I managed to find myself in an internet cafe when the blondepoker tournament started a few days ago and it looked like fun. Lots of players i knew and 500 quid added to the prize pool. Well i lasted about 20 minutes. Blinds 15/30. I call in middle position with AJ and a player in late position makes it 90 to play and i call as does one other. Flop JJ6. All of my 2000 chips were in the middle on the flop (I'm not slowplaying this monster i thought) Opponent has 66. Whoops... glad that happened in a £10 tournament and not a biggie. Not sure if i could get away from that hand regardless of the situation.
Meanwhile i was playing on the $10/$20 PL Omaha. I wasn't playing my A game but most of my decisions were +EV but i soon found myself stuck for $5000. Oops all when i was meant to be on the beach in Cancun. Dammit.... solution? All in pre flop for $500 v five players and on a raggy looking board i made Aces up which won. I then called a preflop raise with 4566 double suited and it flopped 236 rainbow ( damn lucky flop) It all goes in on the flop against AA89 and i end up a few hundred dollars down but happy. Back to the beach.....
The Challenge
Just to add some interest to the updates from Vegas. Anyone who reads this has a chance of winning $100.
Here is how it works. As i said before i will be running a profit/loss on all games played in Vegas. Whoever gets closest to the final profit/loss for my 17 days there wins the cash.
Factors to consider:
I am staking myself in the $10000 PL Omaha and $1000 NL Holdem with rebuys.
I am sponsored for the $10000 NL Holdem main event.
Other than that it will be a variety of cash (Omaha and Dealers Choice) and a few of the daily tournaments at the Bellagio.
Its just a bit fun and i will take no offense at people estimating a $50000 loss. ;-)
Monday, June 27, 2005
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
Strange date...
I was working something out and just realised that it was the 30th June 2004 that i played in my first ranking tournament - A £200 PL Omaha event that Sonny Nijran knocked me out in and i finished 9th. I can still remember the hand. By some bizarre coincidence it happens to be the day that i fly to Vegas to to play in the WSOP. It made me realise what a mad year it has been.... so my official Year 2 on the tournament circuit starts when i arrive in Vegas.
I have decided from the day that i arrive that i will be writing daily updates. These will include my profit/loss each day in tournaments/cash games and online.
I have decided from the day that i arrive that i will be writing daily updates. These will include my profit/loss each day in tournaments/cash games and online.
Monday, June 20, 2005
Ready to rumble
Its not too long now to Vegas. I have been checking out Pokerpages and Cardplayer most days to find out what has been going on. The best performance of the Brits so far has come from Harry Demetriou who has managed a couple of final tables in massive fields. I think i may miss out the $3000 No Limit Holdem from my schedule because if by chance i reach Day 2, along with numerous others, then i will have to give the $10000 PL Omaha a miss as it starts at 2pm, and that is the one i am really looking forward too. There is a chance i may get to play in the $5000 Omaha Hi/Lo if i arrive from Mexico in time on the 30th.
I have had it on good authority that the PL Omaha cash games at the Rio where i am staying are hot. I have to decide what level to jump in at. I guess i may start at $10/$20 and see how i go.... i think i will be an amazing experience my first few days there.
I have had chance to play a bit of poker. Played a couple of hours of £5/£10 No Limit Holdem and ended up around £200 down. I have a poker challenge that i have thought up that will require some reader participation when i return from Vegas which should be fun. Its a 4 week challenge with a prize (yet to be decided) for the winner.
One of my fellow bloggers Mike Lacey has set up a new poker site called Antes Up... click here to check it out.
I have had it on good authority that the PL Omaha cash games at the Rio where i am staying are hot. I have to decide what level to jump in at. I guess i may start at $10/$20 and see how i go.... i think i will be an amazing experience my first few days there.
I have had chance to play a bit of poker. Played a couple of hours of £5/£10 No Limit Holdem and ended up around £200 down. I have a poker challenge that i have thought up that will require some reader participation when i return from Vegas which should be fun. Its a 4 week challenge with a prize (yet to be decided) for the winner.
One of my fellow bloggers Mike Lacey has set up a new poker site called Antes Up... click here to check it out.
Thursday, June 09, 2005
Vegas missing
Despite the fact i have never even played in the WSOP i really am looking on jealously at all the updates and tournaments that are going on. The Brits have come close in three events with Devilfish, Jeff Duvall and Harry Demetriou all coming close to winning bracelets. I am sure we should get a bracelet before the events run out. Maybe one of the Brits is saving themselves for the biggie.
Its good to see the Camel is back blogging. He has just arrived in Vegas and should have some interesting updates in the next few weeks.
Also i did break my no poker rule and played for nearly an hour on the $10/$20 Omaha on Betfair. Somehow i ended up with my $2000 in on a Tc9c2h flop with 9h9s7sKh. The turn a Jc and the river a Qh. Every straight and flush was out there and my hand was good, my opponent showed one pair. That was good for me and it has paid for my trip around Mexico so far. If you still have not qualified for the WSOP Betfair has one last chance for $300 this Sunday on Betfair. Click here to sign up. 10 seats are guaranteed and last week attracted just 266 runners so there is some extreme value there if you still have not qualified. The package includes accommodation, travel and $2000 spending money.
The one thing that travelling does give you alot of is time. I have thought about how my poker year has gone so far and one thing i definitely need to improve on is my Live cash performances. I have lost the last four times i have played which is a record number of consecutive losses. Playing so much online has definitely had a negative impact when i play cash games. I think its due to my patience. When i played far more regularly live last year i was always patient and looking for a very good spot to commit all my money. Now when i play i seem to be in a hurry. Its because i am so used to playing 2 or 3 tables at a time on the internet and quickly get bored when there are only about 10 hands an hour. I am going to play a fair bit of cash in Vegas so will hopefully play with far more patience and concentration.......
