Monthly Archives: April 2011

A Piece of Cake

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Cake Poker Rome Turbo 6-Max

Had 5♣5♥ and the bottom end of four to a straight but got caught by sixes that made a set.

11 minutes, 20 hands. -30BB.

Cake Poker $2,000 Guaranteed Rebuy & Addon (1,500 chips)

This went bad quickly on the third hand when I got greedy with 6♣8♣. There were four player in for 167 each pre-flop. The flop was 3♣9♣6♥ and I bet half the pot (349) after UTG checked. HJ called, but CO raised all-in to 1,183. That forced out UTG but I called and so did HJ. Amazingly enough, I had the best had of the lot; HJ held T♠K♣ and CO had A♦Q♥. My sixes and flush draw were in the lead 7:3 over the other players. 4♥ for the turn gave me an even better lead. But the Q♠ on the river yanked it away and dropped me down to 130 chips. That was gone in another couple hands.

I bought back in but it was only marginally better.

23 minutes, 22 hands. 2 buy-ins.

End of An Era, Pt. 7

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Full Tilt Flash Rush

Sat quietly for 35 hands, then open-raised to 2.4BB with J♠A♥ from HJ. BTN re-raised to 8BB and I called. Flop was 4♠7♠9♦, I bet 5.2BB, BTN raised to 16BB and I called. 7♥ for the turn. I bet all-in with 27.4BB and BTN folded, earning me 22.2BB.

Made my big killing with A♦A♣ on BTN. HJ limped in, I raised to 3.2BB. Only called was HJ. Flop hit 8♥4♠Q♠. HJ checked and I bet 2.8BB, getting re-raised to 5.6BB, which I three-bet all-in for 70.8BB. HJ called quick and showed Q♣K♣. I took in 139.8BB total. Hung around for a while after that without managing to lose it but I should have exited and banked the profit before doing anything else.

32 minutes, 67 hands. +124BB.

Full Tilt Flash Rush

Just minor losses and fewer wins for fifty hands here, then I picked up J♦K♥ as UTG3. Open-raised to 2BB, got calls from BTN and the blinds. Flop was T♥2♠3♥ and we checked all around. 2♥ for the turn. I opened with 3.2BB bet, only SB stayed in. 8♥ on the river and I had second nut flush. SB went all-in and I had to follow. Of course he had the A♥.

Re-bought and laid low again for forty hands. Got Q♥Q♦ as UTG and raised to 2.2BB. UTG1 immediately three-bet to 8.6BB and everyone dropped out until it got round to me again. I four-bet to 46.8BB and this time UTG1 just called. The flop was 4♠T♣A♦ and I put him to the test with an all-in of 42.4BB. He folded.

Nothing else really dramatic. I did manage to draw out 19BB from a pair of jacks by weak-playing some aces. I didn’t quite manage to make my original buy-in back.

40 minutes, 158 hands. 2 buy-ins. -28BB.

Full Tilt $4,500 KO Guarantee (2,000 chips)

Had a brief dip for a couple of hands at the beginning then with 1,830 chips and Q♥A♠ in my hand as SB I open-raised to 50 from 10/20. BB came along. Flop was a safe 3♠A♥7♦, I bet 100, BB went all-in for 2,340, and I called. He had bottom pair with T♦3♣. Two 4x showed for the turn and river and I was up to 3,680.

Had a few smaller wins after that but my participation was short. I had my own T♥3♥ in the BB at 20/40, with 4800 chips. Four players limped in and I checked my option. The flop looked good: 8♥3♦5♥. SB bet 200, I called, UTG went all-in for 5,760, and I was the only caller.He had 9♠8♦ for top pair but I was a slight statistical leader going into the turn. That, unfortunately, was 9♣. Now I needed to make the flush or a 7x for a straight. It was 6♣ on the river, though, and I was out.

28 minutes, 29 hands. Finished 1,179 or 1,591 players. No bounties.

Full Tilt Flash Rush

Was down over 26BB (out of 80 to start) after 23 hands and got incredibly lucky on the river. Had K♠6♠ on BTN, open-raised to 2.2BB, BB re-raised to 3.8, I called, and I hit top pair on K♦5♥7♦. BB checked, I bet 8BB, BB re-raised to 16, and I was all-in for 48.6. BB called and showed A♣A♦. Q♠ for the turn seemed to spell doom, but my kicker paired the 6♣ river card, so I was positive again, with a win of 46.6BB.

