Poker : Late Night Poker is back !

I was delighted to discover that the “Late Night Poker” series is coming back and Full Tilt are running freerolls for online qualifiers.  See http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/late-night-poker for full details

I had a go last night (freerolls run at 7:15pm UK time) but only managed about 900th out of 2000 players.  The last hand was a bit annoying as a donkey player went all-in, a short stack called and I had pocket 7’s so decided to call as well.   The donk had T-4 and the short stack had A-J so I was in fairly good shape, especially with the flop of 8-8-Q and a blank turn… but the river of Q gave everyone a higher two pair!!  I would have almost tripled up for the river and been in good shape to get into the top 27 players who go to the next round….    Oh well, at least it didn’t cost me anything.   I expect I will be trying again :-)

Holiday: Weymouth - June 2009

Saturday -3 hours to arrive    Nice apartment.   Hot and sunny.   Went round town & got provisions, unpacked then went out to dinner at Ship Inn on Quayside (nice food large portions)

Sunday - decided to have a beach day, but had to buy me some swimming trunks.   Hot but a little windy at times, Veterans parade in the morning, very busy everywhere.   Evening went to pub 50 yds up road for Carvery (Nothe Tavern), which was large portions and very nice... managed a pudding as I didn't have a starter this time

Monday - nominally a shopping day as expected heavy rain, but morning dawned bright & sunny, albeit a little bit cooler with the stronger wind..... but ended up on Beach again in the morning.   After lunch only had half hour or so as the sun went behind hazy cloud.  So ended up having a nice cream tea and walked round shops.  Went out for Fish & Chip supper on the quayside in the Fish & Chip restaurant

Tuesday - Market day in Portland so get the tourist bus from the square, which took in the Olympic venue and the castle before stopping at the market... the views from the bus and from the top of the hill where the market is were spectacular !   Weather was cold in the wind, but otherwise sunny and warm all day !   Got the bus to Portland Bill, where was spectacular views but not much else, but did have an overpriced lunch at the local pub there before going back on the bus.    Once back, we had a nice cup of tea then decided to go to Nothe Fort   Was good to wander around and take in the spooky "dungeons" and the fantastic views from the top level.   Went to the square for a local pub grub, which was OK then had a nice walk around town ending up at the local pub !

Wednesday - today was forecast to be overcast and showers, so decided to go for a country walk     Of course it was hot and sunny, even the wind seemed warmer than normal.   Had a great walk round the coastal path and then cut back cross country and had a nice cup of tea when we got back to the coast.   Just set off back to town along the coast when it did start raining, pretty hard, especially in the wind.. but were well prepared (lot of people weren't)   After having our ice cream watching the rain, got back to apartment and had a nice cup of tea before deciding where to eat in the evening..... deciding to walk another 50 yds to the local pub as we were worn out !  (and it was Curry night)

Thursday - it's a proper Shopping day today.   Went out at 10am and started at the Brewers Quay shopping centre which took us until coffee time (11;30 !)  by which time it was hot and sunny again.    Went round town and got takeout sandwiches for lunch.  Had lunch on the beach as it was sunny, but still chilly in the wind and ended up with sandy sandwiches.   Did more shopping before mid-afternoon snack time when I had a cream tea    Back at the ranch, we were a bit worn out after over 7 hours shopping, but mustered up the energy to walk into town for evening meal.  After changing our minds several times, ended up at the "Moby Dick" on the front which did house special which was Chicken, Ham and Leak pie... yummy.  Also stopped off at the George Inn on the Quayside to try and complete the set of pubs which we had been in.... not many to go now!