Its good to see the Camel is back blogging. He has just arrived in Vegas and should have some interesting updates in the next few weeks.
Also i did break my no poker rule and played for nearly an hour on the $10/$20 Omaha on Betfair. Somehow i ended up with my $2000 in on a Tc9c2h flop with 9h9s7sKh. The turn a Jc and the river a Qh. Every straight and flush was out there and my hand was good, my opponent showed one pair. That was good for me and it has paid for my trip around Mexico so far. If you still have not qualified for the WSOP Betfair has one last chance for $300 this Sunday on Betfair. Click here to sign up. 10 seats are guaranteed and last week attracted just 266 runners so there is some extreme value there if you still have not qualified. The package includes accommodation, travel and $2000 spending money.
The one thing that travelling does give you alot of is time. I have thought about how my poker year has gone so far and one thing i definitely need to improve on is my Live cash performances. I have lost the last four times i have played which is a record number of consecutive losses. Playing so much online has definitely had a negative impact when i play cash games. I think its due to my patience. When i played far more regularly live last year i was always patient and looking for a very good spot to commit all my money. Now when i play i seem to be in a hurry. Its because i am so used to playing 2 or 3 tables at a time on the internet and quickly get bored when there are only about 10 hands an hour. I am going to play a fair bit of cash in Vegas so will hopefully play with far more patience and concentration.......
Friday, June 03, 2005
Mexico
Amazingly one of the first things i saw when i arrived here was an advert in a shop window for the Mexican series of poker. First prize was 25000 Pesos which if you have ever been here is alot of money.
I did forget to mention on my blog before i set off that my run on 21 consecutive wins on the Omaha tables came to a crashing halt in Barcelona. To be fair it was due and even in that session i was up to $10000 from $2000 and decided to play on..... i haven't played a hand of poker in about 12 days now which seems like a famine. I guess i could play a bit in one of the internet cafes but i rarely play well/properly if i am not fully focused. I have managed to read Super System 2 which i brought away with me already. I did enjoy learning about Triple Draw Lowball and all the other chapters contained some useful information.
I have just been looking on the Blondepoker forum and i see that the first proper event today was sold out with hundreds being turned away. I just can't see how these events are going to finish in two days.... be interesting to see how much prize money will be paid out of the entire event but it has to be well over $100 million... probably closer to $150 million. Hopefully at least one Brit will win a bracelet.
Right i am off to get a Corona.......
I did forget to mention on my blog before i set off that my run on 21 consecutive wins on the Omaha tables came to a crashing halt in Barcelona. To be fair it was due and even in that session i was up to $10000 from $2000 and decided to play on..... i haven't played a hand of poker in about 12 days now which seems like a famine. I guess i could play a bit in one of the internet cafes but i rarely play well/properly if i am not fully focused. I have managed to read Super System 2 which i brought away with me already. I did enjoy learning about Triple Draw Lowball and all the other chapters contained some useful information.
I have just been looking on the Blondepoker forum and i see that the first proper event today was sold out with hundreds being turned away. I just can't see how these events are going to finish in two days.... be interesting to see how much prize money will be paid out of the entire event but it has to be well over $100 million... probably closer to $150 million. Hopefully at least one Brit will win a bracelet.
Right i am off to get a Corona.......
Thursday, May 26, 2005
Mexico here i come
I am off to Mexico in a couple of days. This week has been so busy trying to get everything organised not only for that trip but also for Vegas. The Daily Telegraph article introducing me as a new columnist comes out on Saturday. It will be featured on the front of Weekender magazine.
I will try and update my blog when i can from Mexico... but most of the time i will just be relaxing in the sun and preparing myself mentally for the biggest few weeks of poker of my life so far when i arrive in Vegas.
So far my schedule unless it changes for the WSOP after i arrive will be:
July 1st No-Limit Holdem $3000
July 2nd Pot-Limit Omaha $10000
July 4th No-Limit Holdem w/rebuys $1000
July 7th Main event No Limit Holdem $10000
I will try and update my blog when i can from Mexico... but most of the time i will just be relaxing in the sun and preparing myself mentally for the biggest few weeks of poker of my life so far when i arrive in Vegas.
So far my schedule unless it changes for the WSOP after i arrive will be:
July 1st No-Limit Holdem $3000
July 2nd Pot-Limit Omaha $10000
July 4th No-Limit Holdem w/rebuys $1000
July 7th Main event No Limit Holdem $10000
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Back Home
Got back into London yesterday. Overall Barcelona was a moderate success. I made the money in two of the tournaments that i played in. Its a shame i didn't rack up any ranking points as my luck deserted me in the closing stages of both those tournaments.
I doubt that i will play any poker between now and leaving for Mexico this weekend. I am extremely busy getting myself organised for Mexico/Vegas and i am also writing my poker column for the Telegraph. I have also been working on my poker schedule for the next six months. Its going to be an exciting time thats for sure. July will include my first entries to WSOP and WPT main events.... bring them on.
I also watched the EPT coverage from Monte Carlo. Its a shame it didn't feature any of the hands that i played on the TV table on Day 3. I made some of my best plays on that day against some tough opponents, including a bluffs against Gus Hanson and Kevin O'Connell that i would have liked to have seen again.
Good luck to Simon Nowab who plays in the World Heads Up Championship Final today.
I doubt that i will play any poker between now and leaving for Mexico this weekend. I am extremely busy getting myself organised for Mexico/Vegas and i am also writing my poker column for the Telegraph. I have also been working on my poker schedule for the next six months. Its going to be an exciting time thats for sure. July will include my first entries to WSOP and WPT main events.... bring them on.
I also watched the EPT coverage from Monte Carlo. Its a shame it didn't feature any of the hands that i played on the TV table on Day 3. I made some of my best plays on that day against some tough opponents, including a bluffs against Gus Hanson and Kevin O'Connell that i would have liked to have seen again.
