It has certainly been a long winter. I keep saying that I love all four of Michigan's seasons (and I do!), but wow, almost a record snowfall for February (31" for the month) and a prolonged period of really cold weather had me a bit - "out of whack."
At least we're getting some sunshine and the promise of Spring. I keep looking for my little crocuses (croci?) and daffodils to confirm that Spring is here, but they're under too much snow at this time.
February was also a very busy month for me business-wise, and a busy month for other interests, so I didn't play much poker. For the first time, I didn't earn a small cash award for PokerSchoolOnline (PSO). I only played about a dozen tournaments, but I did have enough points to get a freeroll ticket for March. I had two or three really quick departures which cost me in the points department, so I guess I should be happy that I qualified for the freerolls this month.
I started March out horribly with my monthly live game. Been playing once a month with the same group of guys since March 2003. It's dealer's choice, no hold 'em, and we rotate bringing the food for the group. It's really more of a male bonding night than a real poker night. Stakes are ultra-low so nobody gets hurt badly, and it gives a chance to catch up with each other's lives and happenings.
Nobody leaves the hand and it's practically impossible to bluff at these stakes, too. So you're left with some basic calculations of probablility and outs and the rest is pure luck. Last night, not even switching decks helped. I had a few really good hands but the rest were pretty poor. A lot of Omaha hi-lo and seven card hi-lo games were dealt. So even when you win you're usually splitting the pot.
We were also playing short since one of the guys had to go on a 'date' with his wife (it was her birthday - what a wimp) and the other was driving back from Cleveland. Two others were just missing in action, but we had our reserve player make it to give us a table of five.
It's always a good time and this month I was most definitely a 'donator', but this game is really not about money. Even on a great winning night, nobody gets rich. Actually, we'd have trouble filling up an empty gas tank with our winnings at the current prices. But we always pull half of one ante out of the pot to donate to a local Children's Cancer fund.
I'm hoping that I will turn things around, but I've noticed that when I get really busy with other parts of my life I lose my poker concentration. That leaves me with the quandry of playing losing poker when 'life is good' or not playing at all. Hopefully I will work through that issue sometime and figure it all out. I have some free entry tickets for the Poker Stars SCOOP series, so I will definitely give those a whirl and try to progress in that tourney.
Showing posts with label poker stars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label poker stars. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Switching Gears
My golf buddies and I were talking last night and we're pretty sure that there's only a few more weeks of golfing left in this season. Last year, I played my last, very chilly round on the Sunday after Thanksgiving.
Bundled up, wearing winter golf gloves and a wicking 'beanie' cap wasn't quite the same, but at least I was playing golf. This year, I'll start playing at the simulator earlier. It's pretty realistic, except for the putting, which I'll forego. If I'm within 10 ft of the pin I'll declare a one putt. Any further and a two putt. At $20/hr that makes sense to me.
I'm also going to play a lot more poker this year. I've been playing in the Poker Stars Poker School Online league and will be doing more multi-table tournaments (MTTs). Cheap buy-ins, long sessions and hopefully a few final tables will be in my future. That should get me through the winter!
Bundled up, wearing winter golf gloves and a wicking 'beanie' cap wasn't quite the same, but at least I was playing golf. This year, I'll start playing at the simulator earlier. It's pretty realistic, except for the putting, which I'll forego. If I'm within 10 ft of the pin I'll declare a one putt. Any further and a two putt. At $20/hr that makes sense to me.
I'm also going to play a lot more poker this year. I've been playing in the Poker Stars Poker School Online league and will be doing more multi-table tournaments (MTTs). Cheap buy-ins, long sessions and hopefully a few final tables will be in my future. That should get me through the winter!
Friday, January 29, 2010
WBCOOP Ticket Won!
After my first experience, detailed in numerous blog entries, and trying to get one of the 'spot' awards for online blogging during the event, I tried again - and got a ticket.
I did not try to blog while playing (a smart move), played tight and aggressive and at my peak made it to 20th of 148 players. I went all in with Q's and got hit by K's to finish 145th. Oh well, into the prize pool and I still have one entry left. I'll see if I can improve on the last attempt with my final ticket.
I did not try to blog while playing (a smart move), played tight and aggressive and at my peak made it to 20th of 148 players. I went all in with Q's and got hit by K's to finish 145th. Oh well, into the prize pool and I still have one entry left. I'll see if I can improve on the last attempt with my final ticket.
Monday, January 25, 2010
WBCOOP - almost over
I just dodged a huge bullet. Down to 32 chips, now at 1382 in about 5 hands. One bad decision crippled me and I have to climb out of a deep hole.
WBCOOP - Second Break
OK, at the end of the 2nd hour there are 343 players on 39 tables. I've increased my chip stack significantly with measured aggression. As the blinds and antes go up, we'll see a lot more desperation moves, especially from players with less than 3000 chips.
If the loss of 12 players/minute holds steady, I need to hang out for another 20 minutes or so to get in the prize pool. Ideally, I'll make it to the final table. We'll see.
Just checked on the chicken soup (home made) that I started just as the tourney began - it's WONDERFUL!!!
If the loss of 12 players/minute holds steady, I need to hang out for another 20 minutes or so to get in the prize pool. Ideally, I'll make it to the final table. We'll see.
Just checked on the chicken soup (home made) that I started just as the tourney began - it's WONDERFUL!!!
WBCOOP 2nd round update
Full Box just took over 5000 chips from cctruckee.
I'm floating between 3rd & 4th at this table, it's been a good round so far.
We're down to 415 players on 47 tables, pays go out to first 153. Break in 8 minutes.
I'm floating between 3rd & 4th at this table, it's been a good round so far.
We're down to 415 players on 47 tables, pays go out to first 153. Break in 8 minutes.
