Saturdays with Dr Pauly is back !

That's right, an International Blogger tourney is back on the radar at a time when everyone can play, it's at 4:20pm ET which is 9:20 GMT. Don't you dare use that "I don't know how to play Omaha" excuse. It's high time you learnt (geddit? high? lolz) I thought you called yourself a poker player ?!

One other little thing, congrats to Kenn who has finally scored big in a FullTilt MTT. It was only a matter of time and $10k should see him through to the end of February for MTT buyins ! Shake and Bake !

I'll be playing tonight, there's a wee challenge at the raise the river forum where you have to play 15 games of 45-man SNG's to get points based on your finishes. Should be easy...

Contempt

Familiarity breeds it.

I've not played online poker for a week, mostly through tiredness in the evenings. Instead I've read a bit of The Poker Tournament Formula and been watching some movies. The book isn't one I'd recommend. The first few chapters basically tell you to try and get lucky early regardless of whether you're getting the money in ahead, then there is a later chapter relating this to chip stacks which invalidates most of the first half of the book. It would be a good strategy book for rebuys, but for a standard tournament it’s poor. Then again, WTF do I know ? If you want some more informed opinions there's a long thread on 2+2 here where the book is discussed in detail.

8 of us played a live game on Friday at Hooks' place. As usual it was HARD WORK for me. Being the most experienced player and sober in a room of drunks is painful with our group. I really wonder if it’s the worst game in the UK sometimes. Not only are we unable to stick to blind structures / rebuy rules but players are constantly having to be told whether their in a hand, what the bet is, why they didn't win a hand, who's turn it is. It’s a bigger grind than playing .10/.20 limit online. It's not all bad and there are still a few laughs in between but I'm happy we only do it 4 or 5 times a year. Poker shouldn’t be like that. The only reason I go is the gettings good, even though the whale won this one when his K4o beat Hooks' AK. It will take another 2 months before I've recharged enough to be able to say NH and smile when the whale hits his next gutshot.

Almost

My somewhat crazy sleeping arrangements on Wednesday left me with a feeling similar to jetlag on Thursday afternoon ! It's to be expected I guess, but unfortunately means I won't be playing mookie's week in week out this year. It was definitely fun and a learning experience and something I want to do again but I think next time I'll need the following morning off work… when I woke up this morning I had no idea what day it was, I just new I had to be in the office ! By 7pm last night I was through the "wall" of tiredness and into my second wind, so I looked for some value and found a $24 satellite to Full Tilts Million on Sunday. With only 16 runners and 1 $500 ticket guaranteed this was a nice bit of value so I signed up. An hour and a half later there was just myself, a german and a canadian left. The canadian busted the german then battled with me for another 20 minutes, finally with even stacks I got it all in preflop holding pocket 8's and his KQ paired on the turn to give him the ticket and me an empty feeling.

One thing that has become clear these past few weeks is I am still quite rusty from playing very little in 2007. There are some things I'm doing well, but there's also simple mistakes which have crept back into my game just from this lack of hours at the table. It's always hard to admit to shortcomings, but I think I need go two steps back and re-learn basic strategies just to remind the poker brain that the cool moves only become possible when you are first doing the simple things well.

To that end I've bought a new book "The poker tournament formula" by Arnold Snyder. (anyone read it ?) It's geared toward tourneys with fast blind structures, and the first couple of chapters have been just the refresher I was looking for. I'm sure there'll be a couple of new strategy points hidden deep in this book too that can only help me progress in the long run.

On a final note it's nice to have some comments from new people, even if you're only passing through it's good to know someones still reading ! And to you regular Brits reading here go check out Shrike and Shaubs, I'm sure you'll enjoy their blogs and learn something since they have actual poker content.

GL for the weekend all, especially the Chargers who are gonna need it most !

Danger Zone

I'm in a really dangerous poker place at the moment, making poor mistakes and as a result not trusting reads and following through on them. That can get really messy when you call 3 times when pushing would be better and then push the one time that it's a guess. I'm not really registering information that other players are giving me during hands properly either. Really dodgy times. I suspect that only more concetration and practice at the felt can really overcome this lack of faith.

