Am I a good player ? It’s a question I often ask myself.
Occasionally the question is put to me although, thinking about the conversations that poker players have, they rarely ask about the other person as such. Mostly each player talks about themselves, whether consciously or otherwise !
Back to the question.
It’s not easy to answer. One way to tackle the question, of course, is to look at whether I am winning. Even this is not trivial as, sadly, my records are pretty poor.
I do have excellent records for my Las Vegas trips and in fact my 2009 visit was so profitable that it puts me clearly in the black for the aggregate of those visits over the years. Previously I have had mixed results in Vegas due to my failure to cash in large tournaments.
In 2009, I successfully addressed the tournament problem and I was also profitable in cash (and sponsorship !)
Equally clear is that I am a loser at online poker. I know this because I am much more familiar with deposit methods than withdrawal procedures.
This is the overall result, but it’s actually a game of two halves. I have definitely been a loser in cash, but I have almost certainly been a solid winner at online MTTs.
In live (non-Vegas) games, the lack of good data prevents me from making a definitive statement. Of course, if a poker player is “not sure” whether s/he is up or down then it is in fact a safe bet that s/he is losing.
I have the same problem in live UK play as I previously had in Vegas: lots of high-priced tournaments with no significant cashes. In smaller buy-in tournaments I am slightly ahead. In cash, somewhat down.
In terms of objective evidence the available data is, in fact, fairly encouraging. The latest data for me at OPR (officialpokerrankings.com) say that I above the 99th percentile for tournament players on pokerstars and also confirms I am profitable with a strong ROI%.
Sharkscope covers tournaments on Gutshot.com (Cake network), and I am classified as a “shark” with strong statistics again.
There are other sites that track tournament data and I am in good shape on all of them.
I don’t look at the products that offer cash-tracking but I know they would confirm I am a fish. The problem is patience. In many non-poker situations I am actually a very patient person, but I simply have not found a way to convert this attitude into cash play.
This goes for both online and live play, but the problem is severe in internet play. Live, there are other factors that can mitigate my natural tendencies, but online a lack of patience is rarely less than fatal to the bankroll.
Outside of the objective data, I do feel subjectively that I am a better player than ever. There is no doubt in my mind that I have learned a lot about the game since I started about 4 years ago. To be sure, I could have (and probably should have) learned even more by being more disciplined in the actual study of the game.
My approach has been mainly of the “Learn by Doing” school which I favour in most endeavours.
It is of course difficult to quantify any improvements in my game (although, on the publicly tracked stats the improvement is visible: OPR 48% in 2007, 56% in 2008, 99%+ in 2009). It has not been translated into clear gains in my bankroll but this is at least partly explained by the fact that I migrate upwards in stakes at least as fast as any improvement in my game.
I like to think that if I had to make a living from poker, I would have enough skill to do that. Of course the problem is that to do this would involve playing a rather dull game.
I would need to play much lower stakes, and really focus on issues like good game selection and correct bankroll management. All of these necessary steps would, with certainty, lead to a more boring game. This would be a problem.
A number of people over the years have suggested that the best approach for me would actually be to go UP in stakes to a level where the money involved would be more meaningful for me. I think there actually is some merit in this advice although I have generally been reluctant to do so since it’s far from obvious that being a small loser at low stakes means I will win at high stakes !
If it’s difficult to be sure how good I am, and difficult to prove or measure, I have nonetheless had glimpses of what it must be like. For the most part when I am playing, I think I am slightly above average (say a 70% percentile player) but I have sometimes been in situations where I am clearly the best player.
I am thinking of an invitational £50 rebuy I played last year, of the cruise poker I played this summer and of certain MTT tables on gutshot.com. For short periods, I have understood what it feels like to KNOW that you are better than most (or even all) of the other players and to experience the wonder of reading the opponents as if, in fact, their cards were face up and they had informed you of their exact intentions in the hand.
I suppose it must be like this for the top pros all the time !
Wednesday 30 September 2009
Sunday 20 September 2009
WSOPE £1000 NLH
After initially putting this event on my calendar, then thinking I would give it a miss (various reasons including a fairly unanimous view among players that it is bad "value" as a tournament), I flip-flopped back to the "yes" camp.
Diary-wise, it fitted in somewhat nicely with the birthday celebrations at The International the night before. Karen & I stayed at a hotel on Friday night and I was booked in for Saturday night as well.
The Friday night was good fun at the club. In the random tag teams event, I was paired with JJ. The tag structure had the effect of tightening up my play (even though I hardly had to worry about JJ being unused to the loose approach). JJ presumably did not react in the same way as his early position push with A7 was snapped off by Andy Achillea's AQ.
I took a fairly early retreat from the cash games (lively: some highlights included me calling India's all-in check raise on a Jack high flop with my J-9o. I had 4-bet the pot pre-flop. My top pair was good. I imagine India had a hand like 88. Lowlights: check-raising all-in on Axx flop with 63o and failing to get A-8 to fold).
The Empire was busy, no question. The poor structure had obviously not been enough to counteract the positive halo effect of a WSOP bracelet on offer. About 300 (capacity, basically) had played on day 1A with the same number again there for 1B.
Plenty of faces on show. I did not recognise anyone at my own table, although they all struck me as pretty experienced players. At the next two tables, I spotted Chris Ferguson, sitting next to John Juanda and Barney Boatman (who lasted about 20 minutes). There were some other faces that looked vaguely familiar.
Although 3,000 chips was plainly far too few, the blinds did start at a helpful 25/25 (maybe they changed this under protest from the players because the posted schedule certainly said 25/50) and the 1 hour clock was respectable.
After winning and losing a few very small pots, I found myself in a difficult place after getting too committed with top pair and the nut flush draw, losing out to a full house (did not see that coming at all).
Tournaments are often about "what if" so in this case, I can wonder "what if" I had not limped with Aces in level 1. Actually not that much would have changed, probably. As it turned out I lost a small pot when 4 diamonds came (I had none) and I paid off a small bet on the river.
Having lost some chips, I thought my way back may have come in the shape of pocket Kings.
Two callers pre flop, and then they both called on the Ace high flop. The pot was now checked to the river where I lost to A3. So, what if I bet bigger pre-flop? Or bigger on the flop, or if I fire the turn or river as well ? My feeling was that I did not have enough chips to shake off the flopped Ace.
In any case, the result was that I had no real room to move until in the 3rd level my stack had reduced to 15BB. Obviously now I was waiting for a good re-shove opportunity. It came soon. The button, who had just won a big pot, opened to 300 at 50/100 and with AQ on the big blind and 1,550 chips it was an automatic all-in.
The player seemed hesitant about calling despite his decent 9k stack. This seemed a good sign. "Ace-Ten" someone volunteered, having apparently played with the raiser earlier. "Yes please" I thought, but it was pocket Tens.
Still, I was happy to take a race. Unfortunately a Ten on the flop cut short my hopes. They were briefly rekindled by a King on the turn, but there was no miracle Jack on the river.
So, a rather brief stint - a little less than 3 hours - although about 100 players had already exited in this short period. The rapid elimination of players did mean that those who did survive the first few levels quickly went deep into the tournament. In fact, they had to stop play early on day1a to prevent the money bubble bursting on day 1 !
Next time ..... although I am not sure I will play any more live tournaments this year.
Diary-wise, it fitted in somewhat nicely with the birthday celebrations at The International the night before. Karen & I stayed at a hotel on Friday night and I was booked in for Saturday night as well.
The Friday night was good fun at the club. In the random tag teams event, I was paired with JJ. The tag structure had the effect of tightening up my play (even though I hardly had to worry about JJ being unused to the loose approach). JJ presumably did not react in the same way as his early position push with A7 was snapped off by Andy Achillea's AQ.