Managed to increase it to a profit of more than 52% but didn’t get out for some reason. Then I overplayed J♣K♥ against Q♥Q♦—which drew a set on the flop—and lost nearly 58BB.

K♣6♣ came through for me again, putting me back into positive territory briefly, but A♠T♠ lost out to a pair of kings, then my flopped set of jacks hit a set of aces on the turn and I was out.

23 minutes, 81 hands. -80BB.

Full Tilt Flash Rush

Skimmed along at the break-even point for most of this first game after the news of Black Friday broke. Only one win or loss greater than 6BB for eighty hands. Then, in the BB, I had 2♠6♦ and two limpers ahead of me. The flop gave me two pair—6♣K♣2♥—but it was a bit weighted for a flush. Everyone cheched to the A♣ on the turn. Everyone checked again. River was 8♦. SB went all-in for 54BB with a pot of only 3BB. It seemed like a steal, but it wasn’t. When I called he had the nuts: Q♣J♣.

I still had about 4BB left but that went away on the next hand.

21 minutes, 88 hands. -80BB.

Full Tilt Flash Rush

Got down more than two-and-a-half buy-ins in this last outing on the Rush tables for who knows how long. Managed to gain a little back with T♠Q♣ outdrawing flopped double-paired K♥A♦ to a club flush on the river.

39 minutes, 169 hands. -39BB.

Full Tilt $2,500 Rush Guarantee (1,500 chips)

The first thing I noticed on this tournament is that the guarantee has been dropped from its usual 10K to a quarter of that. Why am I playing it? How am I playing it? Apparently, the software updates haven’t caught up to me yet by this time Friday eventing. As for why, if the money’s just sitting there on Full Tilt, why not? It’s not like I’ll be able to get it any time soon.

I’m down to 1,365 after a few minutes, with K♦2♦ on BTN. I min-raise to 60, both blinds call. Flop is good-ish with 6♣K♠5♥. Both blinds check, I bet 180, BB calls. 9♣ for the turn, checks from both of us. 9♠ on the river. BB checks, I bet 300, he calls and his king kicker isn’t great but it’s better than mine: [kq]7♠. Down to 825.

I go all-in with 720 and K♠T♠ from UTG1, A♥9♥ calls from BB, and I double up when I pair the ten on the flop. Then I take another hit down to 900 a quarter-hour in. A couple of good hands let me eke back up over 1,400 before I hit paydirt at the half-hour mark.

Blinds are 30/60. UTG1 limps in. I had A♠K♦ as HJ and raise to 210. BTN and UTG1 call. Flop is ugly, with someone else’s flush draw and only an inside straight draw for me: Q♥2♣T♥. UTG1 checks, I go all-in for 1,167. BTN has only 875 and calls, he’s got a set: T♣T♦. My straight comes through on the turn with J♠. If UTG1 had the flush draw, they’d have been unhappy to see the A♥ on the river. I take the pot and I’m up to 2,762. The EV graph in PokerTracker did not like that move.

I make another 500 with K♠A♥ two hands later, then 600 with 7♣5♣ a couple hands after that. That was pretty much the peak, though, and after that it was mostly downhill.

41 minutes, 124 hands. Finished 129 of 559.

And that was my last game on Full Tilt for a while.

End of An Era, Pt. 6

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Full Tilt Marvelous Shallow

Got into this game a few minutes after starting in Del Monte. Left quickly for some reason while continuing to play the other game.

2 minutes, 3 hands. -5%ROI.

Full Tilt Wary Shallow

Popped into this right after getting out of Marvelous. Briefly got up 15BB but got pushed back under even with Q♦A♠. Ended up just short of even.

13 minutes, 18 hands. -6%ROI.

Full Tilt Chantilly Shallow

Flirted with the wrong side of even, then walked into a flush with 4♦6♦ in the BB, got positive, and left.

10 minutes, 12 hands. 6%ROI.

End of An Era, Pt. 5

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Full Tilt Step 1 Turbo (1,500 chips)

Trying to get back on the ladder. Again. Once again it goes poorly. Hand twelve is black eights 8♣8♠. I’m down to 1,230 at 30/60 in CO. Two players ahead of me limp in, I raise to 180, both the limpers call. The flop is T♣4♦5♥. UTG3 bets the pot (630), HJ surrenders, I raise all-in for 1,050. UTG3 calls and, of course, he has top pair with 7♥T♦. Nothing useful comes and I’m gone.