Last night I was shattered when I got home so I ate and crashed. In bed by 7pm. Awake at 2am, and then playing in the Mookie. Some good and some bad plays ensued, in particular 2 hands which I might post later with the HH's, I trusted a read on one but didn't follow through properly and made the play look terrible, then didn't trust a read which I am 90% sure would have been good. Spewing followed and I bust in 18th/66 I think after getting allin with an OESD and missing.

Won some $ before work in limit cash game and took second in an 18plyr SNG, not a bad start to the day, just wondering if I'm going to have an energy crash later on.

Coffee... Keep it coming !

Pretty knackered again this morning, after staying up late (4am) last night playing the Blogger Razz Skill game. I was running ok until I got moved tables and sat next to Waffles, something happened and I became the anti-donk-donk which meant I made I some really dumb folds when I was priced in to calling with just about anything. At least it got a laugh ! I really enjoy these blogger games and they do help me learn new stuff, so I've been wondering about sleep patterns and whether its easy to change them and +EV in the long run. Bigger fields late in the night for regular tourneys and more cowboy donks has got to be an advantage I think, and being alert rather than drifting off in the Sunday Million would probably help too. Just not sure whether the body can adjust to going to bed at 6pm, getting up at 1am and then working 9-5. Effectively it would be the same as working afternoons and evenings instead of mornings and afternoons.

I suspect this is a step too far even for my degenerate ambitions, but maybe it is worth a short term experiment during the next month sometime just to see if it's possible and hit more of the overlay tourneys. We're neglected over here in Europe you know !

I played two FTOPS satellites earlier this week too, made two final tables and got two crappy beats one in NLHE and the other in Omaha. At least I am making the right moves I suppose.

Still off the cigarettes, just over a week now and still no blow ups at work :o)

Conversations in Razz (Pt 1)

After getting all my money in on 6th Street and improving my 7 to a 6 low on 7th

Razz-Guy "Nice river"
Tanorpheus "Yup, Lucky"

3 hands later after me being a calling station, but not getting allin and him beating my 7 with a 6

Tanorpheus "Nice river"
Razz-Guy "Wasn't rivered"
Tanorpheus "HH says it was"
Razz-Guy "HH mixed the hole cards up"
Razz-Guy "Cause live you wouldn't know what they were"
TanOrpheus "Oh"
- TanOrpheus stands up -

...I'll get my coat...

Busted!

Out of the Million, 1949/7370 on this hand...
His check-raise didn't make sense to me at the time, does now !

Free hand converter brought to you by CardRunners

Seat 1: tjbentham ($38998)
Seat 2: Cabandit ($15400) -
Seat 3: mntanabanana ($50917) -
Seat 4: lpruz ($25110) -
Seat 5: dbo336 ($83108)
Seat 6: hell awaits ($29346)
Seat 7: Zoli30 ($29626)
Seat 8: TanOrpheus ($19804)
Seat 9: bearw8 ($37040)


PRE-FLOP:

mntanabanana posts small blind $600
lpruz posts BIG blind $1200
Dealt To: TanOrpheus


ANTE tjbentham ($100)
ANTE Cabandit ($100)
ANTE mntanabanana ($100)
ANTE lpruz ($100)
ANTE dbo336 ($100)
ANTE hell awaits ($100)
ANTE Zoli30 ($100)
ANTE TanOrpheus ($100)
ANTE bearw8 ($100)
FOLD dbo336
FOLD hell awaits
RAISE Zoli30 ($2400)
CALL TanOrpheus ($2400)
FOLD bearw8
FOLD tjbentham
FOLD Cabandit
CALL mntanabanana ($1800)
CALL lpruz ($1200)


FLOP:

Pot: $10500
   

CHECK mntanabanana
CHECK lpruz
CHECK Zoli30
BET TanOrpheus ($7200)
RAISE mntanabanana ($31200)
FOLD lpruz
FOLD Zoli30
CALL TanOrpheus ($10104)


TURN:

Pot: $59004
     



RIVER:

Pot: $59004
      



SHOWDOWN:
mntanabanana:

TanOrpheus:


mntanabanana collected $45108 from main pot

SUMMARY:
Total pot: $45108 Rake: $0

Final Board:
     

