I played (if you want to call it that) at the Lucky Bridge last night. I took second in this tournament last week. This week, I went out before the end of the second round.
I had A-A. Blinds were 50-100. I raised to 400 under the gun. I got three callers. Great. The flop was K-J-3 rainbow. This looked good to me. I made it 800 to go. Jimmer goes all in for his last 1000. Some guy folds. Some other guy goes over the top and has me covered. I call for all my chips.
Jimmer has K-7 of diamonds. Really? Why would he even call my raise with that hand. And why would he go all-in with a king and a baby kicker? I thought he was a good player. I guess I was wrong about that. He had no chips left, so I he must have been gambling.
The other guy has K-J of spades so he flopped 2 pair and I didn't improve and I was gone. Now, I wish this guy was me. I would never call an under the gun raise holding K-J. Seriously, I just don't understand.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Friday, March 23, 2012
I Played Aces Wrong Again!
Last night I played the tournament at the Lucky Bridge and took second place. I felt I made good decisions throughout the tournament (except my final hand) and was fortunate enough to have some of my big hands hold up. As an example, I had K-K and Q-Q back-to back at the final table and took some huge pots and knocked two players out when both hands actually won.
When I was head's up, however, I made a bad mistake with A-A. Because there were only two of us, I was torn between raising and getting some action, so I limped. (We were fairly even in chips at that point.) The board was low and coordinated and the other player bet out at it. I should have folded my aces at that point and just "let it go".
The turn paired the board, which wasn't good either, but now I had aces and sixes, so I just went all-in. Oops. He had trip sixes. The lesson is - never let a blind hand see the flop if possible when you have pocket rockets.
I was still happy with second place (good profit for $37 buy-in), but would have liked to see if I could have taken it down. Oh well. There's always next week!
When I was head's up, however, I made a bad mistake with A-A. Because there were only two of us, I was torn between raising and getting some action, so I limped. (We were fairly even in chips at that point.) The board was low and coordinated and the other player bet out at it. I should have folded my aces at that point and just "let it go".
The turn paired the board, which wasn't good either, but now I had aces and sixes, so I just went all-in. Oops. He had trip sixes. The lesson is - never let a blind hand see the flop if possible when you have pocket rockets.
I was still happy with second place (good profit for $37 buy-in), but would have liked to see if I could have taken it down. Oh well. There's always next week!
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Bluffing Pays Off . . . Eventually
I didn't cash in the Island tournament last night, but I did make the final 18 (out of 62) and had fun. One attempted bluff led to an interesting hand further down the road.
In the first hour sometime I attempted a bluff when a straight hit the river and got called by Dustin who only had 2nd or 3rd pair. He caught me! It paid off about an hour later when I had Q-9 offsuit on the button with 5 or 6 limpers ahead of me. I called hoping to hit something in position. Flop was Q-8-Q. A few people checked and then somebody bet and I just flat called. The turn was a 4 or some such card that basically meant nothing. There was no flush draw and no straight draw. The same people checked and the same person bet and I flat called again.
The river was a king. I still felt I had the best hand. Check - check - check - bet - I raised - fold - fold - then to Dustin. Dustin said out loud (with another person still in the pot) - "I may just call you because I saw you bluff before." I said nothing. He pondered. He said, "I just know you don't have a queen." I complained to the dealer that there was still another person in the pot. Dustin apologized.
After another 30 seconds or so he finally called and the original better folded. I never did see Dustin's hand, but he was pretty disgusted with either me or himself. I think he had A-8 or something like that. I was really surprised that he would say something like that out loud, but it worked to my advantage. Sometimes the bluff works - it just takes a while.
In the first hour sometime I attempted a bluff when a straight hit the river and got called by Dustin who only had 2nd or 3rd pair. He caught me! It paid off about an hour later when I had Q-9 offsuit on the button with 5 or 6 limpers ahead of me. I called hoping to hit something in position. Flop was Q-8-Q. A few people checked and then somebody bet and I just flat called. The turn was a 4 or some such card that basically meant nothing. There was no flush draw and no straight draw. The same people checked and the same person bet and I flat called again.
The river was a king. I still felt I had the best hand. Check - check - check - bet - I raised - fold - fold - then to Dustin. Dustin said out loud (with another person still in the pot) - "I may just call you because I saw you bluff before." I said nothing. He pondered. He said, "I just know you don't have a queen." I complained to the dealer that there was still another person in the pot. Dustin apologized.