I took a fairly early retreat from the cash games (lively: some highlights included me calling India's all-in check raise on a Jack high flop with my J-9o. I had 4-bet the pot pre-flop. My top pair was good. I imagine India had a hand like 88. Lowlights: check-raising all-in on Axx flop with 63o and failing to get A-8 to fold).
The Empire was busy, no question. The poor structure had obviously not been enough to counteract the positive halo effect of a WSOP bracelet on offer. About 300 (capacity, basically) had played on day 1A with the same number again there for 1B.
Plenty of faces on show. I did not recognise anyone at my own table, although they all struck me as pretty experienced players. At the next two tables, I spotted Chris Ferguson, sitting next to John Juanda and Barney Boatman (who lasted about 20 minutes). There were some other faces that looked vaguely familiar.
Although 3,000 chips was plainly far too few, the blinds did start at a helpful 25/25 (maybe they changed this under protest from the players because the posted schedule certainly said 25/50) and the 1 hour clock was respectable.
After winning and losing a few very small pots, I found myself in a difficult place after getting too committed with top pair and the nut flush draw, losing out to a full house (did not see that coming at all).
Tournaments are often about "what if" so in this case, I can wonder "what if" I had not limped with Aces in level 1. Actually not that much would have changed, probably. As it turned out I lost a small pot when 4 diamonds came (I had none) and I paid off a small bet on the river.
Having lost some chips, I thought my way back may have come in the shape of pocket Kings.
Two callers pre flop, and then they both called on the Ace high flop. The pot was now checked to the river where I lost to A3. So, what if I bet bigger pre-flop? Or bigger on the flop, or if I fire the turn or river as well ? My feeling was that I did not have enough chips to shake off the flopped Ace.
In any case, the result was that I had no real room to move until in the 3rd level my stack had reduced to 15BB. Obviously now I was waiting for a good re-shove opportunity. It came soon. The button, who had just won a big pot, opened to 300 at 50/100 and with AQ on the big blind and 1,550 chips it was an automatic all-in.
The player seemed hesitant about calling despite his decent 9k stack. This seemed a good sign. "Ace-Ten" someone volunteered, having apparently played with the raiser earlier. "Yes please" I thought, but it was pocket Tens.
Still, I was happy to take a race. Unfortunately a Ten on the flop cut short my hopes. They were briefly rekindled by a King on the turn, but there was no miracle Jack on the river.
So, a rather brief stint - a little less than 3 hours - although about 100 players had already exited in this short period. The rapid elimination of players did mean that those who did survive the first few levels quickly went deep into the tournament. In fact, they had to stop play early on day1a to prevent the money bubble bursting on day 1 !
Next time ..... although I am not sure I will play any more live tournaments this year.
Wednesday 16 September 2009
PSOP £1,000 Main Event
My attempts to satellite into the main event were ultimately rather expensive and unsuccessful. I made a fairly deep run in the £50 rebuy satellite (not right near the bubble, but I was getting there). Then, when I open-pushed from the small blind with A7, the BB called for half his stack with QTs. I thought that was a little bit surprising, but he hit the Queen and that’s that.
So, onto the main event itself. I arrived slightly late (some traffic issues), and I had already been moved. A good thing too, as my first table draw looked absolutely fearsome.
12,000 chips and a 75 minute clock. Play was scheduled for 3 days. I knew that patience had to be the watchword. I was playing extremely cautiously, but soon a real gift presented itself.
A player on my immediate right open-raised in EP to 225 (blinds 25/50). I find the rockets. I decided on a raise to 725, called my Martin Spearing on my left. Folded back to the original raiser, who now makes it 2,325. I have a choice to make.
Normally, I do not mess around and would put in the next raise. But here I felt that this would really be turning my hand over, and that the player would get away from some very strong hands. Of course, he ought to have a very strong hand anyway but on the whole it seemed like flatting here could be the best line.
We see a flop heads-up: 7-high rainbow. On this flop I think I must be 100% safe as he surely cannot hit a set there. He leads for 2,300 and I opt for a small raise to 5,500. Villain now helpfully shoves. Of course I snap call, to be shown pocket 9s (??)
Up to 24,000 or so in the first level. I know my mission now is not to blow these gifted chips and I actually spend some time away from the table. Partly this was an effort to force myself not to splash around, and partly I was simply trying to get my internet connection working. The wireless connection in the club is a source of repeated frustration for me. This time I even brought a broadband dongle as an alternate connection, to no avail.
Sad to say, after a couple of hours of being very parsimonious with my chips, I could not help myself from getting involved. There wasn’t any single incident, but my stack gradually dwindled as a combination of some light calls (eg: I called with 2nd pair on a board that looked like it contained a lot of missed draws; villain showed up with Kings full !!) and some moves that did not work out.
In both cases, I am not sure whether they were hopeless plays or whether they were only slightly off in timing/opponent etc. There was one particular pot I recall where I have re-raised pre-flop from the SB with no hand and led out on a raggy flop. I get almost limit re-raised and I let it go. I am wondering in hindsight whether I could have put in another bluff raise at this point (still leaving chips behind). Or it may have been that he really had the goods.
The net result was that I found myself rather short-stacked. In fact at the 100/200/25 level I had only 4,500 chips left at one point.
Now, rather too late, I came to my senses and realised that with the structure (both the gradual escalation of blinds, and the 75minute clock) I could be very patient about choosing my spots.
So, rocked up, I hung in the tournament for many more hours. I rarely put my chips in and I was only looked up once (I got a bit lucky to survive). I raised from the cut-off with AJs, hoping that Richard Gryko on my left (also short stacked, but covering me) would shove and I could call.
He did raise, but ominously he made a smaller raise to about half my chips. I didn’t like that too much but I thought “FIP” and pushed the rest in. He snap-called with pocket Jacks, but an Ace on the flop saw me double up and Richard down to <> 100k chips on day2.
I continued to survive, and the field thinned out. Obviously my short stack was becoming ever shorter relative to the average. I was not worried about this. Nor was I worried about the prospect of perhaps surviving to come back with a bowl of rice on Day2. Since I was already committed to being around at the club for a few days, there were no issues of “double up or go home”.
Still, I would need a series of double ups eventually. I continued to be very tight in calling (in fact I don’t remember calling at all). My blinds were very much up for grabs.
Eventually, we reached the last level of the day 300/600/50 and I had around 6,500 chips – probably the shortest stack of the field. I was surprised that about 2/3 of the runners had already exited.
I pushed several times in this level, but always as the first into the pot and always with some kind of hand. Normally I will push with literally any two cards but then we are not normally playing a 75minute clock !
Of course during this period I passed some hands that would have trebled me up, as it turns out. C’est la vie.
Finally my stack fell below 10bb and now I had a stroke of luck. UTG with 4,900 I picked up 63s.
It was obvious to everyone that I was playing very tight so with the prospect of the blinds about to come through, I felt that I should have enough image equity to get this one through. I pushed (my very first push without a respectable hand) and found a pretty quick caller in Richard Mackay just a two seats along.
That was the bad news. The good news is that no one else called and I had to hope I was looking at live cards. Indeed I was – AQ suited for Richard. Unfortunately, the same suit as me.
A three came just in time, on the river. I now had over 10k – as much as I had for literally 6 or 7 hours.
One more double up would see me in reasonable shape.
I passed my blinds, and now made a possible error and definitely a critical hand. Action folded to me on the button with A2. My stack is about 16BB.
Normally I would be insta-shoving with Ace-high on the button with this short(ish) stack. Here, I hesitated. My stack is somewhat above the real shove-or-die zone and of course the structure is not remotely a crapshoot.