Good luck to Simon Nowab who plays in the World Heads Up Championship Final today.
Saturday, May 21, 2005
Barcelona - NL Holdem €1000 even briefer report
Flopped middle set in the first level on a Qd9c3s board. Slow played it against QcKc and my foe hit a backdoor flush.... that was the end of my tourney!
Barcelona - NL Holdem €500 Brief Report
Massive frustration about this tournament despite the fact in won €1500 for finishing 12th. There were about 190 runners and i had built up a healthy 23000 chip stack after about 6 levels. I found KK in the big blind and called a reraise all in bet from the small blind for 16000. He had TT. The guy to my left said that passed 9T. First card out .... a T. That crippled me as i would have been up to nearly 50000 chips but instead i had just 7000 left.
I played really good solid poker to make the money and managed to get back up to a respectable 40000 chips when we got down to the last 18. The two hands that sent me packing went as follows.... Liam Flood went all in from the button for 12000. The blinds are 2000/4000 and i look down at an Ace and call without looking at the other one. He has Q6 ... and hit a 6 on the river.
It was left to my nemisis from Monte Carlo Rob Hollink to knock me out. He called my all in of 11000 chips from the big blind without looking at his hand (running antes meant there was 3200 extra chips in every pot). I had J8 and was delighted when he showed 8h5h till he rivered a flush.
When you make the money in these tournament you really need your hands to stand up and at the moment they just aren't.
I played really good solid poker to make the money and managed to get back up to a respectable 40000 chips when we got down to the last 18. The two hands that sent me packing went as follows.... Liam Flood went all in from the button for 12000. The blinds are 2000/4000 and i look down at an Ace and call without looking at the other one. He has Q6 ... and hit a 6 on the river.
It was left to my nemisis from Monte Carlo Rob Hollink to knock me out. He called my all in of 11000 chips from the big blind without looking at his hand (running antes meant there was 3200 extra chips in every pot). I had J8 and was delighted when he showed 8h5h till he rivered a flush.
When you make the money in these tournament you really need your hands to stand up and at the moment they just aren't.
Friday, May 20, 2005
Barcelona - Omaha €300 Report
This was a freezeout Omaha tournament i had to hit the ground running which is exactly what i did. Started with 3000 chips and i was up to 14000 after the first level. I called a raise from the big bind with AK79 double suited and it flopped 68T which gave me the nuts and the Ace flush draw. I checked and there was two all ins before it got back to me. Both players had a set and didn't improve so that tripled me up.
The blinds were increasing every 30 mins and i kept swinging between 10000 and 20000. It didn't take that long for us to get down to the last 3 tables and i was one of the shortest stacks. I then went card dead and hardly played a hand for about an hour. Blinds had reached 1500/3000 and i went all in for 5000 with AKK9 which stood up. We were then down to 19 players and 18 were paid and i was still one of the shortest stacks around. Dave Colclough raised from the button and i was only going to call if i picked up a very big hand. I looked down at AA9J and moved all in. Again my Aces stood up so i was up to 20000 and no longer in danger of finishing on the bubble.
The blinds then increased to 2000/4000 and i was sitting with 16000 chips. Players were making moves to steal the blinds and not for the first time i found Aces in the big blind and moved all in with AAJ4 and my opponent was already all in from his raise. He had AKT4 so only his K and T were live. Flop KK2 and that was that. Still it was good fun and i got €570 for finishing 14th.
Its the €500 No Limit Holdem Freezeout at 5pm today so will give that a shot. Off to the rooftop pool now to relax before the tournament.....
The blinds were increasing every 30 mins and i kept swinging between 10000 and 20000. It didn't take that long for us to get down to the last 3 tables and i was one of the shortest stacks. I then went card dead and hardly played a hand for about an hour. Blinds had reached 1500/3000 and i went all in for 5000 with AKK9 which stood up. We were then down to 19 players and 18 were paid and i was still one of the shortest stacks around. Dave Colclough raised from the button and i was only going to call if i picked up a very big hand. I looked down at AA9J and moved all in. Again my Aces stood up so i was up to 20000 and no longer in danger of finishing on the bubble.
The blinds then increased to 2000/4000 and i was sitting with 16000 chips. Players were making moves to steal the blinds and not for the first time i found Aces in the big blind and moved all in with AAJ4 and my opponent was already all in from his raise. He had AKT4 so only his K and T were live. Flop KK2 and that was that. Still it was good fun and i got €570 for finishing 14th.
Its the €500 No Limit Holdem Freezeout at 5pm today so will give that a shot. Off to the rooftop pool now to relax before the tournament.....
Thursday, May 19, 2005
This Madness cannot last
My form at the moment is just ridiculous online. I know that my run will end because i am writing about it but i have now just finished my 21st consecutive winning session either playing the PL Omaha £10/£20 or $10/$20 on Betfair. Given the swings playing PL Omaha i doubt i will ever win 21 sessions on the trot again. I am playing well at the moment but hitting cards like you would not believe. I have posted such an example below...
Good news is that my car challenge now stands at £7100 so we are getting into Audi A3 territory now.
Game #652509783: Omaha High Pot Limit (US$10/US$20)
- 2005/05/19 - 15:50:29 (GMT)
Table "Vardo" Seat 1 is the button.