12 minutes, 12 hands. 9th of 9 players.

Full Tilt Crestline Gate Shallow

Won 4BB my first hand with K♥Q♠ but lost 8BB with K♠K♦ when I laid it down after A♠ showed on the flop and some aggressive raising from my opponent.

9 minutes, 14 hands. -19%ROI.

Full Tilt Deerline Shallow

Playing concurrently with the Crestline Gate game. Lost my entire buy-in in three minutes. Called a bet that put me all-in with K♠A♣ and was up against Q♠Q♦. Lost the race.

3 minutes, 5 hands. -100%ROI.

Full Tilt Dry Gulch Shallow

Picked up this game after Deerlodge and while still playing Crestline Gate. Went all-in to call SB and was followed by BTN. I was the worst of three pocket pairs: T♥T♦ vs. A♥A♣ vs K♥K♣. The aces held.

2 minutes, 3 hands. -100%ROI.

Full Tilt Del Monte Shallow

Began play here just after busting out of Crestline Gate. Lost 7BB a few hands in then almost got even by hand 25. Started sinking again on 30 with 4♣4♦ and was out with T♥9♣ that almost made a flush or straight.

31 minutes, 36 hands. -100%ROI.

End of An Era, Pt. 4

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Full Tilt Round 1 Freeroll (1,500 chips)

Another run at a freeroll. Doubled up on the second hand with T♥A♦ in SB. UTG2 was all-in for 1,605. I called with 1,470. He showed Q♦K♥, the flop had A♥ in the middle, and it was over by the river.

Fifth hand grabbed me even more chips. Q♣3♣ in CO. Five of us limped in, A♠2♣K♣ gave me second nut flush draw, I called HJ’s bet of 30, the blinds folded, and UTG1 called. 8♣ made my flush, UTG1 checked, HJ bet 30 again and I raised to 100. Both UTG1 and HJ came along. A scary K♠ hit the river, making several full house possibilities, but I didn’t think either of them had it. UTG1 checked, HJ was all-in for 1,325, I went all-in (UTG1 only had 15 more than HJ), UTG1 folded. HJ had a set of kings, but that didn’t touch my flush. That popped me over 4,700.

My 3♠3♣ that made twos full of threes by the river was bested by T♥T♣ a few hands later, though, costing me 1,200, and on the very next hand an ill-advised all-in call with A♣J♠ burned me for nearly 3,000 chips when K♦K♥ showed up for the showdown. I was down to 910 after that.

I managed to briefly recover two hands later with something similar to what had gotten me started: T♠A♥. I had 1,000 even on BTN, we were still at 15/30. HJ raised all-in to 935. I went all-in. BB—who’d taken me down with the kings a minute earlier, called. We flipped the cards over, BB had kings again: K♥K♠. HJ was in bad shape with K♦Q♥. The flop showed some promise: 2♦3♥5♥. Any ace, any four, a couple more hearts…I could even still get a straight flush. The turn 7♠ didn’t do me any good but I got my A♣ on the river (h/t Barry Greenstein). The pot netted me nearly 2,000 chips.

All of which I lost three hands later with A♣K♣. Blinds were 20/40. I raised to 100 from UTG1. The guy with kings was CO and re-raised to 360, getting a call from BTN. I re-raised to 1,020; CO and BTN were in. The flop looked good: A♥Q♣A♦. At least so long as he didn’t have a Qx. I bet my last 1,900 and got a call. He had the Mutant Jack: A♠J♠. Nearly 7K in the pot, I was a 4:1 favorite to win. 8♦ for the turn. J♦ for the river. Nobody named their book for that.

18 minutes, 14 hands. Placed 4,564 of 6,983 players.

Full Tilt $1 Main Event Satellite (1,500 chips)

BAM! Out of the gate, picked up steam with a win holding K♦8♦ on BTN. Four of us to the flop after a raise to 80 from UTG. K♠6♣T♠ and everyone checked to me. I bet 180, getting a call from only BB. 9♣ on turn and I bet another 700 (with only 540 behind), driving off BB and netting me 440.

K♠8♠ was mine again in CO, five hands later. Action folded to me, I raised to 100. BTN and SB called. I made top pair on the 6♠8♦2♥ flop, SB bet 200, I called, BTN folded. An 8♥ for the turn made a set but SB (who had me covered by thousands) bet 550. I raised all-in for 1,515 and he called, showing a weaker kicker: 8♣5♣. harmless 7♠ on the river and I was up to 3,780.