But, then, the two players behind me are very tight and Ace-high is likely the best hand. I can pick up 1,300 chips. I shove and receive an immediate call in the BB – Richard Mackay again.
He has woken up with pocket Kings. Now is the time to find that Ace ! It doesn’t come, and I am basically out although not before there is nearly a final twist.
I have 875 chips change (1 big blind and a few antes). We know what CAN happen. Next hand, 87 is enough to throw the chips in. Ade Bayo has already limped and two others come along.
The flop is T43 . Ade bets, to leave us heads up. He turns over Aces ! However, I hit runner J-9 for a straight ! With over 3,000 chips now, can I keep the dream alive ?
Shortly afterwards I am in the Big Blind with A9 facing a raise from India on the button. I put the rest in, and am ahead of KQ. In fact I hit Top Pair, Top kicker on the 9 high board. However, a Queen on the turn finally does shut the door 15 minutes before the close of play.
I know it’s irrational, but I would have really liked to make day 2. You do have to be “in it to win it” and although I broke my day 2 duck at the WSOP this year, I am still waiting for a day2 in any UK event.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing and in hindsight I see that I probably could have cruised into day 2 if I had taken better care of my 25k stack in level 1. There weren’t any massive coolers or outdraws to blame. Instead, it was a failure to recognise the dynamics of such a long tournament. I made the same mistake in the WSOP ME.
My hope is that I have learned something from these mistakes. I do notice that of the tournament objectives I have set myself, I am gradually achieving some of them and getting every closer to others. I can’t wait for the next festival to try out my new patient style !
So, onto the main event itself. I arrived slightly late (some traffic issues), and I had already been moved. A good thing too, as my first table draw looked absolutely fearsome.
12,000 chips and a 75 minute clock. Play was scheduled for 3 days. I knew that patience had to be the watchword. I was playing extremely cautiously, but soon a real gift presented itself.
A player on my immediate right open-raised in EP to 225 (blinds 25/50). I find the rockets. I decided on a raise to 725, called my Martin Spearing on my left. Folded back to the original raiser, who now makes it 2,325. I have a choice to make.
Normally, I do not mess around and would put in the next raise. But here I felt that this would really be turning my hand over, and that the player would get away from some very strong hands. Of course, he ought to have a very strong hand anyway but on the whole it seemed like flatting here could be the best line.
We see a flop heads-up: 7-high rainbow. On this flop I think I must be 100% safe as he surely cannot hit a set there. He leads for 2,300 and I opt for a small raise to 5,500. Villain now helpfully shoves. Of course I snap call, to be shown pocket 9s (??)
Up to 24,000 or so in the first level. I know my mission now is not to blow these gifted chips and I actually spend some time away from the table. Partly this was an effort to force myself not to splash around, and partly I was simply trying to get my internet connection working. The wireless connection in the club is a source of repeated frustration for me. This time I even brought a broadband dongle as an alternate connection, to no avail.
Sad to say, after a couple of hours of being very parsimonious with my chips, I could not help myself from getting involved. There wasn’t any single incident, but my stack gradually dwindled as a combination of some light calls (eg: I called with 2nd pair on a board that looked like it contained a lot of missed draws; villain showed up with Kings full !!) and some moves that did not work out.
In both cases, I am not sure whether they were hopeless plays or whether they were only slightly off in timing/opponent etc. There was one particular pot I recall where I have re-raised pre-flop from the SB with no hand and led out on a raggy flop. I get almost limit re-raised and I let it go. I am wondering in hindsight whether I could have put in another bluff raise at this point (still leaving chips behind). Or it may have been that he really had the goods.
The net result was that I found myself rather short-stacked. In fact at the 100/200/25 level I had only 4,500 chips left at one point.
Now, rather too late, I came to my senses and realised that with the structure (both the gradual escalation of blinds, and the 75minute clock) I could be very patient about choosing my spots.
So, rocked up, I hung in the tournament for many more hours. I rarely put my chips in and I was only looked up once (I got a bit lucky to survive). I raised from the cut-off with AJs, hoping that Richard Gryko on my left (also short stacked, but covering me) would shove and I could call.
He did raise, but ominously he made a smaller raise to about half my chips. I didn’t like that too much but I thought “FIP” and pushed the rest in. He snap-called with pocket Jacks, but an Ace on the flop saw me double up and Richard down to <> 100k chips on day2.
I continued to survive, and the field thinned out. Obviously my short stack was becoming ever shorter relative to the average. I was not worried about this. Nor was I worried about the prospect of perhaps surviving to come back with a bowl of rice on Day2. Since I was already committed to being around at the club for a few days, there were no issues of “double up or go home”.
Still, I would need a series of double ups eventually. I continued to be very tight in calling (in fact I don’t remember calling at all). My blinds were very much up for grabs.
Eventually, we reached the last level of the day 300/600/50 and I had around 6,500 chips – probably the shortest stack of the field. I was surprised that about 2/3 of the runners had already exited.
I pushed several times in this level, but always as the first into the pot and always with some kind of hand. Normally I will push with literally any two cards but then we are not normally playing a 75minute clock !
Of course during this period I passed some hands that would have trebled me up, as it turns out. C’est la vie.
Finally my stack fell below 10bb and now I had a stroke of luck. UTG with 4,900 I picked up 63s.
It was obvious to everyone that I was playing very tight so with the prospect of the blinds about to come through, I felt that I should have enough image equity to get this one through. I pushed (my very first push without a respectable hand) and found a pretty quick caller in Richard Mackay just a two seats along.
That was the bad news. The good news is that no one else called and I had to hope I was looking at live cards. Indeed I was – AQ suited for Richard. Unfortunately, the same suit as me.
A three came just in time, on the river. I now had over 10k – as much as I had for literally 6 or 7 hours.
One more double up would see me in reasonable shape.
I passed my blinds, and now made a possible error and definitely a critical hand. Action folded to me on the button with A2. My stack is about 16BB.
Normally I would be insta-shoving with Ace-high on the button with this short(ish) stack. Here, I hesitated. My stack is somewhat above the real shove-or-die zone and of course the structure is not remotely a crapshoot.
But, then, the two players behind me are very tight and Ace-high is likely the best hand. I can pick up 1,300 chips. I shove and receive an immediate call in the BB – Richard Mackay again.
He has woken up with pocket Kings. Now is the time to find that Ace ! It doesn’t come, and I am basically out although not before there is nearly a final twist.
I have 875 chips change (1 big blind and a few antes). We know what CAN happen. Next hand, 87 is enough to throw the chips in. Ade Bayo has already limped and two others come along.
The flop is T43 . Ade bets, to leave us heads up. He turns over Aces ! However, I hit runner J-9 for a straight ! With over 3,000 chips now, can I keep the dream alive ?
Shortly afterwards I am in the Big Blind with A9 facing a raise from India on the button. I put the rest in, and am ahead of KQ. In fact I hit Top Pair, Top kicker on the 9 high board. However, a Queen on the turn finally does shut the door 15 minutes before the close of play.
I know it’s irrational, but I would have really liked to make day 2. You do have to be “in it to win it” and although I broke my day 2 duck at the WSOP this year, I am still waiting for a day2 in any UK event.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing and in hindsight I see that I probably could have cruised into day 2 if I had taken better care of my 25k stack in level 1. There weren’t any massive coolers or outdraws to blame. Instead, it was a failure to recognise the dynamics of such a long tournament. I made the same mistake in the WSOP ME.
My hope is that I have learned something from these mistakes. I do notice that of the tournament objectives I have set myself, I am gradually achieving some of them and getting every closer to others. I can’t wait for the next festival to try out my new patient style !
