Mackem's Sports and Poker Blog

BBT5 invitational tonight

2010-04-25T05:58:00.000-07:00

Thanks again to Al for securing my invite to this tonight, and thanks for a 7pm EST start time which means I'll definitely be playing as it's only midnight here rather than the 3am starts previously mentioned.

Hopefully I'll run and play better than I did at DTD yesterday in their £50 tourney.

Couldn't get a handle on some of the odd players at my table who were making some really strange plays with awful bet sizing. I opened AJo in MP and got min re-raised by the guy directly to my left with what turned out to be QJo. He seemed to have a fetish for that hand and showed it down several times, often as a bluff or second or third pair.

The guy in seat 1 was equally bad and eventually went bust shoving AQ on a AxxK board against a decent player who had showed strength all the way.

But best of all was the Asian lady who arrived late, seemed to be playing super tight and then re-raise shoved AQ on a board of 844 against the decent player from above. She had raised UTG, he called from the BB with 45 of spades and CR'd the flop. The speed with which she shoved I thought at least she had an overpair but no, AQ, no hand, no draw. Nice.

I was finding nothing and when I eventually get JJ and open UTG I get two callers before the BB instashoves. I was getting pretty short and arguably could/should have called, but this guy had basically shown two hands in 4 hours and both of them were AA. Eventually I folded, one of the callers stacked off with 99 and the BB made a set with his QQ.

Chipped up slighthly with two all-in shoves which didn't get called and then ran A2s into AK in a BvB situation.

Worst part of the night was dusting off £200 playing 2/2 PLO. Missed a big draw against the table retard but must admit I played several hands poorly, mainly by calling re-raises pre with weak hands just because there was value in the pot.

Eventually, semi-tilted I get it all-in pre for £90 with JJ109ds and lose to AK84 who makes two pair with his 84. LOL.

Time is against me....

2010-04-21T04:11:00.000-07:00

...but I'll be trying to play in this.

10pm EST is obviously 3am over here so it's not going to be easy, but the potential prizes make it worth a few late nights/early mornings.

Thanks to Al for setting this up.

In need of some discipline....

2010-04-17T13:31:00.000-07:00

...Not that kind, although a good spanking never hurt anyone.

I'm talking bankroll discipline, certainly one of my weaknesses over the years. There's no question I find it hard to grind it out at the lower levels when winning hands or even stacks just doesn't seem to add up to much.

However, I also can't continue experiencing the highs and lows from technically playing limits outside my bankroll, so I've decided to set myself a challenge.

For the next 3 months (after which we'll re-assess), I'm not allowed to play higher than 0.10c/25c in cash games or $10 STT's and MTT's, unless I win tokens on FT.

Hopefully this will have the effect of:

a) Building a roll by playing at a level I can beat (LOL)

b) Prevent me from tilting as I'll be playing for smaller amounts.

It will also no doubt see my rakeback take a hit but hopefully the benefits will outweight the negatives.

Wish me luck.

PS - Before the new regime kicks in, I'll be sneaking in a live tourney at Dusk till Dawn in Nottingham tomorrow, £50 buy-in with £10k guarantee IIRC. Structure is decent and hopefully I can pick up some hands when it counts, rather than running good early on in the smaller pots.

Live and kicking

2009-10-13T03:10:00.000-07:00

Played a fair bit of live poker recently with my usual mixed results. (SICK hand alert at the bottom)

Was up £300 at Dusk Till Dawn a few weeks ago until meeting up with LJ for dinner and then foolishly returning for a second session.

Sucked out on LJ with some donktastic chasing but then karma maybe bit me in the ass in a massive pot with AK on an AKJx board, when 108s chased his flush draw by check-raising me on the turn and calling my shove. He got there obv.

Lost rest of my stack v same player when he called my pre-flop raise with KJo and flopped two pair, I had A10s so flopped a gutty str8 flush draw on the KJ10 flop, but obv missed.

DTD has just started a PLO tourney on Wednesday's and a PLO/PLH one on Sunday night. Made the final table of the PLO for a small profit but overplayed top set in Sunday's round of each tourney and went out to a turned str8.

That tourney has a huge overlay in terms of the Omaha round though. At least two people on my table openly discussed how they had never played Omaha before, and I overheard someone on the adjacent table asking how many cards he had to use.

After busting out of the tourney I played some cash games but the 2/2 PLO game didn't last long before breaking. Flopped one monster hand with nut str8 and nut flush redraw but the guy with a set who bet the flop and turn sadly found a fold when I raised the turn.

I was definitely contemplating just calling behind on the turn but slowplaying in Omaha almost never feels right and I actually figured we might both have a str8 and I was freerolling with the flush draw.

After that table broke I rejoined a 1/2 NL game and had a real rollercoaster session.

Lost to my customary 2-outer to the worst player in the club, who called my PFR with QJs (not too hideous in itself) and then shoved for £88 when I c-bet £55 on a Jxx flop. I obv call and equally obviously he hits a J on the turn.

Did win a nice big pot with AA though, new player raising to £13 in CO and I reraised to £30 from SB. He asked how much I had behind before re-raising to about £75, I shoved for £185 total and he called with QQ.

Sickest hand of the night came at the end.

This old guy had gone on major monkey tilt, dropping several buy-ins with mad river bluffs and raising/c-betting every hand. You could tell everyone at the table was itching to play a pot and bust him, so when he made it just £6 UTG, I called with A3s on the button.

Couple of others call and the flop is perfect, 245. Tilt monkey bets £20, I make it £50 knowing he will shove a huge range, but the BB spoils it all by raising to £150. Wtf? Tilt monkey already had a big pile of chips in his hand to raise my bet but now folds.

I obv hate folding here but I've played against this guy for a while and never seen him do anything silly and in the end I fold pretty quickly. He shows 3 6. Phew/puke.

To all my new readers (yeah right)

2009-09-18T09:35:00.000-07:00

Just to say if anyone has clicked here via LJ's blog and wants to read a trip report from me/her in Nottingham (EPO), leave a comment and I'll dig it up, including pics.

Otherwise I'm too lazy :)

Old but still funny...

2009-06-26T11:10:00.001-07:00

Analyse

2009-06-14T13:39:00.000-07:00

Good news at last for my loyal reader (Hi LJ!).

Finally going busto on all my online sites (barring a sliver of rakeback possibly) means a blessed end to bad beat posts (yeah right) and a commitment to effectively start from scratch when I redeposit next month.

I could redeposit right now of course, but with 16 days of Wimbledon looming, followed by a few days of athletics and The Open at Turnberry, there really isn't much point.

I've belatedly realised I've never really adhered to proper bankroll requirements, simply depositing randomly when required and refusing to grind it out at the appropriate levels.

So the plan is to finally do so when my work schedule allows, and then I'll be looking to fully pick the brains of the good players on +1 (better warn Kevin for me LJ :)) to improve my NL game in particular.

Edit: Just thought this hand was funny and summed up Stars perfectly. KK plays hit horribly, but love J2 getting there on turn, and then the gutshot on river as well :)

Poker Stars $0.25+$0.00 No Limit Hold'em Tournament - t50/t100 Blinds + t10 - 8 players - View hand 153223

The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

UTG: t2735 M = 11.89

Hero (UTG+1): t1110 M = 4.83

MP1: t1940 M = 8.43

MP2: t1505 M = 6.54

CO: t6195 M = 26.93

BTN: t7838 M = 34.08

SB: t5525 M = 24.02

BB: t15780 M = 68.61

Pre Flop: (t230) Hero is UTG+1 with Q 5

2 folds, MP1 calls t100, MP2 calls t100, CO raises to t200, 2 folds, BB raises to t300, MP1 calls t200, MP2 calls t200, CO calls t100

Flop: (t1330) 9 J 5 (4 players)

BB bets t600, MP1 raises to t1630 all in, MP2 calls t1195 all in, CO folds, BB calls t1030

Turn: (t5785) 2 (3 players - 2 are all in)

River: (t5785) 6 (3 players - 2 are all in)

Final Pot: t5785

MP1 shows 2 J (two pair, Jacks and Deuces)

MP2 shows 8 7 (a straight, Five to Nine)

BB shows K K (a pair of Kings)

MP1 wins t870

MP2 wins t4915

Completely outplayed

2009-06-11T05:14:00.001-07:00

Limp 57o UTG, call a raise, then call a shove with a gutshot. Easy game...

Full Tilt Poker $10 + $1 No Limit Hold'em Tournament - t30/t60 Blinds - 7 players - View hand 150363

The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

CO: t2030 M = 22.56

BTN: t1280 M = 14.22

Hero (SB): t920 M = 10.22

BB: t4010 M = 44.56

UTG: t3890 M = 43.22

UTG+1: t2320 M = 25.78

MP: t1370 M = 15.22

Pre Flop: (t90) Hero is SB with 9 9

UTG calls t60, 4 folds, Hero raises to t240, 1 fold, UTG calls t180

Flop: (t540) 4 8 J (2 players)

Hero bets t680 all in, UTG calls t680

Turn: (t1900) 3 (2 players - 1 is all in)

River: (t1900) 6 (2 players - 1 is all in)

Final Pot: t1900

Hero shows 9 9 (a pair of Nines)

UTG shows 5 7 (a straight, Eight high)

UTG wins t1900

Easy fold when u play on Stars

2009-06-09T14:37:00.000-07:00

Poker Stars $0.02/$0.05 Pot Limit Omaha Hi - 6 players - http://www.thehandconverter.com/hands/149158
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

MP: $9.99
CO: $10.18
BTN: $5.01
SB: $5.91
Hero (BB): $3.54
UTG: $2.85

Pre Flop: ($0.07) Hero is BB with Kd Kc 2c 7d
1 fold, MP raises to $0.15, CO calls $0.15, 2 folds, Hero calls $0.10

Flop: ($0.47) 5h Kh 5s (3 players)
Hero checks, MP bets $0.15, CO calls $0.15, Hero calls $0.15

Turn: ($0.92) Ah (3 players)
Hero checks, MP bets $0.25, CO raises to $0.50, Hero folds, MP raises to $0.75, CO calls $0.25

River: ($2.42) Qd (2 players)
MP bets $2.32, CO calls $2.32

Final Pot: $7.06
MP shows 8d 9h Ad Ac (a full house, Aces full of Fives)
CO shows Qh 3h Qs 6h (a full house, Queens full of Fives)
MP wins $6.76
(Rake: $0.30)

Hmm, how can I lose this on the flop?

2009-06-09T14:05:00.001-07:00

Poker Stars $3.00+$0.40 Pot Limit Omaha Hi Tournament - t75/t150 Blinds - 3 players - http://www.thehandconverter.com/hands/149133
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

BB: t4190 M = 18.62
BTN: t8700 M = 38.67
Hero (SB): t610 M = 2.71

Pre Flop: (t225) Hero is SB with Qs 3d 6d Qd
1 fold, Hero raises to t450, BB calls t300

Flop: (t900) 5c 9h 5d (2 players)
Hero bets t160 all in, BB calls t160

Turn: (t1220) Td (2 players - 1 is all in)

River: (t1220) 8s (2 players - 1 is all in)

Final Pot: t1220
BB shows Qh Ks Jd 3h (a straight, Eight to Queen)
Hero shows Qs 3d 6d Qd (two pair, Queens and Fives)
BB wins t1220

No useful content....