Seat 1: Bluechees (US$670.99 in chips)
Seat 5: wuckfit (US$3621 in chips)
Seat 6: Milkybarkid (US$4506.25 in chips)
Seat 7: 000a (US$1996 in chips)
Seat 8: _bigd_ (US$5300 in chips)
wuckfit: posts small blind US$10
Milkybarkid: posts big blind US$20
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to Milkybarkid [Ad Kh Ah Kd]
000a: folds_bigd_: folds
Bluechees: raises to US$70
wuckfit: raises to US$220
Milkybarkid: raises to US$730
Bluechees: folds
wuckfit: calls US$510
----- FLOP ----- [7d 5s 5d]
wuckfit: bets US$1530
Milkybarkid: raises to US$3776.25 and is all-in
wuckfit: is all-in US$1361
Returned uncalled bets US$885.25 to Bennyboi
----- TURN ----- [7d 5s 5d][6d]
----- RIVER ----- [7d 5s 5d 6d][Jd]
----- SHOW DOWN -----
Milkybarkid: shows [Ad Kh Ah Kd] (A Flush, Ace high)
wuckfit: shows [As 7h 8c Ac] (Two Pairs, Aces and Fives, Jack high)
Milkybarkid collected US$7309 from Main pot
Good news is that my car challenge now stands at £7100 so we are getting into Audi A3 territory now.
Game #652509783: Omaha High Pot Limit (US$10/US$20)
- 2005/05/19 - 15:50:29 (GMT)
Table "Vardo" Seat 1 is the button.
Seat 1: Bluechees (US$670.99 in chips)
Seat 5: wuckfit (US$3621 in chips)
Seat 6: Milkybarkid (US$4506.25 in chips)
Seat 7: 000a (US$1996 in chips)
Seat 8: _bigd_ (US$5300 in chips)
wuckfit: posts small blind US$10
Milkybarkid: posts big blind US$20
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to Milkybarkid [Ad Kh Ah Kd]
000a: folds_bigd_: folds
Bluechees: raises to US$70
wuckfit: raises to US$220
Milkybarkid: raises to US$730
Bluechees: folds
wuckfit: calls US$510
----- FLOP ----- [7d 5s 5d]
wuckfit: bets US$1530
Milkybarkid: raises to US$3776.25 and is all-in
wuckfit: is all-in US$1361
Returned uncalled bets US$885.25 to Bennyboi
----- TURN ----- [7d 5s 5d][6d]
----- RIVER ----- [7d 5s 5d 6d][Jd]
----- SHOW DOWN -----
Milkybarkid: shows [Ad Kh Ah Kd] (A Flush, Ace high)
wuckfit: shows [As 7h 8c Ac] (Two Pairs, Aces and Fives, Jack high)
Milkybarkid collected US$7309 from Main pot
Out in Round 1
I lost my first round match of the World Heads Up. It was a case of three coin flips which i didn't win any of. Had my opponent all in twice when i had got him down to 2000 from the starting 5000 chips and he survived. He took a massive lead when i raised preflop with JTs and he called with 7T and it flopped 89J... there was no escaping that one which left me crippled with just 2000 chips and it all went in when i flopped a straight draw on a 56J board..... still it was good fun but you do need a bit of luck to win these heads up battles. To be fair i should have just kept chipping away at him rather than risk doubling him up on coin flips.
Its the Omaha competition later this afternoon which i am going to play in. The Heads Up battles are alot of fun to watch but most of my tips exited in the first round. I did tell my mates to lump it on me and Isabelle to win first round matches so i did get one tip right. I will avoid betting on myself in future tournaments i think.
Its the Omaha competition later this afternoon which i am going to play in. The Heads Up battles are alot of fun to watch but most of my tips exited in the first round. I did tell my mates to lump it on me and Isabelle to win first round matches so i did get one tip right. I will avoid betting on myself in future tournaments i think.
Monday, May 16, 2005
Barcelona Update
I have finally arrived in Barcelona after a nightmare trip which ended up taking 8 hours. The hotel has free internet access in the room so i will be able to post some updates and play online during the tournaments which last 9 days. The main event is a €2000 Heads Up Championship and its the draw later so i will post a couple of the interesting confrontions when i get in. It is flanked by a number of other events so it should be an exciting 9 days.
I hinted recently that i had a few bits of news. Firstly, i agreed a sponsorship deal with Betfair which i am obviously extremely delighted with. So this is my first official tournament as part of the Betfair team.
Secondly, i was approached a couple of weeks ago to do a weekly column for the Daily Telegraph. I accepted without hesitation and it was amazing to be asked. An opening article introducing me as a columnist should appear on on Saturday June 4th, which includes photos of me playing at the Gutshot. The first few weeks I will be explaining the basics of No Limit Holdem but after that i hope to write something that will be interesting for both poker newbies and regular players.
*Update*
They have done the draw for round one. I am playing Gary Collins..... i imagine that he is one of the internet qualifiers. For the rest of the draw click here as i posted it on Blondpoker.
I played and lost two hands of Omaha in the €10/€20 game at the casino last night. Lost the first to Noah Boeken and the second to Devilfish..... still its been a successful trip so far as i managed to win £1200 on the Betfair tables earlier. The car challenge is now at £3400 so i am now in the VW Golf bracket... playing in the €300 Limit tourney in a few hours so will write a report on how that goes. Probably be a brief report with my Limit Holdem skills.
I hinted recently that i had a few bits of news. Firstly, i agreed a sponsorship deal with Betfair which i am obviously extremely delighted with. So this is my first official tournament as part of the Betfair team.
Secondly, i was approached a couple of weeks ago to do a weekly column for the Daily Telegraph. I accepted without hesitation and it was amazing to be asked. An opening article introducing me as a columnist should appear on on Saturday June 4th, which includes photos of me playing at the Gutshot. The first few weeks I will be explaining the basics of No Limit Holdem but after that i hope to write something that will be interesting for both poker newbies and regular players.
*Update*
They have done the draw for round one. I am playing Gary Collins..... i imagine that he is one of the internet qualifiers. For the rest of the draw click here as i posted it on Blondpoker.
I played and lost two hands of Omaha in the €10/€20 game at the casino last night. Lost the first to Noah Boeken and the second to Devilfish..... still its been a successful trip so far as i managed to win £1200 on the Betfair tables earlier. The car challenge is now at £3400 so i am now in the VW Golf bracket... playing in the €300 Limit tourney in a few hours so will write a report on how that goes. Probably be a brief report with my Limit Holdem skills.
