Poker Journal

Did I play this right?

2006-03-06T11:31:00.000Z

Often I hear those words, I read the scenario's often in the Gutshot forums, and often I glance over them, but something happened yesterday thats been bugging me, and I can see claims for playing the following hand and the tells I should of picked up on.

£20 F.O Blinds 350 - 700 Final 3 tables (unknown at the time, the stats screen wasn't actually showing upstairs) position 3 from the BB, Big Stack (seriously big) 3 behind me.
My stack: 5,000 M = 4.5ish

I pick up AJ suited (hearts) raise to 1,400 every one folds apart form the big stack who calls (and ask how much I have leftish)

Flop 10d As Qd.

I go all-in (I feel I should of checked now)

he calls and shows Jd 7d

Turn 2s

River 9d

This was one of the better hands I had, I made two mistakes, I didn't check to see where I was I could of got away for cheap, I didn't get a feel for the table this was the first hand I played on it.
I had a few more opportunities to double up so I fell in love with this strong hand.

After reading Mike's book of tells I knew he was betting on the end because he had seen my stack and asked what was left. But I felt after the flop I was ahead, (which I was).

What could I of done differently?

-Fig-

I hate James Bardolph / Hakfest....

2005-12-05T10:31:00.000Z

I really do, I have never had so much hate towards him, I wanna kick his head in!!

Why you ask?

Sun 04-12-05

We both met up and played in the 1st £20 FO at the club, not a bad tournament I must say. Started with 1500 chips, went down to 525, then fought my way back to 2'200 by the end of the break.

Lost with K Q all in so I decided to play in the £25PLHE cash game. Meanwhile James goes on to 6th in the tournament, congrat-u-f*uckin-lations!

Then he decides to sit in on the cash game. Before this I went from the starting £25 to £70, hand some very nice "all in's" with QQ JJ AA, and built up a nice stack. Which meant I was up on the whole day!! Which I was happy very happy about!

THENNNNNNNN! "The hand"

JB in BB.
UTG: Folds
Me: "Raise the pot" (A 10 os)
SB: Calls
JB: Calls

Flop: 7 A (4 I think, low card any way)
SB: Raise to £7
JB: Call
Me: Call

Turn: 10 - Bingo!!!!!!! 2 pair! For the first time today I had been rewarded I was thinking!

SB: Check
JB: Check
Me: "They both checked, that's fine I raise the pot that should send them packing"
"Raise!" £18.75
SB: Nope!
JB: "Call" (All in)

I turn A 10 JB turns 7 7!

River: 2

Crippled back to £20!!!!!!!! I wanted to shove his big dome shaped head into the nearest wall I could find! But resisted the urge and said "Nice one, I'm off"

I will get my revenge !!!!!!! Mark these words.

Concentration

2005-11-15T10:48:00.000Z

It's a Funny thing that...

Sunday 13th 8pm - £30 Freeze Out.

I lasted all of 30 mins in this, my fave tournament!!

My heart was just not in it, I remember getting ready then getting in the car to get to the Gutshot, on the way there I had one arse jump out in front of me while I was doing 50+mph up to Clapham, then when I got to Elephant and Castle I heard screams and some guy was out cold on the floor, it looked like he was dragged from his car that was still running at the lights.

Then I get to the Gutshot and I await the usual suspects and then some guy challenges me to a game of chess, now I couldn't be arsed with this but played anyway and lost. Normally that would bother me but I didn't care.

Then the tournament started, in the 1st half an hour I played 1 hand and won, then I got KQ late position, I call and everyone folds to one caller.

Flop K 8 J, he bets 500. I call. J he bets 500, I call.

10 - He moves all in and I call. And of course turns a Jack.

But I didn't care, for some reason I just could not be arsed, and even now I can't be. There is the Fourm tournament tonight and guess what, I can't be arsed. I lost $30 last night in a cash game and again I can't be arsed, I don't care.

What is wrong with me!! - I think I'm pokered out.

Suggestions?!

What is wrong with me!!

So.. What next

2005-11-02T13:16:00.000Z

Ok so my post about my final table finish wasn't riveting, but in the words of Teddy KGB "I feel so unsatisfied" I want to go again, I'm eager to do what I did on Saturday a hundred times over. I had visions of being at the final table of the WSOP. I tried to play online but I can't concentrate, knowing I will have to start again with my tatics at all levels, making moves.

I know I will be disapointed as well if I don't make the final table again. Is that the next phase I must deal with? This is going to get worst before it gets better.

Two words come to mind. Patience and Discipline

To the WSOP

-Fig-

It's a jungle out there

2005-10-31T13:38:00.000Z

£30 Freezeout. 9 handed table.
Starting chips: 2,000.
Blinds: 25-50.

First hand. I'm in 8th position with KcKd. After a few limpers I raise to 200. Faroze glares at me like I'm wearing pink lipstick, then folds. SB, BB & 7th call.

