Part of business ya know. So I fly in and do I relax? Nope, its off to play cards. I think you are going to like this short tale.
Now this game is a little different each time, and this time its NLHE 10k starting chips, with a rebuy or add-on. So, good strategy is to play Über tight until the add-on, right? Well, I decided to continue my run of play the Greg Raymer school of good decisions. But unlike him... I am at about 7500 in chips (blame a dark tunnel bet. I mis-identified the player's holding).
I raise from EP with QQ to about 3xBB. The button, who will call bets with Ax, indeed calls. As I watch the call and note his manner, I will even put him on a big Ax, Maybe even AK. But since he did not raise to isolate the blinds, I have to put him on AJ-A2s.
The flop comes 9c6s2d and I decide to lay a trap. I know this guy always will fire out on pots, but I am first to act. I figure if I underbet the pot I can get this guy to bluff me. I make a min bet at the pot. And sure enough, he thinks for a split second about raising and instead raises all in. I call so fast, everyone at the table knew a trap had sprung. BOINGggggg. He flips of A7o for a stone cold bluff. And he rivers and Ace. Got my money in as an 8+ to 1 favorite, but unlike Raymer, I cant win a race to save my life right now.
Side game SnG. Starting chips are shallow at $225. Blinds go out when someone gets knocked out. I have $140 left and a unique opportunity comes up. UtG raises to 30 and FOUR players call. I have AK suited in the BB. If I raise all-in for 80 more, I can really hurt all but one of the players (the DEEP stack who has hit almost every flop). I figure it this way... There is already $150 in the pot AND If I get everyone but a single player to fold I am getting 3-1 on a 2-1 race. It was a pro move, probably beyond me, but today it seemed crystal clear. The clincher was that the SnG only paid 1 place. So being patient as the short stack was ok, but I have to be waiting for a chance to TRIPLE up with odds of even money. And here it was.
I make the re-raise and sure enough. JJ folds (awesome), the deep stack calls (expected) and 44 gets out of the way since there is already a caller! The deep staack flips over QdJd. Now I cant blame him here. This is a small amount for him, plus he has YET to miss a flop. The flop has 2 diamonds, and the turn is a Queen.
Ok, so I end up the biggest loser for the night. But how can I be upset. I made GOOD decisions!!
On another note, props to Dr.Pauly (link on right) for mentioning my work on the CardClub poker podcast/radio show (link on right). He is very famous right now and doesn't need to acknowledge the wannabes. And yet he does. He is living the dream as a poker correspondent right now, and even if poker flames out in years to come, he'll have a great career on his hands since he is a very capable writer. Check out his stuff!
29.10.05
24.10.05
How to win low limit omaha
I have constructed this as a classic "text adventure game" that you would play in the 1980s on some lame, text based computer (of which I had two).
You wake up (each adventure game started this way) and find yourself in a casino. There are tables all around you. You have the taste of stripper panties in your mouth.
INVENTORY
You Have:
$100 dollars, chewing gum, room key card, voucher for a free lap dance.
CHEW GUM
That’s better.
GO TABLES
I don’t understand.
LOOK
There are tables all around you and a lit sign.
LOOK SIGN
It’s a sign alright.
READ SIGN
It says “Poker Room -North, Bathrooms -East, Table Games –West, Hotel Rooms – South”
WEST
Why would you do that? That would be –EV.
WEST
You spend time playing Blackjack, Roulette and Chinese offspring Gai-Pong Domino poker. Your bankroll is now $50. You return to the lobby.
NORTH
You enter the casino poker room. You're lucky to have found it. It is a maze of twisty tables, all alike.
NORTH
You find yourself at a Limit Table. The stakes are affordable (downright cheap).
PLAY POKER
You’ll need chips first.
BUY CHIPS
You buy $50 in chips
PLAY POKER
You sit down at the limit table. 6 hours later you are up $2. But you got to play a lot of hands (as did everyone).
GET UP
You collect your chips and get up from the table. Your legs feel num. Your bankroll is $52.
NORTH
You arrive at a No Limit Hold ‘em table. There are various 20 somethings seated around the table drinking Bud. They all have various baseball caps and sunglasses on. One player explains to another how he missplayed his hand. The other player is less than receptive.
