Monday, April 23, 2012

Harrahs 1am 4/18

16 people.

First hand I wake up with 55 raise it up and get 4 callers.  flop comes 543. bet 700 1 caller. turn J bet 1k, call.  river 9 all in for 500 call ship it! double up.
Spewed it back a couple hands later to another kid with 75cc on a 6xx board kid had K6cc and pretty much had me drawing to a 7. which i missed.

3 handed i'm in the SB and wake up with aces.  The lady on the button min raises me, so i put in a good size 3 bet. and she calls and i put her all in on the flop and bust her.  Very next hand wake up with AK and make it 2200 which was my standard raise, and kid shoves all in with AT, I snap call. booyah

Long story short, I won!

Aria 4/19

$125 Buy In $10k in chips 30 min levels GREAT STRUCTURE

This is a great tournament.  I bought in late as an alternate and they opened up a new table for us.  Problem being i saw soft tables all over the place and the table i drew was pretty tough.  Every hand seemed to be either raised or 3 bet.  Also seemed like there was a lot of floating going on as well.  I felt pretty relaxed, did get to make it a couple of moves, overall i felt as if i wasn't really ready to play in these fields.  Maybe because of bankroll, but i really felt as if i didn't have the experience to compete.  It was expected to be a 9 hour tourney, and i don't think i was really mentally prepared to go 9 hours.  I've never played in a tourney for 9 hours, and I haven't played poker straight for 9 hours in a LOOOONG time, so that's something i need to work on. Expecting to maintain a high concentration level for extended periods of time.

Had a hand early, with a pair and got called down with a gut shot draw and dude runner runnered the flush, that took some chips away.  Also got caught double barrelling a guy with 7 high which got me some action.  Which leads up to the next hand which was kinda fun.  Had 3c4c on a 245 board, checked to me i bet and a really good player check raised me to 4k which was 3x what i bet and half of what i had.  I shoved he called with 9To and i took down the pot.  Had another hand i double barrelled with air and took down a pot. This time against the same guy who drew the club flush out on me earlier.  So i felt good i could still fire bullets after losing a hand like that.  Also against the 9T guy, i double barrelled him with air and got him to lay down too.  I played well.  I made a bad call with AK versus "9T guy". He had been playing pretty loose, but the board was Q7854 and he bet the turn and river, and i felt like that was well in his range, even a J4 or 24 beats me, but i still felt compelled to call.  He had Q6.  I raised to 1100 with 2/400 blinds and 50 ante.  That was gross, he value bet the river and i called... shipped it.  A few hands later, i open shove with AK and get called with AQ and he hits 4 to a flush to knock me out. this was "clubs flush" guy.  Seems like now that i think about it, i played most of my hands against the same two guys, but they were the most active. 

The "9T guy" seemed like a very good player.  He made a 3bet with A3 when 4 or 5 limpers to the button who shoves for 6k with KQo.  There was a lot of meta game going on with "9T guy" and "Club flush guy".  They were giving chips back and forth with "club flush guy" seemingly getting the best of it.  There was a hand that changed everything when "9T guy"/seat5 called seat8(club flush guy) with bottom pair, pair of 4s,  Seat5 led out and Seat8 raised it up for almost all of Seat5's chips.  All he did was call which i thought was really strange.  BUT, it got him an extra check on the river because Seat8 shut down because most of Seat5s chips were in and assumed he would stack off to any bet on the river.  So they checked it down and pair of 4s took the pot.  Which was a huge pot, not only by size, but because it brought Seat5 back into the tournament.

I need to learn and know how to utilize this play and other plays. Always learning!!!

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Harrah's 1am

Harrah's 1 AM $25 50bb $2500 chips

I enjoy playing this tourney, really get to work on the shove fold aspect of the game.  I definitely need to develop it.  My only problem with this tourney is the rake is so high.  I believe $9 is raked for every entry.  Pretty hefty.  But still fun and super cheap!
One my first hand i played.  Actually, first hand i came as the cards were in the air, and i yell out "I call!!" and the dealer mucked my hands because i wasn't there by the time he finished dealing my cards. i was on the button someone had made a raise to 200.  It was an asian lady actually. mid 30s probably. I didn't get to play. flop was KQx the guy next to her actually ended up wining the hand.  did not show.
i wake up with KK. and old lady limps i make it 525 when it's 20/50 and everyone folded. wtf next hand i get AQ and make it 325 i get 4 callers flop comes KQx two clubs. bet is 400, i call. turn is a x 400, i call. river is Jc he bets 2000, and i fold. says he had KJ.
Later have AK in a 4 way pot KQT board i bet get called and then raised.  i fold call turns an A they get it al in first hand had QJd second hand who raised the flop had J9o.
I busted with A3 in a 3 way pot. board came Khigh and the Might Casey Struck Out.

I played extremely loose.  Probably could've let the AQ go, but I felt like a donk might bet the Q too. the turn bet should have definitely told me "K".  but i didn't really feel as if he defintely had it, and i didn't mind sacrificing some of my stack to find out.  i left myself with 11bb. just couldn't get the extra opportunity. for future reference, i should try to keep as many chips as possible in this type of even. with 20bigs i don't need to be double floating some old man to hopefully check down a river.  played that sloppy. fold.