2009-06-04T11:17:00.000-07:00

Poker Stars $2.00+$0.20 No Limit Hold'em Tournament - t100/t200 Blinds + t25 - 8 players - View hand 143642

The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

CO: t7340 M = 14.68

BTN: t10976 M = 21.95

Hero (SB): t8020 M = 16.04

BB: t4488 M = 8.98

UTG: t3495 M = 6.99

UTG+1: t2530 M = 5.06

MP1: t8830 M = 17.66

MP2: t6600 M = 13.20

Pre Flop: (t500) Hero is SB with 4 T

UTG calls t200, 5 folds, Hero calls t100, BB checks

Flop: (t800) 4 K 4 (3 players)

Hero checks, BB checks, UTG bets t600, Hero calls t600, BB folds

Turn: (t2000) 7 (2 players)

Hero checks, UTG bets t2000, Hero raises to t4000, UTG calls t670 all in

River: (t7340) 7 (2 players - 1 is all in)

Final Pot: t7340

Hero shows 4 T (a full house, Fours full of Sevens)

UTG shows 7 7 (four of a kind, Sevens)

UTG wins t7340

Typical me, typical me, typical me....

2009-03-26T16:49:00.000-07:00

...I started something, and now I'm not too sure.

As soon as I blog about being up $300 on FT I have my worst losing session there since returning. Playing such low stakes I hadn't been losing or winning that much per session but a couple of days ago I dropped around $250 in one hit.

In a HU hand of PLO I paid off the nut flush with the second nut flush when we both flopped it - not sure how bad that was, although he did basically fire 3 barrels and I don't know how many low-limit donks would do that without the nuts??? - and on my other tables seemed to have one of those days when I missed absolutely everything; either whiffed the flop completely or flopped a huge draw then missed the turn and river.

Only pleasing thing was managing not to tilt for once ;) and I returned tonight to win a big chunk of it back.

After busting out of an MTT early in a 4-way all-in pot for the monster chip lead - my 66 v QQ v Ac4c and 8c9c on 9c6c4h flop (club on river obv) - I switched from PLO to PLO8 and caught a beauty.

I have Ax99 in a raised 3-way pot. Flop is 983. It goes check, bet and I think of raising here but call to rope along the dope in the SB with a low looking likely.

Turn is a beautiful 3 and it's again check, bet and this time I shove. SB calls with A234 and donk who has been pushing the action calls with some crap like A4xx, drawing dead.

I'm shouting at the computer for a Q but happily take a K instead and scoop a $240 pot. Let's hope there is more to come.

Finally....

2009-03-22T14:28:00.000-07:00

An update, FWIW.

Had a great time as ever in Vegas over New Year, but that was obviously so long ago it's not worth recounting now.

On the poker front I finally cleared enough points and maintained GOLD status for long enough on Stars to order my PS3, which to their credit was promptly shipped and arrived less than 2 weeks later IIRC. Then switched my remaining money (thanks to Lilkimmer77) to Full Tilt for rakeback purposes and so far up around $300 grinding it out playing the $40 CAP PLO games.

Should be up another $10 but wasted that on two buy-ins to the Brit Blogger Game on Sunday evenings ;)

1st week I built a good stack and then lost with KK v A10o all-in pre, tonight I never got anything going at all after arriving late and it was my turn to lose with A10 (Ace fucking 10!!!! Dave) when NYRambler shoved K8 from the SB into my BB - Can't blame him for doing so as I was short, 8 on the flop of course.

In other news, bought a new (used) car on Saturday, trading in my short-lived SAAB 9-3 for an Audi A3.

Might post some pics when I get some new alloys :)

Jigsaw Falling into Place*

2008-12-19T09:15:00.000-08:00

Briefly some awesome news. I'm off to Vegas again for New Year for the princely sum of £320.

Stopped into Thomas Cook in the White Rose Centre after finishing Xmas shopping on the off chance they had a good deal (really wasn't expecting much).

Turns out they have a direct flight from Manchester on Dec 31, 7 night stay for £380.

Sounds great, so I get home, manage to get the extra time off work I need, and go on their website to book it. And even better news, it's only £320 on there!!!!!

Dwal has kindly offered me use of his room at IP for the few days he's there and I'll book something else when he's gone. I was beginning to doubt there would be such a good deal available, unless it was a risky really last-minute job, so this has been a great day.

Fired up Stars and won $250 too on some PLO and small tourney cash, although I did get unlucky/impatient in a PLO tourney and blew a decent stack, and also busted my last MTT on the bubble when AK lost to JJ when he flopped quads :)

Finally, it's the 8-game tourney tonight in the Blogger WCOP and that should be great fun.

* Radiohead, In Rainbows

Sit down, stand up*

2008-12-15T14:04:00.000-08:00

Played the first blogger tourney tonight and busted out fairly early. It was PLO and I hit some nice hands early to get to about $5.4k and the standard of play was pretty horrible. Eg; Guy with AAxx minraises, everyone calls, button shoves, guy with AA just flat calls and lets a few of us call pretty cheap. Flop is all spades and AA guy bets 200 into a 3,000 pot. LOL.

However, I then missed on two big hands in quick succession, the first with the nut flush draw against nothing but bare KK and the second with top 2 and the NFD on a KQ6 flop with two spades. Villain had bottom set and I missed. I think I was also guilty of getting a bit cocky about the poor standard of play and was a bit too loose - you live and learn.

Anyway, made up for that with a very good cash session with 4 tables of 0.50/$1 PLO8 going. Missed the chance for a Drome-esque slowroll when I had nut-nut on the river and donk shoved into me, but also lost a big hand with A36x on a 66J flop. Ace on turn and all the money goes in, villain has JJ obv. :(

Managed not to tilt for once and still ended up around $330 so pretty pleased, especially as I also won a $215 tourney token on Saturday night. It was a qualifier for the Sunday Million but I was working yesterday so unregistered.

Anyone know if I can sell the tourney dollars????

Oh, and Mancini for Sunderland boss!!!!!!

* Track 2, Hail to the Thief

Free Poker!!!

2008-12-13T18:02:00.000-08:00

I have registered to play in the PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker!

This PokerStars tournament is a No Limit Texas Hold’em event exclusive to Bloggers.

Registration code: 713291

True Love Waits

2008-12-03T15:12:00.001-08:00

...and so do my loyal fans ha ha ha!!

I realise it's been a while since I updated this excuse for a blog, and it's not as if I haven't been playing.

Earnt enough points to move up to Gold Star on PokerStars, which was worth a mighty $100 bonus - which I still have to earn more points to clear - and I now have enough points for some nice gear in their VIP store.

Thinking about a portable DVD player for those long plane journeys or a Wii for those long winter evenings in front of the box. Other option is swapping points for $285 in bonus, but knowing Stars they'll make sure it's rigged so you can't win while you try to clear the bonus !!!

At the tables I've been playing a few low buy-in STT's and small MTT's and doing reasonably well, mainly because the standard of play is generally appalling. In the space of a few hands in one tournament I had two people shove A-high into me when I happened to be holding strong hands.

If they were playing razz they might have stood a chance, but otherwise it was suicidal!!!

Not making huge money obviously from the $6 buy-ins but at least I'm playing more or less stress free and TRYING not to get annoyed at the usual RiverStars suckouts. Even managed one of my own the other day, shoving with AQ over what turned out to be a guy limping AA. Flop is 10 J K and for once I'm the idiot getting rewarded :)

Anyway, we'll see how long I can keep up the new attitude (over/under set at about 2 days) and keep grinding out the small wins.

Ha'way the Lads!!!

Title change

2008-10-04T04:24:00.000-07:00

My loyal fans may have noticed I've decided to change the title of the blog, mainly because the Going ~ Pro experiment thing never really took off thanks to my general laziness etc;

I do have two weeks' off coming up very shortly (from Tue in fact) so I hope to log plenty of hours and grind my way to a healthier bankroll.

It has dawned on me several times the best way for me to make money - namely grinding it out at small stakes where I have an advantage over the donkeys - but I always get bored, move up stakes slightly and after running good for a while perhaps, end up losing a couple of big pots and I'm back where I started it.

I have a bonus to clear at Stars and rakeback on FT so that's where I should be grinding it out mainly, especially as I haven't got used to Party's new software/layout yet.

So near and yet so far...

2008-09-26T09:48:00.000-07:00

So I'm back from the Ryder Cup where Europe were sadly out-putted by the Americans to lose for the first time since 1999 - the only good news being that my debit card wouldn't work on Friday morning when I wanted to back Europe. One bullet dodged there!

Played twice at the Horseshoe Casino in Indiana while staying in Kentucky - gambling is illegal in Kentucky so you have to drive just over the border to an old-fashioned river boat - LOL gotta love America.

First night I blew almost $300, mainly running QQ into a set of Js on a J64 rainbow flop, although I escaped with some of my stack by checking behind on turn and just calling his $60 value bet when board paired on river. Had a nasty feeling he had me beat by the way he check called my c-bet on the flop and then said "AK has shrunk up eh?" when I checked behind on the turn.

Second visit went much better and I turned my $300 buy-in into $1000 in next to no time - all without having better than one pair. It was largely just a case of opponents not catching a draw or sucking out. Eg; I raised AJ, horrible woman calling station calls with A5, flop is A-high, we get it in and I hold. I reraised to $25 pre-flop with QQ, guy behind calls. Flop is 10 5 5, I bet, he shoves for very little more and I call. He has 77.

Won biggest pot without a showdown. I had J10 of hearts in LP and call a raise to $10. Semi-drunk clueless guy in BB I think raises to $45 and loads of people call so I do to. Flop is K J x with two hearts, checked to me and I bet $100 and everyone folds.

Anyway, finally to last night and the "so near and yet so far" bit. Played three tourneys and busted frustratingly in all of them. First was a double shootout to the Sunday Million on Stars - won first table easily as guy I got HU with was clueless, but finished 6th overall with top two getting seats. Won buy-in back!!! Woot.

Then played a PLO8 tourney on Stars and was approaching the cash when I busted with AA5x despite flopping an Ace. Villain called my RR pre-flop with 2356, flopped the low and hit a gutshot straight on turn. Also busted just short of money in HORSE tourney on FT when clown called pre-flop raise in O8 with 2577 and made a seven-high flush to my broadway and went out next hand when a flopped two pair got counterfeited on river by guy who loved his AAxx on a Q 10 2 flop.

But hey, at least I didn't lose this hand below!!!!

Full Tilt $500/$1000 - NL
Seat 4: Ziigmund ($342,506.50)
Seat 6: Ansky451 ($130,499)
Ansky451 posts the small blind of $500
Ziigmund posts the big blind of $1,000
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Ansky451 raises to $3,000
Ziigmund raises to $9,000
Ansky451 calls $6,000
*** FLOP *** [2h 9h 2c]
Ziigmund checks
Ansky451 bets $5,000
Ziigmund raises to $27,000
Ansky451 calls $22,000
*** TURN *** [2h 9h 2c] [6h]
Ziigmund checks
Ansky451 bets $21,000
Ziigmund raises to $306,506.50, and is all in
Ansky451 calls $73,499, and is all in
Ziigmund shows [9c 9d]
Ansky451 shows [Kh 5h]
Uncalled bet of $212,007.50 returned to Ziigmund
*** RIVER *** [2h 9h 2c 6h] [8h]
Ziigmund shows a full house, Nines full of Twos
Ansky451 shows a flush, King high
Ziigmund wins the pot ($260,997.50) with a full house, Nines full of Twos
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $260,998 | Rake $0.50

Quick update (brag)

2008-08-31T15:24:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note to say I'm off to Vegas again in a few hours!!!