Friday -  Designated our Beach/rest day but despite the good weather forecast it was quite gray and a bit windy but we went on the beach anyway.   Found a sheltered spot from the wind stayed until after lunch.   It was hot when the sun came out, but was all to infrequent and was otherwise a bit cool.    Went for a walk through the town and got a nice ice cream before talking a walk back through Nothe Gardens where it was a bit more sheltered from the wind.    Got back to the apartment a bit earlier than normal, so had a nice cup of tea and a rest.   Decided to go back to the Ship Inn for dinner, but in typical fashion we changed our minds (there is a huge choice! ) and ended up in a pub in town for dinner.   Wasn't fantastic food, but was OK (for the price) and had the bonus of the band doing their sound check which we ate (UB40 tribute band)

Saturday - after breakfast we just came home, taking about 2.5 hours as traffic was OK

Overall we had a lovely holiday and enjoyed doing the different activities.   There are a load of things we could have done but didn't get around to, so would be happy to go back there again

Poker : not a bad evenings play (it isn’t really work is it!)

I decided not to do a deep stack tourney today as it takes ages and I feel like I need my sleep this week !

Started off with a nice simple STT warm up game ($20) with 9 players, which got the blood flowing nicely, especially when I cashed in by getting 3rd place

After such a promising start, moved onto MTT with a 128 seater HORSE tourney, but had horrid cards and blew out in 118th place after 45 mins  (actually quite tricky to loose all your chips that quickly in a limit game !)

The main event was meant to be a $22 MTT with 1206 players.   I made a good start, but saw several rubbish hands that I threw away become monsters… saw several straights, couple of flushes and flopped two full houses (had I not thrown away the cards of course) and in the end only lasted a frustrated 55 mins and got to 755th place.   Did feel I was playing quite well, but the cards were not landing for me (or when they did, it was after I threw away my rubbish hand)

Just to blow off some steam, decided to enter the $4 MTT 180 player tournament.  Things started off OK, but then started a roller coaster ride, whereby my stack grew, then I got into a fight with someone and lost a load of chips, then built up the stack again and then lost a load… again I was seeing rubbish cards develop into a monster hand, with another flopped Full House thrown away in the first hour.   Luckily I was patient and by the first break (after 1 hour) was 11th with 6’048 chips out of 64 players (avg=4218)

Things were settling down and was able to focus and take control of the game (well most of the time anyway)   The end of the 2nd hour saw me in 5th with 11’739 chips (out of 30 player and avg=9000) and my low point after that was 7th at the 3 hour break.   By level 15 was 4th from 15 players and in the money, but the players dropped quickly after that and by the next level we had only 8 left and I was still in 4th    There were a few ups and downs for me, but the luck came to me when needed and didn’t hurt me too badly when it went against me, so after 4 hours was in 2nd place out of the remaining 3 players

I was not expecting to win, but got heads up with around 110’000 to 160’000 chips to my opponent   The heads up didn’t last too long, I managed to hit my hand after going all-in behind on the flop which put me in a really strong position, then couple of hands later called my opponents all-in when I had A-J against his 9-8 and the A on the flop was enough to see me to victory (in only 4hours 25 mins) !  

For what I thought would be a quick blast of a game, it turned into a marathon, but did gave me a healthy boost to my poker fund, getting $216 for the $4 investment…. I seem to be going through a purple patch at the moment, just hope it lasts a while longer :-)

Poker : Home Tournament – June 2009

The £10 specials are always interesting games, and this proved to be the same.   I was feeling a bit spaced out by now, after the late night and working all day, so will doubtless remember even less than normal for my write up !

My evening started well, by not being on the same table as Sean ! (who scuppered me in the last £10 special) although do have Bill to contend with.     My table was pretty laid back and solid in the main, especially in the early stages.   The first couple of levels I dropped around 500 chips from the 2000 starting levels, then won a hand or two and was a little up mid-way through the first hour.    I vaguely remember I get into a hand with Bill and take a good chunk of chips to get myself into a good chip lead on the table.   

At the break, I have a healthy chip stack, with the extra 2000 I think I’m around the 10’000 mark….  this stack gets bigger when I get 8-7 on the SB and only Karen on BB and Steve W see the flop.   The flop comes 7-x-x (3 clubs ) and I check then call Steve W smallish bet (even with top pair and flush draw I wasn’t sure I was ahead, but was relatively cheap to call)   The turn sees another 7, so I check call another bet by Steve, but then the river is a spectacular 8 !   so check call the all-in by Steve W, who had flopped a flush !   Talk about a bad beat !!

