded my way to 6th. I am in second overall in points. I have been playing well on Tuesdays.
Wednesday. Went to Hinkley for the night. I took a day off of work and met my daughter, her boyfriend, my mother inlaw and father inlaw thier. Hinkley has a $70 buy in with 7500 in starting chips and 50 players. I started really well doubling up by 1st break. I was on the button in one hand and limped with K-5 suited. SB raised about 3 times and there were several callers when it got to me. They was enough chips in pot so I called. Flop is Q-5-4. SB bets out 200 into a pot with 3000 in it. He must have a set of queens. Everyone fold to me. There is so much money in the pot I decide to call the 200 and fold if I don't improve. Turn is a 3 of my suit giving me second pair with a flush draw. He bets 800. Again a very small bet into a big pot, he got queens. I call hoping to catch my flush or fold. River is a 2 not my suit, but it puts 2-3-4-5 on board. I quickly make a value size bet of 1200. He goes wild and folds his queens face up into the muck and goes on tilt about not playing the hand very well. Any way, I win a big hand that I had no business being in the first place. During second hour I have lost a few chips but still a decent stack. I have JJ. Player to my right who is playing tight raises 3 times the blind. I reraise about 2 times her raise. She calls. Flop is K and two unders. She checks. I bet about the pot and she reraises all in. I start taking it out. I don't think she has AK because I am sure she would have bet the flop with it. She must have a monster, so I fold my jacks face up hoping she will show. She shows 2-2 and hit a set on the flop. It was a nice getaway by me but cost me half my chips. Raised a couple of more times and lost and soon was out when I pushed with A-10 and BB had A-Q. There was one 2-6 spread cash game so I sat down for an hour, but it was a waste of time. The only one winning was the casino. Most pots were only $10-15. By the time you tip and pay rake it was a losing proposition. Played a lot of blackjack and hit a nice win on a slot machine to make it a profitable and fun trip.
Friday. Ran my bar game, but don't play in this on. It is a big crowd and they drink a lot, so I feel it's better to not play and play crowd control. LOL! As you all know I am very big on following all the rules when I run a tournament. Last night I did something that may have been right for the game at the time, but after thinking about it I would have done it differently next time. There is an alcoholic that plays every Friday. He drinks a lot and is an any ace guy. If he has an ace he is not folding no matter the situation. He will call off all his chips with nothing but an ace. Last night he had a big chip stack and was bearly function able at the table. I see his hand and he has 10-7 of hearts and flop was 3 hearts. He makes a decent size bet and only one player calls. Everyone on table knows that caller has the ace of hearts. Turn is fourth heart and caller makes a big bet. Any ace guy calls with his flush that he flopped. River is nothing. Ace of hearts guy makes another big bet and of course is called because I had flopped a flush guy wasn't going to lay it down. He turns over his 10-7 and announces that he had flopped it. The other guy turns over his ace and then throws his other card face down in the muck. He is pulling chips in and I say to him. You just mucked your cards. Annie of Annies Aces is on the table and agrees. I decide to let it go with a warning mostly because of who was in the pot. It was the wrong thing to do and if it happens again I will call the cards mucked. It was a night of bizarre happenings, because earlier someone that knows better took their chips with them on break and I should have pulled them but gave a warning. Now both these players made the final table and wouldn't if I have not made the decisions that I had. It just goes to show that there is a lot of responsibilities in being a tournament director and your decisions can effect an out come.
Today is the CMPPA tournament so I am sure that I will have more to write about soon.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Happy New Year
I hope that you all had a great new years eve. Except for having to work early on the first I know that I did. Had a nice time at my brother inlaws celebrating my mother inlaws birthday. It was a quiet fun evening with six of us in attendance. We watched the hangover, ate and had a couple of drinks.
The first members only event of the Central MN Poker Players Assoc. (CMPPA) is this coming weekend the 9th. Membership is $50 per year and gets you into members only tournaments with cash prizes. We will also be doing a few poker classes and do what we can to promote poker in the Central MN area. More info is online at www.cmppa.com
I ran a couple of tournaments this week which were uneventful. I got knocked out in both just before final tables. Cards were a little cold and was able to last by making good plays.
This has been more of a bowling week for me. In had league on Monday night and my son filled in again for one of my teammates. It was the end of the first half and as usual the lane condition was different again and everyone bowled bad. Yesterday I went and bowled a local tournament that only allows you to use one bowling ball for the whole tournament and puts different lane conditions on 8 different lanes. It was quite a challange. My daughter and I bowled with my son watching. He was in 1st place after the first few weeks. I bowled very well and am in 1st place with one day to go, so hopefully I will hang on and win the $400 1st prize.
Today is my Jr Traveling tournament, the CMJTT. www.cmjtt.com for more info. It is the start of my 9th year running these youth bowling tournaments. The kids pay an entry fee and get payed in college scholarship money. Last year I gave away over $8000 in scholarships.
My wife is recovering from her surgery and is getting a little bored at home. I don't think she realized how much I am gone each week between work and running poker tournaments. I do seem to be busy all the time which I like. It's too bad that none of these things make me very much money. LOL! Sorry honey. Who knows maybe someday it will all payoff.
Here's to us all having a prosperous 2010!
The first members only event of the Central MN Poker Players Assoc. (CMPPA) is this coming weekend the 9th. Membership is $50 per year and gets you into members only tournaments with cash prizes. We will also be doing a few poker classes and do what we can to promote poker in the Central MN area. More info is online at www.cmppa.com
I ran a couple of tournaments this week which were uneventful. I got knocked out in both just before final tables. Cards were a little cold and was able to last by making good plays.
This has been more of a bowling week for me. In had league on Monday night and my son filled in again for one of my teammates. It was the end of the first half and as usual the lane condition was different again and everyone bowled bad. Yesterday I went and bowled a local tournament that only allows you to use one bowling ball for the whole tournament and puts different lane conditions on 8 different lanes. It was quite a challange. My daughter and I bowled with my son watching. He was in 1st place after the first few weeks. I bowled very well and am in 1st place with one day to go, so hopefully I will hang on and win the $400 1st prize.
Today is my Jr Traveling tournament, the CMJTT. www.cmjtt.com for more info. It is the start of my 9th year running these youth bowling tournaments. The kids pay an entry fee and get payed in college scholarship money. Last year I gave away over $8000 in scholarships.
My wife is recovering from her surgery and is getting a little bored at home. I don't think she realized how much I am gone each week between work and running poker tournaments. I do seem to be busy all the time which I like. It's too bad that none of these things make me very much money. LOL! Sorry honey. Who knows maybe someday it will all payoff.
Here's to us all having a prosperous 2010!
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