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Gutshot
I went along to play in the Gutshot's £5 rebuy tournament last night.... i haven't played in anything like it for a while. I arrived early as i was told it would sell out and i needed to catch up with someone. They were running late so i hopped into the Gutshot ineternet cafe and played 30 minutes of the $10/$20 PL Omaha on Betfair. Won two pots... one where i was lucky but the good news is that my car challenge for April is up another £900 to +£2200. Hopefully Barcelona will go well and boost it further..... its really frustrating not being able to get online and play at the moment.
Back to the tournament. If you ever need to see how poker is booming visit the Gutshot on a Tuesday... the place was pumping and 6 of the 9 players on my table had never played live before. It was sold out (140) with reserves as well. I managed to buy in a respectable 5 times.... 500 chips for every rebuy. Eventually i got up to 6000 before i decided that A2 was an a bluffing hand and got called down by a middle pair on a rag flop.
Is it just me or is trying to find tournament structures so frustrating? Why can't there be a standardised structure (starting chips/clock) depending on the tournament entry fee. The structure of tournaments is often extremely difficult to get hold of. Take the Vic's £3000 EPT event last October. It had a 45 minute clock which is oobviously ridiculous for such a big buy in event whereas the recent £1000 main event at Luton had an hour clock.
Back to the tournament. If you ever need to see how poker is booming visit the Gutshot on a Tuesday... the place was pumping and 6 of the 9 players on my table had never played live before. It was sold out (140) with reserves as well. I managed to buy in a respectable 5 times.... 500 chips for every rebuy. Eventually i got up to 6000 before i decided that A2 was an a bluffing hand and got called down by a middle pair on a rag flop.
Is it just me or is trying to find tournament structures so frustrating? Why can't there be a standardised structure (starting chips/clock) depending on the tournament entry fee. The structure of tournaments is often extremely difficult to get hold of. Take the Vic's £3000 EPT event last October. It had a 45 minute clock which is oobviously ridiculous for such a big buy in event whereas the recent £1000 main event at Luton had an hour clock.
Monday, May 09, 2005
All over the place
As i have not had much poker action in May I've decided i am going to Barcelona to play in the 2005 Heads Up Championship next Monday for 9 days. I went to the same area for a stag weekend not so long ago and it is alot of fun. When i get back from Barcelona i fly to Mexico a couple of days later. I've also booked my flights for Vegas from Mexico so i am going to be in Vegas from the 30th June - 16th July and then to Paris for my first WPT event. So i am hardly going to be in the country for the next three months.
Its going to be tricky to update my blog from Mexico but i hope to update it daily from Vegas with tournament and cash game reports. I am very excited already about my first trip there....
I also have a couple of exciting bits of news which should be revealed on my blog in the next few days.
Its going to be tricky to update my blog from Mexico but i hope to update it daily from Vegas with tournament and cash game reports. I am very excited already about my first trip there....
I also have a couple of exciting bits of news which should be revealed on my blog in the next few days.
Thursday, May 05, 2005
Its a Fiesta so far
My car challenge has stalled. I left my flat in London and am staying with my sister who doesn't have internet access until late next week so i am missing all the juicy Omaha games on Betfair at the moment. So far for the month i am +£1300 which definitely doesn't buy me the kind of car i want. I will still have a couple of weeks to increase that amount when i get online again.
Someone asked me yesterday what i view as my best and worst game and it got me thinking. My worst is very easy - Limit Holdem. Maybe thats just because every time i play it i am on tilt. Still i think i have only played it once this year which could be an indication that i don't go on tilt as easy as i used to. My best game - Well i settled on PL Omaha (cash). I have won at that game every year since i first started playing 6 card Omaha in Cardiff back in 1996. I can still remember some of the names i used to play with. I wander where they are now. Maurice Goodfriend, Mo Gibbons (she appeared on Late night poker), Kaz Lee, Frixo (I always remembered him as whenever he won a pot against me he said, "You did nothing wrong.") It used to drive me mad. When i was in Wales last weekend i was really tempted to go and play to see if any of them are still about.
Someone asked me yesterday what i view as my best and worst game and it got me thinking. My worst is very easy - Limit Holdem. Maybe thats just because every time i play it i am on tilt. Still i think i have only played it once this year which could be an indication that i don't go on tilt as easy as i used to. My best game - Well i settled on PL Omaha (cash). I have won at that game every year since i first started playing 6 card Omaha in Cardiff back in 1996. I can still remember some of the names i used to play with. I wander where they are now. Maurice Goodfriend, Mo Gibbons (she appeared on Late night poker), Kaz Lee, Frixo (I always remembered him as whenever he won a pot against me he said, "You did nothing wrong.") It used to drive me mad. When i was in Wales last weekend i was really tempted to go and play to see if any of them are still about.
Tuesday, May 03, 2005
I do read other blogs....
Just to prove that i do actually process some of the hints and tips that i come across on the net, this article on Big Dave D's blog from way back in June 2004 made me think about playing the nuts in a different way in PL Omaha.
I had almost the same situation on the $10/$20 table last week. It was $100 to play and i called in late position with AKK4 and five players saw a TJQ rainbow flop. A tight player bet out $500 in first postion and everyone else passed to me. I was 99% sure this player had the same hand as me so instead of making it obvious what hand i had i just called. Turn a 9 and he bet $1500. After a long pause i called. The river paired the T and he checked. I bet the full pot as i was certain he would pass assuming i hade made a full house which he did. He did type into the chat box, "You fish." :-)
I am feeling the need to play some tournament poker so may go to Vienna next week. Anyone else going?
Having an enforced break from playing online for a few days as my computer is packed away as i recently moved. So i may take a trip to the Vic for some Dealers Choice action.