With players starting to drop like flies on the other table (Steve is knocking them all out!)   we are soon down to 9 players.  I get tangled up with Bill again, who calls my confident bets on each street… can’t remember what I had, but was ahead ! and therefore took the pot, took out Bill and we’re down to the final table

Jon is ecstatic as he made the final table for the first time this year !   Unfortunately he is first to fall, but at least he gets a point

Darren is short stacked and gets it all in on the flop with a flush draw (I think)  but doesn't improve and is next out

With the blinds now up to 1000/500 we see Alex making a big raise and takes down a pot uncontested and shows KK.  Next hand he makes another big raise but this time Derek goes all-in and Alex calls…. then shows KK again !    Derek has Q-J  so is in heaps of trouble, even the J on the flop doesn’t help… but the J on the turn certainly does., and Derek takes Alex down to about 1200 chips.    It is only a hand or two before Alex has to stick it all in but doesn’t get lucky and Steve takes him out

Karen gets taken out next by Derek but can’t remember the details now… and Andy follows soon after with a mad lunge at the pot with not much

This leaves us with three players and the blinds at 2000/1000   I had been OK chip wise but had given some chips away to Steve earlier so think I am down to around 17’500 (avg = 18’500) with Steve the chip leader. 

A few hands in, we see a key hand for me, when dealt 6-6 on BB I just call when Steve completes on the SB (Derek had folded)    The flop comes something like J-6-2 and Steve immediately goes all-in !   His timing is very unfortunate as I am insta-calling all-in for 20’000 chips   Steves A-7 is well beaten already, but I hit another 6 on the turn for quads and am now the huge chip lead !

With very few chips and big blinds, Steve makes a valiant but ultimately futile attempt and is out in 3rd

I have around 40’000 and Derek is around 16’000 and there is very little time left on the clock.     After a hand or two of exchanging blinds, Derek goes all-in pre-flop.     I had J-J but on checking the chip counts, if I double Derek up he will be slight chip lead so decide to fold as the timer signals the last three hands to play.    Next hand I have 9-7s but decide to call Derek's 4000 raise to see the flop.  Nothing comes for me, so fold to his bet.   I also realise that by now I can only just afford the 3000 blinds to be around 1000 chip leader after the next two hands, so need very good hands to justify doing anything other than folding.   Both my last hands end up being rubbish so fold and win by around 2000 chip difference in the end

I was delighted to win, just a bit disappointed not to be able to “finish the job” by knocking Derek out, but that’s the nature of a time constrained game I guess

Overall, it was a very enjoyable game.   Even the people knocked out early seemed to be enjoying themselves, especially those involved in the cash game !

League wise, we are now halfway through the season and I am points leader with 61, but Darren and Alex are not far behind with 42 each and Derek on 49 makes up the top 4

All still to play for… see you next time

Poker : Deep Stack tournaments

I have recently be playing in “Deep Stack” tourneys on my Wednesday night "online poker night"   This is where you get 5000 starting chips and the blinds go up every 30 minutes, so you need to be prepared for the long haul if you do any good !

First attempt was 6th May in a $11 deep stack tourney.  This had 1026 players and I crashed out in 660th place after 90 minutes

Then decided to switch to the $22 deep stack tournament , so on 13th May sat down for a nice game for a couple of hours as there were only 152 players.   As it turned out, I did pretty well, so after 8.5 hours playing ! I finished in 6th place and took a nice $152 prize

Last week I played the $22 tournament but things went against me and finished 59th of 135 so a very poor showing

This week I did have had some more success !!  Seems my temperament is more suitable for the patient, long, drawn out game

From my 5000 chip starting point, I got some good hands early on and had built up my stack, which was just as well, as I ended up all in on the turn having flopped two pair and some clown with his flush draw hit his 1 in 6 chance to put me down to around 1200 chips !   As the blinds were so low, I managed to keep calm and play on, and was lucky to very soon double up with a good hand, then tripled up when I got lucky having gone all in pre-flop with a speculative hand and got 4 callers !