Tuesday 15 September 2009
PSOP £200 HORSE
I was pleased to see the HORSE event on the festival calendar once more. In fact I hope it will be a fixture for all future festivals. I would encourage everyone to have a go at it. I quite literally only learned the rules of the other games a few days before I competed in the first HORSE event, and it’s not hard to learn them.
Of course, it may be hard to learn to play them well but the great thing about a tournament is that you can’t come to too much harm whilst you’re still making big mistakes !
The other thing about HORSE that I imagine puts people off initially is that they are LIMIT games. It’s true that the first few rounds are quite slow going but, in reality, this is often the case in a deep stack NLH event, unless there is an AA vs KK trainwreck.
Once the blinds and antes kick up a bit, the pots can quickly escalate and the stacks can swing around quite violently.
Actually, I like the fact that in a limit tournament (ironically) you can more easily make a dramatic recovery from a short stack. Of course you have to find a hand that you want to commit with but, when you do, then you often will get paid off in full by multiple opponents so a multi-up is always just around the corner.
Online the other day I was down to 1.5 big bets and was last of the remaining 29 runners. A few hands later I was the chip leader and I felt a bit aggrieved in the end not to win the thing !
The HORSE event at the PSOP was the last competition of the 2-week extravaganza and, de facto, my last shot at a trophy. A field of only 29 runners meant that there were less bodies to get past although, not surprisingly, there were some specialists in attendance including several faces who only really come the The International when the HORSE is on.
In the end my campaign fizzled out in 13th spot. It was a rollercoaster; very early on I chipped up nicely, then lost ¾ of my stack in a series of situations where I was deep in hands and then had to give up. Frustatingly, I would have got there in some of those.
However, my 3k stack was soon up to 16k again as I did hit some hands. This was a decent stack but, again, not enough to sustain more than one or two serious hits.
I was crippled in a Razz hand where on 6th street I had a made 8 and I could tell my opponent had paired one of his low cards in the hole. Unfortunately he felt compelled to chase, and hit a 6 low on 7th street. I called his last bet at the end; I still do not have the stomach for folding to 1 bet into a 12 bet pot on the end even though I know the chances are that he is not bluffing.
I decided to get all my chips in on 3rd street in the next hand. You are never that far behind at this stage in Razz. JoeJoe was slightly ahead to begin with but had no low at all on 6th. Of course he got there on the last card and I was out. He went on to win, which is some consolation to me I guess !
I think I perhaps need to alter my strategy for a medium stack in these tournaments when I have a good hand. Perhaps play more passively until later in the deal to protect my stack ? I need to have a think about it before the next event.
The next relevant event, in fact, may be along quite soon as I am planning to play the £500 8-game at the EPT (October 6th). I am not sure what kind of player will participate in this. There is a £2,000 8-game for the big boys. Will the same players get involved for just £500 ? If not, who will ?
I suppose that a majority of the field will be mixed game experts. I will be dramatically outgunned for experience and technical knowledge in that case and I guess that it’s harder for luck to play a decisive role than in NLH (although 8-game does include NLH and PLO; maybe I need to explode the H-bombs in those rounds ?).
Still, as the EPT itself out of reach buy-in wise, I am happy with my choice of event and you never know what may happen. I know I will enjoy the event no matter what happens.
Of course, it may be hard to learn to play them well but the great thing about a tournament is that you can’t come to too much harm whilst you’re still making big mistakes !
The other thing about HORSE that I imagine puts people off initially is that they are LIMIT games. It’s true that the first few rounds are quite slow going but, in reality, this is often the case in a deep stack NLH event, unless there is an AA vs KK trainwreck.
Once the blinds and antes kick up a bit, the pots can quickly escalate and the stacks can swing around quite violently.
Actually, I like the fact that in a limit tournament (ironically) you can more easily make a dramatic recovery from a short stack. Of course you have to find a hand that you want to commit with but, when you do, then you often will get paid off in full by multiple opponents so a multi-up is always just around the corner.
Online the other day I was down to 1.5 big bets and was last of the remaining 29 runners. A few hands later I was the chip leader and I felt a bit aggrieved in the end not to win the thing !
The HORSE event at the PSOP was the last competition of the 2-week extravaganza and, de facto, my last shot at a trophy. A field of only 29 runners meant that there were less bodies to get past although, not surprisingly, there were some specialists in attendance including several faces who only really come the The International when the HORSE is on.
In the end my campaign fizzled out in 13th spot. It was a rollercoaster; very early on I chipped up nicely, then lost ¾ of my stack in a series of situations where I was deep in hands and then had to give up. Frustatingly, I would have got there in some of those.
However, my 3k stack was soon up to 16k again as I did hit some hands. This was a decent stack but, again, not enough to sustain more than one or two serious hits.
I was crippled in a Razz hand where on 6th street I had a made 8 and I could tell my opponent had paired one of his low cards in the hole. Unfortunately he felt compelled to chase, and hit a 6 low on 7th street. I called his last bet at the end; I still do not have the stomach for folding to 1 bet into a 12 bet pot on the end even though I know the chances are that he is not bluffing.
I decided to get all my chips in on 3rd street in the next hand. You are never that far behind at this stage in Razz. JoeJoe was slightly ahead to begin with but had no low at all on 6th. Of course he got there on the last card and I was out. He went on to win, which is some consolation to me I guess !
I think I perhaps need to alter my strategy for a medium stack in these tournaments when I have a good hand. Perhaps play more passively until later in the deal to protect my stack ? I need to have a think about it before the next event.
The next relevant event, in fact, may be along quite soon as I am planning to play the £500 8-game at the EPT (October 6th). I am not sure what kind of player will participate in this. There is a £2,000 8-game for the big boys. Will the same players get involved for just £500 ? If not, who will ?
I suppose that a majority of the field will be mixed game experts. I will be dramatically outgunned for experience and technical knowledge in that case and I guess that it’s harder for luck to play a decisive role than in NLH (although 8-game does include NLH and PLO; maybe I need to explode the H-bombs in those rounds ?).
Still, as the EPT itself out of reach buy-in wise, I am happy with my choice of event and you never know what may happen. I know I will enjoy the event no matter what happens.
Taking the 5th
It was Sunday and I fancied a go at the Sunday Million. I felt in reasonable tournament form.
However, the regular pokerstars schedule was affected by the WCOOP – a series of big online events over a 3week period. I didn’t take part in any of them, but I know they are/were a very important part of the calendar for the serious online players and for the pros who mix the online and live circuits. In fact the WCOOP has been an important challenge to some of the live festivals.
In any case, the regular $215 tournament had been replaced by a $1,050 2day marathon. I certainly wasn’t going to invest either the money or the time in tackling this one !
Back to reality. I entered the $150+12 $100k guarantee on gutshot.com – those MTTs are nice in that they have a few hundred runners (about 700 this time) and last a sensible few hours. The standard of play is also not spectacular. I also clicked on the Sunday 1/4-Million (the usual 28,000 runners and a chance at a huge payoff for the $11 entry) and a couple of other low stakes MTTs.
Earlier in the day I had final-tabled a HORSE event. In fact I was a bit disappointed not to win it as I came from 29/29 to a big lead with 10 players left. Still, my record in HORSE tournies is pretty good – cashed in over 50% of my starts and with an ROI of 800% (lol).
As the tournaments went on, I exited the $3R when my Aces did not hold up against J8 (standard ....) and then in the Gutshot $100k I self-destructed with 2pair on a very “wet” board where I probably should have escaped.
Meanwhile in the ¼-Million I cruised into the money places but making the top 10% (Aces no good again vs JJ aipf) was only good for about $10 in profit. These tournies pay so many places, but nearly all the worthwhile cash is at the very top end.