Seat 1: tjbentham folded before Flop didnt bet - Net Gain/Loss: ($-100)
Seat 2: Cabandit button folded before Flop didnt bet - Net Gain/Loss: ($-100)
Seat 3: mntanabanana small blind showed [Ac Ks] and won 45108 with two pair, Aces and Nines - Net Gain/Loss: ($32504)
  
Seat 4: lpruz big blind folded on the Flop - Net Gain/Loss: ($-2500)
Seat 5: dbo336 folded before Flop didnt bet - Net Gain/Loss: ($-100)
Seat 6: hell awaits folded before Flop didnt bet - Net Gain/Loss: ($-100)
Seat 7: Zoli30 folded on the Flop - Net Gain/Loss: ($-1300)
Seat 8: TanOrpheus showed [Ah Th] and lost with two pair, Aces and Nines - Net Gain/Loss: ($-19804)
Seat 9: bearw8 folded before Flop didnt bet - Net Gain/Loss: ($-100)


My tourney kinda went like this

nervous
cocky
nervous
cocky
nervous
cocky
confused
busted

I made some stupid moves when the adrenalin was pumping, still didn't fare too hideously considering it's my first attempt in something like a year. I felt good to be back in it taking a shot. Hopefully theres better to come now the first of 2008 is outta the way.

I'm now also a Chargers fan for life after they pulled off an amazing win in a great game and making me some nice money in the process. Most of the rules came flooding back from when I was a kid and we used to get "Throw-ball" on Channel 4 Sundays. Was great to watch and very exciting.

Have a good start to the week everyone :o)

Super Sunday ?

Woken up by the cats this morning for breakfast, I was pretty knackered after staying up late playing Razz, so instead of going back to sleep after feeding them I got some coffee on the played more Razz. Couple of hours later and I've turned $25 into $95 with standard plays against guys who call down every street and a 3bet on the river with J,7,3,2,A vs my 6,5,4,3,A... lol Razz is easy !

About 2pm after starting to watch the Sunderland - Portsmouth game I crashed on the sofa, only waking up 4 hours later when Roberts scored in the dying minutes of the Bolton - Blackburn game. Very confusing for a few minutes!

After reading that Acorn qualified for the Sunday Mill earlier in the week I decided to have a crack at an $8+R satellite myself, and now thanks to some quad 6's at a fortunate moment I'm in the Million tonight too. That sleep this afternoon might come in handy tonight if I run well enough to go deep.

Finally I'm watching the Chargers - Colts game now on SkySports after I noticed on $mokkee's blog that not only could I get better odds than 4-1 on betfair but also that Waffles aka The Cooler had picked Indy to win. That's gotta be a +EV bet anyday so I've got £15 on San Diego at 6.4 :o)

Go Chargers !!!

Razz has even bigger donks than NLHE !

Who knew ?!