PLAY POKER
Are you sure? This is a very volatile game and you are sure to encounter wild swings of luck. As you decide, a player takes a big pot with J5o.
PLAY POKER
Ok, but the waiting list is 8000 minutes. You are 180th on the list.
NORTH
You arrive at a Pot Limit Omaha Table. There is no waiting list. Seated at the table are lost Europeans and loud 30 somethings.
PLAY POKER
You sit down just as the dealer is explaining to a player that he ‘must use two cards’. He is noticeably upset.
A waitress asks if you wish something to drink… Just kidding, no waitress will come to this (or any other) poker table.
The dealer welcomes you and you sit in the BB. You are dealt 4 random cards.
LOOK CARDS
This could take all day. After all, no one raises or folds yet.
LOOK FLOP
I can’t do that… yet.
CALL
Smart. The dealer, deals three face up cards. Hey, you have two pair!!!
FOLD
Are you sure?
FOLD
You fold the cards. Someone takes down the pot with a straight.
You are dealt 4 more cards.
CALL
You are in the hand! The players call for something called a flop. The dealer deals 3 face up cards. Hey, you have a flush!
LOOK CARDS
Why? You have a flush!
LOOK CARDS
Since you insist. You have the King and Queen of spades.
LOOK TABLE
There are three other spades on the table, face up. They are the 2 the 3 and the 8 of spades. A player makes a pot size bet.
FOLD
Are you crazy?
FOLD
You fold. An Ace high flush takes the pot. Are you psychic?
The dealer deals everyone 4 new cards.
CALL
The dealer flops KQJ all different suits.
LOOK CARDS
You have JT98. Another player bets the pot.
FOLD
You are crazy!
FOLD
You fold. An Ace high straight takes down the pot.
The dealer deals everyone 4 more cards.
CALL
The dealer flops 7 of spades, Ten of spades, Ten of diamonds.
LOOK CARDS
You have the Ace of spades, the Queen of spades, the Jack of diamonds, and the Ten of clubs. Hey, you have 3 tens.
CALL
Why not raise?
NOT YET
I do not understand. Please reform your command.
CALL
Ok, you get 5 callers.
The next card is the 2 of spades. Hey, you have a flush.
RAISE POT
You get 3 callers.
The final card is the Jack of hearts. Hey, you have a full house!
RAISE POT
Two players fold as if there cards did not pan out. One player stares at you and calls.
The dealer asks to see your cards and you show yours. The others throw their cards face down on the table. The dealer pushes many, many chips in your direction.
What now?
PLAY POKER
Why not just type “repeat”?
REPEAT
After about 5 minutes, the dealer pushes a stack of chips in your direction.
REPEAT
After about 5 minutes, the dealer pushes a stack of chips in your direction.
REPEAT
After about 5 minutes, the dealer pushes a stack of chips in your direction.
How long is this going to go on?
REPEAT
Ok, ok I get it. About 2 hours later you are tired and want to go to your room.
REPEAT
Stop that, you are exhausted. Your legs feel like needles.
GET UP
That’s more like it. You head back to your room.
INVENTORY
You Have:
$200 dollars, chewing gum, room key card, voucher for a free lap dance.
SLEEP
No one sleeps where there are cards to be played.
TAKE SHOWER
Where would you like to take it?
QUIT
You quite while you are ahead. 3 goons mug you at the airport and you leave town broke. You did not even go to a strip club. Your score is 14.
You wake up (each adventure game started this way) and find yourself in a casino. There are tables all around you. You have the taste of stripper panties in your mouth.
INVENTORY
You Have:
$100 dollars, chewing gum, room key card, voucher for a free lap dance.
CHEW GUM
That’s better.
GO TABLES
I don’t understand.
LOOK
There are tables all around you and a lit sign.
LOOK SIGN
It’s a sign alright.
READ SIGN
It says “Poker Room -North, Bathrooms -East, Table Games –West, Hotel Rooms – South”
WEST
Why would you do that? That would be –EV.
WEST
You spend time playing Blackjack, Roulette and Chinese offspring Gai-Pong Domino poker. Your bankroll is now $50. You return to the lobby.