However, I was still in the $11 rebuy. I had made the freezeout stages with a modest $41 invested and was comfortable thanks to a nice triple up in the last hand of the rebuy period.
I don’t play enough MTTs on a regular enough basis to really know the individual structures but it was apparent this one was a real slow-burn. 12minute levels (that’s pretty long in online time) and a very gradual clock meant I was playing a 60-100bb stack all this time.
As the tournament grinded on, I had to stop playing my $1/2 PLO game and really concentrate. It was getting late and I was only just into the money places. Furthermore I wasn’t going to be very happy to finish in the lower money rungs ($55 to 495th place). However, at the sharp end it was $15k to first.
I was playing very tight by my standards, although there were still some H-bombs. In fact I hit the front after one such moment.
Raising with Q8 from early position, I faced a min raise from a large stack in the Big blind. It was an actual minimum raise – not even a raise to double my bet. Most peculiar. In any case, I could not fold. I flopped top pair but elected to play quite cautiously in position and when I rivered 2 pair I did not raise, but my opponent with Aces was still not happy !
He was clearly a bit tilted and that contributed to the very next hand where I raised UTG with pocket nines and called his shove from the Small blind. I figured his range was much wider because he was upset, and I also had in mind that this was a good time to take a race against a big Ace so I could go to bed if I lost !
Instead, it was even better as I was up against pocket 6s. There was a stream of abuse in the chatbox !
So, chipleader with 75 left. I don’t have a record of going really deep in pokerstars huge-field MTTs so I wasn’t too confident and at the same time I wanted to make the most of the opportunity.
I continued to pick up some good cards, race well and generally run pretty good. By the time we hit the last two tables, I was still amongst the top runners.
I made the final table – the first time I have ever done so – and eventually came in 5th for about $4,600. Overall I have to be happy with this. It’s among my top cashes in $$$ terms, and to make the top 5 from 3,500 runners is objectively a strong result.
As in any tournament, one is left with the feeling that one could have done better ! Lots of what-ifs, but I’ll take it.
I’m thinking of viewing it as a satellite, in effect, to the WSOPE £1,000 next weekend.
However, the regular pokerstars schedule was affected by the WCOOP – a series of big online events over a 3week period. I didn’t take part in any of them, but I know they are/were a very important part of the calendar for the serious online players and for the pros who mix the online and live circuits. In fact the WCOOP has been an important challenge to some of the live festivals.
In any case, the regular $215 tournament had been replaced by a $1,050 2day marathon. I certainly wasn’t going to invest either the money or the time in tackling this one !
Back to reality. I entered the $150+12 $100k guarantee on gutshot.com – those MTTs are nice in that they have a few hundred runners (about 700 this time) and last a sensible few hours. The standard of play is also not spectacular. I also clicked on the Sunday 1/4-Million (the usual 28,000 runners and a chance at a huge payoff for the $11 entry) and a couple of other low stakes MTTs.
Earlier in the day I had final-tabled a HORSE event. In fact I was a bit disappointed not to win it as I came from 29/29 to a big lead with 10 players left. Still, my record in HORSE tournies is pretty good – cashed in over 50% of my starts and with an ROI of 800% (lol).
As the tournaments went on, I exited the $3R when my Aces did not hold up against J8 (standard ....) and then in the Gutshot $100k I self-destructed with 2pair on a very “wet” board where I probably should have escaped.
Meanwhile in the ¼-Million I cruised into the money places but making the top 10% (Aces no good again vs JJ aipf) was only good for about $10 in profit. These tournies pay so many places, but nearly all the worthwhile cash is at the very top end.
However, I was still in the $11 rebuy. I had made the freezeout stages with a modest $41 invested and was comfortable thanks to a nice triple up in the last hand of the rebuy period.
I don’t play enough MTTs on a regular enough basis to really know the individual structures but it was apparent this one was a real slow-burn. 12minute levels (that’s pretty long in online time) and a very gradual clock meant I was playing a 60-100bb stack all this time.
As the tournament grinded on, I had to stop playing my $1/2 PLO game and really concentrate. It was getting late and I was only just into the money places. Furthermore I wasn’t going to be very happy to finish in the lower money rungs ($55 to 495th place). However, at the sharp end it was $15k to first.
I was playing very tight by my standards, although there were still some H-bombs. In fact I hit the front after one such moment.
Raising with Q8 from early position, I faced a min raise from a large stack in the Big blind. It was an actual minimum raise – not even a raise to double my bet. Most peculiar. In any case, I could not fold. I flopped top pair but elected to play quite cautiously in position and when I rivered 2 pair I did not raise, but my opponent with Aces was still not happy !
He was clearly a bit tilted and that contributed to the very next hand where I raised UTG with pocket nines and called his shove from the Small blind. I figured his range was much wider because he was upset, and I also had in mind that this was a good time to take a race against a big Ace so I could go to bed if I lost !
Instead, it was even better as I was up against pocket 6s. There was a stream of abuse in the chatbox !
So, chipleader with 75 left. I don’t have a record of going really deep in pokerstars huge-field MTTs so I wasn’t too confident and at the same time I wanted to make the most of the opportunity.
I continued to pick up some good cards, race well and generally run pretty good. By the time we hit the last two tables, I was still amongst the top runners.
I made the final table – the first time I have ever done so – and eventually came in 5th for about $4,600. Overall I have to be happy with this. It’s among my top cashes in $$$ terms, and to make the top 5 from 3,500 runners is objectively a strong result.
As in any tournament, one is left with the feeling that one could have done better ! Lots of what-ifs, but I’ll take it.
I’m thinking of viewing it as a satellite, in effect, to the WSOPE £1,000 next weekend.
Monday 14 September 2009
PSOP £300 PLO Double Chance
After my good run to 4th in the £200 NLH, albeit no trophy, I was excited about the prospects for the £300 PLO.
I arrived just after the start, at the exact same moment as Nik Persaud and James Akenhead also walked through the door fashionably late.
It turned out to be quite a small field – just 29 players – but every one of them was a familiar face.
My table included James, as well as Scottish Rob and Miriam, and many other well known players from the club.
The structure was 5,000 chips at 25/50 to start, with an optional 5,000 extra chips any time in the first 3 levels. After a previous experience with this structure, I opted NOT to take the extra chips early on (this was the standard choice).
Emboldened by the prospect of a second life, I started out with check-calling the flop, air check-raising the turn and then bluffing the river vs Miriam who always suspects I am doing this but often opts not to pay me off just in case.
Actually in this case I did river a pair, so maybe it was a value bet ;)
Second hand, in the big blind. There are 5 limpers to me. I must raise, surely, and what do I find ? Double-suited Aces ! I pot it to 350, to find Scottish Rob now making it 850. Akenhead calls this, and I see no reason not to bang it up to 3,350. In a few moments we are all-in 3 ways.
Obviously I am winning, but they both have pretty Ace-cracking hands and I have to dodge most of the deck on the river. However, one pair takes the lot and I have over 15k after two hands.
Someone utters the dangerous words “even Howard can’t blow this chip stack”. The fact is, I hardly knew what to do with this many chips and it caused some odd plays.
Notably, when I picked up double-suited Aces again and bumped it from the small blind, I actually led the flop and folded to a pot bet from Miriam even though I had flopped the nut flush draw to go with my overpair. A short stack called Miriam so we saw that she had top pair with a weak kicker, plus a flush draw (dead to my hand) and a gutshot. At showdown, a pair of Queens, Ten kicker was good.
So, as it turns out, I might have moved on to 30,000 chips here if I re-pot and she goes with her hand. My thought at the time was that I didn’t want to play a 30,000 pot with a player who covered me. In hindsight I think I would play the pot smaller but not give up so early in the hand.