Flop: 7d 8s 4s. Check check check. I bet 500. Fold fold. 7th calls. Turn: 8h. He checks, I bet another 500. He calls. River: 9s. He checks and I check. He shows As5s for the nut flush. I show my kings with disgust :)

A few hands later, Faroze (to my immediate left) raises 15x BB to 800. Late position raises 800 more and is all-in. Faroze calls and has 400 chips left.

Showdown!

Faroze says "let's go home then" and shows AdKd, assuming mister all in for 1600 has a monster pair. Mister all in shows Kc6c, flops a 6 then goes on to river a flush.

Faroze is pissed, people around the table are bemused. In my mind I could see a '?' above most heads at the table.

One of the most bizarre times I've had at the £30 FO.

You only ever see this on-line...

2005-10-31T10:00:00.000Z

So as you have probably already read Fig made it to the final table. Congrats but with a bit more stamina you could of gone the whole way!

But alas getting onto my "on-line" only moment... I also entered the £5 rebuy tournament last Saturday and was doing very well, I went from the starting 500 chips to 2475 by the end of the break, this was down to some very lovely big slicks that I kept getting about 3 in the 1st half an hour. This tied in nicely with the target I was trying to hit for the FO part of the tournament (4k).

Ok so I meet Fig at the break and I'm above the average stack count. Nice.

Moving on to after the break I sat back at the table and kept my stack pretty even until I tried to bluff one guy off a hand, needless to say it didn't work and it ruined my table reputation.

I was down to about 1k in chips blinds were in the region of 150/300 or there abouts and I figured that the next ace I see I'm going all in.

So about 2 hands later I look down and see that ace, "wey hey" I was just hoping not to see a 2 or a 3 with it. Something / anything high 7 or above!! I sneak a peak at the next card and wham bam thank you dealer it's another ace.

So I'm very happy BUT.... this is how the hand played out.

S/b / BB / UTG raised to 1500 all folded round to me I move all in for about 900-1.2k can't remember the exact about. All folded to the BB who called.

So now i'm thinking what the hell can these to have to be rasing to 1500 then CALLING in the BB of all places?!?!?!?

Any the flop bought 5d 7d 8h

BB: Check
UTG: 1500
BB: Call

5c

BB: Check
UTG: 1500
BB: Call

2s

BB: Check
UTG: 1000
BB: All in (Pushes in about 4cm high stack of reds - 500's)
UTG: Call

Now I'm thinking what the hell they can't have a straight can they? Not with a pre-flop call of 1500 even in the BB to me that is a lot to call hoping for a mid range flop.

BB turns over JJ
UTG turns over AA

Then I stare in dis-belief. And flip my cards over (AA) the table erupts! My lovely "triple" up pot was cruely SLASHED in half the BB (JJ) walked away rejected from the table and the UTG and I looked at each other and just smiled thinking what the hell just happened.

Again something that you would only ever see on-line.

Fig makes Final Table

2005-10-30T10:59:00.000Z

At last, the day we all have been waiting for (unless you count the happy hour freezeout) 99 runners. I make 5th, I was Dominant at the final table, chip leader, no one could touch me. In fact I even set aside 30,000 just to bully the other players who I had covered and still had 30k left, I lost it and then came back. I grew tired and the fact is it was 8pm and I just wanted to go home, so I settled for the £127 payout for 5th. Sure I could of stuck for the £400 payout, god knows it would of been useful. but the game lost its appeal after a certain point. Like eating chocolate morning, noon and night. In fact I'm still tired from this session and don't want to look at another poker table for a while.

The Twix you see in the picture became my lucky twix after I sat on it, I had forgotten about it and went to get a tissue out my back pocket and it flopped on to the table at the same time, I became a joke at the table when no one believed the twix was lucky.

I think Aces twice and Kings against Q's and 8's (both all ins) proves how invaluable this Twix was to my play yesterday (lol)

Not much more I can say about this really, I may come back and edit it, all I can say was the final 20 was a grind session and I thought the final table would go faster then it did. I'm happy with my play, it was the same style i adopt online. I think that this proved to me that poker is definatley more about skill then luck.

http://www.gutshot.com/iframes/results.php?id_ts_res=925

-Fig-

Playing on VC

2005-10-22T16:04:00.000+01:00

Thought I would share this with you all.