WBCOOP First Break
At the end of the first hour there are 1026 players on 114 tables. The corrected entries was 1740, so we lost 13 players a minute for the first hour.
I've increased my chips but am not a 'big stack' at this point. My strategy is OK for now, but I will slow down on bloggin so I can get a better feel for the players and take advantage of stealing a few pots whenever possible.
My position is 497 out of 1026 remaining players, and there is still a lot of poker to play. See you somewhere between now and the next break.
I've increased my chips but am not a 'big stack' at this point. My strategy is OK for now, but I will slow down on bloggin so I can get a better feel for the players and take advantage of stealing a few pots whenever possible.
My position is 497 out of 1026 remaining players, and there is still a lot of poker to play. See you somewhere between now and the next break.
40 minutes and we have 1207 playes on 135 tables, an average of 13 players per minute getting knocked out.
I think for the first two hrs. I'll be able to blog and play. Once we get beyond that, I'll likely have to slow down posting or wait until breaks. Luckily, my style of play allows me to post a bit during the tourney.
Just got pocket J's again, innocuous flop, I bet 3x the blinds and get two callers. J on the turn, and oh, goodness, another on the river for quads! About 750 more chips come my way. Sweet!
I've had unsuited A-9 about 8 times already, all in early position. An ace has flopped around half of those times. 7 minutes to the first break.
I'm going to concentrate on this table till then. See you after the break.
I think for the first two hrs. I'll be able to blog and play. Once we get beyond that, I'll likely have to slow down posting or wait until breaks. Luckily, my style of play allows me to post a bit during the tourney.
Just got pocket J's again, innocuous flop, I bet 3x the blinds and get two callers. J on the turn, and oh, goodness, another on the river for quads! About 750 more chips come my way. Sweet!
I've had unsuited A-9 about 8 times already, all in early position. An ace has flopped around half of those times. 7 minutes to the first break.
I'm going to concentrate on this table till then. See you after the break.
WBCOOP First Round - update
At 30 minutes we have 1351 players on 151 tables.
I got a 3-5 unsuited on the big blind, limped into a flop of Q-5-5. One minimum bet and everybody folded! Bummer.
I was 2 minutes late to the table because I had started a big pot of chicken soup. I hope that'll be my victory dinner tonight. :-)
Pace seems to be slowing down a bit. First 30 minutes were at breakneck speed, it seemed.
Good cards have stopped for a little spell, but I'm going to stick with my strategy. Player taasver is frequently going all in pre-flop. Not sure if he's really getting great hands or just trying to steal blinds. We'll keep a closer eye on him. Maybe I can trap him.
Well, he just got called on an all-in. He had pocket 10's vs. pocket 9's. A none on the flop, he's crippled. Just went all in with a K-4 (next hand), and he pulled it out. Another taasver all-in. Wow. He's stealing a lot of blinds and up to 1200 chips. Oops, one too many and he's gone on the 50th hand.
I got a 3-5 unsuited on the big blind, limped into a flop of Q-5-5. One minimum bet and everybody folded! Bummer.
I was 2 minutes late to the table because I had started a big pot of chicken soup. I hope that'll be my victory dinner tonight. :-)
Pace seems to be slowing down a bit. First 30 minutes were at breakneck speed, it seemed.
Good cards have stopped for a little spell, but I'm going to stick with my strategy. Player taasver is frequently going all in pre-flop. Not sure if he's really getting great hands or just trying to steal blinds. We'll keep a closer eye on him. Maybe I can trap him.
Well, he just got called on an all-in. He had pocket 10's vs. pocket 9's. A none on the flop, he's crippled. Just went all in with a K-4 (next hand), and he pulled it out. Another taasver all-in. Wow. He's stealing a lot of blinds and up to 1200 chips. Oops, one too many and he's gone on the 50th hand.
More WBCOOP Poker
Late position, limped in with Q-10 unsuited. Lousy flop, but check around and I get a pr of 10's on the turn. Everyone folds, I get 130 more chips.
I'm playing strict position and letting some marginal hands go by, but that's OK as I'm more of a 'grind it out' player. Tonight I'll try to pick up the aggressive factor a bit, because most of these guys are very aggressive.
At 20 minutes, we're down to 1470 players and losing about 12 a minute. taasver is the first all-in at my table. Hope it was a good hand - he only won 14o chips.
I just let a suited 8-9 go by on the button, flop is 6-7-9. Huge bet folds the field. You always think 'that could've been my pot', but poker is funny.
At least for the first hour, I'm playing fairly tight, but aggressive. I'll re-evaluate at the first break. Looking for our poker league leader, mikeniks, but don't see him on the list of players. I thought he was registered for sure.
I'm playing strict position and letting some marginal hands go by, but that's OK as I'm more of a 'grind it out' player. Tonight I'll try to pick up the aggressive factor a bit, because most of these guys are very aggressive.
At 20 minutes, we're down to 1470 players and losing about 12 a minute. taasver is the first all-in at my table. Hope it was a good hand - he only won 14o chips.
I just let a suited 8-9 go by on the button, flop is 6-7-9. Huge bet folds the field. You always think 'that could've been my pot', but poker is funny.
At least for the first hour, I'm playing fairly tight, but aggressive. I'll re-evaluate at the first break. Looking for our poker league leader, mikeniks, but don't see him on the list of players. I thought he was registered for sure.
Update
A good hand for late position, A-J unsuited. My pr of J's beat another one due to the ace kicker. My chipstack is up by 255 from that hand.
A-Q unsuited went nowhere.
Another A-Q unsuited gives me a Q high straight, but I split the pot with kimmy_md91.
A-Q unsuited went nowhere.
Another A-Q unsuited gives me a Q high straight, but I split the pot with kimmy_md91.
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