From then on, I just tried to maintain above average chips, but was going up and down a bit.... but over time was pretty well in control.  

One hand in the middle stages that stuck out was when I got A-Ks on the Big Blind.  There was a raise then a re-raise all-in and as the original raiser had a load of chips, decided he was likely to call even if I went all-in (which I seriously thought about) so decided to fold.   The original raised had T-T and the original all-in had A-6 so was happy with my choice when the blank flop came down, but when the A then K came, I was not so pleased.   I know made the right choice, but when the outcome would have been in my favour (like tripling up!), it still hurts...

As we got into the last 40 players, I had some good hands and felt I was playing well... and managed to get myself up into the top 6, where I pretty much stayed (with my normal loose aggression when I get a lot of chips!) until the end

After 5.5 hours play !  I am in first place with 102'131 chips out of 19 players (Avg = 37'631)

At the next break after 6.5 hours, I am still in 1st with 140'488 and 11 players left (avg=65'000)

Next break after 7.5 hours, I am still in 1st place, with 176'133 with 9 players left.   Avg=79'444   I want to now build up to and maintain stack of 178'750 which is the average stack for my target of a 4th place finish

8h 25mins into the game,  I drop to 2nd place – having dropped down to 134'533 chips (8 players left ) but suddenly it all goes nutty and chips leader takes out another player as well !   Chip avg=102'142  Couple of hands later and another player get really lucky and takes out someone else... I am now 3rd place from 6 so am getting excited…..

Next break (8 hr 45 mins)  I am 3rd now out of 6 players with 119'133 (Avg = 119'166 !! )  Starting to buzz now, but from drinking too much water I think !!

After 9 hours,  I am 5th of 5 players with 99'559 (avg = 143'000)  All to play for and blinds only at 4000/2000   News flash... just as I am writing this, I win a decent hand and now jumped to 3rd place with 140'509

Hit the 9.5 hour mark and a key hand.  I am in BB with A-Q (5000/2500 blinds) and button goes all-in   He normally flat calls good hands, so decided to call (I would also have about 40'000 chips behind)   Turns out he has 8-4s and neither of us improve, so I take him out and we are now down to 4 players and I am chip lead again at 267'128 (avg = 178'750)

Has it really been 9hr 50mins !   I am now 2nd of 4 players left , so have hit my target finishing place.   I have 236'996 (Avg=178'750) and the blinds are now 6000/3000    I am up and down a bit, was 1st for a while, then 4th, worked up to 3rd, then hit some cards and got aggressive and got to current 2nd place     Lynn is probably snoring her head off by now, but my adrenalin must be flowing... still drinking a load of water (it is very hot and muggy tonight) so also having to go to the loo every half hour as well !

After a 10h 25m slog we are now head up !!   I have 293'000 v’s my opponents 422'000  (357'500 avg)

Lost big pot with  my Q-4 against K-6 on a A-K-Q flop !    but a couple of hands later I have doubled up,  then managed to get back to about 307'000   Then my A-A holds up and win a bit more to take us almost dead even in chips

Then we have the key hand... I have J-5 in BB call a raise of 14'000....  flop comes J-T-3 so check and re-raise all-in when he bets.  He calls and shows A-T so I am way ahead.    The turn is a safe 6, making me about 90% certain to win the hand……. but the A on the river takes me out in 2nd place !!

After 850 hands and 10 hour 45mins playing time, I won $457.60 for 2nd place (first was $657.80)  

It is amazing how your expectations change during the tournament, most of the way through I would have taken a cash finish were it offered, but then being chips lead a lot of the time you hope to make the final table (9 players) then on the final table, still at the top of the chip count, you then hope to take 4th… having got to 4th I was gunning to win it…. and on the last hand thought I pretty much had won it !  It is a bit gut wrenching to get so close to the win, but ultimately happy to take 2nd place.  I am happy with my play and the luck evened out so can’t complain too much :-)

These deep stack tournaments may suit my temperament, but they certainly take time !     Mind you, the hourly rate of $40 isn’t too bad I suppose.