Sit and Go

Before I get into the Sit and Go I played last night, let me remind you that I am a terrible and impatient limit hold'em player. I dropped a buy-in in the ring game I sat in yesterday. Now, onto some SNG hands!

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1704404

This is every player's wet dream. It was also the first hand I played in the SNG, talk about building an image...


http://www.pokerhand.org/?1704425

This would be the second hand I played. Short handed, the only hand I'm afraid of playing back at me is the low-stacked player on the button. Sure as hell, he re-popped it all-in. Am I supposed to call here? I'm really not wanting to gamble in this spot, but I figure his range is pretty big against a cut-off raiser.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1704439

An absolutely miserable call on the turn. I acted too quickly; how could he possibly pot without a hand that has me drawing near-dead? To compound my mistake, I missed a prime bluffing opportunity when he checked the river to me.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1704452

I thought I had made a great play here against two big cards, but he has the one hand that is almost a must call. He took every last second of his TIME clock, and I swear to God the last second was the longest one second since the UM v. MSU game a while back.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1704455

He just got unlucky that I found a hand. I was very pleased that it held up.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1704461

I'm not going to lie to you, it is a wonderful feeling when your hands hold up. Had to sweat the river on this one though...

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1704473

I think my open push is the best play here. My hand is super vulnerable and indeed, I had to sweat two cards to burst the bubble.


We volleyed back and forth three-handed, and eventually I put the pedal to the metal and started jamming from my BB and button. Then CHAOS took a stand and jammed with AJ, to which the BB moved in with I mucked my QK, which would have been the winning hand. Either way, the shorter stacked player with A7 flopped his 3-outer and doubled through.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1704491

I thought I played this hand sneakily, but I was for some reason truly scared of AA. I prolly could have eked out a river value bet too.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1704499

I would have preferred this hand held; but it didn't, so we're back at square one.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1704500

Right before this hand I found KK in the BB and made it 940 to go. CHAOS called on the button, and unfortunately an Ace fell on the flop. I wanted to donk off and call when he pushed, but I resisted. By the outcome of the last hand, I would have rather got it in with KK just for the hell of it.

-Fuckin' third place-

The Theodore Roosevelt Theorum

My new poker philosophy is summarized in seven beautiful words from our nation's 26th president: "Speak softly and carry a big stick."

I am becoming convinced that in order to be a truly dominant player, one must separate himself entirely from the face values of his cards. After all, you aren't playing "cards," are you? The kind of people that fall in love with face cards, small pairs, and suited connectors are the same ones who become endeared to a game they don't understand. And that is the beauty of the beast, the fact that obvious amateurs will show no desire to learn or improve, yet will continue to open their wallets to play in a game they think they can compete in. It's as if a 5'9'' 160 lb. man with an ego issue decided to pay a couple grand to step onto the field in an NFL game. He has no idea what he's getting himself into. But what's truly beautiful is that the amateurs don't get their heads kicked in with such consistency that they want to quit playing poker- no, quite the opposite. The amateur will occasionally walk away from the tables with a few buy-ins, or maybe a tournament cash, and it will only fuel the fire in his mind that has always burned with the idea of success at the poker table. And he is hooked, just like the other millions and millions of players.

There is no room for egos at the table. You must be secure and confident in your decision making, but holding vendettas for other players and for past opportunities squandered will only felt you. Just like in everyday life, you must delicately tip-toe the line between confidence and arrogance, being exceptionally careful not to tread to far into either side of the spectrum.

One must not only exude the proper amount of self-assuredness, but also keep a proper game theory in the front of his mind. One must lay low, folding often and keeping quiet, waiting for his turn to strike. And then when that chance arises, CARPE DIEM! Swing the striking hammer of justice upon those who oppose you! But yet, know that most of the time you will still have to retreat, back to waiting for another chance at glory.

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As a side note, I played in two 5.50 9-player SNG's today. It was miserable. I made a hero play with 55 early in the first one, and made a play at a raggedy board on the turn when my opponent had bet into me twice. She had QQ. In the next tournament, I laid low for a while and raised in LP with AT. The button called, and so did the BB. The flop was 7-A-3, but something didn't feel right, so when the BB checked, I checked behind. The button checked as well, and I fired half the pot when another 3 fell on the turn. The button minraised (???), and I called hoping he had a diamond draw. The river was a 4, and I checked to his inevitable push. I was flummoxed, and I couldn't put him on any better Ace. He had the one hand I feared all along, A7, and I was out.

Now I'm playing limit hold'em in a ring game, waiting for my laundry to finish drying. I'll let you know how I did.

-The Gerk-

The Gerk Wins Full Tilt $5.50 Deep Stack 90-Person SNG

So, here's a long awaited update...

We played three tournaments at my apartment Monday night. I took the first two, and in last one I dropped two buy-ins from erratic play induced by slight drunkenness. Oh well, it had been a while since I had tasted the sweet nectar that is Blue Moon. The highlight of the evening occurred in the first tournament when Max called my all-in with a four card straight, 6 to 9. This would normally be really embarrassing, but it was doubly so because moments before it happened he was talking about when he first played the game years ago, and how he used to call his brothers with four card straights and flushes. WOW. It was one of the most entertaining moments our game has ever had.

I haven't been playing much internet poker lately. I partook in a 1200 person Knock-Out tournament (where each player has a bounty on his head) a few days ago, when I busted in the 400's and only took out two players, both on the same hand.

This morning I woke up early to do some science labs, and entered a 90 person deep-stack tournament to bide the time. The damn thing lasted almost four hours, but it was well worth it. I won the tournament and it's $112.50 first prize.

Here's the last hand: http://www.pokerhand.org/?1698047

I don't have any other hands to post, but there were other highlights. I doubled up to over 6000 very early, and played Texas Fold 'em while keeping a tight image through the first hour and a half. I was playing patiently, and it worked out. I got sucked out on in a big pot only once, in a 7k pot where we got it all in on a Q-9-7 flop. I had QJ and he had JT. The turn was an 8 and I was hammered down to about 3k. I rebuilt my stack, and got it up to around 12k before I two-outered a short stack. I raised from the cutoff with QK, he minraised on the button with KK. I just called, and the flop was Q-high. He only had about 1000 left, so we got it in and the turn fell a queen.

We played ten handed for almost an hour, and at one point I was down to only 3200 with the blinds at 200/400. I pushed with AJ, was called by K-x, and it held. The very next hand I pushed my 7.5k with 44, and it held against AT. I was back in business.

At the final table I played pretty well, but I made one crucial mistake that ended up working out in my favor. With around 45k, I raised to 3200 UTG with 88 (we were 7-handed). Everyone folded to the BB, who called. The flop was 6-4-4. He bet out 9000, and I just called instead of pushing, despite thinking he was kind of LAGgy, and had a wide range. The turn was a Q, and he bet the pot. I moved in over the top, and he called... with AQ. I had given him a turn he didn't need to see. It was a huge mistake that would have left me with only hundreds of chips, but the fates aligned and the turn fell an 8. I was catapulted into the chiplead with 93,000 chips.

I laid low for a while, and eventually ended up busting 5 of 7 players to get myself heads-up. I had a 2:1 lead, but he played a stellar LAG style two-handed. He had me on the ropes, but I made the nut straight with 79 and took half of his stack. We exchanged blows until the final hand, which I posted earlier.

112.50 is cool with me, I'm pumped about another tournament win. I should seriously stop playing ring games, I am a much better MTT player.

-Peace out, and good luck at the tables!-