Full Tilt Poker Game #4837824210: Table jusmoney - $2/$4 Ante $0.40 - Limit Razz - 21:09:47 ET - 2008/01/12
Seat 2: Gazza_20042 ($65.40)
Seat 3: KCFHI ($48.20)
Seat 4: grandpopp ($28.70)
Seat 5: TanOrpheus ($42.20)
Seat 6: geltman ($69.40)
Seat 7: b r n n 420 ($90.60)
Seat 8: ICTOASN ($83)
ICTOASN antes $0.40
grandpopp antes $0.40
TanOrpheus antes $0.40
KCFHI antes $0.40
b r n n 420 antes $0.40
Gazza_20042 antes $0.40
geltman antes $0.40
*** 3RD STREET ***
Dealt to Gazza_20042 [6c]
Dealt to KCFHI [Js]
Dealt to grandpopp [9h]
Dealt to TanOrpheus [2d 3h] [Ad]
Dealt to geltman [3s]
Dealt to b r n n 420 [3c]
Dealt to ICTOASN [8c]
KCFHI is high with [Js]
KCFHI brings in for $0.50
grandpopp folds
TanOrpheus completes it to $2
geltman calls $2
b r n n 420 raises to $4
ICTOASN folds
Gazza_20042 folds
KCFHI folds
TanOrpheus calls $2
geltman calls $2
*** 4TH STREET ***
Dealt to TanOrpheus [2d 3h Ad] [6d]
Dealt to geltman [3s] [8h]
Dealt to b r n n 420 [3c] [Kd]
TanOrpheus bets $2
geltman calls $2
b r n n 420 calls $2
*** 5TH STREET ***
Dealt to TanOrpheus [2d 3h Ad 6d] [Td]
Dealt to geltman [3s 8h] [6h]
Dealt to b r n n 420 [3c Kd] [7c]
geltman bets $4
b r n n 420 calls $4
TanOrpheus raises to $8
geltman raises to $12
b r n n 420 raises to $16
TanOrpheus calls $8
geltman calls $4
*** 6TH STREET ***
Dealt to TanOrpheus [2d 3h Ad 6d Td] [5h]
Dealt to geltman [3s 8h 6h] [Ks]
Dealt to b r n n 420 [3c Kd 7c] [7s]
TanOrpheus bets $4
geltman calls $4
b r n n 420 calls $4
*** 7TH STREET ***
Dealt to TanOrpheus [2d 3h Ad 6d Td 5h] [4d]
TanOrpheus bets $4
geltman calls $4
b r n n 420 calls $4
*** SHOW DOWN ***
TanOrpheus shows [4d 3h Ad 6d Td 5h 2d] 5,4,3,2,A
geltman mucks
b r n n 420 mucks
TanOrpheus wins the pot ($90.30) with 5,4,3,2,A
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $93.30 | Rake $3
Seat 2: Gazza_20042 folded on 3rd St.
Seat 3: KCFHI folded on 3rd St.
Seat 4: grandpopp folded on 3rd St.
Seat 5: TanOrpheus showed [4d 3h Ad 6d Td 5h 2d] and won ($90.30) with 5,4,3,2,A
Seat 6: geltman mucked [Jh 5s 3s 8h 6h Ks As] - 8,6,5,3,A
Seat 7: b r n n 420 mucked [Jd 5d 3c Kd 7c 7s 4h] - J,7,5,4,3
Seat 8: ICTOASN folded on 3rd St.

Razz-le Dazzle

As you know I'm a complete donk, prooven conclusively by my AJ allin call vs Hoy's AQ in Kat's Rebuy donkament last night. I have bad excuses for the call of course, (drink/rebuy mode/3am) but that's not why I'm posting.

I've just spread my donkery to a new game, Razz. I don't really know what I'm doing (which is so cool by the way, seeing something new every hand you play) so maybe someone out there knows about Razz and can tell me how badly or well I played my first winning Razz hands...