NORTH
You enter the casino poker room. You're lucky to have found it. It is a maze of twisty tables, all alike.
NORTH
You find yourself at a Limit Table. The stakes are affordable (downright cheap).
PLAY POKER
You’ll need chips first.
BUY CHIPS
You buy $50 in chips
PLAY POKER
You sit down at the limit table. 6 hours later you are up $2. But you got to play a lot of hands (as did everyone).
GET UP
You collect your chips and get up from the table. Your legs feel num. Your bankroll is $52.
NORTH
You arrive at a No Limit Hold ‘em table. There are various 20 somethings seated around the table drinking Bud. They all have various baseball caps and sunglasses on. One player explains to another how he missplayed his hand. The other player is less than receptive.
PLAY POKER
Are you sure? This is a very volatile game and you are sure to encounter wild swings of luck. As you decide, a player takes a big pot with J5o.
PLAY POKER
Ok, but the waiting list is 8000 minutes. You are 180th on the list.
NORTH
You arrive at a Pot Limit Omaha Table. There is no waiting list. Seated at the table are lost Europeans and loud 30 somethings.
PLAY POKER
You sit down just as the dealer is explaining to a player that he ‘must use two cards’. He is noticeably upset.
A waitress asks if you wish something to drink… Just kidding, no waitress will come to this (or any other) poker table.
The dealer welcomes you and you sit in the BB. You are dealt 4 random cards.
LOOK CARDS
This could take all day. After all, no one raises or folds yet.
LOOK FLOP
I can’t do that… yet.
CALL
Smart. The dealer, deals three face up cards. Hey, you have two pair!!!
FOLD
Are you sure?
FOLD
You fold the cards. Someone takes down the pot with a straight.
You are dealt 4 more cards.
CALL
You are in the hand! The players call for something called a flop. The dealer deals 3 face up cards. Hey, you have a flush!
LOOK CARDS
Why? You have a flush!
LOOK CARDS
Since you insist. You have the King and Queen of spades.
LOOK TABLE
There are three other spades on the table, face up. They are the 2 the 3 and the 8 of spades. A player makes a pot size bet.
FOLD
Are you crazy?
FOLD
You fold. An Ace high flush takes the pot. Are you psychic?
The dealer deals everyone 4 new cards.
CALL
The dealer flops KQJ all different suits.
LOOK CARDS
You have JT98. Another player bets the pot.
FOLD
You are crazy!
FOLD
You fold. An Ace high straight takes down the pot.
The dealer deals everyone 4 more cards.
CALL
The dealer flops 7 of spades, Ten of spades, Ten of diamonds.
LOOK CARDS
You have the Ace of spades, the Queen of spades, the Jack of diamonds, and the Ten of clubs. Hey, you have 3 tens.
CALL
Why not raise?
NOT YET
I do not understand. Please reform your command.
CALL
Ok, you get 5 callers.
The next card is the 2 of spades. Hey, you have a flush.
RAISE POT
You get 3 callers.
The final card is the Jack of hearts. Hey, you have a full house!
RAISE POT
Two players fold as if there cards did not pan out. One player stares at you and calls.
The dealer asks to see your cards and you show yours. The others throw their cards face down on the table. The dealer pushes many, many chips in your direction.
What now?
PLAY POKER
Why not just type “repeat”?
REPEAT
After about 5 minutes, the dealer pushes a stack of chips in your direction.
REPEAT
After about 5 minutes, the dealer pushes a stack of chips in your direction.
REPEAT
After about 5 minutes, the dealer pushes a stack of chips in your direction.
How long is this going to go on?
REPEAT
Ok, ok I get it. About 2 hours later you are tired and want to go to your room.
REPEAT
Stop that, you are exhausted. Your legs feel like needles.
GET UP
That’s more like it. You head back to your room.
INVENTORY
You Have:
$200 dollars, chewing gum, room key card, voucher for a free lap dance.
SLEEP
No one sleeps where there are cards to be played.
TAKE SHOWER
Where would you like to take it?
QUIT
You quite while you are ahead. 3 goons mug you at the airport and you leave town broke. You did not even go to a strip club. Your score is 14.