Got home from the Olympics and only had 3 days off before going back to work on Saturday, where I discovered they'd put me down for a week off next week. Not something I had planned and not 100% ideal given the fact I was not consulted as such, but welcome in some regards after a long 3 weeks in Beijing.

Anyway, I immediately joked "Ooh, chance of a quick trip to Vegas" and was soon looking up last-minute deals to see if I could get a bargain. Wasn't certain to go as I had planned on going in October, but got flights and six nights at The Orleans for just over £500 so eventually talked myself into it.

Booked it about 8pm on Sunday night, flight is 0745 Monday from Heathrow so I've got some packing to do, no sleep, long drive south but at least on empty roads and then hopefully sleep most of the way there.

Going to be first time in Vegas when it's red hot so plan on a bit of sunbathing during the day and poker all night. Orleans has good 4/8 limit 08 game and good cheap tourneys, 5/10 limit 08 at the Mirage, 10/20 at Wynn and hopefully some PLO too.

Wish me luck.

Step 6 win!!!!!!

2008-08-01T12:30:00.000-07:00

Will try to tidy this up later, but for now just GET THE FUCK IN!!!!

After a miserable few days I almost forgot about qualifying for step 6 on Party because they take ages to get started. Spotted one this afternoon that already had 5 players registered so signed up and didn't have to wait too long.

For those who don't know, it's effectively a $500 "buy-in" STT, 6th-10th get nothing, 4th and 5th get $500, third $700, second $1000 and winner $2,000.

We got down to 6 and it was very cagey as you can imagine, apart from the clown chipleader who could obviously push people around - I'd played the step 5 with him the night before so knew he would blow up eventually.

Anyway, with 6 left I was down to 1380 chips at one stage with the blinds at 150/300 but shoved twice and wasn't called and eventually two guys got knocked out and we were down to four. Won a flip with AQ v donk's 22 and suddenly I'm back in it. Next hand donk raises, I jam with AQ and he instacalls with A5. Now I'm CL HU.

Went on break and when we came back we traded a couple of small hands back and forth until a real cooler. I get AA and limp, he raises as hoped for, I flat call. Flop is K-high, he bets, I raise, he shoves and I call. He has JJ and $2k is mine :)

That joke isn't funny any more

2008-07-30T08:48:00.000-07:00

Been a sick couple of days on Full Tilt so I'm taking the liberty of whining about it here.

Started yesterday with some 10/20 HORSE which started badly and just got worse and worse. Sick beat after sick beat which culminated in one guy (who had won a razz hand against another player despite having a K showing and caught runner runner runner low cards) hitting runner runner two pair to beat my KK in stud hi.

Worse was to come. Very next hand I get rolled up JJJ against a guy with AAx. Beautiful, I slowplay it nicely, drop the boom on fifth street and he now can't fold his one pair - he can't have a str8 or flush. Of course he rivers a 1-outer (one Ace had been folded) to make AAA.

So today I'm down to $63 in my account so sign up for 5 cheap STT/MTT's at once.

Bust-outs so far: KK v 99 all-in PF; JJ v A8 all-in pf; AKs v Q9s (he calls a re-raise OOP and flops an OESFD of course LOL) and my personal favourite....

I have 10 6o in BB but see a free flop. A Q 6 it gets checked around. 6 on turn, I shove and get called by KQ. You can guess the river.

I would say I've never been so disillusioned with the game but I probably have been before. But you know you're in trouble when you EXPECT to lose every single time as a 75 or 80% favourite.

That sounds like hyperbole, but it isn't. When I reraised with KK and he called with 99, I just expected him to hit a set, which he did on the turn. Even the flop was 887 to give him some additional outs anyway. And JJ v A8, not even a sweat. A8 on the flop and it's goodnight.

It's probably a good job I'm off to Beijing on Tuesday for the Olympics as I need a break. Also the weather has been really good recently so I've been getting more golf in and a bit of a tan.

Just wish someone would flip the doom switch off at Full Tilt for me too...

Open pics, Royal Birkdale 2008

2008-07-29T05:25:00.000-07:00

Took a few photos while covering the Open at Royal Birkdale recently, and here they are. Nothing special but I'm obviously meant to be working and no cameras are allowed on championship days either so had to do what I could.

1 - Not that Drome will ever read this, but this is one of the fleet of Lexuses (Lexi?) which ferry the players around in Japanese "luxury"

2 - The Claret Jug; no explanation needed

3 - The 18th green and mostly empty grandstand during one of the practice days. This is the view from the press waiting area.

4 - Only took a picture of Norman because he was the most famous person on the putting green at the time, three days later he had a two-shot lead going into the final round before finishing third.

5 - Monty and friends!!! A few of us had a laugh at this. These are practice times the players sign up for during each day. Normally it's 2 or 3 at a time, each with their usual mates like Ian Poulter and Paul Casey, Justin Rose and Adam Scott etc; Not for Monty though, bless him...

6 - +1 at the Open, the view from my seat in the press centre. In front is one of the guys from Reuters and of course the giant scoreboard.

Frankly Mr Shankly....

2008-07-25T15:54:00.000-07:00

...I'm deservedly kicking myself up the arse right now (were that physically possible).

Just busted out of the $17.5k guarantee on FT with the most idiotically played hand you are likely to see. Avert your eyes if you like...

I have a decent stack of around 19k, blinds are 150/300 I think. 1 limper, I have QJo on the button and just call (first meh moment). Small blind raises in what looks like a squeeze, limper calls and I call as well (moment 2).

Looks like I've got out of jail when the flop is QQ10, SB c-bets, limper jams and of course I instacall and lose to KQ.

Fucking idiot. Would have been 2nd in chips with the money bubble approaching and even a reasonable cash would have been nice after using a $75 satellite token to get in.

So lucky that I was up on my two omaha hi lo cash tables at the time otherwise I wouldn't have a keyboard to type this on.

Back to the old house

2008-07-15T02:13:00.000-07:00

You can all stop crying now, I'm back ;)

Been so busy with work I just haven't had the time to play, let alone post much, but managed to sneak in a quick session last night at the house we are renting for the Open at Royal Birkdale this week (house is in Formby, about 6 miles from the course and the owner kindly disabled his wireless security so we can use it).

Anyway, had a good session between a hit and run at 15/30 limit 08 and 1/2 PLO 6-max.

The PLO hand was debatable as I called a re-raise pre with 4678 (4 and 7 of diamonds), although I felt the re-raise meant villain had either AAxx or a big broadway pair.

Flop was 9 10 J with two diamonds so I flopped the idiot end of the straight and weak flush draw. All the money went in, villain had 9JJQ for a set (no flush draw) and I made an unnecessary flush on river to win.

Hi/lo hand was quite funny. I raised with A378ds and it gets re-raised and capped before it gets back to me. Hmmm. I call and the flop is 3 7 7. LOL

It goes bet-call and I raise, both call. Turn J, checked to me, I bet and both call.

River is another J, checked to me, I bet, one fold, other clown raises. I call and he shows A26K for nada. LOL, thanks for the extra $60 pal.

Such a little thing...

2008-06-18T14:27:00.001-07:00

Really small fry compared to people winning ME seats but this was a fun afternoon after finishing work at 1pm.

Thought I was going to get gayed out of the win despite a huge chip lead 3-handed when the guy I ended HU with sucked out a couple of times and woke up with KK in the BB as a shorty. This guy had no clue how to play short-handed, min-raising A7o from the button and shoving middle pair when checked to. I instacalled with top pair (QJ I think) and he sucked out an ace on the river.

He sucked out runner runner flush on me again when HU after I flopped broadway (QJ was the nuts today) but thankfully, as mentioned, he had no clue HU.

After I open shoved a couple of times with ATC he started just open folding and let me chip up from life support. After that I just kept the pressure on by shoving anything reasonable and came back for the win.

Vienna Part II

2008-06-08T00:25:00.000-07:00

So after my initial success I go back the following night and play a bit of Omaha with just one 2 euro blind. Double up early with a loose-ish call on the button with KTTx after a small raise and loads of limpers. Flop is 10 7 2 with two spades and I have the KT of spades.

Checked to me and I bet pot, loony Asian gambler calls, turn is a 7 and he check calls my all-in. Danke.

However, I then lose most of that back with a set of jacks which I have to fold to a lot of action on a straightening board by the river, and the game bizarrely breaks up. Go and play some 1/2 NL and end the evening down about 90 euro overall after a donk calls 15 pre with 64o and puts the rest of his stack in on a Q 7 3 flop and hits his gutter :)

Following evening is even worse and I drop 300 euro at Omaha. Biggest hand comes when I raise 8910Jds and flop is JJ2. Money goes in and guy flips over A227 - LOL

And it gets worse still. Drop another 150 on Friday night running an unsuccessful bluff on the turn and river against a guy who calls with AK unimproved, and then run AQ into QQ on a Q95 flop.

Thankfully last night I get most of it back, and should have ended with a big win, but I had my share of luck so can't complain.

Hands of note: I raise pre with AJ and get all-in with two shortstackers on A56 flop. One guy has 56 but the turn is a J and river a 7. Then I get QQ on the button, and re-raise UTG's raise to 100. UTG is steaming after losing a big pot but of course he has AA and is all-in for 104. Foolishly he says "You'll flop a queen the way my luck is" and boom, Q 10 5 flop. Unlucky m8, but whatever happens that hand he goes broke.

Just when I'm ready to go however, I lose a big pot to end the night on a downer. I'm playing until my blinds and UTG raises to 9, I call from UTG+1 with 66 and a few others call.

Flop is 764r, UTG checks and I lead out. Donkey at the far end calls and I figure him for a straight draw, possibly overpair. Turn is a blank, I bet, he shoves for 54 more and I call. He has 58o obviously. LOL. Nice play sir.

End up 327 euro for the night and a bit pissed off, but overall happy with the session.

PS - Forgot one funny hand from earlier on. Bit hazy on the exact action but I had 98of hearts and the flop was 10 7 2. I bet the flop, get called. Turn gives me flush draw, I bet again I think. River is a blank and it goes check-check but just as I'm about to show my 9-high, opp mucks face down and I take the pot :)

Vienna update

2008-06-04T01:28:00.000-07:00

So whoever designed Terminal 5 at Heathrow (Norman Foster?) needs an enormous kick in the balls.

It's one of those stupid fucking airports where all the seats have metal armrests which don't move, so you can't lie down and sleep on them. Bastard. Also, despite having seemingly loads of space to play with, they somehow needed to have some of the gates separated by so far you need a little tube journey to get to them. Retarded.

Anyway, I make it to Vienna half an hour late and then get delayed at the hire car desk because my travel people have given me the wrong voucher. It says Avis so I go to the Avis desk. Nope. I ring travel people. Sorry it should be Europcar. Go to Europcar. No. Ring travel people again. No answer. Work it out myself and go to Hertz desk. Correct reservation number but he won't accept voucher cos it's got Avis written on it. Fucker. Travel people ring back and fax new voucher.

Eventually make it to hotel, sleep for couple of hours, do some work and then head to card club.