PokerStars Game #14504288748: Razz Limit ($0.50/$1.00) - 2008/01/12 - 12:28:27 (ET)
Table 'Phaetusa III' 8-max
Seat 1: jaf3rdtx ($13.80 in chips)
Seat 2: EazyListenin ($19.90 in chips)
Seat 3: TanOrpheus ($11.45 in chips)
Seat 4: chipwitch ($20.40 in chips)
Seat 5: cdp4me ($4.95 in chips)
Seat 6: snoopaloop12 ($25.60 in chips)
Seat 7: mikeybabie ($18.05 in chips)
Seat 8: OPCflo ($4.10 in chips)
jaf3rdtx: posts the ante $0.05
EazyListenin: posts the ante $0.05
TanOrpheus: posts the ante $0.05
chipwitch: posts the ante $0.05
cdp4me: posts the ante $0.05
snoopaloop12: posts the ante $0.05
mikeybabie: posts the ante $0.05
OPCflo: posts the ante $0.05
*** 3rd STREET ***
Dealt to jaf3rdtx [Qh]
Dealt to EazyListenin [9h]
Dealt to TanOrpheus [4c 3d Qc]
Dealt to chipwitch [Td]
Dealt to cdp4me [As]
Dealt to snoopaloop12 [3h]
Dealt to mikeybabie [Qd]
Dealt to OPCflo [2h]
jaf3rdtx: brings in for $0.25
EazyListenin: folds
TanOrpheus: calls $0.25
chipwitch: folds
cdp4me: folds
snoopaloop12: calls $0.25
mikeybabie: folds
OPCflo: calls $0.25
*** 4th STREET ***
Dealt to jaf3rdtx [Qh] [7s]
Dealt to TanOrpheus [4c 3d Qc] [2s]
Dealt to snoopaloop12 [3h] [2c]
Dealt to OPCflo [2h] [4h]
snoopaloop12: bets $0.50
OPCflo: calls $0.50
jaf3rdtx: folds
TanOrpheus: raises $0.50 to $1
snoopaloop12: calls $0.50
OPCflo: calls $0.50
*** 5th STREET ***
Dealt to TanOrpheus [4c 3d Qc 2s] [7c]
Dealt to snoopaloop12 [3h 2c] [8c]
Dealt to OPCflo [2h 4h] [Tc]
snoopaloop12: bets $1
OPCflo: folds
TanOrpheus: raises $1 to $2
snoopaloop12: calls $1
*** 6th STREET ***
Dealt to TanOrpheus [4c 3d Qc 2s 7c] [9c]
Dealt to snoopaloop12 [3h 2c 8c] [4s]
snoopaloop12: bets $1
TanOrpheus: calls $1
*** RIVER ***
Dealt to TanOrpheus [4c 3d Qc 2s 7c 9c] [Jc]
snoopaloop12: bets $1
TanOrpheus: calls $1
*** SHOW DOWN ***
snoopaloop12: shows [8h Th 3h 2c 8c 4s 9s] (Lo: 9,8,4,3,2)
TanOrpheus: shows [4c 3d Qc 2s 7c 9c Jc] (Lo: 9,7,4,3,2)
TanOrpheus collected $11.90 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $12.40 | Rake $0.50
Seat 1: jaf3rdtx folded on the 4th Street
Seat 2: EazyListenin folded on the 3rd Street (didn't bet)
Seat 3: TanOrpheus showed [4c 3d Qc 2s 7c 9c Jc] and won ($11.90) with Lo: 9,7,4,3,2
Seat 4: chipwitch folded on the 3rd Street (didn't bet)
Seat 5: cdp4me folded on the 3rd Street (didn't bet)
Seat 6: snoopaloop12 showed [8h Th 3h 2c 8c 4s 9s] and lost with Lo: 9,8,4,3,2
Seat 7: mikeybabie folded on the 3rd Street (didn't bet)
Seat 8: OPCflo folded on the 5th Street

Was I just lucky as hell that my 9,7,4,3,2 beat his 9,8,4,3,2 or was I putting money in on the right streets ?