That was my apex, though. I raised a limp by UTG1 to 200 as UTG2 at 40/80. 4 callers. Low cards on the flop: 9♠3♣6♠. UTG bet 700 and I raised to 1,500, putting him on a pair to the board, which I could beat. Three folds, then a call from UTG. 2♣ for the turn and UTG checked. I bet 1,960 all-in. UTG called with just 130 behind, then dropped 9♣8♠. I was just about there, but then 8♦ showed up, giving him two pair and knocking me out.

18 minutes, 21 hands. 85th of 201 players.

End of An Era, Pt. 3

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Full Tilt Satellite to the $200K Double Deuce (1,500 chips)

Two of the players at my initial table were eliminated in the third hand by the guy on my left, then a couple hands later I falled him down to the river with a pair of jacks and took over 600 chips from him when his busted straight was exposed. He got moved to a new table right after that and I was left as chip leader for a bit with 2,700 chips.

Got J♦A♣ on SB at 30/60 fifteen minutes into the game and three-bet to 400 after a raise and a call to 150. There were three of us who saw the flop of J♣T♠K♣. I bet all-in for 2,550, getting a call from a small stack of 1,015 who then showed the straight with 9♥Q♥. Fortunately for me, Q♦ came on the turn and the 8♥ river card went nowhere. That put me up to 4,800. Got moved to a new table for the next hand.

There were seven players at the new table; I was in third place behind stacks of 7,500 and 5,250, with another stack about my size and the other three running from 1,000 to 2,600. Got 7♣7♠ in BB and when action folded to the SB who went all-in for 1,797 I called. He showed T♦J♠ and I was in trouble on the flop when it came out T♥6♠4♠. Then the turn 5♣ game me hope and 3♠ rier sealed the deal for my straight. Not exactly how I would have expected to win that hand, but I’d take it. Up over 6,600.

Back in the BB at 50/100 ten minutes later and I had A♣9♣. UTG called. The big stack at the table with 13K was UTG1, who raised to 450. I called and UTG called. The flop was T♣K♠8♦, I bet 450, UTG went all-in for nearly 4K, UTG1 called and I gladly folded. UTG held top pair with K♦Q♦ and UTG1 had crap with 7♠J♥. Who knows what he was doing.

Another ten minutes, another BB. 80/160 with K♠4♣. I’ve got about 5K, with the two larger stacks at the table of 9,700 and 8,100 on my right in SB and BTN. HJ, CO, BTN, and SB all limped and I checked to see what would come of this not-promising hand. 8♦7♠K♥ hit the flop and after SB checked I made a pot-sized bet (800) on my kings. Everyone folded to the SB, who called. 9♠ on the turn, check from SB, pot-sized bet (2,400, now) from me, call from SB. 9♥ on the river, check from SB, check from me, he shows 7♦J♥ and I take in 3,840. He’s the same player I took my first pot from. Life’s different in non-cash games.

I was over 8K at the 100/200 level when I had a serious turn-around with K♣Q♣ as HJ. UTG limped, I raised to 500. BTN, BB, and UTG called. The flop wasn’t auspicious: 9♦2♣5♥. Action checked to me, I bet 300, BTN folded, and the other two players called. A♣ on the turn gave me the nut flush draw. BB checked, UTG went all-in for about 3,200, and I called. UTG had two pair with 2♥A♥. My club didn’t show and I was down to 4K.

I was down to less than 3K ten minutes later at 150/300/25, in SB with T♦A♠. UTG1 raised to 1,500, I went all-in, and he called, showing J♥J♦. It was a nail-biter after the Q♣J♣7♥ flop, with his trips and my straight draw. The turn 9♣ gave us a chance of a chop. But pairing my ace with A♦ for the river didn’t do me any good.

58 minutes, 67 hands.

Full Tilt Satellite to the $200K Double Deuce (1,500 chips)

One hour later. Got chopped down to 950 chips in the first fifteen hands, then managed to parlay T♠A♦ into a win of 1,175 when a pair of fours didn’t believe I had an ace.

Lost 1,300 playing 6♦7♦ and a straight draw from BB against a set of tens, then won 2,300 two hands later with K♦J♦ going all-in and flopping two pair against callers with A♣Q♥ and A♦4♦.

Proceeded to lose nearly 3,000 over the course of two nearly consecutive hands shortly thereafter when a Mutant Jack beat my A♦7♦, then a pair of fives became a set on the turn after I’d flopped a pair for my jack. That put me on life support, down under 1,000.

