Poker Update

This blog may be a bit long, I have a few poker items to cover.

First off, I've advanced to the round of 20 in the FCP Poker Superstars tournament on Full Contact Poker. Week 4 I finished in 4th place for 5 points, no hands stick out in my head as interesting. At this point, I had locked up a spot in the next round, so going into Week 5 I changed up my game plan. I decided that I would play more aggressive against the people who were on the bubble of advancing to the next round. Well, the plan didn't work out as the cards were unkind to me and I was the first one out. Two hands did me in, the last of which I flopped TPTK (top pair top kicker) versus a set. Oh well. I next play on Tuesday the 24th at 9:30pm, and was unlucky to draw the point leader in my flight.

Next, the fourth month of the WSOP Poker Tour was last Monday (16th). I was able to accumulate some chips early when I picked up some cards. It was the first time in awhile that I felt good in this tournament. After a couple pre-flop raises and continuation bets that I had to fold, I was back to my starting stack of 1,000±. With the blinds 50-100, I picked up 10 10 UTG. I raised to 300 and got called by UTG+1 and the SB (uh oh!). The pot had 1,000 and I had about 700 left. The flop came 234 rainbow and the SB checked to me. This was about as good as a flop as I could have asked for. I pushed my remaining 700. UTG+1 thought about it and eventually folded (he later said he had AK) and the SB (who had me well covered), after almost folding 2 times calls with AJ. Needless to say, the turn and river were 5 and 5 and I was beat by a wheel straight (A2345). I felt good about getting my money in with the best hand (60%-40% favorite) and can't believe he called with AJ. I need to do some serious work to catch back up. You can check the results at Mill Street Crew.

Lastly, I played in a small $30 tournament last Saturday with 15 people. I started out so card dead, and only played 2 hands in the first hour, A4 suited and K9 suited, winning one. Shortly into the fourth blind level (25-50) I got a real hand, AK diamonds. I raised it to 150 to go and was re-raised to 400. Tired of folding, I decided that I could push a small-medium pair out if I went all in. Well, it turned out that he had a slightly better hand than a medium pair as he turned over two black Aces. Preflop I only had a 12% chance to win. The flop came Qxx and I was down to only a 6% chance needing runner, runner cards (either KK or J10). The turn came a 10 and my chances sky rocketed up to 9%. The river was a glorious J giving me a broadway straight. It was easily the worst beat I've ever put on someone. I actually felt bad. I know how it feels to be on the wrong end of a bad beat, as does anyone who's played poker.

I was free rolling at this point, and loosened up my play. The cards were on my side for a change as I took out a player with K8 vs A7 ( raised from the SB and the BB went all in) when the flop came KKx. I later gave some chips away when I againraisedd from the SB, this time with A8 and the BB called. The flop came 732, I bet and the BB called. Turn was another rag and I checked, the BB bet and I folded. The BB showed 22. I got back at the BB a couple of orbits later when I limped from the SB with 5 10 and the flop came 10 10 10. I checked the flop, the BB bet and I called. The turn was a J I checked, the BB bet again and this time I raised, hoping he had the Jack or a pair, but he folded and said that I caught him bluffing. I wish I would have flat called to see if he bet the river as well.

We got down to 5 handed and I was about 3rd in chips. I took out one player and someone took out another and we were 3 handed. The chip stacks were approximately 10K, 5K and 5k, and I was one of the 5K. the blinds were 300-600 and there was a lot of preflop raises taking down pots. I built my stack and was the chip leader. I got dealt Q7 in the SB and limped, the BB checked. The flop came 753 of spades. I decided to push with no spade, hoping to get the BB to fold if he held a lone spade. He called with Q5 with the Q of spades. I was a slight favorite 57%-43%. My hand held up and we were now heads-up and I had about a 2-1 chip leads. The tournament came to an end when I re-raised all-in preflop with A10 suited and was called by A4. The A10 stayed in front and I took down 1st place for $180.

FCP Poker Superstars - Week 3

Well last night was my third of five prelimimary matches. The tournament for me was a roller coaster. As I think I mentioned before, we start 8 handed with 1,500 in chips and 15 minute blinds. I didn't catch much in the way of playable hands the first few orbits.

The first hand of any significance came with me on the button having been dealt AA. The action folded around to the cutoff with limped for 30. I raised to 90 wanting to eliminate the blinds. The small blind, however called, the big blind folded and the cut off called. The flop came QXX with 2 clubs. The action was checked to me and I bet out 175 into a 285 pot. The SB folded and the CO came over the top all-in for about 4oo more. I insta-called and the CO turned over K9 of clubs for a flush draw. I had the A of clubs (in case it went runner runner clubs) and was about a 2-1 favorite. My hand held up and I was up to about 2,200 in chips.

With the blinds at 50-100 i raised pre-flop to 300 with A10 from the CO. The big blind called and we saw a flop of JJX. The BB checked and I made a continuation bet of 400 into a 650 pot. The BB check-raised to 800 and I folded. I was pissed to lose 700 (1/3 of my stack) on that hand.

After a couple other preflop raises/continuation bets which did not work out, I was down to about 850, the short stack. I picked up KQ and limped (blinds 100-200) and there was one other caller. The caller had been playing a lot of pots with a bunch of min raises, it was quite strange, but he was accumulating chips. I check a KJ9 flop, the villian bets 200 and I re-raise all in for another 650, he calls and shows J8. My hand holds up and I'm back in the game.

I was able to chip up from there to about 3,200, close to the chip lead. There were a lot of pre-flop all-ins,but I was able remain even by picking up the blinds a few times with decent starting hands. When It got down to 4 handed, I had the chip lead (3,900) and picked up 10 10 against the player third (2,700) in chips. The blinds were 150-300 and the villian went all-in pre-flop, I raised all-in to isolate. I was slightly ahead as the villian had AQ. My 10's held up and we were 3 handed.

Shortly we were down to heads up, I had a 7,500 to 4,500 chip lead. I think it lasted all of 5-6 hands. The second last hand I got dealt 35 in the BB. SB limped and I checked. The flop was good for me coming J46, giving me an open ended straight draw. I checked and he bet 175 and I called. The turn came a 2 giving me the nuts. I checked again and he bet out 600 and I just called again. The river was a 9, and this time I bet out 1,100 into a 2,100± pot, he called with a pair of 4's.

I now had a 9,250-2,750 chip lead. I got dealt 9-8 and called the BB who checked his option. The flop came 8 high and he pushed, I called and it was game over. Overall I got good cards, I had AA three times (other 2 not mentioned I raised pre-flop and picked up the blinds) and QQ once. With the excption of the player who made all of the min bets/raises, the table was pretty straight forward, and I had played with a few players previously which I was able to use to my advantage.

So after 3 events I have 24 points (out of a possible 30) and am tied for 2nd, 2 points out of first. All I have to do is be in the top 20 to advance to the next round, which I have pretty much locked up.

FCP Poker Superstars - Week 2

Well, I guess there was no real other direction to go but down. I ended up finishing 5th for 4 points in my second (of five) preliminary matches. I had decent starting hands, but couldn't hit a flop to save my life and any time I tried to bluff at a pot, I was re-raised and had to lay it down. I really felt like I was outplayed and was happy to get 4 points. Although it did make me feel like I have no idea what I'm doing. It's really funny how you can go from feeling like you are invincible to wondering how you ever won a dime.

The last hand I played I got all my money in pre-flop with pocket 10's, only to be called by pocket J's. I think I won a total of 3 hands. This match was much looser than my first and only took about 45-50 minutes as opposed to 1.5 hours.

My third match is tomarrow, but I may get it switched to Friday.