[Oct 22 14:51:08] : Hand Start.
[Oct 22 14:51:08] : Seat 2 : shelly79 has $1,780
[Oct 22 14:51:08] : Seat 3 : Stack it Up has $2,410
[Oct 22 14:51:08] : Seat 5 : bullett007 has $1,880 [Oct 22 14:51:08] : Seat 6 : mannen has $2,540
[Oct 22 14:51:08] : Seat 7 : phishman3 has $1,760
[Oct 22 14:51:08] : Seat 8 : LindaJ has $6,610
[Oct 22 14:51:08] : Seat 9 : MAR SR has $1,020
[Oct 22 14:51:08] : bullett007 is the dealer.
[Oct 22 14:51:08] : mannen posted small blind.
[Oct 22 14:51:08] : phishman3 posted big blind.
[Oct 22 14:51:08] : Game [9] started with 7 players.
[Oct 22 14:51:08] : Dealing Hole Cards.
[Oct 22 14:51:08] : Seat 5 : bullett007 has Kc As [Oct 22 14:51:11] : LindaJ folded.
[Oct 22 14:51:14] : MAR SR called 60
[Oct 22 14:51:19] : Stakes: 30/60 Current level: 2 Next level in: 8 min.
[Oct 22 14:51:21] : shelly79 called 60 and raised 120
[Oct 22 14:51:23] : Stack it Up called 180
[Oct 22 14:51:28] : bullett007 called 180 and raised 600 [Oct 22 14:51:33] : mannen folded.
[Oct 22 14:51:33] : phishman3 folded.
[Oct 22 14:51:35] : MAR SR folded.
[Oct 22 14:51:36] : shelly79 folded.
[Oct 22 14:51:38] : Stack it Up called 600
[Oct 22 14:51:38] : Dealing flop.
[Oct 22 14:51:38] : Board cards [8c Qd Qc]
[Oct 22 14:51:39] : Stakes: 30/60 Current level: 2 Next level in: 8 min.
[Oct 22 14:51:44] : Stack it Up bet 70
[Oct 22 14:51:49] : bullett007 called 70 and raised 560
[Oct 22 14:51:53] : Stack it Up called 560 and raised 1,000 and is All-in
[Oct 22 14:51:55] : bullett007 called 470 and is All-in
[Oct 22 14:51:55] : Showdown!
[Oct 22 14:51:55] : Seat 5 : bullett007 has Kc As
[Oct 22 14:51:57] : Seat 3 : Stack it Up has 8s 8h
[Oct 22 14:51:57] : Seat 5 : bullett007 has Kc As
[Oct 22 14:51:59] : Stakes: 30/60 Current level: 2 Next level in: 8 min.
[Oct 22 14:52:03] : Board cards [8c Qd Qc Kh Kd]
[Oct 22 14:52:03] : Seat 3 : Stack it Up has 8s 8h
[Oct 22 14:52:03] : Stack it Up has Full House : 8s full of Kings
[Oct 22 14:52:03] : Seat 5 : bullett007 has Kc As
[Oct 22 14:52:03] : bullett007 has Full House : Kings full of Queens
[Oct 22 14:52:03] : bullett007 wins 4,090 with Full House : Kings full of Queens
[Oct 22 14:52:09] : bullett007 : WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOo
[Oct 22 14:52:10] : mannen : omg
[Oct 22 14:52:13] : shelly79 : vnh
[Oct 22 14:52:13] : Hand is over.
[Oct 22 14:52:13] : Stakes: 30/60 Current level: 2 Next level in: 7 min.

50 Cent...

2005-10-06T22:33:00.000+01:00

Must be all JVL209 has left, after his escapades yesterday.

Last night, $7,500 Guaranteed tournament on VC. $27 buy-in. During the rebuy period you can topup between hands, regardless of your chip count.

The following transcript only covers his play from hand #31 to hand #54. Every time he lost a hand he did a rebuy & topup. So that's $54 each time. This log only shows a small part of what happened at this table; he did a rebuy + topup at least twenty times. He alone, contributed around 5% of the total prize money!

I've colour coded his plays: green for all-ins he wins, red for all-ins he loses, blue for a tie and and yellow for uncontested all-ins.

Note: I've pruned a good few of his uncontested all ins to cut down the length of this post.

D: MARYNAIL is the dealer.
D: hakfest posted small blind.
D: Yochanan posted big blind.
D: Game [31] started with 8 players.
D: Dealing Hole Cards.
D: benny b folded.
D: JVL209 called 100 and raised 3,900 and is All-in
D: Tiatodd folded.
D: LFC4EVER1 folded.
D: gholimoli folded.
D: MARYNAIL folded.
D: hakfest folded.
D: Yochanan folded.
D: JVL209 wins 250 as the last player standing
D: Hand is over.
D:

D: benny b is the dealer.
D: JVL209 posted small blind.
D: Tiatodd posted big blind.
D: Game [34] started with 9 players.
D: Dealing Hole Cards.
D: LFC4EVER1 called 100
D: gholimoli folded.
D: MARYNAIL folded.
D: hakfest folded.
D: mavrickone called 100
D: Yochanan called 100
D: benny b called 100
D: JVL209 called 50 and raised 3,850 and is All-in
D: Tiatodd folded.
D: LFC4EVER1 folded.
D: mavrickone folded.
D: Yochanan called 3,180 and is All-in
D: benny b called 3,850
D: Showdown!
D: Board cards [9h 2s 6c 2d Kd]
D: JVL209 has Two Pair: 6s and 2s
D: benny b has Two Pair: Kings and 2s
D: benny b wins 1,340 with Two Pair: Kings and 2s
D: JVL209 has Two Pair: 6s and 2s
D: Yochanan has Two Pair: 5s and 2s
D: benny b has Two Pair: Kings and 2s
D: benny b wins 10,140 with Two Pair: Kings and 2s
D: Hand is over.
D:

D: JVL209 is the dealer.
D: Tiatodd posted small blind.
D: LFC4EVER1 posted big blind.
D: Game [35] started with 9 players.
D: Dealing Hole Cards.
D: gholimoli folded.
D: MARYNAIL folded.
D: hakfest folded.
D: mavrickone called 100
D: Yochanan folded.
D: benny b called 100
D: JVL209 called 100 and raised 3,900 and is All-in
D: Tiatodd folded.
D: LFC4EVER1 folded.
D: mavrickone folded.
D: benny b folded.
D: JVL209 wins 450 as the last player standing
D: Hand is over.
D:

D: Yochanan is the dealer.
D: benny b posted small blind.
D: JVL209 posted big blind.
D: Game [42] started with 9 players.
D: Dealing Hole Cards.
D: Tiatodd folded.
D: LFC4EVER1 folded.
D: gholimoli folded.
D: MARYNAIL folded.
D: hakfest folded.
D: mavrickone called 100 and raised 390 and is All-in
D: Yochanan folded.
D: benny b called 440
D: JVL209 called 390 and raised 4,360 and is All-in
D: benny b folded.
D: Showdown!
D: Board cards [9s Kc Ks 8c Kd]
D: JVL209 has 3 of a Kind: Kings
D: mavrickone has Four of a kind: Kings
D: mavrickone wins 1,470 with Four of a kind: Kings
mavrickone: figures
D: Hand is over.
D:

D: JVL209 is the dealer.
D: Tiatodd posted small blind.
D: LFC4EVER1 posted big blind.
D: Game [44] started with 8 players.
D: Dealing Hole Cards.
D: gholimoli called 200
D: MARYNAIL folded.
D: hakfest folded.
D: Yochanan folded.
D: benny b folded.
D: JVL209 called 200 and raised 4,110 and is All-in
D: Tiatodd called 3,620 and is All-in
D: LFC4EVER1 folded.
D: gholimoli folded.
D: Showdown!
D: Board cards [4d 2h 9s Kh 3c]
D: JVL209 has High Card : King
D: Tiatodd has Pair: Kings
D: Tiatodd wins 7,840 with Pair: Kings
gholimoli: not 2nite mate
D: Hand is over.
D:

D: Tiatodd is the dealer.
D: LFC4EVER1 posted small blind.
D: gholimoli posted big blind.
D: Game [45] started with 8 players.
D: Dealing Hole Cards.
D: MARYNAIL folded.
D: hakfest folded.
D: Yochanan folded.
D: benny b folded.
D: JVL209 called 200 and raised 2,390 and is All-in
D: Tiatodd called 2,590
D: LFC4EVER1 folded.
D: gholimoli folded.
D: Showdown!
D: Board cards [Ks Jh 9d 6s Js]
D: JVL209 has Two Pair: Kings and Jacks
D: Tiatodd has Two Pair: Kings and Jacks
D: Tiatodd wins 5,480 with Two Pair: Kings and Jacks (10 kicker)
gholimoli: lol
D: Hand is over.
D:

D: gholimoli is the dealer.
D: MARYNAIL posted small blind.
D: hakfest posted big blind.
D: Game [47] started with 8 players.
D: Dealing Hole Cards.
D: Yochanan folded.
D: benny b called 200
D: JVL209 called 200 and raised 3,800 and is All-in
D: Tiatodd called 4,000
D: LFC4EVER1 folded.
D: gholimoli folded.
D: MARYNAIL folded.
D: hakfest folded.
D: benny b folded.
D: Showdown!
D: Board cards [Ac Kh Jh 6h 8s]
D: JVL209 has High Card : Ace
D: Tiatodd has 3 of a Kind: 8s
D: Tiatodd wins 8,500 with 3 of a Kind: 8s
D: Hand is over.
D:

D: MARYNAIL is the dealer.
D: hakfest posted small blind.
D: Yochanan posted big blind.
D: Game [48] started with 8 players.
D: Dealing Hole Cards.
D: benny b called 200
D: JVL209 called 200 and raised 3,800 and is All-in
LFC4EVER1: your *****
D: Tiatodd folded.
D: LFC4EVER1 folded.
D: gholimoli folded.
D: MARYNAIL folded.
D: hakfest folded.
D: Yochanan folded.
D: benny b called 3,800
D: Showdown!
D: Board cards [As Qh 4d 3s Jd]
D: JVL209 has Two Pair: Aces and Queens
D: benny b has Two Pair: Aces and Queens
D: JVL209 ties 4,150 with Two Pair: Aces and Queens
D: benny b ties 4,150 with Two Pair: Aces and Queens
D: Hand is over.
D:

D: benny b is the dealer.
D: JVL209 posted small blind.
D: Tiatodd posted big blind.
D: Game [51] started with 8 players.
D: Dealing Hole Cards.
D: LFC4EVER1 folded.
D: gholimoli folded.
D: MARYNAIL folded.
D: hakfest called 200
D: Yochanan folded.
D: benny b folded.
D: JVL209 called 100 and raised 1,300
D: Tiatodd folded.
D: hakfest called 1,300 and raised 5,200
D: JVL209 called 2,550 and is All-in
D: Showdown!
D: Board cards [Qs Ad 4h 6c 9c]
D: hakfest has Pair: Queens
D: JVL209 has Pair: 10s
D: hakfest wins 8,300 with Pair: Queens
gholimoli: lmao
D: Hand is over.
LFC4EVER1: give it up
D:

If he has a hangover when he wakes up, his headache will become a lot worse when he logs on.

Fig on a Roll

2005-10-06T10:44:00.000+01:00

Can you believe it, I made 9th in a $100 speed freeroll and scooped all of $2, nearing a short stack and with blinds at 10k/20k its folded round to me, I push all in, one caller with an A9, I have 10 K and the Ace holds up. But thats not bad, the hand that gets me is when I make it into the money and am dealt pocket aces, I make a minimum raise and its folded to me. Sad times.

-Fig-

Hamster racing

2005-09-25T09:05:00.000+01:00

I was at a house party last night, and a random American with a hamster crashed the party. After a few bottles of Hoegaarden I thought I'd devise ways to make money on the hamster.

I decided we would put the hamster on top of the cooker and put bottles of Hoegaarden between the hobs so it could only travel around the outside, then bet on how long it would take the hamster to do a lap round the hobs. I allowed them to bet choosing 8 second intervals, with no-one's interval overlapping another. Whoever got it right would win all the money, if nobody won then I would win the money.

All was going well and I had people down for initial £5 bets to get the feel of the first race, but then one of the guests, who happened to be a tree-hugging PETA troglodyte threw her toys out of the pram.

"No don't do that! You're going to hurt it leave it alone."

"Shouldn't you be throwing eggs at abortion clinics?"

Race off.

So, how much do hamsters cost?

Hamster Grandstands would be great for home game intervals; ie when one tournament has finished and the person who went out first is sorting the chips out for the next tournament. Or it could be done live over the internet, so players can bet over the internet using paypal! The possibilities are endless. You could have hamster deathmatch (no deaths, it just sounds dramatic), where three to five hamsters are in a baking tray with pieces of sweetcorn scattered around, and one piece is red. First hamster to make contact with the red sweetcorn wins! The hamsters could be colour coded via stripes with powder paint.

Can hamsters swim?

VC Poker promotions for September

2005-09-03T10:26:00.000+01:00

http://www.vcpoker.com/news/promotions.htm

STT Frenzy Bonus

Play in STTs ? Win a lot? This September go on a winning streak and receive up to $2,500 in added bonuses.
Here’s how it works:

Win 3 consecutive STTs in a row and receive a $25 bonus
Win 4 consecutive STTs in a row and receive a $250 bonus
Win 5 consecutive STTs in a row and receive a $2,500 bonus
Place 1st or 2nd in 5 consecutive STTs and receive $100 bonus

Terms and Conditions

In order to qualify for the above bonuses, you must play at 9-seat single-tournament tables with a buy in of $5 or greater. Tables can be Normal , Speed, or Turbo events.

Myself, bullett and Fig play at these levels and upwards on VC. We'll see how many bonuses we can achieve during September.

Last two tables

2005-08-29T20:19:00.000+01:00

111 entrants, 3hrs 20mins of play and I make it to the final two tables(flying the flag for my commrades), So my game has tightened up, however there is still one more turn of the screw, the cherry which is missing on this triffle and thats to build a stack and make it to the final table, if I could do that my game would of become a lot better (worthy of a beginners tournament finish at the vic).

so i'm dealt pocket 8's first hand and win the hand, a loooong wait and I get AQ off, the flop comes down 36Q, hell yes I raise and the only follower raises I call, turn is a 9, I bet 300, trying to rope him in he goes all-in, i wait ages and get time called on me and fold, he shows 6, 9. I got away from that at 9.10pm. just.

i'm dealt pocket kings and raise the minimum and everyone folds (dam it) 2 rounds later, kings again and the flop is A,8,A I go all in on the flop after going down to 1100 in chips, I get a dirty look of 'eh? hold on a second' and he folds.

I know my table image was that of a rock which didn't help matters, because I was being grinded down by the blinds.