I also had a chance over the weekend to watch some of the coverage of the British Poker Open on the Poker Channel and i have to say that i thought it was very good.
The most recent article of DoubleAS is interesting. I have had a similar experience recently trying to decide whether to play in the £10/£20 PL Omaha on Betfair. I have the bankroll and i am winning at the game when i play it. It's just the size of the pots make me feel sick when i lose and every bad beat/play costs a fortune. Like the pot i lost last week of £20000. That would pay my rent in London for two years. Its when i quantify the size of the pots with what they could be spent on that i struggle......
I had almost the same situation on the $10/$20 table last week. It was $100 to play and i called in late position with AKK4 and five players saw a TJQ rainbow flop. A tight player bet out $500 in first postion and everyone else passed to me. I was 99% sure this player had the same hand as me so instead of making it obvious what hand i had i just called. Turn a 9 and he bet $1500. After a long pause i called. The river paired the T and he checked. I bet the full pot as i was certain he would pass assuming i hade made a full house which he did. He did type into the chat box, "You fish." :-)
I am feeling the need to play some tournament poker so may go to Vienna next week. Anyone else going?
Having an enforced break from playing online for a few days as my computer is packed away as i recently moved. So i may take a trip to the Vic for some Dealers Choice action.
I also had a chance over the weekend to watch some of the coverage of the British Poker Open on the Poker Channel and i have to say that i thought it was very good.
The most recent article of DoubleAS is interesting. I have had a similar experience recently trying to decide whether to play in the £10/£20 PL Omaha on Betfair. I have the bankroll and i am winning at the game when i play it. It's just the size of the pots make me feel sick when i lose and every bad beat/play costs a fortune. Like the pot i lost last week of £20000. That would pay my rent in London for two years. Its when i quantify the size of the pots with what they could be spent on that i struggle......
Sunday, May 01, 2005
April Round Up
Since finishing my job at the beginning of April to focus my attentions fully on poker I have to admit I could not have imagined that it would have gone so well. I love the freedom that just playing poker has given me and I am focusing better whenever I play. My third place at Gutshot was a very good boost especially coming so soon after Monte Carlo and I also got very close to the money in the main event at Luton.
Apart from a couple of bad days online when I first jumped into the £10/£20 Pot Limit Omaha on Betfair things have been going very well there as well. I won $30000+ across the various sites in April, which is way above target. I do understand that it can't always go this smoothly. With the variance in Pot Limit Omaha to have won 16 sessions on the trot has taken alot of luck as well as a bit of skill.
I watched myself on the poker channel earlier and I have to say I hate watching myself in interviews. Note to myself... don't open a sentence with "Ummmmmmmm"
I have just about sorted my dates for being in Vegas July1st - 15th.... it should give me a chance to play in a couple of warm up events before the biggie. I really want to play in the $10000 Pot Limit Omaha. Two $10000 events in the space of a week is quite expensive though.... we shall see.
A couple of things whilst remember. Does anyone know a decent hotel that I can book myself in to? Also, How do I pay in to the main event before I arrive? (I heard it might sell out)
If anyone is interested the EPT final is on Eurosport next Friday and Saturday I think at 9 or 10pm..... just switch of when it comes to my interview.
Apart from a couple of bad days online when I first jumped into the £10/£20 Pot Limit Omaha on Betfair things have been going very well there as well. I won $30000+ across the various sites in April, which is way above target. I do understand that it can't always go this smoothly. With the variance in Pot Limit Omaha to have won 16 sessions on the trot has taken alot of luck as well as a bit of skill.
I watched myself on the poker channel earlier and I have to say I hate watching myself in interviews. Note to myself... don't open a sentence with "Ummmmmmmm"
I have just about sorted my dates for being in Vegas July1st - 15th.... it should give me a chance to play in a couple of warm up events before the biggie. I really want to play in the $10000 Pot Limit Omaha. Two $10000 events in the space of a week is quite expensive though.... we shall see.
A couple of things whilst remember. Does anyone know a decent hotel that I can book myself in to? Also, How do I pay in to the main event before I arrive? (I heard it might sell out)
If anyone is interested the EPT final is on Eurosport next Friday and Saturday I think at 9 or 10pm..... just switch of when it comes to my interview.
Thursday, April 28, 2005
Trying to forget this hand....
After my posting the other night i had a very interesting session on the Omaha £10/£20 table.
I managed to win another £10000+ pot with just two pairs after i had bet with 89TQ on a 467 board. It all went in on the turn when the Q came. I made a £3000 bet hoping my opponent would pass and he called with 47 and the river came a 6 to give me a better two pair. I managed to get up to £27000 in front of me then i lost a £20000 pot i am still gutted about. On a flop of 58K rainbow i called a £200 bet from a player with 677Q. Turn a 9 to give me the nuts plus the Q flush draw. I check knowing he would be bet again which he did £600. I reraise another £1800. He reraises again £3000 more and i set him all in for another £5000. Total pot around £20000. He shows TJJK with a Jack flush draw which is of course dead to my Queen flush draw. River a black Queen to give him a better straight. Switched my computer off straight after that as i was in total shock. I had been beating up on this guy for hours and had taken about 10k off him so he got his revenge big style. Still won £9000 but it felt like i had lost.
I have decided to definitely play in both the WSOP main event in July plus a couple of the warm up events. Tempted by the $10000 PL Omaha but my tournament Omaha play has been bad of late so will need to address that if i decide to play. Will probably play a satelite for it. After that i am going to play in my first WPT event in Paris.
Am having a few days away from the tables online. Partially because i am gutted about that £20k pot i lost and i am moving house at the moment so am very busy with that. The posts will become frequent again soon.......