PokerStars Game #14504794153: Razz Limit ($0.50/$1.00) - 2008/01/12 - 12:54:45 (ET)
Table 'Phaetusa III' 8-max
Seat 1: jaf3rdtx ($19.45 in chips)
Seat 2: EazyListenin ($24.95 in chips)
Seat 3: TanOrpheus ($16.20 in chips)
Seat 4: chipwitch ($13 in chips)
Seat 5: Marek Nowak ($12.35 in chips)
Seat 6: snoopaloop12 ($19.05 in chips)
Seat 7: mikeybabie ($23.35 in chips)
jaf3rdtx: posts the ante $0.05
EazyListenin: posts the ante $0.05
TanOrpheus: posts the ante $0.05
chipwitch: posts the ante $0.05
Marek Nowak: posts the ante $0.05
snoopaloop12: posts the ante $0.05
mikeybabie: posts the ante $0.05
*** 3rd STREET ***
Dealt to jaf3rdtx [Js]
Dealt to EazyListenin [9s]
Dealt to TanOrpheus [7s 4s 8s]
Dealt to chipwitch [Jh]
Dealt to Marek Nowak [6h]
Dealt to snoopaloop12 [Qs]
Dealt to mikeybabie [Kc]
mikeybabie: brings in for $0.25
jaf3rdtx: folds
EazyListenin: folds
TanOrpheus: calls $0.25
chipwitch: folds
Marek Nowak: raises $0.25 to $0.50
snoopaloop12: calls $0.50
chipwitch is sitting out
mikeybabie: folds
TanOrpheus: calls $0.25
*** 4th STREET ***
Dealt to TanOrpheus [7s 4s 8s] [Ad]
Dealt to Marek Nowak [6h] [3s]
Dealt to snoopaloop12 [Qs] [3h]
Marek Nowak: bets $0.50
snoopaloop12: calls $0.50
TanOrpheus: calls $0.50
*** 5th STREET ***
Dealt to TanOrpheus [7s 4s 8s Ad] [3d]
Dealt to Marek Nowak [6h 3s] [Jd]
Dealt to snoopaloop12 [Qs 3h] [Ac]
TanOrpheus: checks
Marek Nowak: checks
snoopaloop12: checks
*** 6th STREET ***
Dealt to TanOrpheus [7s 4s 8s Ad 3d] [9h]
Dealt to Marek Nowak [6h 3s Jd] [2s]
Dealt to snoopaloop12 [Qs 3h Ac] [Kh]
TanOrpheus: bets $1
Marek Nowak: raises $1 to $2
snoopaloop12: folds
TanOrpheus: calls $1
*** RIVER ***
Dealt to TanOrpheus [7s 4s 8s Ad 3d 9h] [2h]
TanOrpheus: bets $1
Marek Nowak: calls $1
*** SHOW DOWN ***
TanOrpheus: shows [7s 4s 8s Ad 3d 9h 2h] (Lo: 7,4,3,2,A)
Marek Nowak: mucks hand
TanOrpheus collected $9.15 from pot
AlDorado has returned
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $9.60 | Rake $0.45
Seat 1: jaf3rdtx folded on the 3rd Street (didn't bet)
Seat 2: EazyListenin folded on the 3rd Street (didn't bet)
Seat 3: TanOrpheus showed [7s 4s 8s Ad 3d 9h 2h] and won ($9.15) with Lo: 7,4,3,2,A
Seat 4: chipwitch folded on the 3rd Street (didn't bet)
Seat 5: Marek Nowak mucked [7h 5h 6h 3s Jd 2s 6c]
Seat 6: snoopaloop12 folded on the 6th Street
Seat 7: mikeybabie folded on the 3rd Street

After this he said "sick lucker" But was it ?

PokerStars Game #14504823054: Razz Limit ($0.50/$1.00) - 2008/01/12 - 12:56:14 (ET)
Table 'Phaetusa III' 8-max
Seat 1: jaf3rdtx ($19.35 in chips)
Seat 2: EazyListenin ($24.85 in chips)
Seat 3: TanOrpheus ($21.25 in chips)
Seat 5: Marek Nowak ($8.25 in chips)
Seat 6: snoopaloop12 ($18.30 in chips)
Seat 7: mikeybabie ($23 in chips)
Seat 8: AlDorado ($19.45 in chips)
jaf3rdtx: posts the ante $0.05
EazyListenin: posts the ante $0.05
TanOrpheus: posts the ante $0.05
Marek Nowak: posts the ante $0.05
snoopaloop12: posts the ante $0.05
mikeybabie: posts the ante $0.05
AlDorado: posts the ante $0.05
*** 3rd STREET ***
Dealt to jaf3rdtx [As]
Dealt to EazyListenin [4h]
Dealt to TanOrpheus [4s 6c 3c]
Dealt to Marek Nowak [6d]
Dealt to snoopaloop12 [Ts]
Dealt to mikeybabie [Qc]
Dealt to AlDorado [Jc]
mikeybabie: brings in for $0.25
AlDorado: folds
jaf3rdtx: calls $0.25
EazyListenin: folds
TanOrpheus: calls $0.25
Marek Nowak: folds
snoopaloop12: folds
*** 4th STREET ***
Dealt to jaf3rdtx [As] [Qh]
Dealt to TanOrpheus [4s 6c 3c] [Ah]
Dealt to mikeybabie [Qc] [Ac]
TanOrpheus: bets $0.50
mikeybabie: folds
jaf3rdtx: calls $0.50
*** 5th STREET ***
Dealt to jaf3rdtx [As Qh] [8h]
Dealt to TanOrpheus [4s 6c 3c Ah] [9h]
TanOrpheus: bets $1
jaf3rdtx: calls $1
*** 6th STREET ***
Dealt to jaf3rdtx [As Qh 8h] [3d]
Dealt to TanOrpheus [4s 6c 3c Ah 9h] [9d]
jaf3rdtx: bets $1
TanOrpheus: calls $1
*** RIVER ***
Dealt to TanOrpheus [4s 6c 3c Ah 9h 9d] [6s]
jaf3rdtx: bets $1
TanOrpheus: calls $1
*** SHOW DOWN ***
jaf3rdtx: shows [2c 8d As Qh 8h 3d 8s] (Lo: Q,8,3,2,A)
TanOrpheus: shows [4s 6c 3c Ah 9h 9d 6s] (Lo: 9,6,4,3,A)
TanOrpheus collected $7.75 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $8.10 | Rake $0.35
Seat 1: jaf3rdtx showed [2c 8d As Qh 8h 3d 8s] and lost with Lo: Q,8,3,2,A
Seat 2: EazyListenin folded on the 3rd Street (didn't bet)
Seat 3: TanOrpheus showed [4s 6c 3c Ah 9h 9d 6s] and won ($7.75) with Lo: 9,6,4,3,A
Seat 5: Marek Nowak folded on the 3rd Street (didn't bet)
Seat 6: snoopaloop12 folded on the 3rd Street (didn't bet)
Seat 7: mikeybabie folded on the 4th Street
Seat 8: AlDorado folded on the 3rd Street (didn't bet)