After that, I made some expensive hero calls (eg calling Dan Do’s shove with top pair, 9 kicker).
After I dwelled and called, he said “good call” but in fact I was outkicked. He assumed I had made a tough call with the bare overpair of Aces. Several hero calls later, I needed my rebuy chip but I did calm my play down and tried to ensure I would remain in the hunt.
By this time, a £50 rebuy sat to the Main Event was underway and Miriam and I were multi-tabling.
Back on the Omaha, I receive a lucky break when I 4-bet shoved with KKQx and JymJam appears to dwell up over the call a little bit. So, when he doesn’t instacall I figure I cannot be facing Aces.
However, I am ! I guess he was just taking a moment to think about the tournament situation.
I am in jeopardy but I flop more outs, and turn a straight. An unnecessary King also comes on the river. I am now in decent shape and make the final table again. Only 4 places to pay with this small field, though.
What a final table ! £50 rebuy PLO champ George the Cake is there. Nik P, Barry, Jym Jam, Mike Selzer. It doesn’t look great for me ...
However, I score a major H-bomb vs George. I make a raise on the button in a limped pot with the mighty J-8-6-3 and get two callers. The flop is J-J-3 !! George check-raises me all-in – he has the other Jack with overcards. Those don’t come, so I more than double up to a very useful 40k or so.
I’m having another spell over at the rebuy sat when I hear that a deal is in the advanced stages of discussion. I am not a huge fan of deals but, by the time I come back over to the table, six of the remaining seven players have agreed an even money chop.
I really want the trophy, however, so I only agree on the basis that we are playing on properly for position. Clearly some are more interested than others in the trophy and the play can never be 100% “normal” once the money is chopped. Indeed, a couple of players get their chips in quickly and very light.
We’re down to 4 players when I find a hand I am happy to get it all in with – double suited Kings. We play a big pot 3-way all-in with George playing Queens and JymJam a nice rundown. My Kings hold to take me into a heads-up for the trophy with Miriam.
Who would have predicted this !
We are very even in chips and we are both clear that we are playing to win. It would be a first trophy for either of us.
I felt a had a good chance, but in the end the battle was short. In one hand, we both flopped big draws and I had to give up a big pot on the turn after Miriam had clearly hit her straight. In the very next hand, my Aces were outflopped and I went broke vs 2 pair.
So ... disappointed to have fallen short of the trophy once again, but pretty happy with a 100% cashing record at the festival so far !
I arrived just after the start, at the exact same moment as Nik Persaud and James Akenhead also walked through the door fashionably late.
It turned out to be quite a small field – just 29 players – but every one of them was a familiar face.
My table included James, as well as Scottish Rob and Miriam, and many other well known players from the club.
The structure was 5,000 chips at 25/50 to start, with an optional 5,000 extra chips any time in the first 3 levels. After a previous experience with this structure, I opted NOT to take the extra chips early on (this was the standard choice).
Emboldened by the prospect of a second life, I started out with check-calling the flop, air check-raising the turn and then bluffing the river vs Miriam who always suspects I am doing this but often opts not to pay me off just in case.
Actually in this case I did river a pair, so maybe it was a value bet ;)
Second hand, in the big blind. There are 5 limpers to me. I must raise, surely, and what do I find ? Double-suited Aces ! I pot it to 350, to find Scottish Rob now making it 850. Akenhead calls this, and I see no reason not to bang it up to 3,350. In a few moments we are all-in 3 ways.
Obviously I am winning, but they both have pretty Ace-cracking hands and I have to dodge most of the deck on the river. However, one pair takes the lot and I have over 15k after two hands.
Someone utters the dangerous words “even Howard can’t blow this chip stack”. The fact is, I hardly knew what to do with this many chips and it caused some odd plays.
Notably, when I picked up double-suited Aces again and bumped it from the small blind, I actually led the flop and folded to a pot bet from Miriam even though I had flopped the nut flush draw to go with my overpair. A short stack called Miriam so we saw that she had top pair with a weak kicker, plus a flush draw (dead to my hand) and a gutshot. At showdown, a pair of Queens, Ten kicker was good.
So, as it turns out, I might have moved on to 30,000 chips here if I re-pot and she goes with her hand. My thought at the time was that I didn’t want to play a 30,000 pot with a player who covered me. In hindsight I think I would play the pot smaller but not give up so early in the hand.
After that, I made some expensive hero calls (eg calling Dan Do’s shove with top pair, 9 kicker).
After I dwelled and called, he said “good call” but in fact I was outkicked. He assumed I had made a tough call with the bare overpair of Aces. Several hero calls later, I needed my rebuy chip but I did calm my play down and tried to ensure I would remain in the hunt.
By this time, a £50 rebuy sat to the Main Event was underway and Miriam and I were multi-tabling.
Back on the Omaha, I receive a lucky break when I 4-bet shoved with KKQx and JymJam appears to dwell up over the call a little bit. So, when he doesn’t instacall I figure I cannot be facing Aces.
However, I am ! I guess he was just taking a moment to think about the tournament situation.
I am in jeopardy but I flop more outs, and turn a straight. An unnecessary King also comes on the river. I am now in decent shape and make the final table again. Only 4 places to pay with this small field, though.
What a final table ! £50 rebuy PLO champ George the Cake is there. Nik P, Barry, Jym Jam, Mike Selzer. It doesn’t look great for me ...
However, I score a major H-bomb vs George. I make a raise on the button in a limped pot with the mighty J-8-6-3 and get two callers. The flop is J-J-3 !! George check-raises me all-in – he has the other Jack with overcards. Those don’t come, so I more than double up to a very useful 40k or so.
I’m having another spell over at the rebuy sat when I hear that a deal is in the advanced stages of discussion. I am not a huge fan of deals but, by the time I come back over to the table, six of the remaining seven players have agreed an even money chop.
I really want the trophy, however, so I only agree on the basis that we are playing on properly for position. Clearly some are more interested than others in the trophy and the play can never be 100% “normal” once the money is chopped. Indeed, a couple of players get their chips in quickly and very light.
We’re down to 4 players when I find a hand I am happy to get it all in with – double suited Kings. We play a big pot 3-way all-in with George playing Queens and JymJam a nice rundown. My Kings hold to take me into a heads-up for the trophy with Miriam.
Who would have predicted this !
We are very even in chips and we are both clear that we are playing to win. It would be a first trophy for either of us.
I felt a had a good chance, but in the end the battle was short. In one hand, we both flopped big draws and I had to give up a big pot on the turn after Miriam had clearly hit her straight. In the very next hand, my Aces were outflopped and I went broke vs 2 pair.
So ... disappointed to have fallen short of the trophy once again, but pretty happy with a 100% cashing record at the festival so far !
Thursday 10 September 2009
PSOP £200 NLH Freezeout
My route into the event was typical H-Bomb stuff, but, once I sat down for the real thing, I tried to focus on playing properly. I really wanted to record my first outright win at The International.
I believe I achieved my aim of playing a really solid game. I stayed below the radar early doors, although I was also on the lookout for opportunities to make some stylish plays.
I was particularly looking to make some winning hero calls. Early contender for that was my river call with a Pair of Sixes, Queen kicker in a six-way pot where the final board has three cards six-high plus a high pair on board. Yes, this means my hand was Q6, but they were soooooted.
This, to be fair, was not an especially difficult call. However, it was a decent-sized pot since there were the 6 limpers pre-flop and 5 of those called my small stab on the turn. Clearly most of them were flushing, and the button decided to have a 1/3 pot bluff at it when all checked the river.