Everything went into the pot with 5♣7♣ in UTG. BB with 9♥9♠ called, there were no clubs on the board, my only concession was a 7♦ for the river.

38 minutes, 47 hands. Finished 30th of 76.

End of An Era, Pt. 2

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Full Tilt .NET Onyx Cup – Round 1 (1,500 chips)

Spent some of my FTP points buying into the entry level of the Onyx Cup ladder. Given the way things went at the end of last week, I guess it’s all for the best that I didn’t get too far and get very invested in the process.

13 minutes, 15 hands. Placed 118th of 360.

Full Tilt .NET Onyx Cup – Round 1 (1,500 chips)

Five minutes after the first attempt. I’m back. This one’s more brutal than the last as pocket aces suck me down fast.

3 minutes, 4 hands. Even so I was 243rd of 360.

Full Tilt Satellite to the $200K Double Deuce (1,500 chips)

Fifth hand got me off to a quick start with K♠9♠ in the SB. I saw the flop with four others for 120 after a raise from UTG1. Got top pair with K♥7♥2♠ and pushed all-in for 2,380. BB raised nearly his entire stack, for 4,880. CO called all-in at 1,335. BB had a flush draw with T♥6♥, CO’s kicker was better: K♦A♥. Turn 7♣ didn’t change anything but the K♣ river gave me and CO kings full of sevens, and I got the bulk of the pot since CO’s contribution was smaller than mine.

Took a huge hit not long thereafter with T♦K♣ in UTG. I limped in for 60, SB called, BB raised to 240. I called and SB called. Flop was J♥A♠6♠, BB opened with 360, I called. BB kept pushing and I kept calling until the river when for some reason I pushed all-in with nothing more than a bluff for a flush. BB had top two pair on the flop but not quite as many chips as me; I lost more than 3,200 chips and had 155 left. That was gone in two hands.

20 minutes, 21 hands.

Full Tilt $1 Main Event Satellite (1,500 chips)

If I can’t get to the WSOP through the home league POY, I thought I’d try the even more difficult path through a massive qualifier (via FTP point buy-in). Another tournament without much traction, went out with A♥4♥.

17 minutes, 18 hands.

Full Tilt Round 1 Freeroll (1,500 chips)

Wanted to build my bankroll up and I really hadn’t been taking advantage of the freerolls. Got off to a great start on the first hand with J♠A♥ in CO. I raised to 600, expecting a couple of callers since it was a freeroll, and sure enough both the blinds came along. The flop was T♥6♣3♠. BB bet 30 more and I raised all-in to 900. SB folded but BB called and showed A♠2♦. The turn was Q♣ and river was 6♥; I ended up at 3,630.

The ninth hand put me over 5,000 chips but on eleven I had 9♥9♠ and was beat by 6♠8♥ that made a full house by the river.

18 minutes, 11 hands. Finished 4,213rd of 7,179.

End of An Era, Pt. 1

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Full Tilt KO Sit & Go (3,000 chips)

Didn’t last long here at all. Got caught with a stupid call holding K♠Q♥ with K♣ on the board against pocket aces.

13 minutes, 12 hands. 75th of 90 players.

Full Tilt Mach 10 Rush

Got up as high as 125% of my buy-in but put my flush up against a full house on the fortieth hand and lost my all-in.

10 minutes, 40 hands.

Full Tilt KO Sit & Go (3,000 chips)

A lacklustre showing here, I feel. I did briefly get up as high as 8K, but was quick to lose that and get knocked back down to about 4K. My J♥T♦ didn’t quite make a straight on the last hand.

46 minutes, 44 hands. 31st of 90.

Full Tilt Flash Rush

Never got ahead at all here. Three hands near the end wiped out my buy-in: Q♠K♥, J♥K♠, and A♠J♦.

6 minutes, 26 hands.

Second Hand Smoked

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Cake Poker $1,000 Guaranteed Turbo 6-Max (3,000 chips)

Bought into this game 20 minutes in, with blinds already at 50/100. Got K♠2♠ on my first dealt hand and called but folded to a 450 raise from my immediate left. Next hand was K♥K♣ in HJ. UTG folded, I raised to 300. Everyone folded around to BB who was all-in for 2,900. I went all-in to call and he showed 8♣A♥. The cards ran out J♥T♠J♦3♥A♣ and the river cracks my kings.