At Hold-Em I knew I when I was being a Donkey, now I don't have a clue ! Ignorance Is Bliss !!!

Breathe

Poker tournaments ebb and flow in a mesmeric way when you're on your game. Cards fall, pattens show themselves and confidence grows around you like a protective blanket. The longer you stay in the more realistic a win is becoming, everything that's happened so far seems like near perfect decisions. 5 spots from the money and 25 spots from the big prize another deal falls on the screen, like a mantra when meditating.

AQ diamonds in MP, I raise 4x, the big stack who's stepped up a gear and been pushing his luck calls on the button. The flop is decent J 8 5 with two diamonds. I already know the bet that asks the question I need answered. Four fifths of the pot are pushed out. Preparation meets opportunity. If he flats calls I'm beat, if he raises allin I'm ahead and drawing to the nuts. I'm already hovering on call when he shoves allin, instantly clicking when it pops up. He's got KQ of clubs. It's near perfect. Until another black King smashes onto the table on the turn and the river's another black rag.

It all stops, everything. Seconds pass staring at the screen. "LOL" pops up in the chat from the guy folding his way into the money. Reading its enough to make me snap out of my paused world and consciously think Breathe... Blink... blink... close your mouth. The table stays open long enough to see his words spew into the chat

"I knew he had nothing, was hoping for a fold but I'll take it"

These Scandi fuckers think they can justify anything.

Reading that brings the shock from the turn card back all over again .... .... Breathe .... Breathe.

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It doesn't matter if it's a $4 180 or a $2500 WCOOP game, I get that same world-spinning, time stands still feeling when I'm really zoned into a poker tourney and it suddenly gets ugly. I'm fairly sure that's a good thing. It means the buyin doesn't change the way I play and that's good. I see a ton of people going up the limits solely for the thrill of winning bigger pots in cash games or looking for one big score in tourneys. I just want to win the next hand I'm in, no matter the stakes. I think that's a pretty damn good way of thinking 'bout this game.

Lazy Bones

The fourth day of quitting is over, and it's been plain sailing so far. Now comes a real tester, the first weekend. Playing so much poker this week has really helped distract me during the evenings, although the way I played last night that's all it was, a distraction, not something I was really focussing on to win. I ended up playing a mix of 180's and 45's but I was just playing my cards ABC-style and had no idea how anyone else at my tables was playing.

That's just not good poker.

So I ended with no cashes, mostly due to getting my money in ahead through good fortune rather than good planning but being outflopped outturned and outrivered. I need to remind myself that when poker seems like an easy game it's because I've been working hard at winning for the previous few sessions.