I managed to win another £10000+ pot with just two pairs after i had bet with 89TQ on a 467 board. It all went in on the turn when the Q came. I made a £3000 bet hoping my opponent would pass and he called with 47 and the river came a 6 to give me a better two pair. I managed to get up to £27000 in front of me then i lost a £20000 pot i am still gutted about. On a flop of 58K rainbow i called a £200 bet from a player with 677Q. Turn a 9 to give me the nuts plus the Q flush draw. I check knowing he would be bet again which he did £600. I reraise another £1800. He reraises again £3000 more and i set him all in for another £5000. Total pot around £20000. He shows TJJK with a Jack flush draw which is of course dead to my Queen flush draw. River a black Queen to give him a better straight. Switched my computer off straight after that as i was in total shock. I had been beating up on this guy for hours and had taken about 10k off him so he got his revenge big style. Still won £9000 but it felt like i had lost.
I have decided to definitely play in both the WSOP main event in July plus a couple of the warm up events. Tempted by the $10000 PL Omaha but my tournament Omaha play has been bad of late so will need to address that if i decide to play. Will probably play a satelite for it. After that i am going to play in my first WPT event in Paris.
Am having a few days away from the tables online. Partially because i am gutted about that £20k pot i lost and i am moving house at the moment so am very busy with that. The posts will become frequent again soon.......
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Phew.....
Just had to post this as it’s the biggest pot I have ever won in my life……I posted here about another time i had passed a set of Queens to a potential massive bluff. This time i decided to make the call ... I just failed to believe him after his preflop raise.
------HAND 5------
Game #404471364: Omaha High Pot Limit (£10/£20) - 2005/04/27 - 02:29:10 (GMT)
Table "Harstad" Seat 5 is the button.
Seat 1: _bigd_ (£2732 in chips)
Seat 2: kingpo (£2436 in chips)
Seat 3: Capucho.. (£3586 in chips)
Seat 4: TURolle (£2000 in chips)
Seat 5: Dakota (£18357.96 in chips)
Seat 6: luckypunk (£5649.16 in chips)
Seat 7: Milkybarkid (£4996 in chips)
Seat 8: BeatKebab (£4061 in chips)
Seat 9: Flopitza (£600 in chips)
Seat 10: Is he bluffing (£15022 in chips)
luckypunk: posts small blind £10
Milkybarkid: posts big blind £20
TURolle: posts big blind £20
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to Milkybarkid [Qd 5h 6s Qh]
BeatKebab: folds
Flopitza: folds
Is he bluffing: raises to £90
_bigd_: calls £90
kingpo: folds
Capucho..: folds
TURolle: folds
Dakota: folds
luckypunk: calls £80
Milkybarkid: calls £70
----- FLOP ----- [6c 3h Qs]
luckypunk: checks
Milkybarkid: checks
Is he bluffing: bets £380
_bigd_: folds
luckypunk: folds
Milkybarkid: calls £380
----- TURN ----- [6c 3h Qs][7h]
Milkybarkid: checks
Is he bluffing: bets £1140
Milkybarkid: calls £1140
----- RIVER ----- [6c 3h Qs 7h][Tc]
Milkybarkid: checks
Is he bluffing: bets £3420
Flopitza leaves the table
Milkybarkid: is all-in £3386
Returned uncalled bets £34 to Is he bluffing
----- SHOW DOWN -----
Is he bluffing: shows [As 4c 9h 9s] (A Pair of Nines, Queen high)
Milkybarkid: shows [Qd 5h 6s Qh] (Three of a kind, Queens, Ten high)
Milkybarkid collected £10189 from Main pot
----- SUMMARY -----
Total pot £10192 Main pot £10189 Rake £3
Board [6c 3h Qs 7h Tc]
Seat 1: _bigd_ folded on the Flop
Seat 2: kingpo folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Capucho.. folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: TURolle (big blind) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: Dakota (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: luckypunk (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 7: Milkybarkid (big blind) showed [Qd 5h 6s Qh] and won (£10189) with Three of a kind, Queens, Ten high
Seat 8: BeatKebab folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 10: Is he bluffing lost
Just thought i'd add a hand i wasn't involved in which shows why i am drawn to the £10/£20 table.
Omaha High Pot Limit (£10/£20) - 2005/04/27 - 01:18:04 (GMT)
Table "Harstad" Seat 9 is the button.
Seat 1: _bigd_ (£440 in chips)
Seat 2: Freechips (£9390 in chips)
Seat 3: Capucho.. (£2578 in chips)
Seat 4: kingpo (£2409.50 in chips)
Seat 5: Dakota (£12598.50 in chips)
Seat 6: luckypunk (£1374 in chips)
Seat 7: Milkybarkid (£844.04 in chips)
Seat 8: BeatKebab (£1970 in chips)
Seat 9: Flop_hit (£1581 in chips)
Seat 10: p10ker (£700.64 in chips)
p10ker: posts small blind £10
_bigd_: posts big blind £20
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to Milkybarkid [4c 6s 2h Js]
Freechips: raises to £70
Capucho..: folds
kingpo: calls £70
Dakota: calls £70
luckypunk: folds
Milkybarkid: folds
BeatKebab: folds
Flop_hit: calls £70
p10ker: folds
_bigd_: calls £50
----- FLOP ----- [5d Ac 5s]
_bigd_: checks
Freechips: checks
kingpo: checks
Dakota: checks
Flop_hit: checks
----- TURN ----- [5d Ac 5s][4h]
_bigd_: checks
Freechips: bets £360
kingpo: folds
Dakota: calls £360
Flop_hit: folds
_bigd_: folds
----- RIVER ----- [5d Ac 5s 4h][2c]
Freechips: bets £1080
Dakota: raises to £2160
Freechips: raises to £7560
Dakota: calls £5400
----- SHOW DOWN -----
Freechips: shows [Qc 7d 8h 9s] (A Pair of Fives, Ace high)
Dakota: shows [Jh 7c 5h Ad] (A Full House, Fives full of Aces)
Dakota collected £16197 from Main pot
----- SUMMARY -----
Total pot £16200 Main pot £16197 Rake £3
Board [5d Ac 5s 4h 2c]
Seat 1: _bigd_ (big blind) folded on the Turn
Seat 2: Freechips lost
Seat 3: Capucho.. folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: kingpo folded on the Turn
Seat 5: Dakota showed [Jh 7c 5h Ad] and won (£16197) with A Full House, Fives full of Aces
Seat 6: luckypunk folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: Milkybarkid folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: BeatKebab folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: Flop_hit (button) folded on the Turn
Seat 10: p10ker (small blind) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
------HAND 5------
Game #404471364: Omaha High Pot Limit (£10/£20) - 2005/04/27 - 02:29:10 (GMT)
Table "Harstad" Seat 5 is the button.