23.10.05
dissapointed
Was ready, won a 3 table warm up event, and then sat down for the big blogger tournament. Had 92o more times than I could count. Card dead and a big stack bully at the table prevented us from playing anything marginal. I would have killed for marginal. I folded J9o once, but I remmeber noting I was throwing away a big hand based on cards so far. Both times I had KQ, others were all in for BIG pots. Some each time had AA. Played a couple of low pocket pairs for a flop, but nothing. Then, I get TT utg and after a raise, the bully puts me all in. I KNOW he has AK and so does he. But as he says, "today I am on fire". So he was taking all races. Sure enough, Ace on the flop. So dissapointing. I can not tell you. Playing in effect maybe 6-12 hands and hitting zero flops. Tough way to go out. I am devistated.
Blogger Championships
The Pokerstars Blogger Championships are today.
Check out Daddy's prop bet with Boy Genius.
I have registered to play in the Online Poker Blogger Championship!
This event is powered by PokerStars.
Registration code: 7107656
Check out Daddy's prop bet with Boy Genius.
17.10.05
A quick Omaha session
I played about an hour of $.05/$.10 Omaha. That's right, NICKEL/DIME. So here is the funny part. I pocketed $21 bucks in PROFIT. Am I crazy? Nope, nothing special at all. No one seems to know how to fold in this game. Fold on the FLOP people, not the river GEEZ.
16.10.05
The Best of... Here are the best posts from the T...
The Best of...
Here are the best posts from the Tao of Poker over the past few years. Enjoy!
Here are the best posts from the Tao of Poker over the past few years. Enjoy!
2004Of course, if you are looking for 2005 WSOP coverage, visit the June 2005 and July 2005 archives. If you are looking for 2006 WSOP coverage, visit the July 2006 and August 2006 archives.
Grublog Classic Prep
Haleywood Homegame
Reflecting on a Bad Streak
Sad Amy
Sink or Swim
Watching Pauly
WSoP Shootout
TroubleHand 1: KJo
Rules to Live By
$5 & Tony Randall
TroubleHand 2: AQo
Junkie
11 Questions
Borgata Bloggers
Mentor Material
WPBT 2004 Holiday Classic
The Brawl
Closing Thoughts: Bloggers in Vegas
2005
Blogging Tips
February Doldrums
The Day Before Vegas
Poker & Masturbation
Empiricism, Kierkegaard, Catholic High School Girls, and Poker
Tao of Risk
Poker Nicknames Origins
Circles & Poker
Bloggers in Wonderland
2006
Turn This Mother Out
Gilligan's Island and Poker
Market Corrections
Bukowski & Poker
Strippers & Blow
April Sojourn
WPT Championship
Glass Eye, Red Rocks, and Omaha Suckouts
The Warrior Within: Bruce Lee, Taoism, and Poker
Through the Looking Glass: April Maelstrom
Mother Lovebone
LaFeltah Vermouth and the Village Drunk
Wall St. Game
Tao of Keno
Born to Gamble Part I: Where It All Begins
Born to Gamble Part II: Southbound
Born to Gamble Part III: Midnight Rider
Born to Gamble Part IV: Ramblin' Man
Born to Gamble Part V: Whipping Post
Born to Gamble Part VI: Revival
First Day at the WSOP: Buffets and Hookers 1, WSOP 0
2006 WSOP July
2006 WSOP August
Exile on Main St.
15.10.05
Happy Birthday, Derek! Today is my brother's birt...
Happy Birthday, Derek!
Today is my brother's birthday! Stop by Derek's blog and send him birthday wishes.
Yesterday, Derek started his celebration early by making the final table of the first ever Wil Wheaton.net inaugural tourney on Poker Stars. Thanks to Wil for setting it up. Congrats to Joanne for winning it. And congrats to Maudie, April, and Columbo for making the final table. Poor Jaxia bubbled out.
Today is my brother's birthday! Stop by Derek's blog and send him birthday wishes.
Yesterday, Derek started his celebration early by making the final table of the first ever Wil Wheaton.net inaugural tourney on Poker Stars. Thanks to Wil for setting it up. Congrats to Joanne for winning it. And congrats to Maudie, April, and Columbo for making the final table. Poor Jaxia bubbled out.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)