I'll be online and playing for the next 3 nights. Weather's crap so can't go out and do much. Can't go to the pub cause I'll smoke, can't visit friends cause most of them smoke still. Hope to catch you on the felt at one of these tourneys which I'll more than like be playing :

Friday - have fun go mad in the

Blogger DonkamentFull Tilt,
02:00 AM GMT
Password: donkarama
$1 + $1, rebuy + addon, NLHE

Sunday - mad dogs and Englishmen

BritBloggermentPokerStars,
9:00 PM GMT
Password: donkament
$5 + $.50, NLHE

P.S. Plenty of new links appearing in my list on the right there now, I'll have to do some culling soon too as it's getting to be a huge list.

Bang !!

When my brother was little and I was littler, and something wound him up, he'd walk into the nearest room and scream BANG! to let it all out.

If you read here and follow my expoits you'll probably get the impression that this is a "fair weather" poker blog. I mostly post the highlights, tell ya when things are going well and don't mention it when I'm running bad. The only reason things are that way is because I think it's boring to tell you how many busts or suckouts I've had on any given day. I get plenty, but I play a reasonably even keeled game and only let the excitement of a win really come to me after the result, and playing lots of small field MTTs (up to 180's) you soon get used to fact that most of the time you'll be busting at some point, suckout or not. So what goods it gonna do moaning ?

HOWEVER, sometimes, on the third day of smoking abstinence, after a busy day at work thinking how great it is that I'm loving the game again, and after only 4 hours sleep due to trying to play the Bodonkey on a "school night", the poker gods decided to really kick me in the bollocks.

Just to test my resolve a little !

Love it. No really ! I'm beginning to fall in love with it again, even if I do get a 'Bang!' night once in a blue moon :o)

Day 2 of Quitting

Made it through day 1 ! Result. The nicotine patches are keeping my brain fooled and stopping me from acting like a complete idiot for now. The most difficult times yesterday were around 10.30, when I usually have my first of the day after coffee, leaving work at 5.30 and then from 7-8 pm after dinner. Cravings only really last for short bursts of at most 5 minutes, once they've passed everything is normal again.

I did play poker last night, busted in the first two tourneys I played (another suckout on Stars and a stupid call by me on FTP) So I stopped for a bit and watched Night at the Musuem, which wasn't bad, then fired up another 45-man $5 game and took second, followed by one final 45 game at bedtime where I got 5th (6 pay out) The 45's really are pretty easy, you are usually down to 18 by the first break and if you've chipped up from 1500 to around 4000 in that time it's a smooth ride to make the FT at which point aggression will get you into the money spots.


Here's my sharkscope graph for the 100 games I've played over the last month or so.

It's a very small sample size, but it looks good so I'll just stick it here to make myself look better than I am and massage my ego :o) Apparently the next RTR challenge is going to be 20 attempts at 45 player SNG's so I might just have to show up and have a crack at that one.

Two Thousand Ooooh-8

This year's got a kinda mysterious, sexy feel to it already doesn't it ? No ? Maybe it's just me then. I don't know what's coming but as long as we keep ploughing forward there's better than a coinflip chance that this year will get pretty groovy I reckon. I already managed to get my idle brain to do something cool and updated all my links by getting google reader to auto update them on the right there :o) If you ain't in, don't update or I've got the wrong addy just shout in the comments and I'll get it auto-fixed before you can say suckout.

I'm about 18 hours into into attempt number 3 of the stop smoking campaign. 1 minor blow up so far with a colleague, otherwise it's all good. This time I have a support "mentor" at the local hospital who reviews your week, does a carbon monoxide test and generally encourages. In the space of only a few hours my CO count has already dropped from 17ppm to 13ppm (normal is around 7ppm) The evenings of course will be the most difficult time so maybe there'll be some wierd emotional posts in the near future.

I'll be hard pressed to play any less poker this year than I did last, my current feelings for the game mean I'll be getting deeply invlolved with more and more of my free time being on the felt if everything goes to plan. Qualifying for some more shots at the Sunday Million would be nice, and I'll certainly put some effort into trying. Anyway, must go and try to look busy here at work, I'm trying right now to book a training course in Toronto !

Hmmm, I think Ooh-8 needs a motto

2008 - Live the life you've always wanted.

Sound Good ?

P.S. I remember a while ago there was like a blogger Irc channel, if any of you know where/what it is can you drop me a line cause I can't remember it. I know it's probably something hammer-related. Ok, I'm babbling. TanOut...