After the break i'm moved downstairs and go on a run, I'm dealt A,K first hand and i'm all-in with one caller who has K's, the board produces a straight for both of us, a while later i'm all-in again with pocket 7's and win, i'm riding my luck here and cruise to a second table finish. So not only have I played past the bullys at previous table I've played my longest reign of poker ever and for my reward, the most education i'm ever going to get to date, so the question or task next is, how do I build my stack like the bullys while folding rags and marginal hands? Once I have that down my final table debut will be close.

-Fig-

The Final Table - 4th Place

2005-08-22T17:58:00.000+01:00

Let me set the scene for you if I may. £30 Freezeout, Gutshot, Sunday 21st August, 8pm.

Starting chips 2000 - Shuffle up and deal!

First Hand I get, A K unsuited, the first things to run through my head was "Shit I didn't want this!"

Reason being is that in the last competition I saw this same hand go "All in" then "All out!" to trip 3's on the first hand, well not only that but I prefer to see and observe other players for a while before I play to get a feel for the table, so first hand, I raise preflop 200 on the button, partly to get action and party to hope I don't.

1 Caller

The Flop: 2d 5d Kd (I have no diamond)

Well that slowed me down!

I'm last to act so I have the advantage. "Check" I pause for a moment.... "Check"

The turn: 9d

"Crap crap crap crap"

I bet 500, (a bit gutsy I know) "Call"

Turn: To be honest I don't remember but I know it wasn't a diamond!

He turns K Q (No diamond) I turn A K, and think to my self that I have been very lucky here, now that I'm in a very nice position to sit here for a while, anyway I think I played one more hand then the table was broken up! "Great"

After being moved into the room with the hideous fruit machines I thought, "This is nice, no outside interference, no other noise. Well I didn't play another hand for a while, at least 20 mins I think, and then who walked into the room and sat at the table... yes you guessed it! ***Ms Tiffany Williamson***

Now I'm thinking to my self how cool is this, I'm playing poker with someone who made it to the WSOP, well kinda playing, why? Well with me being the rock I am I still did not get into a single pot with her, one thing I did notice is how she looked at opponents who bet at her. Scary man! I noticed also that when people bet at me when I was in the BB and letting it go, she gave me a look as if to say, why are you not fighting to keep your chips!? Like, your crazy man!!!

I just smiled and continued... then she got busted out anyway. Ah well! It was a bad beat mind she had the better hand all the way to the river.

Finally a few hands later I'm in the BB I look down to see 7d 9h, now I'm starting to get a bit stressed, I want a few hands to play with but there not coming today, about 4 people call, I check.

Flop 2c 5c 3c

Checked round to me, I smell weakness, I bet 200 and take a big pot considering all the calls that were thrown in to it. Anyway at the end of the 1hr and a half I'm left with 2075 chips. I'm trying to stay positive at the break, after all I'm up, right!? ;o)

After the break I'm back at the table I look down to see KQ unsuited, now to me this is looking like pocket aces, I mean I've not seen a hand like this for nearly 2 hours now, and this is KQ we are talking about!! I think I was BB, there was 1 caller, so I doubled the BB and again he called.

Flop: 2c 5h 10c

Me: Check
Tai: Check

The Turn Kd

Me: "I'm all in baby!" I think this was about 1500 - 2000 can't remember the exact amount, but after some deliberation he folded saying he felt he had me beat, whilst showing a 10. I just smiled to my self. Who knows what could have happened!? Then someone else at the table said he would have called like a shot! Claiming I didn't have it, I could see all there eyes staring at my cards as I went to muck them.

Hey you gotta pay for that kind of information!!!!

Anyway this is how the whole night pretty much went, the only other hands before the final table that helped me out were pocket 10's all in vs 8's, a complete double up at one point I couldn't even watch!! I saw a 9 come out but I could have sworn it was an 8! O and I knocked the guy out that was on the bubble with pocket 6's. That was nice!! We all cut a deal though so he didn't leave empty handed.

I had about 20k in chips when I got to the final table, I couldn't believe that, I was thinking to myself how the hell did I get these!?

I picked my card I got seat 1, not bad considering that makes me on the button, for those of you who know him, Adrian got seat 9 so I had wonderful position over him.

Well I folded the raises all the way round to when I was on the SB everyone folded to me, I look down to see Kh Jh suited so I call, the BB (Ade Bayo) goes "all in" 6k total, know I know I should have folded but for the 1st time I had chips plus I thought (wrongly) he was on a half steal, I call.

Turns out he had AA vs my KJ, Flop J 5 K (WOO HOO) A (Do'h!!) River to come can I catch the full house!?!?

No.

Ah well, a few hands later we are down to 5 people, I'm on a very small stack in the BB next hand and thought to myself if I see a picture card I'm all in, I need to make a stand. I post the BB and look down to see Jh Qd, well now is a good as time as any? "All in" I get called by the massive chip leader, he turns 8 10, and I win the hand. Couldn't believe that.

Well the hand I got knocked out with was strangely enough ***Pocket 10's*** (10d 10c) I went all in as I was still low on chips, and got called Ad 8d, ok that's kool!?