Since I was playing so few hands (by my standards) I had time to look around at the festival. There was the new TV table with commentary station for the webcasts – what a brilliant idea !
What else is new ? Well the air-con is really cold, which is a novelty. I don’t mind that, personally.
The tourney chips are also new. I like the design, but I am not really sold on the weight and feel. They’re also so clean that they slide around and don’t stack up properly. Hopefully that will cause me some problems !
Still not much happening for me. I go through that phase where the hands I fold would have hit the flop like a guided missile. I get a small float the turn/bluff the river and bluff through against Ray Caabay and it keeps me going on about 12,000 chips at the end of level 3 (slightly above average with about a dozen players having made early exits).
Now I get a run of good cards. I am dealt AA twice and KK twice but frustratingly I don’t make too many chips with them. Having said that, I do win all those hands (all without showdown) so one mustn’t grumble too much.
I don’t seem to be able to hang onto my stack though. And, unlike some other events, it is not really due to splashing around. I have to fold KQs and AJs to strong pre-flop action and then when I get pushed off a mid pair by a squeeze from Ray, I turn out to have been ahead of his T3 (!) and also of India’s AQ (who did call).
Although I’m not making much forward progress, I am alive in the comp and I improve on my hero‑call record with a river call with K-high on an Ace-high board showing three cards to a flush and straight. Winning vs Thom’s Queen high. Again, though, not a genuine tough call based on the action.
I receive a few murmurs of “good call” from around the table although one’s never sure if these are ironic ! Thom, meanwhile, remarks wryly “I’ve got you where I want you if you’re calling with that”.
We’re down to the last 3 tables and my stack has been in the range 9k-14k for the entire comp.
By now, of course, that is only about half the average. Still, it is enough, and I am pleased that I have stayed patient. The fancy plays that I have done have all been for sensible amounts of chips so there haven’t really been any H-bombs yet.
Now, finally, I get some proper momentum. I double up with QQ > 99 and again with JJ > TT and then a dream scenario plays out vs. India. At 1,000/2,000 I make a raise with KcQc from late position to 5,100 and receive a call from India in the blinds. Even in position I’m a bit afraid of her, but the flop comes down AcJc6c!
I wonder how to proceed .... when she opens the flop for 7,500. I do my best to look concerned and flat call. Check/Check on the turn (a blank).
What to do on the river ? Again, my decision is made for me. India bets 12,000 (half my stack) so I shove hoping she has a piece of it. She insta-folds (J3 apparently). She said she couldn’t let me have the pot pre-flop on her blind!
Now I’m motoring, although I immediately take a 20k hit right back when a short stack (5bb) opens and I push with AQ from the big blind. He dwells forever (long into the break) before making the call with 77.
I lose that pot, but momentum returns soon after and before long we are setting out the final table.
At this point, Mike Middlemiss also rolls the clock back to the 2k/4k level which means there will be a fair amount of play at the final table. My 99k is a solid 25BB.
In fact, I soon have twice this many just by stealing and re-stealing and as a few players get knocked out, I start to feel I can take it down.
With 4 left, we take a short break and I am in a slender chip lead (280k vs 230k, 130k and 70k).
However, it is a tough field at this point. Two former festival champions in the form of Al Hughes and India Storrar, plus Chris Huxtable who is obviously more than capable of taking this down.
My aggressive play at the final table got me into this spot, and it was equally aggressive play that was maybe my undoing.
At 5k/10k, Chris opened UTG for 26k which was somewhat standard. He started the hand with 130k or so and I know that he is folding very strong hands to a shove. So I think J9s is plenty and put him to the test.
He passes the test rather easily as he snaps with KK. Oops. Of course, I still have a reasonable stack once I lose this hand (I do flop some outs to give Chris a sweat, though).
In the end it wasn’t to be and in fact I went from chipleader to finish 4th, whilst India came from 4th to take it down !
Still, 4th place was my largest tournament cash at The International and my first placing in a festival event. It was also a European Ranking tournament so I am presumably now ranked as the Nth best player in Europe where N, of course, is an almost arbitrarily large number !
I believe I achieved my aim of playing a really solid game. I stayed below the radar early doors, although I was also on the lookout for opportunities to make some stylish plays.
I was particularly looking to make some winning hero calls. Early contender for that was my river call with a Pair of Sixes, Queen kicker in a six-way pot where the final board has three cards six-high plus a high pair on board. Yes, this means my hand was Q6, but they were soooooted.
This, to be fair, was not an especially difficult call. However, it was a decent-sized pot since there were the 6 limpers pre-flop and 5 of those called my small stab on the turn. Clearly most of them were flushing, and the button decided to have a 1/3 pot bluff at it when all checked the river.
Since I was playing so few hands (by my standards) I had time to look around at the festival. There was the new TV table with commentary station for the webcasts – what a brilliant idea !
What else is new ? Well the air-con is really cold, which is a novelty. I don’t mind that, personally.
The tourney chips are also new. I like the design, but I am not really sold on the weight and feel. They’re also so clean that they slide around and don’t stack up properly. Hopefully that will cause me some problems !
Still not much happening for me. I go through that phase where the hands I fold would have hit the flop like a guided missile. I get a small float the turn/bluff the river and bluff through against Ray Caabay and it keeps me going on about 12,000 chips at the end of level 3 (slightly above average with about a dozen players having made early exits).
Now I get a run of good cards. I am dealt AA twice and KK twice but frustratingly I don’t make too many chips with them. Having said that, I do win all those hands (all without showdown) so one mustn’t grumble too much.
I don’t seem to be able to hang onto my stack though. And, unlike some other events, it is not really due to splashing around. I have to fold KQs and AJs to strong pre-flop action and then when I get pushed off a mid pair by a squeeze from Ray, I turn out to have been ahead of his T3 (!) and also of India’s AQ (who did call).
Although I’m not making much forward progress, I am alive in the comp and I improve on my hero‑call record with a river call with K-high on an Ace-high board showing three cards to a flush and straight. Winning vs Thom’s Queen high. Again, though, not a genuine tough call based on the action.
I receive a few murmurs of “good call” from around the table although one’s never sure if these are ironic ! Thom, meanwhile, remarks wryly “I’ve got you where I want you if you’re calling with that”.
We’re down to the last 3 tables and my stack has been in the range 9k-14k for the entire comp.
By now, of course, that is only about half the average. Still, it is enough, and I am pleased that I have stayed patient. The fancy plays that I have done have all been for sensible amounts of chips so there haven’t really been any H-bombs yet.
Now, finally, I get some proper momentum. I double up with QQ > 99 and again with JJ > TT and then a dream scenario plays out vs. India. At 1,000/2,000 I make a raise with KcQc from late position to 5,100 and receive a call from India in the blinds. Even in position I’m a bit afraid of her, but the flop comes down AcJc6c!
I wonder how to proceed .... when she opens the flop for 7,500. I do my best to look concerned and flat call. Check/Check on the turn (a blank).
What to do on the river ? Again, my decision is made for me. India bets 12,000 (half my stack) so I shove hoping she has a piece of it. She insta-folds (J3 apparently). She said she couldn’t let me have the pot pre-flop on her blind!
Now I’m motoring, although I immediately take a 20k hit right back when a short stack (5bb) opens and I push with AQ from the big blind. He dwells forever (long into the break) before making the call with 77.
I lose that pot, but momentum returns soon after and before long we are setting out the final table.
At this point, Mike Middlemiss also rolls the clock back to the 2k/4k level which means there will be a fair amount of play at the final table. My 99k is a solid 25BB.
In fact, I soon have twice this many just by stealing and re-stealing and as a few players get knocked out, I start to feel I can take it down.