Walk in and immediately get seat at 1/2 NL game. Doesn't look good at first with lots ot shortstackers, but immediately see how bad play is. Get QQ, KK and AA in short session and win with all three, but lose pots with A9 v AQ and AK v K9 to end up just 88 euro.

AA hand was funny. I'm in SB, couple of limpers and button makes it 11. I make it 30 and get 3 callers. Hmmm. Flop is K J 3 with two spades, I shove for 91 (hadn't had chance to reload after A9 hand), 2 folds and donkey tanks.

Some info on this guy: Worst player ever. He chased a gutshot with J8 on a Q954 board and spiked it on the river to beat a set of 9s. He limp calls anything, minraises when he hits something, etc etc.

Eventually he calls and flips up K 2o, no spades. LOL. Thanks. I left shortly afterwards but not before seeing A10o jam over the top of an UTG raise (he had 10s).

Looking forward to going back tonight.

This means nothing to me (oh Vienna)

2008-06-02T17:12:00.001-07:00

Just a quick update before I'm away for work for two weeks. Off to Vienna in a few hours, doing my usual trick of staying up all night, driving to Heathrow while the roads are empty and then hopefully sleeping on the plane. That's for a golf tournament and then I fly straight back to London on Monday for the Stella Artois tennis at Queen's Club.

Good news is that the world famous Concord Card Casino is just 20 minutes away from my hotel and I had a great couple of nights playing there last year. All the dealers spoke more than enough English to help me at the tables and they even let me charge my mp3 player while I played!

http://www.pokerpages.com/directory/houses/display.php?PokerHouseID=119

Austrian/German players are pretty horrible and I ran well to scoop a decent score. Hopefully this time I then won't oversleep at the airport gate and miss my return flight on Monday morning!!

Been running well since redepositing at FT on Friday, running my $380 up to $1900 thanks to some HU PLO, 8/16 limit hi/lo and PLO tournaments.

Finished 4/195 last night in the $2.5K guarantee for $390 and was chip leader in the same tournament tonight until running into some bad luck at the end and busting out 10th.

I ran really well earlier on, picking up AAxx when relative shorties found KKxx and were forced to get it all-in pre, and for a while used my big stack carefully to pick up a few orphan pots.

But then it all went a bit Pete Tong. 3 of us called a really short-stacks all-in, I flopped the nut str8 but the board paired on the turn so I didn't fire again and the other big stack made a flush on the river. Best one though was when a terrible player raised on the button, I rr from the BB with AAxx and he calls all-in for his tournament life with K742.

Obviously there was only going to be one winner there :)

As I said though, I ran well earlier so not complaining and was also going well in the HA tournament I think Ryan won recently. Seemed like it was full of weak players so look forward to playing in that again.

Thanks to those who railed last night/tonight and fingers crossed my baggage survives the worst efforts of British Airways at Terminal 5...

What difference does it make?

2008-06-01T05:47:00.001-07:00

Well if we're talking about rakeback, hopefully it makes a big difference.

I've had rakeback on FT, UB and AP for ages but never really made the most of it, suffering from playing on too many sites instead of concentrating on one and also remaining loyal to Party because I love the interface.

Obviously it's kind of retarded to play most of the time at Party without rakeback, although they do have a points system which works in the same manner - albeit at a much lesser rate.

Therefore, I've finally redeposited on FT on Friday and intend to multi-table religiously when I get the chance. This should also hopefully help with my temper tantrums which are usually brought on by getting bored/frustrated at the pace of play.

Speaking of which, while complaining about the amazingly slow pace of play in an Omaha MTT on Friday, one of the other players suggested playing Omaha HU and I did on Saturday with some pleasing success.

Busted one guy with the nut str8 on the turn when he had top set and a flush draw and I dodged a lot of cards for a change, and also managed not to go bust with the A-high flush against another guy.

There was little action until the river - I think the flush came runner, runner - and I have A6xx with the "nut" flush in clubs. So I bet the river, get raised and am about to re-raise when it dawns on me. He can only have KJ or J9 of clubs for the str8 flush. Obviously I'm not good enough to fold but I just call the raise and sure enough, he flips over KJxx.

I type "lol" in the chatbox and he types back "how good are you?" before leaving the table. LOL.

Favourite part of the day however, was playing a complete weak/tight donk who I just ran over completely. He hardly ever raised, would just call most of my pre-flop raises, and was incredibly passive on the flop and turn. I was hitting the occasional good hand but often betting with nothing on the turn to take it down. If he checked twice he was folding, he never check-raised.

In terms of money I didn't make a fortune because most pots were small, but I'd love to play this guy every day - guaranteed money and rakeback too :)

Huge pot part 2

2008-05-25T03:24:00.000-07:00

Well I must have had more red wine than I thought because, having checked the hand history, that big omaha hand was a 4-way all-in fest!!!

However, amazingly no-one had AA, KK or even QQ, so suddenly my Q J 10 10 double suited looks huge in the cold light of day.

Action was as follows:

I raise UTG with Qc Js 10c 10s.
Player A calls.
Player B raises to $56 with KJ54ds !!!
Player C raises all-in for $163 with AKJ2 (3 diamonds, 1 club)
I reraise all-in to $349.
Player A jams for $411 with 6789
Player B calls.

According to the CP calculator, pre-flop 6789 is 36% (presumably because 3 of us have each other's outs, and he is only one with hearts in his hand?), I have 24% and the other two hands 18%.

Thankfully the board comes 4 9 8 7 5 and I make the nuts for an almost $1200 pot.

Despite winning I'm not certain about my pre-flop shove and would like to hear opinions on it and the play of the villains.

Huge pot and short-stacking

2008-05-24T09:41:00.000-07:00

DGirl's post at PlusOne mentioned short-stacking at 5/10 NL and it's an approach I've had some success with as well.

Only played for about 30 minutes last night on a couple of tables and came up with this perfect example of how it can work in your favour.

It was 10-handed but I've tidied up the HH to include just me and the villain who was sitting with $1270. I had bought in for $300 and was at $293.75.

Dealt to MackemPlus1 [ Ah, Jh ]
SWED100 calls (10)
MackemPlus1 raises (50) to 50
SWED100 calls (40)

** Dealing Flop ** : [ 3c, 5d, As ]
SWED100 checks
MackemPlus1 bets (243.75)
MackemPlus1 is all-In.
SWED100 calls (243.75)
** Dealing Turn ** : [ 2s ]
** Dealing River ** : [ 5h ]

SWED100 balance $976.25, lost $293.75 [ 6c Ac ] [ two pairs, Aces and Fives -- Ac,As,6c,5d,5h ]
MackemPlus1 balance $599.50, bet $293.75, collected $599.50, net +$305.75 [ Ah Jh ] [ two pairs, Aces and Fives with Jack kicker -- Ah,As,Jh,5d,5h ]

This guy limps A6s, calls a raise OOP and instacalled a $243 bet on the flop. Nice.

I also won a huge pot at Omaha Hi with a bit of a drunken PF shove but I'm not sure I'll post that as it probably makes me look like a complete donkey!!!

If I can come up with some dodgy figures to back it up I will....

Well I Wonder*

2008-05-07T15:10:00.000-07:00

Firstly, congrats to Lucko on winning yet more MTT's, Kevin's on a sick heater at the moment - long may it continue. I'll almost certainly be buying a percentage of him at the WSOP if he does that again this year. 1% of $10million wouldn't be too shabby.

Secondly, and more relevant to the post title, sometimes you have to wonder just what people are thinking online.

I've played against the villain in this hand at higher than 1/2 and actually thought he wasn't too bad, but then he does this against me - not that I'm complaining.

Party Poker
Pot Limit Omaha Ring game
Blinds: $1/$2
6 players

Stack sizes:
MackemPlus1: $372.46
UTG+1: $126.53
CO: $199.95
Button: $212.83
SB: $219.80
BB: $50

Pre-flop: (6 players) MackemPlus1 is UTG with 6d tc ad as
MackemPlus1 raises to $7, UTG+1 calls, CO raises to $26, Button folds, SB calls, BB folds, MackemPlus1 raises to $120, UTG+1 folds, CO calls, SB folds.

Flop: 9h 3c 6s ($275, 2 players)
MackemPlus1 bets $258, CO calls all-in $86.95.
Uncalled bets: $171.05 returned to MackemPlus1.

So, I've raised UTG but this is 6-max and hopefully I'm not pegged as a strictly "only raises AA" player. Villain therefore re-raises and thankfully the terrible SB calls, allowing me to make a bigger re-raise and get it HU.

Now at this point I pretty much have turned my hand face up, and villain could stack me on the right flop. But wtf is he thinking calling off another $87 on that flop with one pair, no draw????

Turn: 9c ($448.9, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $448.9)

River: 3h ($448.9, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $448.9)

Results:
Final pot: $448.9
MackemPlus1 balance 604.41 bet 371 collected 602.95 net 231.95 6d Tc Ad As
CO balance 0 lost 199.95 Ks 6h Jh 7s

Also managed to win a few other hands on other tables, basically by flopping top set, rivering a boat and finding people willing to pay off with their str8s regardless.

Nice to book a solid win for a change.

Snooker Loopy*

2008-04-24T07:18:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update to apologise for the lack of updates.

I know many people can barely get through the day without reading this blog so please forgive me.

Basically I'm covering the World Snooker Championships in Sheffield (check out the world snooker pages on www.sportinglife.com) so have no time to play and/or blog.

Having said that, there was no morning session today so I did manage about 25 minutes of 2/4PLO8 on Party in my hotel room, and won a quick $105. No special hands, although I was disappointed not to get paid off when a big draw hit on the turn.

I had A3xx with the nut flush draw on a J52 flop with 2 of my suit. I was in SB and checked, MP checked and button bet the pot of $15. I raised to $52, MP called and button folded. Turn was a low spade giving me nut-nut. I strongly considered checking, figuring my (decent) opponent could at least also have A3 but decided to bet instead.

He thought forever and folded (FAWK!).

Finally, congrats to Lucko on winning everything he enters apparently.

* I'm aware this is obviously not a Radiohead or Smiths song, but Chas and Dave rule...

[nice dream]

2008-04-12T12:07:00.000-07:00

Despite a very poor record on Stars I decided to take advantage of their deposit bonus (20% up to $120) and stuck down $600 - to be precise, I stuck down $599.35 or something equally stupid due to a $600 max deposit limit on my debit card and an uncooperative exchange rate!!!

Anyway, first night would have you believing in the old deposit myth which claims that sites let you win when you first deposit/redeposit, and then gradually turn the screws on the RnG to fuck you over good and proper :)

I ran up a quick $200 profit and then, after 2 ~breakeven sort of nights, nudged that up another $200 or so, partly thanks to this guy below.

To be fair, in this hand he has a ~legitimate reason to go broke, but he had been playing like a complete donk since I sat down so it was nice to see proof for once that the "good players" will win in the end.

This is pretty much a brag but it's my blog so...It does at least demonstrate one of the rare times it is okay to slowplay in Omaha hi. I was actually saying out loud during the hand "I can only lose to a Q" and sure enough, that's what he had in his hand.

Poker Stars
Pot Limit Omaha Ring game
Blinds: $2/$4
6 players

Stack sizes:
mackem790: $192.75
UTG+1: $231.20
CO: $160.30
Button: $192
SB: $741
BB: $294.60

Pre-flop: (6 players) mackem790 is UTG with jc kh ad 9h
mackem790 calls, UTG+1 calls, CO calls, Button calls, SB calls, BB checks.