Flop 5d 2c 9d

The Turn: Kd

(At this point I was thinking, yes yes yes!)

River: 4d.

NOooooooooooooooooooooo! Ah well, I was told that I played very well and people did not want to get involved with me unless they had something strong, one guy actually said that

"I ain't calling you unless I have a good hand, I've seen when people raise you and I can see you take it personally and you will fight for what your chips"

This was a very good thing to hear. Well until the next tournament: -

"May all your cards be live and you pots be monsters!" (I think)

Hell Yes! The Fig is BACK

2005-08-20T18:34:00.000+01:00

I've found a technique which has improved my poker in leaps and bounds on the bluffing side.
I've taken it from the drunken master the only thing I can say is when bluffing do what they least expect.

I will be trying this new technique out and combining the strategy slow thinking side, with the extreme bluffing side, I'll let you know how I get along.

~Drunken Fig~

All play and no bite

2005-08-15T20:22:00.000+01:00

Well, down at the Gutshot yesterday for the £30 F.O and it went well, Adrian, James and me were slapped banged next to each other. This lasted for 30 minutes before the table was broken up, in which time i had got A, 5 early, I raised for the flop to come down 9, A, 9, I bet 100 with one guy who followed. I bet 200 on the turn and he folded.

Moved upstairs and barley surviving upto the break, get pocket Jacks and in the excitement I go all in with 1800 left in chips, this was more to circumvent the two people on the table who kept raising heavily. The last hand I was down to 1100, first decent hand in ages A, J I raise 600 (first mistake should of gone all-in) just to be raised and re-raised so i'm all-in my right has JJ, other guy has KQ, KQ wins it with Kings and sixes and i'm out.

Now out of the three hands that were playable all night I feel I played correctly apart from one element of the game, I did not bluff, why I don't know, intimidation or fear of going out early, I feel that if I get this part of my game right then I can do a lot lot better. A couple of well placed stands here and there could of done it, but with 2,000 in chips and bigger stacks going all-in I felt paralysed to do anything

This will be rectified!

-Fig-

This is becoming a regular occurence

2005-08-01T20:31:00.000+01:00

Well not that regular, considering I came 13th in the £5 rebuy last Tuesday BUT:

Out first again in the £30 freezeout last night. But hey, I lasted double as long as I did last time! Yes, it took two hands this week.

£30 freezeout
8 players at my table
Blinds 25-50
Starting with 2,000 chips.

Hand 1: 8d 2h
Fold.

Uneventful hand.

Hand 2:
5th Position, Ac 10c

3rd & 4th fold, I call the BB. 6th & 7th call, 8th & SB fold, BB checks.

Flop: 3d 3h 10h

BB checks, I bet 200, 6th calls, 7th calls, BB folds.

Turn: J

I check, 6th checks, 7th thinks for 2+ seconds and bets 500, you have a jack my arse we both call

River: 6

I check, 6th goes all-in for his remaining one thousand someting, 7th folds, I thought he must have a pocket pair stronger than my pair of tens but failed to get away from my hand.

I call, he turns over two jacks for the boat.

I am having issues with being able to focus properly. While I was thinking about what he had, I could see him staring me right in the face. On a normal day i'd have known I was beat and folded. Yet I knew I was beat and called.

What am I doing? At the moment I really don't know.

An excerpt from Ace on the River.

2005-07-29T23:06:00.000+01:00

An excerpt from Barry Greenstein's newly-released book, Ace on the River.

Jack Straus, a famous high-stakes player, received a call at the Horseshoe Casino from a friend who was on death row. The friend said, "It looks like I will be executed. The governor didn't grant me a pardon."
Jack responded, "That's pretty bad, but you won't believe what they have been doing to me here."

Tiffany Williamson

2005-07-13T09:13:00.000+01:00

Can you believe it!

She entered the WSOP 05 via a tourney at the Gutshot, she is now one of the last 70 odd players left in the tournament. She is currently on the ESPN feature table and is guaranteed to take home $100'000+

Although she has had some lucky breaks, I read today that she called an "all-in" KK vs AQ and she caught the Ace on the flop. 2 other players both then said that they folded their ace. She had the 1 card to catch and she did.

You know that would never happen at the Gutshot!!

Can she? Will she make the final table?

3rd in chips so you never know.

My seat wasn't even warm.

2005-07-10T21:28:00.000+01:00

£30 freezeout, my favourite tournament. 84 runners. 2,000 chips. Blinds 25-50. I'm on the dealer table, in the BB. First hand. 4 limpers, comes to me and I find a pair of tens. Considering the four of them all limped I raise to 500 to just end the pot there and then. The person sitting to my left calls, the rest fold. I think to myself, he must have overcards, probably big slick, since he didn't raise all in. You would think if he had a face pair in this situation he'd push all in here, or raise another 500.