Seat 1: _bigd_ (£2732 in chips)
Seat 2: kingpo (£2436 in chips)
Seat 3: Capucho.. (£3586 in chips)
Seat 4: TURolle (£2000 in chips)
Seat 5: Dakota (£18357.96 in chips)
Seat 6: luckypunk (£5649.16 in chips)
Seat 7: Milkybarkid (£4996 in chips)
Seat 8: BeatKebab (£4061 in chips)
Seat 9: Flopitza (£600 in chips)
Seat 10: Is he bluffing (£15022 in chips)
luckypunk: posts small blind £10
Milkybarkid: posts big blind £20
TURolle: posts big blind £20
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to Milkybarkid [Qd 5h 6s Qh]
BeatKebab: folds
Flopitza: folds
Is he bluffing: raises to £90
_bigd_: calls £90
kingpo: folds
Capucho..: folds
TURolle: folds
Dakota: folds
luckypunk: calls £80
Milkybarkid: calls £70
----- FLOP ----- [6c 3h Qs]
luckypunk: checks
Milkybarkid: checks
Is he bluffing: bets £380
_bigd_: folds
luckypunk: folds
Milkybarkid: calls £380
----- TURN ----- [6c 3h Qs][7h]
Milkybarkid: checks
Is he bluffing: bets £1140
Milkybarkid: calls £1140
----- RIVER ----- [6c 3h Qs 7h][Tc]
Milkybarkid: checks
Is he bluffing: bets £3420
Flopitza leaves the table
Milkybarkid: is all-in £3386
Returned uncalled bets £34 to Is he bluffing
----- SHOW DOWN -----
Is he bluffing: shows [As 4c 9h 9s] (A Pair of Nines, Queen high)
Milkybarkid: shows [Qd 5h 6s Qh] (Three of a kind, Queens, Ten high)
Milkybarkid collected £10189 from Main pot
----- SUMMARY -----
Total pot £10192 Main pot £10189 Rake £3
Board [6c 3h Qs 7h Tc]
Seat 1: _bigd_ folded on the Flop
Seat 2: kingpo folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Capucho.. folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: TURolle (big blind) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: Dakota (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: luckypunk (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 7: Milkybarkid (big blind) showed [Qd 5h 6s Qh] and won (£10189) with Three of a kind, Queens, Ten high
Seat 8: BeatKebab folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 10: Is he bluffing lost
Just thought i'd add a hand i wasn't involved in which shows why i am drawn to the £10/£20 table.
Omaha High Pot Limit (£10/£20) - 2005/04/27 - 01:18:04 (GMT)
Table "Harstad" Seat 9 is the button.
Seat 1: _bigd_ (£440 in chips)
Seat 2: Freechips (£9390 in chips)
Seat 3: Capucho.. (£2578 in chips)
Seat 4: kingpo (£2409.50 in chips)
Seat 5: Dakota (£12598.50 in chips)
Seat 6: luckypunk (£1374 in chips)
Seat 7: Milkybarkid (£844.04 in chips)
Seat 8: BeatKebab (£1970 in chips)
Seat 9: Flop_hit (£1581 in chips)
Seat 10: p10ker (£700.64 in chips)
p10ker: posts small blind £10
_bigd_: posts big blind £20
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to Milkybarkid [4c 6s 2h Js]
Freechips: raises to £70
Capucho..: folds
kingpo: calls £70
Dakota: calls £70
luckypunk: folds
Milkybarkid: folds
BeatKebab: folds
Flop_hit: calls £70
p10ker: folds
_bigd_: calls £50
----- FLOP ----- [5d Ac 5s]
_bigd_: checks
Freechips: checks
kingpo: checks
Dakota: checks
Flop_hit: checks
----- TURN ----- [5d Ac 5s][4h]
_bigd_: checks
Freechips: bets £360
kingpo: folds
Dakota: calls £360
Flop_hit: folds
_bigd_: folds
----- RIVER ----- [5d Ac 5s 4h][2c]
Freechips: bets £1080
Dakota: raises to £2160
Freechips: raises to £7560
Dakota: calls £5400
----- SHOW DOWN -----
Freechips: shows [Qc 7d 8h 9s] (A Pair of Fives, Ace high)
Dakota: shows [Jh 7c 5h Ad] (A Full House, Fives full of Aces)
Dakota collected £16197 from Main pot
----- SUMMARY -----
Total pot £16200 Main pot £16197 Rake £3
Board [5d Ac 5s 4h 2c]
Seat 1: _bigd_ (big blind) folded on the Turn
Seat 2: Freechips lost
Seat 3: Capucho.. folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: kingpo folded on the Turn
Seat 5: Dakota showed [Jh 7c 5h Ad] and won (£16197) with A Full House, Fives full of Aces
Seat 6: luckypunk folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: Milkybarkid folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: BeatKebab folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: Flop_hit (button) folded on the Turn
Seat 10: p10ker (small blind) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)