Flop: jh 9s js ($24, 6 players)
SB checks, BB checks, mackem790 checks, UTG+1 checks, CO bets $22.8, 3 folds, mackem790 calls, UTG+1 folds.

Turn: 2d ($69.6, 2 players)
mackem790 checks, CO bets $48, mackem790 calls.

River: 3c ($165.6, 2 players)
mackem790 checks, CO is all-in $85.5, mackem790 calls.

Results:
Final pot: $336.6

Late Night, Maudlin Street

2008-04-07T07:13:00.001-07:00

Or in this case, early morning, Ashfield Avenue in early bloody April!!!

So much for the clocks going forward to herald the start of British Summer Time.

I Might be Wrong...

2008-04-03T09:07:00.000-07:00

...and I probably am, but here's a couple of Omaha hands to discuss where I could (should?) have raised for value on the river.

Warning: Looking back, this one is pretty ugly from the turn onwards. (HI LO)

Party Poker
Pot Limit Omaha Ring game
Blinds: $2/$4
6 players

Stack sizes:
UTG: $532.89
UTG+1: $179.92
CO: $515.48
Button: $356.46
MackemPlus1: $568.76
BB: $400

Pre-flop: (6 players) MackemPlus1 is SB with qs as qd 5h
UTG folds, UTG+1 calls, 2 folds, MackemPlus1 calls, BB checks.

Not a bad hand to raise with but, from the SB, I prefer to just check as my A5 low draw isn't really strong enough.

Flop: ts 2c 4d ($12, 3 players)
MackemPlus1 bets $9.4, BB folds, UTG+1 calls.

Good flop, any bare A2 lurking is buggered and I have my QQ overpair. Easy bet.

Turn: 6c ($30.8, 2 players)
MackemPlus1 checks, UTG+1 checks.

In two minds about this check. At first I thought it was pretty weak but OTOH, I have to put him on a low draw to have called the flop bet.

River: Qh ($30.8, 2 players)
MackemPlus1 checks, UTG+1 bets $20, MackemPlus1 calls.

Results:
Final pot: $70.8

Nice river card, but if villain has A3 for the nut low I still only get half. Not sure why I check-called though, pretty gay yes?

This one is hi only and I river the second nut flush, only for BB to spring to life.

Raise the river????

Party Poker
Pot Limit Omaha Ring game
Blinds: $1/$2
6 players
[url=http://www.neildewhurst.com/hand-converter]Converter[/url]

[b]Stack sizes:[/b]
UTG: $201.26
UTG+1: $200.05
MackemPlus1: $232.58
Button: $256.72
SB: $339.20
BB: $113.65

[b]Pre-flop:[/b] ([i]6 players[/i]) MackemPlus1 is CO with [Qc] [Kc] [Kh] [7h]
[i]2 folds[/i], MackemPlus1 calls, Button folds, SB calls, BB checks.

[b]Flop:[/b] [Qs] [7d] [5h] ([i]$6, 3 players[/i])
SB checks, BB checks, [color=#cc0000]MackemPlus1 bets $5.7[/color], SB folds, BB calls.

[b]Turn:[/b] [3h] ([i]$17.4, 2 players[/i])
BB checks, MackemPlus1 checks.

[b]River:[/b] [2h] ([i]$17.4, 2 players[/i])
[color=#cc0000]BB bets $16.53[/color], MackemPlus1 calls.

[b]Results:[/b]
Final pot: $50.46

PS: Anyone know of a hand converter (or which settings to use on the neildewhurst one) which is best for blogs??? I'd like to use the nice pretty big cards if poss.

Roy's Keen

2008-03-29T17:29:00.000-07:00

What threatened to be a shitty day turned into an absolute beauty today, culminating in a tournament win and Sunderland almost certainly securing Premier League status for next season!!!!

It didn't look so good around 4.15pm with Bolton beating 10-man Arsenal 2-0, Sunderland drawing 1-1 with West Ham and Birmingham being given the worst penalty decision you have ever seen in your life (Rob Styles is a fucking muppet) on their way to beating Man City 3-1.

I was also in danger of being bullied out of what had seemed a certain cash in the $11 PL0 rebuy tourney on Party with the chip leader raising every hand from the CO or button when I was in the small or large blind.

But within 30 minutes or so the world was again a beautiful place, demonstrating once more why we love football and poker so much, even though for 95% of the time they are both a pain in the arse.

First Arsenal's amazing comeback effectively doomed Bolton to relegation (and average crowds of 7,000 in the Championship next season - Mickey Mouse club, hello, hello) and then Andy Reid scored in the sixth minute of injury time to give Sunderland a 2-1 win over the Hammers.

Coincidentally the latest edition of the Sunderland fanzine, A Love Supreme, landed on my doorstep this morning with a cover caricature of the slightly corpulent Reid eating a hamburger, along with the song in his honour:

He's Andy Reid
He plays left wing
He loves McDonalds and Burger King.

Fat he may be but the boy has a great left foot!

But I digress.

Back to the Omaha and I finally get a hand to take a stand against the bully. He raises for the millionth time, I jam with AAxx and he calls with Q932 lol.

Knew he was raising light but fuck me he turns two pair and I'm ready to smash another mouse when the river is an ace....Now we have a game and I start taking him on and, thankfully for me, he doesn't know when to change gears. I get even in chips by checkraising a couple of flops and he instafolds, then I get top set v his two pair and he's out in 4th, one off the money.

That makes me a monster chip leader and, despite a couple of brief setbacks, I crush the shorties quickly and take down the $455 first prize. Not bad for a $22 outlay ( buy-in and top-up, no rebuy needed) with just 30 entries.

Added to my 2nd in the hi-lo on Thursday this pretty much makes me the king of Omaha games and I'll definitely be trying to play these tournaments on a regular basis.

Ha'way the lads!!!

Disappointed*

2008-03-23T13:57:00.000-07:00

Qualified for the Party Poker $300k today for an outlay of $26, crushing a single-table satellite which offered just one place, 2nd got $25 back!

For once built a nice stack early on (more on which to follow) but eventually busted out 278th out of 1500 starters, top 200 paid.

Firstly I wanted to share this Omaha hand I've just played, which I think demonstrates when a "donk" bet can be a good tactic.

Party Poker
Pot Limit Omaha Ring game
Blinds: $1/$2
10 players

Stack sizes:
UTG: $217
UTG+1: $491.73
MackemPlus1: $221.64
MP1: $39
MP2: $208.90
MP3: $348.41
CO: $118.45
Button: $284.80
SB: $172
BB: $230.95

Pre-flop: (10 players) MackemPlus1 is UTG+2 with 3c 3s ad jd
2 folds, MackemPlus1 calls, MP1 raises to $4, MP2 folds, MP3 calls, CO calls, Button folds, SB calls, BB folds, MackemPlus1 calls.

Limping here is pretty bad/unusual for me with a weak hand, blame it on still being in the $300k and not concentrating! Short-stack clown min raises and we take the flop 5-handed.

Flop: jh 3d 8s ($22, 5 players)
SB checks, MackemPlus1 bets $16, MP1 raises all-in $35, 3 folds, MackemPlus1 calls.

Nice flop, but it's still only bottom set and this is why I decide to donk into the shorty. I fully expect this clown to have AAxx or four broadway cards and equally expect him to jam. The benefit of this is that most Omadonks with a set of Js or 8s will now re-raise, allowing me to fold if that is what one of the big stacks does.

Turn: 4s ($92, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $92)

River: 6d ($92, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $92)

Results:
Final pot: $92
MackemPlus1 balance 271.64 bet 39 collected 89 net 50 3c 3s Ad Jd
MP1 balance 0 lost 39 Js 9h Ks Th

None of the big stacks call and I'm certain I'm good against shorty and have an easy call.

Back to the $300k guarantee and a hand I wasn't happy with, although it could be ROT after I saw the flop.

Blinds: t150/t300
10 players

Stack sizes:
UTG: t5372
UTG+1: t2110
UTG+2: t6090
MP1: t5466
MP2: t11270
MackemPlus1: t15130
CO: t4260
Button: t20064
SB: t14297
BB: t20663

Pre-flop: (10 players) MackemPlus1 is MP3 with qs ah
UTG folds, UTG+1 raises all-in t2110, 2 folds, MP2 calls t2110 (pot was t2560), MackemPlus1 ??????????

Is this an autocall, iso-raise or fold?

Knowing what I now know about MP2 after playing against them for a while I would have re-raised, but that's easy to say with hindsight.

Be interested to hear in your thoughts?

*Track 14, Bona Drag

Maladjusted*

2008-03-21T09:30:00.000-07:00

Played my first blogger thingy tournament on Full Tilt last night, a PL08 tournament I expected to do well in. Sadly I quickly got bored by the incredibly slow pace of play and started playing badly, eventually busting out with top two pair and weak low draw in an unraised pot.

Villain had limped on the button with 2558 and flopped bottom set on a K95 flop with 2 hearts. Most people are truly horrible at this game but, strangely enough, it can be harder to simply "outplay" them given the nature of the game.

In short, I need to readjust my game and go back to the style which used to serve me well in the nightly PL08 tourney on Party - play only premium hands early on, including strong hi-only hands, and simply wait out the donks.

On another note, been trying the step tourneys on Party again (for cash, not WSOP seats) and currently at level 5. Level 6 is where the money is handed out, $500 for fifth up to $2000 for 1st. Not bad for an initial outlay of $3.

*title track from another decent Morrissey solo album

Do Your Best and Don't Worry*

2008-03-18T11:03:00.000-07:00

Been a rollercoaster week or so since my last post. I came back from Vegas and was virtually busto in terms of poker money, thanks more to blackjack than poker in Vegas to be fair, but also down to a bad run online.

So I had to reload on Party and plonked down £250, just under $500. At first things went great and the first night I could easily have believed in the old "they let you win when you first deposit" myth, racking up a nice profit. Within a few days I had the bankroll over $2,000 thanks to 6-max 1/2PL Omaha hi and thought all was rosy, a few days later and I was almost busto again!!!!

Obviously Omaha is a very swingy game and everything that had been going right started going wrong - if I had top set the board wouldn't pair and villain would catch his str8 or flush; if I had the str8 or flush the board would pair on the river.

I also badly misplayed a few hands for sure and at one point think I was down to under $300 or so. Thankfully, as of about 5 minutes ago, I won a big pot on each table I had open and the bankroll is back in the $1900 region.

Definitely learnt a couple of lessons about playing Omaha, more of which to follow after I watch the Simpsons....

.......Okay I'm back.

My biggest omaha losses obviously come from the kind of thing I mentioned above, but I also need to remember the following (pretty basic things but I'm essentially self-taught in Omaha so worth reiterating):

1 - Folding the nuts - Lost a huge pot with a nut straight with no redraw . These are tough to get away from for obvious reasons, but if stacks are deep and your opponent is reasonable it's one to be aware of.

2 - Folding trips - Hold em players really struggle with this one and can't fold a 5 with bad kickers on a 556 flop when, depending on the action, they are likely up against A5 at the very least or even 66xx. Feel smug at getting away from that very situation recently.