After another 30 seconds or so he finally called and the original better folded. I never did see Dustin's hand, but he was pretty disgusted with either me or himself. I think he had A-8 or something like that. I was really surprised that he would say something like that out loud, but it worked to my advantage. Sometimes the bluff works - it just takes a while.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Winning Again!
I'm feeling much better again having achieved a 3-way split of first place last Sunday at Jokers. This is a 15,000 chip tournament with 15-minute rounds so there is plenty of playing time. I doubled up very early when a guy with 9-9 tried to get me to fold my 2 pair (A-Q) with an all-in bet on the 2nd or 3rd hand of the tournament. I barely had him covered and I almost did fold, but he hadn't reraised me before the flop and I just didn't think he had A-K (bigger 2 pair if he did) so I called him and was chip leader for most of the rest of the tournament.
I got lucky on the river a couple of times, one being the hand above and another when I held Q-J against A-A and hit a queen on the flop (no overcards) and a jack on the river. That guy was not happy, but he really never bet enough to get me off my top pair.
Anyway, I split with Debi (dealer Steve's mom) and Bob Johnson (a super nice guy who took my chip lead away from me but it was mostly my fault). Bob had a pretty big chip lead but offered to split anyway. We played one hand face up for the tournament of champions seat and I got that. Yippee!
Going to try the deepstack at Island tonight. Wish me luck!
I got lucky on the river a couple of times, one being the hand above and another when I held Q-J against A-A and hit a queen on the flop (no overcards) and a jack on the river. That guy was not happy, but he really never bet enough to get me off my top pair.
Anyway, I split with Debi (dealer Steve's mom) and Bob Johnson (a super nice guy who took my chip lead away from me but it was mostly my fault). Bob had a pretty big chip lead but offered to split anyway. We played one hand face up for the tournament of champions seat and I got that. Yippee!
Going to try the deepstack at Island tonight. Wish me luck!
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Checking the Nuts on the River
Yes, I'm playing again. I went to the 20,000 chip turbo (10 min. rounds) tournament last night at Jokers and took 3rd. I basically only made a $10 profit, but that's OK. I feel right again. I had one hand that I particularly enjoyed and I think I played it well.
Blinds were 200-400. I had Q-J clubs in middle position. Michele (late position) raised to 1200 and there were 3 other callers so I joined in. The flop was 9-3-10 giving me my dreaded open ender that I never hit. Everyone checked to Michele who made it 2500 to go. One other person called and I did too, figuring to jump ship if I didn't hit the turn.
The turn was my king! Bingo bango bongo!! I was amazed to hit an open ender. It always shocks me because it just doesn't happen very often. This was the nuts. There was no higher straight possible and no flush draw. I naturally checked. Michele bet 3500 and the other person folded. I pondered. I double-checked my cards. I flat called.
The river was a 6 or something. Nothing important. Now, here's where the fun began. I just KNEW that if I checked the nuts Michele would bet. I put her on A-K or two pair. I don't know how I knew it but I knew it. It felt really good to know it. I checked. She bet 5000. Putty in my hands. I had 21,000 behind and I shoved it. I was thinking about raising a small amount, but figured if she had a big hand she might call.
Michele went into the tank for about 1 minute and called with K-10 for 2 pair. Yippee! It felt so good to be right. I rarely check the nuts, but I knew she would bet. It's a great feeling.
Blinds were 200-400. I had Q-J clubs in middle position. Michele (late position) raised to 1200 and there were 3 other callers so I joined in. The flop was 9-3-10 giving me my dreaded open ender that I never hit. Everyone checked to Michele who made it 2500 to go. One other person called and I did too, figuring to jump ship if I didn't hit the turn.
The turn was my king! Bingo bango bongo!! I was amazed to hit an open ender. It always shocks me because it just doesn't happen very often. This was the nuts. There was no higher straight possible and no flush draw. I naturally checked. Michele bet 3500 and the other person folded. I pondered. I double-checked my cards. I flat called.
The river was a 6 or something. Nothing important. Now, here's where the fun began. I just KNEW that if I checked the nuts Michele would bet. I put her on A-K or two pair. I don't know how I knew it but I knew it. It felt really good to know it. I checked. She bet 5000. Putty in my hands. I had 21,000 behind and I shoved it. I was thinking about raising a small amount, but figured if she had a big hand she might call.
Michele went into the tank for about 1 minute and called with K-10 for 2 pair. Yippee! It felt so good to be right. I rarely check the nuts, but I knew she would bet. It's a great feeling.
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