Back to the grind this week. PStars added some tournaments like their $20 ones with 180 people. They added a $4 with 180 people that I can't see myself playing since it's just not worth my time and also a $50 with 90 people. I was a little dissapointed to see the $50 only had 90 people in it and would much rather they made them 180 or even 120 would be nice.
I played 4 of the $20 ones and 4 of the $50 ones with some decent results. Making 2 final tables including 1 win in a $50, which pays out $1350. Despite winning the $50 I was a little dissapointed in my finishes in 2 of my other tournies where I couldn't win a coinflip situation.
I'm hoping to have some better results in bigger tournies this week. PStars has a $1000 tourney this Sunday and I'm looking at playing it if I can keep my good results in these smaller tournies going. Also the sattilites to the WSOP are starting up so I'll be looking to quailfy for the main event. You'll be sure to hear about it if I get in.
Monday, March 20, 2006
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
How to stop the frustration.
I found a solution to being frustrated. It's called winning. I just finished playing a couple MTTs(Mulit Table Tourneys). I loaded up 4 tournies at the same time, playing in three 180 man, $20 tournies and one larger $20 tourney (428 people). I ended up busting out of two of the 180 man tournies about midway through.
However, I made the final table in both of my other tournaments. I came in 2nd in chips in the larger one. About half way through this final table I ended up making the final table of my 180 man tourney. Putting me at two final tables at the same time! I went on to win the first tourney while tredding water in the 180 man tourney. After winning the first there were still 6 guys left in my other tourney and I was sitting 4th in chips. About 20 minutes later it was heads up and then 3 hands later it was over and I was the winner, winning 2 touries at the same time!
It was pretty sweet and a bunch of the guys from the 2+2 MTT forum (link on the right of my blog) were sweating and cheering me on. So after a frustrating week last week, this week I was on the other end and had all my big hands hold up. Hopefully I can have this kind of results in one of my big buy-in tournies soon!
However, I made the final table in both of my other tournaments. I came in 2nd in chips in the larger one. About half way through this final table I ended up making the final table of my 180 man tourney. Putting me at two final tables at the same time! I went on to win the first tourney while tredding water in the 180 man tourney. After winning the first there were still 6 guys left in my other tourney and I was sitting 4th in chips. About 20 minutes later it was heads up and then 3 hands later it was over and I was the winner, winning 2 touries at the same time!
It was pretty sweet and a bunch of the guys from the 2+2 MTT forum (link on the right of my blog) were sweating and cheering me on. So after a frustrating week last week, this week I was on the other end and had all my big hands hold up. Hopefully I can have this kind of results in one of my big buy-in tournies soon!
Saturday, March 11, 2006
It's a toss up
Well after my 3rd yesterday I continued to pound away at the tournies.
First the good, I won a 180 man tourney, which was a great feeling as always. I really had to play my best game at the final table since this was a dog fight the whole way and there was never a clear favorite or a major chip leader.
Now the bad, I played two big tournies last night. The first was the Party Poker Friday Special tourney with a $200 buyin. I was playing a great first hour and had almost doubled my stack in the first 30 minutes. Then I lost a medium pot when my A9 ran into A5 and he hit a 5 on the turn for two pair on a Ace high flop. Then my QQ ran into ace rag and he spiked an ace on the flop and I was back down to about average for the tourney still up on my starting stack. Then I pick up KK on the CO and there's 3 limpers. I make it 7 times the BB and the guy in the SB repops it to 17xBB. I don't lay down KK preflop as too often people are on a worse hand and if I run into AA then I figure that's just unlucky and move on. That being said I go all in for a little more than 60xBB and he insta calls with AKo and hits an A on the turn. My horrible luck for the week continues.
My next big tourney was a $30 rebuy on Poker Stars. I ended up spending $180 total after my rebuys and addon. I had a decent stack after the rebuy period and was feeling good. The first hand after the rebuy I pick up AA in the SB and get a guy to go all in with JJ and double up. Couple rotations later I get it again and take out a medium stack when he decides to try and play K4s against me (343 flop K turn - my AA makes a better two pair). Then things take a turn for the worst. We are down to about 45 people and top 36 make the money (36th already pays out 175, which would let me be about break even).
I'm below the average stack but in no major danger. I play A9 and end up doubling up against against a big stack who had KT after the flop came ATx. So I'm back up much better than average sitting about 17 out of 45.