3 - "Slowplaying" the best hand - Got stung by this one a few days ago but used it to my advantage tonight. In the first instance I'm in an unraised pot with 88xx and in LP. Flop is K83 rainbow and it's checked to me, I bet pot. SB calls. Turn is a blank and SB checks, I bet pot. NOW the sneeky git raises and I'm committed to the pot. He flips KKxx and I miss my 1 out.

Tonight I have QQxx, again unraised pot, and the flop is AQ9 with two spades. SB bets pot, BB calls and I just call, looking for a non-spade, non broadway turn card. Turn is a red 3, SB bets pot again, BB folds and I shove. SB calls with 99xx and he misses his 1-outer too.

Obviously this is something which works better with a flop texture like the first hand rather than the second; if villain in hand 2 had spades and a straight draw he still had plenty of outs.

4 - Folding non-nut hands - Well duh!!!

5 - Realise which game you are playing - Posted this on +1. A guy called all 3 streets against me with 10-high when I had a set of Aces, including a value bet of $68 on the river. He had 10 7 2 4 and must have thought he was getting half the pot with his lo!!!

*from Southpaw Grammar (underrated Morrissey solo album)

Lucky

2008-03-04T14:58:00.000-08:00

Two threads in one night - try to contain yourselves.

Nice result on the Champions League tonight, backing Arsenal and Man Utd to both win with William Hill's "enhanced odds" offer. It paid 9/2 and I'm really glad Arsenal finally got the goals their play deserved - they play some great stuff but can be frustrating as hell to watch.

I'd been shouting at the TV all night for someone to f***ing shoot rather than try to pass it into the net and eventually Fabregas listened and bingo! Nice to see the Australian goalkeeper going down in installments.

Also finally had some luck at UB in terms of the best hands holding up. Played some 1/2 PL Omaha Hi and AAxx won big pots for me twice in the space of about 10 minutes. First one I re-raised preflop and flopped a set on AK5 board, sole opponent folded to my bet. Second one was even better. There's a raise and call, I re-raise and shorty original raiser shoves for $85 total. Other guy also calls and I do as well (can't reraise due to shorty).

Flop is 447 with two spades, I have AAQx with AQ of spades and shove the flop. Other guy folds and all-in player has 10 9 8 7ds; usually a good hand to crack mine but I make the flush on the turn.

Bigmouth Strikes Again

2008-03-04T14:48:00.000-08:00

Better late than never, here's a trip report from Vegas at the end of last month.

For those of you who don't know, Zack is a fellow PlusOne member who kindly let me crash in his room all week while he was attending *ahem* a work conference.

Sunday - Arrive in Chicago to discover flight to Vegas is cancelled. Realise too late while stood in the queue that could have flown to Phoenix instead and driven the rest of the way, so end up forced to wait 7 and a half hours for next Vegas flight. Drink lots in bar while trying to feign interest in Daytona 500. Fail.

Arrive at Caesars some time around midnight. Zack is wearing pink. I have been travelling in the same clothes for 25 hours and still look better than him. Grab a room key, head upstairs to change. Zack's been given a room with a disabled shower . Insert own joke here. Back downstairs to drop $100 playing 1/3 and then another $400 playing 2/5PL Omaha.

Monday - Memory of days is as bad as Zack's, but pretty sure I won $400 playing omaha 8b at Mirage while Zack bizarrely attends his conference for a couple of hours. Despite working for a telecomms company he pretends he can't call international numbers on his cell - I think he's trying to dump me already.

If we did play 9am tourney Monday I indeed bust Zack with J9 v AK all-in pre-flop (we were the 2 shorties at the table and Zack was UTG, I was in BB). Kxx flop but I call for and catch running 9s!!!!

Tuesday - Zack hits a one-out gutshot straight flush and doesn't comport himself well when he does so, telling the poor guy "That was a mistake" when he calls the river bet. Guy had K3 for technically the third nut flush.

Wednesday - After busting out at TI (Zack shoves into J4 on a JJ7 board with Q7) we find Shawn hiding his ponytail beneath his sweatshirt at Venetian. I take the under on when he busts and it looks good when he jams AQo - only for the donkey in the SB to call with KQo. Although we are just standing behind Shawn the ~hot waitress keeps offering us drinks so we drink quickly and wildly overtip (she's a bit chunky but we conclude probably gives great head).

Shawn is still in so we play some cash and I get a guy to make the WORST FOLD IN THE HISTORY OF p0ker. I raise KQ on the button and he calls from the SB saying "I think I have the best hand". Flop is 44K and he leads out. I call. Turn is a blank and he bets $55 and I shove for approx $220. He tanks and starts talking about what I could have and flashes me AK. He asks "Do we have the same hand" and I tell him no, we definitely don't. He thinks forever and folds, everyone at the table is saying I must have aces or kings so I show the KQ and the guy can't stop talking about the hand for the next hour.

Head back to Caesar's and I waste 5hrs playing a limit Omaha8b tourney without cashing while Zack and Shawn play cash. Shawn hits a str8 flush but somehow still loses money.

Thursday - My turn to hit a high hand at Caesar's. In a straddle hand I make it $20 with 99 and call a re-raise to $60 from guy next to me who is called Tiger Patel (no shit) and I later learn plays ultra high stakes Baccarat and has just concluded a $165million property deal. Flop is 975 and I check call $80. Turn is a blank and goes check check. River is a 9 and I bet $100. He tanks for a while and calls. I get $94 extra for the quads.

Friday - Play the 10am tourney at Planet Hollywood and build a good stack with some nice cards before being moved tables. First hand I raise 10s UTG and only big blind calls, we are probably the two biggest stacks in the tourney. Flop is 248 and he donk bets, I shove and he calls with 35o. Ace turn, ace river

Play bounty tourney at TI again at 7pm and Zack loses to the WORST CALL IN THE HISTORY OF p0ker. On a flop of QQJ, idiot bets and Zack CRAI with KJ. Idiot calls with 22 and spikes a 2 on the turn. He says "I thought you had two pair so I called" I double when another clown calls my PF raise and all-in on a 7xx board with A4o. I have 99. Bust out when A9 all-in gets an instacall from KJ.

To say thanks to Zack for using his disabled room I take him to dinner (G5.7) at TI. Zack says to maitre'd "Table doesn't have to be too secluded" but I insist they light the candle. Both order filet mignon in a mexican restaurant, I get abuse for wanting medium well but it's excellent.

Back to Caesar's for what should have been a huge win. I double with KQ v AK on a KQx22 board when he bets $40 on river and says, "You can go all-in if you want." I do and he instacalls. Also flop two pair with 64s on a 642 board and take out woman who shoves with 99. Move tables and talk guy into calling off his last $75 with AQ on Qxxx board when I have KK. He spikes a Q. (Hence the thread title).

Also lose decent pot with AK v QQ and have to fold AQ on AJ9 board after betting $75. Opp showed AJ.

Play till 5.20am and head upstairs for emotional farewell with Zack, but he's already gone.

Random notes: Despite wearing pink, Zack is great fun to have at your table. Needs to stop taunting opponents when he sucks out on them though.

Random note 2: Somewhere in there played 2/5NL at Bellagio. Perfect opponent is in seat 1, he's drunk, rich, terrible at p0ker but still a nice guy. I make it $20 with Ad Jd. Two callers, flop is 9d10dKd. Drunk guy says "Wow I flopped a huge hand" but checks. I check behind. Turn is a blank, he bets $75 and I call. River is an ace and he checks. While I'm thinking how much to bet he says "You push all-in and I'll call." I ask if he's for real and he says yes. So I shove for $216 more with the nuts and he calls with QJ for a flopped str8

Random note 3: Flopped quad 7s on Saturday at the Wynn, won $3.

Forgotten loads of stuff, but whatever...

House of Cards

2008-02-16T07:00:00.000-08:00

Just a quick update before I head off to Vegas (again!) tomorrow.

Almost busto online after continuing bad beats, bad play and, admittedly, getting outplayed on a couple of occasions; thankfully still have my stack of dollars from the last two trips - we'll see how long that lasts ;)

Many thanks to Zack for letting me crash in his hotel room at Caesar's Palace, meaning I only need to pay for a hotel the last two nights of my stay after Zack's conference is over.

Looking forward to live play as usual, but I'm folding everything but quads and straight flushes to ensure no more bad beats !!!

Enjoy scraping the frost off your car windscreens without me....

Paint a Vulgar Picture

2008-02-07T08:38:00.000-08:00

The title of the last post clearly upset the poker gods and it's been a shitty week.

Going out tonight for a friend's leaving do from work and then away for the weekend - need a break from losing to rivered gutshots.

:(

We hate it when our friends become successful...

2008-02-04T04:14:00.000-08:00

...but when it happens to us, it's wonderful!!!

That rather long-winded title is a way of saying I won the TPOAPC 2008 Main Event on Saturday evening, beating Buzz HU for the bracelet.

Was down to 1400 early on from a starting stack of 3000 but got healthy again when AA decided A10o was a good hand to re-raise me with, my JJ held. Also doubled through AA again with a great call IMHO with AQ on a KK6 flop in a blind v blind battle after I had just limped in from the SB. I check-raised the flop, Zack shoved and I was really confident I was in front and called - he tabled A10 and I held.

That gave me a big stack and I cruised into the money and then got HU when Sportsfreak surprisingly called my re-raise jam with 44, I had 77, game over.

Buzz started the HU really well and was raising a lot but eventually I started to find some decent hands and hit a few very nice flops. Got it all in with A6 v 33 and flop was A88, but turn was a 3 LOL.

However, next hand was my turn to get lucky with A7 v A9 and it was all over. I promise to only mention this victory about 20 times a day!!!

Also, had a good betting weekend with Spurs +1 drawing with Man Utd and 3 of my Super Bowl bets coming good - Under 53 points (never in doubt!!!), Maroney scoring first TD and Giants +12.

Optimistic*

2008-02-01T12:14:00.000-08:00

February 1st, so a good time to start finally keeping an accurate record of my bankroll and wins and losses as I aim for the ultimate goal - paying off my mortgage as soon as possible.

That may well be helped by switching to a Virgin One account but I won't bore you with the details of that.

Instead, this is an inventory of my current bankroll:

Absolute: $2,165.16
UB: $23.89 (with $489.55 in unclaimed bonus!)
Full Tilt: $0
Party: $1,711.21
Stars: $345.69
Cash: $2,600 (this was taken from my Party account for the recent Vegas trips)

Not exactly earth-shattering, but not bad either I suppose, and certainly enough to attempt not to worry about dropping the odd buy-in here or there, but instead to focus on a more long-term approach.

To that end I'll only update the figures on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, assuming I don't just go busto!!

One rather sick hand to report from this afternoon from a 1/2NL 6-max table on Party. I raise with AA and get one caller. Flop is KKx. We both check. Turn is an Ace. Nice. He bets, I'm now praying he does have a King and flat call. River is a King!!!!

He had K7s.....

*For those keeping track, the title comes from Radiohead's Kid A album. Let's see if I feel optimistic in a week...

Dollars and Cents

2008-01-28T19:23:00.000-08:00

I wanted to call this post "the greatest bluff ever" but sadly the Smiths or Radiohead have never done a song with that name so......

Anyway, this is from last night's $22PL8b tourney on Stars which I've been having good runs in. Finished 4th last night after a couple of gay beats at the final table - worst was getting the chip leader all-in when I had AA3J on a T62 flop after I re-raised him pre-flop. Clown called with A5Kx and the turn was a 3 to give him a damn half.

