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.