Flop: 9-4-9

I know he hasn't caught anything on that flop, so I push all in like a flash. After a short deliberation he calls and shows QQ.

Out I go, first hand.

In hindsight, I heard him talking to someone before the tournie started, and it was his first time at the gutshot. He did seem a bit timid, which may be way he did not re-raise with his queens. Considering this information (which I neglected to consider at the time) I should not have pushed on the flop. I don't understand why he'd want me to see a flop, he must have thought I had an ace at least. But oh well. I played my pair of tens too agressively anyway.

Pushing all-in straight away once the flop went down was bad. You should have seen it. Now I think of it, he seemed to be a beginner, and my thinking was too far ahead for him. This is my own fault, since this was the first hand, and I should have checked my BB so I could get a feel for the people at my table.

When I learn from my actions it's always the hard way, and sometimes it can prove to be costly. I'm glad, because then lessons are learned well.

Help I've lost my Mojo!!!

2005-07-06T09:29:00.000+01:00

This is madness, I can't win a thing!! I can't even build a decent stack of chips!

In my normal play I would have no problems at all playing, I would be able to pick up on tells, push people out of pots 'constructively' Not think to much about my play.

Now though as I haven't played in 2 weeks I feel that the other guy has always got 'the nuts' or something stronger than me, you see what I mean!? I'm even talking about the cards!! When I know that it's not about the cards!!!

I know that all I need to do is pick up my play a bit more and I'll be fine but this is awful!!

I want my Mojo back!!

Names

2005-07-05T23:46:00.000+01:00

I think the PJ needs a proper name. Also, the URL is currently vcpoker.blogspot, and that needs changing.

I was thinking chipflip, but that's already taken, goddamn it. That would have been fabulous, non?

Suggestions on a postcard.

The Steep Learning Curve

2005-07-04T10:18:00.000+01:00

What a weekend, first I enter a £5 turbo tournament on Friday, 45 runners, came out around 18th absouluty no hands what so ever and I folded an inside straight draw which was a big pot and would of won it! There was no room for error and I think I've lost the aggressive side of my game, which in turn puts me in danger of not doing well. I seem to believe peoples bluff's and spent around an hour of hand mucking and blind stealing.

Anyway on Saturday, after the warm up session of the night before, I sit down again a £5 beginners tourney, 102 runners and re-buys for the first hour. Etheir I'm not taking enough chances or money but there was aggressivness from three people at my table and they were regulars at the Gutshot. I got AK suited and some one went all in, after having time called on me and listening to him run his mouth I decide to call and make a stand Got my Ace which helped and all this pre-flop! my next and only other win was KQ off and the board came down A9A, 9, 2. it was checked to the river at which point someone bet 200 and I was the only caller, K won it he had a Jack.

What I noticed about this table was the raises in the first hour of the re-buy period became 200, which became a joke then everyone started doing it which put the regular's off their game.

I don't think I was in the mood to play barley surving the re-buys, my downfall came when after the break and it went to freezeout I raised to 300 and got called, I had AK, flop is J 6 J, the other guy went all in really fast, I just stared at the cards and got time called again, and I knew he had a jack but with 800 left in chips and the blinds going upI decided to quit the game and call it. He hit trips an Ace hit turn and made it interesting for all of 5 seconds. Then I was out.

I'm getting better at readings but I'm not getting the hands to be aggressive, again Adrian defyed logic, he made it to the top 20 after all of us busted out. What I don't get is he never plays online, and only at our home games and doesn't read any books but has a natural flair for the game. Good luck to him!

Anyway, gonna take a break and see if i can analyze any areas where I could improve.

-Fig-

Got your outs, now you're out

2005-06-29T00:20:00.000+01:00

I'm so competitive. Ask anyone that knows me well. Tonight I was close to the final table, and could easily have seen my way there if I had not played this one hand. I'd definitely play it again, though.

£5 rebuy. 137 entrants. Not sure how many rebuys there were or what the prize money was.

3 tables left, approx. 21 people, blinds at 700/1500. I get moved to another table, and I'm to the right of the dealer. 3 limpers. I have A-10os and raise to 4500. All but the man on my right fold.

Flop: 9-J-4. He checks, I bet 3000, he calls.

Turn: Q. Board now reads 9-J-4-Q, Rainbow. He half-sighs and goes all in for 9000 more. I'm going for the straight. I am drawing to 4 8's, and 4 Kings, so I have 8 outs. I decide to go for it and call, putting me all-in. He turns over K-J, the river is a 6 and I'm out.

Knowing now that he had the K-J, I was drawing to 4 8s, 3 Kings and 3 aces, giving me 10 outs. I think I was unlucky not to hit. I had a 22.7% chance to win. I think that's a fine way to go out, but of course I'm pissed I didn't make the money again!

Lesson Learned

2005-06-27T07:17:00.000+01:00

Yesterday's £30 freezeout, 86 runners, I came 5th for £155. Ding!