Caesar's 10pm

Caesars 10pm $85 150bb $7500 t-chips

I felt that i played really well. Raised with AT UTG the very first hand i was dealt and took it down. Played a hand with an old lady who was pretty tight.  I really feel like she floated me with air on the flop.  I double barrelled and took down the pot. Ace or King high, I don't remember. Was up to about 10k in chips. 
Girl in seat one raises to 325 get 1 call I make it 975 she calls dude calls flop comes A55. She checks dude checks i bet 1200. She calls dude calls. Turn is a K she checks dude goes all in for 450 i make it 2500 to go she tanks it finally calls. river is a 5. check check she shows AJ old man shows 66 (wtf) and I show A8 offsuit for half the pot.
I get up to i'd say 16k when new guy in the old mans seat makes it 500 to go. blinds are 75/150.  I look down at a K8cc and smooth call.  flop comes Q76hh. sb leads out with 600, i make it 1400, he 3 bets to 3000 and i fold. Later he says he had 88. and that he thought i was making a move and wanted it to seem like he was making a move. and to which i said  "i did think you were making a move!"haha. phew!
so i get to about 14-15k and wake up with AK utg. I raise it up and old man 3bet shoves all in for 8500 bb olds he says 66 and i call flop comes q86 turn 8 river x. that brings me to about 8 or 9 k. and i go into survival mode.
I doubled up with AK over KQ when i was down to about 4k. never got back over 10k.  shoved with 77 called by ak flop came J high 3 diamonds, T diamonds on the turn. Ball game.

Feel like i played well. with the exception of being a hero and wanting to play the k8, but if i don't, i'm not playing my style. so maybe 3bet pre flop? or flop float barrel turn? I played well.  I will be back, and I will win the $800 1st place.


Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Harrahs

Took the remainder of my bankroll and sat down at Harrah's.  Bought in for $180.  Had AJo 3 bet the but who raised to 6 i made 15 he folded.  Never was above $180... after that 3 bet hand i was up to around $160.  Lost most of my chips with KQ in the CO.  I overlimp with KQo and BUT raises to 12 SB calls folds to me, i call.  Flop comes AKx i check BUT Cbets 20 SB folds I call.  Turn is 8.  check/check river is 8 i check he bets 30 i call he shows T8.  Lesson, i had the feeling he was cbetting with a majority of his hands, i should've gone with my gut and raised it to 50-60.  That left me with around 90.  chipped down to 45... wake up with AA 3bet the same BUT as before, he 4 bet shoves with 78h i call and double up.  The final big hand was I wake up with JcJs and make it 6 to go, get 2 callers.  flop comes Qxx all clubs, SB goes all in for about 45 (same as me) I tank it and eventually fold.  UTG+2 does call with QJ board runs club club for a chop. (MY POT!)  They tried to give me my money back, i would've been back up to about $140 and felt rejuvenated.  Instead i felt like i continued playing bad.  I took $25 of the 65 i had left and bought into the tourney. 

I'm not sure why but i feel a lot more confident buying into tourneys than i do buying in for 50bb at a 1-2 table.  I'm almost positive that my lack of bankroll is affecting my judgment.  I was put into similar situations at the last home game we had.  I folded so many tough decisions to bluffs.  And it was attributed to not having enough money behind.  I'm sure if I have 1000bb instead of 30bb, and after those thirty I'm broke, i'm making a majority of those calls.

Tournament was just as tedious.  I don't think i really ever had a hand.  I wanna say, now that I think about it.. I was down to about 400 chips with 50/100 BB... I can't remember what got it going... but i remember two big hands were I had AK and I raise get 1 caller and 1 all in. Caller checks in the dark and I shoved in the dark, flop came QJx and he folded, i won a good pot.  After that I got 99 vs 87 and K7 and took out two more guys... got up to about 8k ... played nice tight shove or fold poker for about an hour... still never really getting a hand... got 99 twice in a row to steal some blinds... We got 3 handed... I bust out with Q9 vs A9 just like the Red Rock tourney.  Weird.  I guess now that I think about it.. being down to 400 chips and finishing 3rd is a pretty good feat... although I want "W's" and not Moral Victories.  Would've been nice to chop heads up for $150 each and getting all my money back but it wasn't meant to be.

Monday, April 9, 2012

Red Rock Casino

Tournament: Played very aggressively.  Happy with how i played for the most part, stood out of sticky situations. Lost with Q9<A9 sb vs bb.  SB raised raise with AJ then next orbit with A9.  3 bet twice. 200-400 But -2 limps But raises to 1200 I 3 bet to 2800 with AQc both fold. later on get AQ on Button.  AI and another AI in front i make it 5k to go turn quad aces.  UTG limps in 400/800 50a i raise to 2800 with Q5s but & utg call flop comes QJ9hhh UTG leads for 3k i make it 6k but shoves for 11k UTG calls I fold, KTs for UTG QJ for but KT takes it.

Cash Game: Went horrible.  First hand i get KQ raise it to 7 get a sb call and ep call.  flop comes Axx.  SB bets 8, ep calls, I raise to 18, sb shoves for 200, ep folds, i fold.  Chip down to about 60... play JTd SB i call; 5 players to the flop JsTs6x check around. Kd turn, i bet 10 get raised by tight player to 20 get but to call i shoved for 40 more tight player reshoves all in and shows Q9o for the straight.  busted.

I felt like i played very well in the tournament.  I controlled my first table rather well, and bet very confidently when i should have. i.e. 3bets, cbets, and dry boards.  Wish i had the Q5 hand back because i really only have 25 or so BB at the time, and  should have already switched to survival mode instead of attack mode.  Went really card dead at a time the blinds and antes started to kick in.  Pretty much blinded down to 5bb when i shoved with the Q9.  I'm not upset with the shove, i felt like the SB could be raising with a wide range. 

As far as the cash game, i played very poorly.  I was never into the game.  I bought in to wait for Jorge to finish the tourney and donked off my money.  Stay Aggressive/Play Solid

Friday, March 30, 2012

Numero Uno

I look forward to posting my thoughts before and after my poker sessions in an effort to help myself think through hands I can remember.