A medium size stack pushes from EP and I have AQ in the SB. It costs me about half my stack but I think I'm good and call. He shows KQ and spikes a K on the flop, bye bye half my stack (this would have put me up to top 10 in the tourney).
I work my stack back up a little and am sitting about 27 out of 38 (2 more to the money). I get AJ in the SB and the big stack at the table raises from the CO. He had been raising a lot and I had been waiting for a hand to push over the top and figured I was good here and he probably wouldn't even call. He thinks for about a minute and finally calls with AT... ten on the flop and I'm out in 38th. Once again winning this pot puts me top 10.
Ok, this got much longer than I wanted it to. There are some easier ways to post hands I'll look into so that I don't have to try and explain them from here on out but until then this is what we get. I'm trying to be happy about winning but it's tough when I win the small one and take the horrible beats in the big ones. I'm out of town til Monday so have a good weekend all!
First the good, I won a 180 man tourney, which was a great feeling as always. I really had to play my best game at the final table since this was a dog fight the whole way and there was never a clear favorite or a major chip leader.
Now the bad, I played two big tournies last night. The first was the Party Poker Friday Special tourney with a $200 buyin. I was playing a great first hour and had almost doubled my stack in the first 30 minutes. Then I lost a medium pot when my A9 ran into A5 and he hit a 5 on the turn for two pair on a Ace high flop. Then my QQ ran into ace rag and he spiked an ace on the flop and I was back down to about average for the tourney still up on my starting stack. Then I pick up KK on the CO and there's 3 limpers. I make it 7 times the BB and the guy in the SB repops it to 17xBB. I don't lay down KK preflop as too often people are on a worse hand and if I run into AA then I figure that's just unlucky and move on. That being said I go all in for a little more than 60xBB and he insta calls with AKo and hits an A on the turn. My horrible luck for the week continues.
My next big tourney was a $30 rebuy on Poker Stars. I ended up spending $180 total after my rebuys and addon. I had a decent stack after the rebuy period and was feeling good. The first hand after the rebuy I pick up AA in the SB and get a guy to go all in with JJ and double up. Couple rotations later I get it again and take out a medium stack when he decides to try and play K4s against me (343 flop K turn - my AA makes a better two pair). Then things take a turn for the worst. We are down to about 45 people and top 36 make the money (36th already pays out 175, which would let me be about break even).
I'm below the average stack but in no major danger. I play A9 and end up doubling up against against a big stack who had KT after the flop came ATx. So I'm back up much better than average sitting about 17 out of 45.
A medium size stack pushes from EP and I have AQ in the SB. It costs me about half my stack but I think I'm good and call. He shows KQ and spikes a K on the flop, bye bye half my stack (this would have put me up to top 10 in the tourney).
I work my stack back up a little and am sitting about 27 out of 38 (2 more to the money). I get AJ in the SB and the big stack at the table raises from the CO. He had been raising a lot and I had been waiting for a hand to push over the top and figured I was good here and he probably wouldn't even call. He thinks for about a minute and finally calls with AT... ten on the flop and I'm out in 38th. Once again winning this pot puts me top 10.
Ok, this got much longer than I wanted it to. There are some easier ways to post hands I'll look into so that I don't have to try and explain them from here on out but until then this is what we get. I'm trying to be happy about winning but it's tough when I win the small one and take the horrible beats in the big ones. I'm out of town til Monday so have a good weekend all!
Friday, March 10, 2006
Most frustrating week ever!
I guess this is what I get for taking some time off from cash games and playing tournies. I joined a bet with some guys online to see who could do better in March playing a certain tourney on Poker Stars. PStars has 180 person tournies that start whenever that many people join. The bet is to see who can have the best 20 finishes in these tournies. So far my results have been so-so and I'm break even as far as $$$ goes. I figured while doing this bet I would try to play some more tournies this month and usually have 3 or 4 tournies going at once.
I've been playing great this whole week but can't seem to have my big hands hold up when it matters. I played a $50 tourney today and made the final table (370 people). At the final table I started 2nd in chips. I'll list my big hands here to show why it can be frustrating:
On the CO(cutoff) I raised 3x the BB(big blind) with K9o (King 9 offsuit) and got reraised by the shortest stack at the table about double my raise. Getting the odds I had to call and he showed 44 and we had a coinflip and the 44 held up.