Before that was this great bluff. I've tidied up the hand history but we were 7-handed on the FT.

Seat 4: mackem790 (47537 in chips)
Seat 6: Manta_Rays (38087 in chips)

jelijahd: posts small blind 1000
Manta_Rays: posts big blind 2000

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to mackem790 [4h 4c 2h 6c]
4 folds
mackem790: raises 4000 to 6000
jelijahd: folds
Manta_Rays: calls 4000
*** FLOP *** [Qh Jd 5c]
Manta_Rays: checks
mackem790: checks
*** TURN *** [Qh Jd 5c] [5s]
Manta_Rays: checks
mackem790: bets 8000
Manta_Rays: calls 8000
*** RIVER *** [Qh Jd 5c 5s] [Ad]
Manta_Rays: checks
mackem790: bets 20000
Manta_Rays: folds
mackem790 collected 29000 from pot
mackem790: doesn't show hand

Pre-flop it's essentially a steal, although the hand does have some potential to make a scabby low or lucky high hand. Easy check behind on the flop to see if I pick up any draw, and when he checks the turn I have to take another stab.

River is pretty ugly but it's balls in hand time and fire again, thankfully he folded.

While all this was going on I jumped into a big chip lead in the Stud8 +1 tourney on Full Tilt despite running into quads for the third time this series - just as predicted :)

Ran so well early on it was inevitable the cards would dry up and eventually finished 3rd, well done to Vman (2nd) and donkey lucksack motha f**ka (1st)

Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now

2008-01-24T11:31:00.000-08:00

Well okay, possibly not fully miserable, but definitely a little peeved after the last couple of nights' poker.

Firstly I was chip leader for a while deep into the $11r on Stars and dreaming of a first prize of $13k before eventually busting out in 14th out of 1731 starters.

Bust-out hand was nothing special (my AJ of diamonds lost to KQ of diamonds all-in PF) but annoyed I went card dead at the crucial time and misplayed/didn't get full value when I did have some big hands.

Then last night I finished second in the +1 Stud tournament thanks to a remarkable comeback from less than 200 chips at one stage, but then finished 8th in a $22PL08 tourney on Stars.

Cruised all the way to the FT (about 360 starters IIRC) but then busted when a fellow big stack hit runner runner flush after I bet the flop and turn with overpair and big str8 draw. He has something like A3Qx on a Q 10 6r flop, 9 on river made my str8 but also the backdoor flush.

I had enough chips to fold and still be in good shape but made a tilty call and that was that.

Disappointing but feel the 08 tournament is hugely +EV for me, as are the 1 and 2-table $55PL08 STT's on Full Tilt. Won one and finished 4th in the two 2-table ones I played last night.

Can't play the +1 Hold em event tonight (not too disappointed as limit sucks) but should manage the rest of them in a probably futile attempt to catch Dwal in the POTY race....

Still ill (Part II)

2008-01-14T07:54:00.000-08:00

So I finally make it to the Monte Carlo p0ker room and find Dave and Sucko sat next to each other at a table. Dave has a monster stack which he tells me comes from the clown in seat 1, who has already rebought at least 4 times and donated all his chips by calling down Dave with absolutely nothing.

I get the 10 seat, guy in 9 seat also has huge stack and is open raising to $32 with rag aces at a 1/2 table mainly because our friend in seat 1 is calling with any two cards. Seat 1 doubles me up when I have AA and he chases all the way, 1 pair is good, but then cracks AA later when he calls $50 pre-flop with 45o

Sucko then rivers an A with AKs all-in PF against Dave's QQ but they're both winning big bets on the Georgia bowl game so all's good. To avoid tilting after being felted I head off for some food and then down to the Mirage, where I get a text from Dave saying he's just won $4500 playing blackjack. I reply that I officially hate him.

Dave's gone to the airport when I get back to the room at 3/4am but Lucko gives me a full description of his amazing blackjack streak. Try to get some sleep but Kev has a wonderful combination of a nasty cough, bad nasal breathing and snoring. I consider killing him in his sleep but figure I'd be the obvious suspect...

He also sets the world's loudest alarm AND orders a wake up call to make sure he doesn't miss his flight but I have to check out at 11am anyway and move into my new room in the same hotel.

For the next couple of days my attempts to meet up with Josh and Malachai are unsuccessful due to my dodgy mobile which means I get texts about 4 days after they were sent!

As for p0ker, I final table the bounty tournament I won at TI before (twice) and also reach the FT of a PL Omaha event at Caesars, but generally run my usual shitty standard apart from a couple of sessions.

Best was probably at Mirage where I win $300 at 1/2NL while waiting for the 5/10 Omaha hi lo limit game to start, and then turn that $500 into $1200 against the omaha donks (70 big bets in a few hours). Also finally had AA against KK at Caesar's at 2/5NL for a nice pot.

Final day I check out at 11am and have couple of hours to kill. No game going at Monte Carlo so I play some blackjack and win $175 in about 5 minutes - chicken feed to Dave but added to the $275 I won while steaming at the Mirage made for a nice blackjack profit.

Head over to 1/2NL at MGM and table was so passive even I was able to run a table over for the first time ever. First time I straddled everyone folded to me so I started betting and raising with all kinds of stuff, and showing lots of bluffs to try to loosen things up.

It works nicely when I find KQo on my next straddle and make it $20 more after a couple of limpers. Woman directly to my left calls, flop is Kxx. I bet, she calls. Turn is a Q and I'm thinking about how much to bet when I see she's already reaching for chips so I check-raise instead and we get it all-in. She has KJ and is drawing dead.

Few hands later I get AA and raise, 1 caller. Flop is A86 and we both check. Turn is a 9 I think and villain bets $25, I make it $75 and he calls. 6 pairs the board on the river and I bet $75, he announces all-in and I call obviously. He has 88 for a lower boat and I scoop a big pot.

Still ill

2008-01-14T07:49:00.000-08:00

So, after the farce of my cancelled flights I get a lucky break when the Virgin flight on New Year's Eve is half empty and I get a whole row of seats to myself on the 10hr flight from London. Watch a couple of films and get some sleep so don't feel too bad when I get into Vegas around 1pm. Amazingly, suitcase is second bag on the carousel so I grab a cab and head for the Monte Carlo.

We get stuck at the corner of the MGM and Strip with all the traffic but eventually get to the hotel, I get a key for the room I'm sharing with Dave and Sucko and dump my bags. Quick shower and change and it's off to the MGM to meet up.

There are three 2/5NL tables running, Dave at one, Kev at another and of course I get a seat at the third! Bust one guy with AA v AJ on a J-high flop before I get a transfer to Dave's table. Table is nice and lively and one guy ends up singing "There's only one Ricky Hatton" over and over again when he discovers I was there for the fight a few weeks ago.

Stoner turns up later and we grab dinner at some cafe place in MGM before heading onto the Strip. By this time I've topped up the booze from the plane with a few beers and add to it with Glenfiddich from the hip flask hidden in my coat so the memory of later events is a bit vague.

We stop to heckle this illiterate God botherer on the street,

and then I think somehow get into Harrah's using a Total Rewards Card passed over the barriers between us to get in and get a drink. Believe this is where I meet Todd (TDizzle) and we all see in 2008 watching the fireworks. (Gay)

Head into the Mirage and end up with all six Plus One ers on a 1/2NL table, but by this stage am apparently pretty wasted, and fail miserably with a 3-street bluff against sucko with AK - he calls with some 85-type garbage and takes it down. Dave runs like Sucko used to and felts Sucko and some clown non Plus One er with 22 on a J72 flop - both opponents had J7.

Think we all get a cab back to Monte Carlo around 6am, Lucko and I crash out but Dave declares "sleeping in Vegas is gay" and heads down to the p0ker room. At one point I wake up and have to vomit copiously in the bathroom, thankfully alive enough to make sure it's all in the toilet. Go back to bed and don't get up again until around 4pm. Get ready to head out and have my coat on when I need to throw up again, this time it's pretty much just bile. Feels like my eyes are sweating. Not felt this bad from alcohol in years

Details of wild 1/2 table to follow...

I want the one I can't have

2007-12-29T06:25:00.000-08:00

Bad news on the Vegas front I discovered by chance yesterday - Maxjet, the all-business class airline I was supposed to fly with tomorrow (Sunday) filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Xmas Eve!!!

Only found out in an idle moment at work yesterday otherwise would have arrived at Stansted Airport on Sunday morning completely oblivious that there would be no flight. Managed to book a Virgin flight on Monday (New Year's Eve) for half the cost but obviously it will be 1/10th as comfortable.

Could have been worse I suppose but it means only arriving in Vegas at 2pm on NYE, missing out on valuable drinking time. Will stay two days longer to make up for it but the friends I am meeting out there will have gone by then and I was looking forward to learning a few things from them at the 2/5NL tables.

Wish me luck....

I started something I couldn't finish

2007-12-13T15:08:00.000-08:00

So, got back from Vegas yesterday and been catching up on some sleep. Will keep this short (ish) as there's no pictures and I want to do a proper one from New Year's.

Arrived Tuesday around 6pm and went to Bellagio buffet at 8pm with some fellow journos who were there for the fight. Very good food and a couple of beers later and I was ready for bed. Woke up at 4.30am but managed to snooze for a while longer and headed out for breakfast.

Had the buffet at TI before playing their 11am tourney - and ended up chopping it for first ever win in Vegas Great structure , $125 entry fee, 30 minute levels and each player has a $50 bounty on their head. 45 entries, I only knocked one person out with AA v AJs but made the money (top 4) and we did a straight chop for about $525 each, plus bounties and your own bounty back as you were obviously not knocked out.

Texted Stoner to brag and he replied straightaway apparently - however I had a problem with my phone and receive it on Tuesday morning - in the airport :(

Thursday I play the noon tourney at Venetian but never get anything going and end up playing 5/10 limit Omaha8b at Mirage with full kill. Take around $400 off the clueless old locals (including bluffing jack-high on the river when the low missed)
and had a couple of other good sessions there.

Also played a bit of 4/8 hi lo at the Orleans and won a quick $60 in the hour before their noon tourney where I ran AK into QQ and didn't improve. Could have gone back to the 4/8 game but wanted to play at Luxor and Mandalay Bay as I hadn't been before. Sick cooler at Luxor (not very nice room either) with full house beaten by higher full house, and lost KK to 99 on J94 flop at MBay before coming back nicely for a small win.

On Saturday night paid $50 to watch the fight on big screens in TI, as Hatton admitted afterwards his gameplan went out the window and Mayweather had more than enough class to just pick him off as he charged in.

On Monday played the Omaha hi tourney at Caesars, got my money in with a flopped str8but opponent had top set (he actually had AAQQds!!) and hit on the river. Then went to the Mirage until 6.30am before heading for the airport.

Sorry there were no pics but happy to give any details if anyone is interested.

Edit: I took exactly $2500 with me and came back with $2440, which obviously included food, drink, show tickets and a few Xmas presents. Vegas for a week on $60 :)

How Soon Is Now?

2007-12-03T23:02:00.000-08:00

Very soon is the answer, as I'm off to the airport now for Vegas (via Chicago). Woot!

Not taking my laptop so next update will be next week, possibly sooner if I go broke and get deported for abusing someone for catching an inside straight draw on me :)

Viva Las Vegas!