With 4 left, we take a short break and I am in a slender chip lead (280k vs 230k, 130k and 70k).
However, it is a tough field at this point. Two former festival champions in the form of Al Hughes and India Storrar, plus Chris Huxtable who is obviously more than capable of taking this down.
My aggressive play at the final table got me into this spot, and it was equally aggressive play that was maybe my undoing.
At 5k/10k, Chris opened UTG for 26k which was somewhat standard. He started the hand with 130k or so and I know that he is folding very strong hands to a shove. So I think J9s is plenty and put him to the test.
He passes the test rather easily as he snaps with KK. Oops. Of course, I still have a reasonable stack once I lose this hand (I do flop some outs to give Chris a sweat, though).
In the end it wasn’t to be and in fact I went from chipleader to finish 4th, whilst India came from 4th to take it down !
Still, 4th place was my largest tournament cash at The International and my first placing in a festival event. It was also a European Ranking tournament so I am presumably now ranked as the Nth best player in Europe where N, of course, is an almost arbitrarily large number !
Friday 4 September 2009
Festival of Fun
The 2-week PSOP Festival is on at The International right now.
I was only planning to play the £1,000 main event, but the buzz emanating from the club and the forum convinced me to think again.
Then, the club started live-streaming from the newly created TV stage.
Change of plans ! Let’s forget about a selection of WSOPE, GUKPT and EPT events for the balance of this year, and go for a festival binge at The International instead.
So, I make it down for the £10 rebuy satellite to the £200 NLH freezeout (Event 7) and my intention is to play every event from then on (except for the £100/50 on Thursday which I can’t make).
Things start well.
In the £10R sat, you can rebuy immediately but I decided to be all-in first hand instead, and double rebuy if I lost. Two all-ins before it got to me. I duly called all-in blind.
Pocket 3s and pocket 6s have pushed before me.
My 84o doesn’t look too promising, but three clubs on the flop and another on the turn leaves the others hoping for the board to run out a straight flush.
After this first-hand treble up, I was couldn’t lose.
Even when I lost, I won the side pots.
It all led to me being the chip leader at the end of the rebuy period. I still added on as I don’t believe there is such a thing as too many chips, particularly in a super-turbo (as this was about to become).
I decided my strategy would be to exploit my chip lead by opening a lot of pots. I perhaps took this a little far when I raised to 650 with Q-6o from early position. Kirit in the big blind pushed for only about 1,400 total so I was just saying how it was unfortunate but I really had to call, when he accidentally flipped up his hand: Q-6o !
I am not sure whether he thought I had called, thought I had folded or thought he was calling all-in.
Whatever the case, I call now. If it wasn’t incredible enough that I raised with Q-6o, that he then pushed with Q-6o given I am likely to call, and that I now call with Q-6o, I now proceeded to win the hand with a 6-high flush !
Meanwhile, another player says he passed Q-6o as well in this coup.
That’s how good I was running.
Alas, once again, I failed to turn a winning satellite position into a seat. I need to learn to play even tighter. Mind you, I am not sure everyone else was playing tight enough either. With 12 left, I open-pushed with A-3o from the small blind and was called by 5-5 (he covered me by a tiny amount).
That’s not an automatic call, surely ?
Anyway, no good, but there was 10 minutes left and one seat left in the £20 turnover.
I give it a spin and 8-6o is good for trips on a 4-straight paired board, and we’re in !
Part 2 to follow.
I was only planning to play the £1,000 main event, but the buzz emanating from the club and the forum convinced me to think again.
Then, the club started live-streaming from the newly created TV stage.
Change of plans ! Let’s forget about a selection of WSOPE, GUKPT and EPT events for the balance of this year, and go for a festival binge at The International instead.
So, I make it down for the £10 rebuy satellite to the £200 NLH freezeout (Event 7) and my intention is to play every event from then on (except for the £100/50 on Thursday which I can’t make).
Things start well.
In the £10R sat, you can rebuy immediately but I decided to be all-in first hand instead, and double rebuy if I lost. Two all-ins before it got to me. I duly called all-in blind.
Pocket 3s and pocket 6s have pushed before me.
My 84o doesn’t look too promising, but three clubs on the flop and another on the turn leaves the others hoping for the board to run out a straight flush.
After this first-hand treble up, I was couldn’t lose.
Even when I lost, I won the side pots.
It all led to me being the chip leader at the end of the rebuy period. I still added on as I don’t believe there is such a thing as too many chips, particularly in a super-turbo (as this was about to become).
I decided my strategy would be to exploit my chip lead by opening a lot of pots. I perhaps took this a little far when I raised to 650 with Q-6o from early position. Kirit in the big blind pushed for only about 1,400 total so I was just saying how it was unfortunate but I really had to call, when he accidentally flipped up his hand: Q-6o !
I am not sure whether he thought I had called, thought I had folded or thought he was calling all-in.
Whatever the case, I call now. If it wasn’t incredible enough that I raised with Q-6o, that he then pushed with Q-6o given I am likely to call, and that I now call with Q-6o, I now proceeded to win the hand with a 6-high flush !
Meanwhile, another player says he passed Q-6o as well in this coup.
That’s how good I was running.
Alas, once again, I failed to turn a winning satellite position into a seat. I need to learn to play even tighter. Mind you, I am not sure everyone else was playing tight enough either. With 12 left, I open-pushed with A-3o from the small blind and was called by 5-5 (he covered me by a tiny amount).
That’s not an automatic call, surely ?
Anyway, no good, but there was 10 minutes left and one seat left in the £20 turnover.
I give it a spin and 8-6o is good for trips on a 4-straight paired board, and we’re in !
Part 2 to follow.
Thursday 3 September 2009
Poker on TV
The ESPN coverage for the Main Event has been running for a few weeks now. They are airing weekly shows in the run-up to the November final.
I still do not really like the 3-month hiatus, but I am beginning to understand why ESPN/Harrah’s think it is a good commercial idea.
The Day 1C coverage was supposed to be released on September 1st. This would be when I would find out if my Full Tilt hat was going to bring me a pay-day.
I was genuinely in two minds. I was told I needed only to feature in just one deal on the final edit to get paid.
On the one hand, I played at that table for about 6 hours and made some crazy “good for TV” plays. On the other hand, Daniel Negreanu had such a lame main event that I could easily imagine the whole session hitting the cutting room floor.
I really didn’t know, but in reality the actual playing on the TV table was the main thing. I have no real interest in being shown on TV. Of course a few $k of free money is always welcome.
Then, about a week before the due date, I heard on the internet that the table had been shown and was on pokertube (sort of a youtube for poker videos).
Apparently, I make only a brief appearance, getting out of the way pre-flop.
To be honest, I thought this might fail even the low hurdle that was set for my appearance money but actually I just heard from Full Tilt that they are paying me out. Indeed, the money is in my account. Of course, getting money out of online poker sites into the real world is not always the easiest thing (see previous blogs !)
I doubt I will ever be on TV playing poker again – at least, not for a long time.
The next best thing, then, is to be webcast in real time playing poker at The International.
If you liked Big Brother, you will love this ! Live streaming video from the newly built “TV table” at the club. For the past few days, it has been broadcasting 24/7. Even when there are no players, the mics pick up the sounds of the club. Strangely fascinating.
Unlike the ESPN shows, the feed is not edited at all (which may not be a good thing !)
I guess I was on there for a few hours on Wednesday as I managed a 4th place in the £200 Festival event (still searching for that first win ... sigh...). Fame at last. Since EPSN does not broadcast in the UK, this webcast is probably seen by more people than my prime time US television appearance !
Pokertube link (my moment of fame at ~ 3:17. Yes, that's it !)
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