When we were down to 7 I got AJo in the SB. The short stack that was UTG raised to 3x the BB and I put him all in. He thought for a while and finally called with A7o and my AJo held up and I took him out. This gave me the chip lead.
With 5 left the short stack at the table pushed all-in and I had AKs (Ace King suited) and I called him and he showed A5s. The flop came 7 high with two of my suit so he had only 2 fives that he could hit since 1 of them made my flush. It hit on the river and he doubled up. This put me in 3rd in chips.
A couple hands later I get the monster KK sitting UTG and make my standard rasie to 3x BB. The button, also the short stack pushed all in and I insta-called him. He flipped A7o and spiked an A on the turn to beat me. This put me down to the short stack.
One rotation later I push in with AJs and double up when the big blind calls with T4o since I was so short. However I was still short stack even after the double.
The second shortest stack got taken out and we were down to 4. The big stack who was in the SB when I was in the BB was continually raising me so when he did it this time I called and then pushed the flop and got him to fold. This got me back up to a decent stack and put me 3rd in chips.
The short stack got taken out and we were down to 3 but my stack had gotten farily short again. I was lucky to see JJ in the SB and pushed in and got called by the BB who showed K7o. The board finished with 4 diamonds and he had the king of diamonds and I was out in 3rd.
Once again I played great and felt I really should have won this tournament. Twice I had guys in horrible shape with a chance to knock them out and both times they got very lucky. Winning either of those hands would have put me in a dominating position in the tourney.
I've taken a more aggressive approach to tournies lately and really been playing to win. This has cause me to get knocked out early in many tournies instead of barely limping into the money. This is fine with me since I know one big finish makes up for it (and also feels much better). However, this can be very frustrating since good finishes are so rare. I felt like today was my day when I made this final table and it sucks to lose like I did.
Well, that's enough ranting. I've got some errands to run and need to get my place cleaned up some. I'll post about my Vegas trip later this weekend or early next week. However, that was a frustrating trip too.
I've been playing great this whole week but can't seem to have my big hands hold up when it matters. I played a $50 tourney today and made the final table (370 people). At the final table I started 2nd in chips. I'll list my big hands here to show why it can be frustrating:
On the CO(cutoff) I raised 3x the BB(big blind) with K9o (King 9 offsuit) and got reraised by the shortest stack at the table about double my raise. Getting the odds I had to call and he showed 44 and we had a coinflip and the 44 held up.
When we were down to 7 I got AJo in the SB. The short stack that was UTG raised to 3x the BB and I put him all in. He thought for a while and finally called with A7o and my AJo held up and I took him out. This gave me the chip lead.
With 5 left the short stack at the table pushed all-in and I had AKs (Ace King suited) and I called him and he showed A5s. The flop came 7 high with two of my suit so he had only 2 fives that he could hit since 1 of them made my flush. It hit on the river and he doubled up. This put me in 3rd in chips.
A couple hands later I get the monster KK sitting UTG and make my standard rasie to 3x BB. The button, also the short stack pushed all in and I insta-called him. He flipped A7o and spiked an A on the turn to beat me. This put me down to the short stack.
One rotation later I push in with AJs and double up when the big blind calls with T4o since I was so short. However I was still short stack even after the double.
The second shortest stack got taken out and we were down to 4. The big stack who was in the SB when I was in the BB was continually raising me so when he did it this time I called and then pushed the flop and got him to fold. This got me back up to a decent stack and put me 3rd in chips.
The short stack got taken out and we were down to 3 but my stack had gotten farily short again. I was lucky to see JJ in the SB and pushed in and got called by the BB who showed K7o. The board finished with 4 diamonds and he had the king of diamonds and I was out in 3rd.
Once again I played great and felt I really should have won this tournament. Twice I had guys in horrible shape with a chance to knock them out and both times they got very lucky. Winning either of those hands would have put me in a dominating position in the tourney.
I've taken a more aggressive approach to tournies lately and really been playing to win. This has cause me to get knocked out early in many tournies instead of barely limping into the money. This is fine with me since I know one big finish makes up for it (and also feels much better). However, this can be very frustrating since good finishes are so rare. I felt like today was my day when I made this final table and it sucks to lose like I did.
Well, that's enough ranting. I've got some errands to run and need to get my place cleaned up some. I'll post about my Vegas trip later this weekend or early next week. However, that was a frustrating trip too.
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Me and a living legend!
Doyle happened to walk in and sit next to me before his NBC heads up poker match and I got a quick picture snapped with him.
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