Let Down**

2007-12-02T04:35:00.000-08:00

Mixed news on the poker front. Online I've qualified for Event 8 of the UBOC on Ultimate Bet (PL8b) and today's $300K guaranteed on Party Poker.

The first only cost me $20 in a rebuy, top two paid and I had a commanding chip lead when the tourney ended. Very satisfying, especially as there was lots of idiotic play early on with people going all-in with very marginal stuff - Omaha8b just isn't suited to that kind of 4-card bingo the hold'em clowns are used to!!!

Second one "cost" me $65 in a STT qualifier. These are great value IMHO, 6-handed, first wins a seat, second gets $144.

All this doesn't make up for playing like a complete idiot in a live tourney in Leeds on Friday night. Made a bad laydown and was obviously still thinking about that when I raised A9o after a few limpers. What followed is a great example of acting too quickly and donking off your chips with top pair, shit kicker.

I get three callers IIRC and flop is AK7 with two diamonds. A guy who flopped quad kings earlier and couldn't prevent his hands from shaking (I actually had him on AK during that hand) now leads out for 2000, approx 2/3 of the pot, and again looks really nervous/excited.

I have 4300 left and just jam them in like an idiot without thinking why he would lead out into the pre-flop raiser if he can't beat a shitty ace.

Your average clown in these tourneys will play any ace, but 99.9% of them will never lead out, they'll just check/call and hope for the best. The only hand I can really beat is a flush draw but again, donks in these things will call and chase but never lead.

Sure enough, he instacalls and flips over 77 for bottom set and I'm out. Let's hope I play better in Vegas, less than two days to go now :)

** From now on, all post titles will be names of songs, most likely from Radiohead or The Smiths. Let's see how long I can keep that up.

Is nowhere safe?

2007-11-29T04:49:00.000-08:00

My adoring fan (hello mum) asked for an update, so here goes.

Countdown to Vegas now stands at inside 5 days (flight is Tuesday lunchtime) and I'm glad to be heading for some live poker after yet more online shenanigans have come to light.

After the AP scandal and Full Tilt paying back money to people who were victims of bots on their site, it looks like more multi-accounting cheating has been going on at FT.

I'm not clear on the details yet but there are threads on 2+2 in which one of the "top online players" has been implicated/outed.

So far I've not been too concerned because it appeared the cheating was taking place at levels rather too elevated for my humble bankroll. But how many of these scandals can the online game stand before the fish decide it's just not worth the risk - however small - of being cheated???

Sorry Paula

2007-11-21T15:59:00.000-08:00

Went round to a friend's house to watch the England game last night. Hilariously bad performance, especially from Scott Carson and Wayne Bridge. Carson can't catch apparently which is a bit of an occupational hazard for a goalkeeper, while Bridge can only kick with one foot (badly) despite being a professional footballer who can surely spend one hour a day out of his busy schedule to try kicking the ball with his right foot.

Anyway, before the game we order a takeaway curry and nip up the road in my car to collect. Eventually they bring out the order in these two boxes and we're away.

Only problem is we've taken someone else's order as well as ours and don't realise till we get home and look at the name on the box. So, if your name is Paula and you live in Leeds or Bradford and had to wait a while longer for your food last night - humble apologies.

Me likey Omaha!!

2007-11-21T09:12:00.000-08:00

Sat down this afternoon and blew through $300 at 2/4PL08 and it could have been a lot worse - two hands running I had trips with top kicker and the same guy had full houses each time but check called ???

So I switch to Omaha hi and proceed to hit a hot streak thanks to hands like this and some awful opponents.

If you're getting nowhere/stale at Hold em, I recommend Omaha if you have the ability to wait for the nuts or monster draws and push hard.

Party Poker
Pot Limit Omaha Ring game
Blinds: $2/$4
5 players

Stack sizes:
MackemPlus1: $1268.54
CO: $376.90
Button: $378.20
SB: $122.50
BB: $143.78

Pre-flop: (5 players) MackemPlus1 is UTG with 5h qh as 8s
MackemPlus1 calls, 2 folds, SB raises to $18, BB calls, MackemPlus1 calls.

Flop: 2s 3d 4d ($54, 3 players)
SB bets $46, BB calls, MackemPlus1 raises to $133.62, SB calls all-in $60.5, BB folds.
Uncalled bets: $27.12 returned to MackemPlus1.

Turn: 6d ($313, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $313)

River: 8d ($313, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $313)

Results:
Final pot: $313
MackemPlus1 balance 1451.04 bet 149.62 collected 332.12 net 182.50 5h Qh As 8s
SB balance 0 lost 122.50 Ac 9s 3s Ah

Made $1,000 in no time to end up approx $700 for the session.

Party account now at $5,086

Shortstacking 5/10NL is +EV

2007-11-13T09:40:00.000-08:00

Sit down and post, very first hand I get KK.

Two callers, villain donk bets, easy shove for me and I don't like the river, figuring him for a Q.

But check out what he flips up :)

Party Poker
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $5/$10
10 players

Stack sizes:
UTG: $1539.64
UTG+1: $560.50
UTG+2: $1594.35
MP1: $190
MP2: $1815.63
MP3: $885
MackemPlus1: $300
Button: $1137
SB: $292
BB: $282.35

Pre-flop: (10 players) MackemPlus1 is CO with kd kc
UTG calls, 2 folds, MP1 calls, 2 folds, MackemPlus1 raises to $60, 3 folds, UTG calls, MP1 calls.

Flop: 6h qh 6c ($195, 3 players)
UTG bets $100, MP1 folds, MackemPlus1 raises all-in $240, UTG calls.

Turn: tc ($675, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $675)

River: qc ($675, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $675)

Results:
Final pot: $675
MackemPlus1 balance 672 bet 300 collected 672 net 372 Kd Kc
UTG balance 1239.64 lost 300 Js 4s

Good betting weekend

2007-11-11T09:47:00.000-08:00

Nice touch this weekend on the Premier League footy, backing Liverpool and Spurs at home to Fulham and Wigan respectively.

Had them in a double + a single on Spurs who were amazingly only 1/2 to beat Wigan at White Hart Lane.

Spurs are in a false position at the bottom of the table but duly thrashed a shit Wigan side 4-0 today, Liverpool having beaten Fulham 2-0 on Saturday.

Tonight's NFL tips come courtesy of Dwal who had 8 of 9 early matches last week before a late slip.

I'm going for Buffalo -3 at Miami; Browns +10 at Pittsburgh; Redskins -2.5 v Philly; Bears -3 against my Raiders and Indy -3.5 at San Diego.

Close but no cigar (+Vegas)

2007-11-10T07:45:00.000-08:00

It never ceases to amaze me how badly some people play poker, especially when they make the effort to travel to a casino and play a £25 double chance tourney (so a total outlay of $100+ to my devoted American readership).

Not huge money to some people maybe, but not exactly micro limits either, but some of the play last night was hilarious.

Best one was possibly the guy with AQs who calls a raise pre-flop OOP, not too horrendous as we were deep stacked and he could obviously get a good flop.

JJx isn't that flop however, yet this clown calls big bets on the flop and K turn to catch runner runner flush to beat AJ and AK. Nice.

Thankfully this fool later gave me lots of those chips with A10 on a K72 flop, rag turn, 10 on river. I had two pair from the BB and bet it all the way :)

A different clown then raised A7 from MP and called my AK re-raise. AQ9 flop, I shove all-in and he gives it the old "I have to call" and doubles me up. Sadly I went out 13th - top 10 paying - with AJ v A7. Flop was 445, turn 5 for a likely split and river 7 LOL.

As for Vegas, the Rio finally got back to me with details of New Year's Eve. Basically $200 to get into the Voodoo Lounge, with packages of $1200upwards to reserve a table.

Not sure what Dave, Sucko and WC plan to do yet, watch this space....

Quick update

2007-11-08T15:30:00.000-08:00

Couple of swingy days at the tables, both live and online.

Redeposited on FT because they bunged me $150 bonus money and was up a couple of hundred playing Omaha hi 6-max when I started missing everything. Was in danger of blowing everything but switched to SNG's, small MTT's and HU SNG's and am grinding it back.

Was also running bad at AP but pleased to say I stuck at it and didn't tilt for once, and eventually busted the clown who had been sucking out on me.

Playing 2/4PL I have A88J and call his PF raise as he's been raising very wide. Flop is A8x and obviously I'm only worried about the slim chance he has AA. I check, he bets and I raise the pot, he flat calls.

All worries are over when the turn is an ace though, making the board A8xA. I now bet $200 and donkey obliges by pushing in his stack with his AKxx and boooooomm...........$1800 pot shipped my way.

In a small live tourney in Leeds I folded my way to the last 18 players or so, tripled up once with 66 all-in from the button, instacalled by clown with A10o and one other player who didn't show.

Busted out with AJs v 1010 all-in PF but no love. Back there tomorrow after work for the same tourney.

Wish me luck.

Slowrolling motherf****r

2007-11-02T18:41:00.000-07:00

Just back from a live £100 tournament in my local casino. 70 starters, paying top 10 and we're down to about 21 when this happens.

I'm seriously shortstacked and push all-in with A8 for 36k, blinds are at 3k/6k (good structure early on, blinds go up too quick later). Anyway, this moron in the big blind starts thinking about calling, gives me the stare and all that s**t.

I've just been moved to the table a few hands ago and already I can tell it's full of idiots who watch too much poker on TV. They take forever to make the most basic decisions, they ask stupid stuff like "Do you want me to call?" when you raise, etc etc etc.

So after thinking about it for so long I actually think I might have the best hand, or that he's going to fold, he calls and flips over.............

KK.

Wtf???? What was all the Hollywood shit about??? Cocksucker. Never have I wanted to suck out more than at that moment. Of course I miss and I'm out but I know there's some good cash to be made in that tournament.

Many of the players shouldn't be playing a £2 buy-in, let alone a £100 tournament and they are the very definition of dead money.

And if that guy does that to me again with KK he'll be dead as well (joke, he was huge and would have crushed me :(

Humble Beginnings

2007-10-31T04:53:00.000-07:00

As a professional journalist, writing this should be easy, but where to start?

Why write a blog nobody might ever read? A good question, and one to which I'm not even sure I have the answer. Best I can come up with is this, which also serves as some background information on yours truly:

My job has allowed me to build up a large reserve of what we call "days owing". I'm supposed to work a 5-day week like you regular working stiffs (!), but in covering sporting events around the world often end up working for seven days in a row (Open golf), two weeks straight (Wimbledon) or even three weeks (Olympic Games).

Those extra two, four and six days have all added up over more than 11 years with the same company, and reached a high point of 123 at one stage last year.

Recently the pressure has been on to clear some of this backlog (106 days at last count despite taking January and February off this year!) so I've taken the odd week off here and there - including New Year's Eve in Vegas baby :) - and now the whole of February and March.

During that time I plan on playing poker ~professionally, safe in the knowledge I'm still getting a regular pay check and have a job I can go back to with no worries. Hence the blog. Keeping this updated regularly as I build up to that time will be invaluable to get me into the right mindset (a horrible American phrase but what the hell) and keeping proper records, buying PokerTracker etc.

One of the meanings of the symbol ~ is apparently "poor approximation" so I'm not promising instant riches and World Series bracelets, but hopefully it'll be fun while it lasts.

Enjoy!