Saturday, September 30, 2006

One More Saturday Night!!

Matrixrunner: dang IG,,, quit it-

Taken from AP chat Poker Analysis Freeroll League Bonus Game 9/30/2006

I wound up working about 4 hours of overtime yesterday. When I stepped outside it was sunny and a beautiful fall day. The smell of fall flowers and a little bit of a nip in the air. The perfect day for a long training run if I was still running. I felt like soup and so I went to Bountiful Bread and got some Potato Leek Soup and a Tuna Wrap. Then on to Starbucks for my Java fix. On my way back up the Northway I headed straight into the traffic jam of the century. I took Evasive manuevers fitting of a long-time Nascar fan. I peeled off the Northway doubled back around and took the back road near my office to get thru the Jam.

Still sulking about last nite I edited and re-edited my blog post. Mikey got the results up late last afternoon Eric "E-dawg" wound up winning again and Lex finished number #2. The same positions for those two as last week. Eric becomes the first back-to-back winner of the league. Lex was certainly playing well when at my table and its no surprise he finished as well as he did either. Nice job guys. The good news is I am in the top ten in 10th. Zoe is only a point or two ahead of me and actually its pretty tight between 3rd and 10th. My goal is to ultimately make it into the top 5. If I play the way I know I am capable of its doable. Im a veteran of about 8 seasons of the 72os league. Made the league final every season I played and am in the Hall of Fame there. A few mediocre weeks wont get me down.

I decided to take it easy yesterday afternoon and not play any cards. Instead I would play AcesCracked and the PA bonus game for the freeroll league. I got an email from Lady Freerollerz about a game on Kiwi (a playtech site) paying top three only and said what the hell. I normally do well against the woman there.

So onto Kiwi poker at 7PM. I started out tight and then let loose. I was one of the early leaders and then ran TT with a str8 draw to boot into a set of 99's. Down to 300 chips I started my comeback. I got outplayed on that one hand but didnt let me it ruffle my feathers. I proceeded to come back to finish third and cash when I should have been a non factor.

AcesCracked started at 8 PM. I went out pretty early in 5th (top three spots paid) but played okay. It was there that Shamanalinx chastised me. He had just read the blog and said tough nite HuH IGGY-BABEE? I reiterated how bad I sucked and then Bruce made a statement that I actually took to heart. He said... "IG you never once mentioned how great you played Thursday nite on Full Tilt". Maybe because I only finished #2.

And then I realized I am my own worst critic. But, I need to be brutally honest with myself because my goal is to continue to improve. I learn from making the mistakes and its fitting that I put those mistakes in print for all to see including myself. Sure I called a raise that I really only intended to call the BB with, because I wasnt listening and didnt hear the RAISE. But Doug also did the same thing a few rounds later. Makes me wonder how anyone can wear an IPOD at the table.

Anyway onto the PA freeroll league at AP a site I love to hate but which is very good to PA. I figure I can just finish top 18 and pick up a few bucks. I get shellacked by a loosy goosy member that I actually was willing to pay off. No harm. I then start my stuff. 8T dealt to me. Im beginning to love this hand. Im beginning to play it very well. I decide to raise with it. Matrixrunner (the table chip leader) calls along with one other person. I flop a boat. I value betted it perfectly the whole giving the flush chasers the correct odds to chase. I take a huge pot off the table chip leader and decimate another dude. The other dude pushes from EP all in next hand. With QQ in the hole next to act I too push in. Out goes the unlucky fellow. Next hand JJ. I raise again and Matrix runner types his chat message to me. I raise with KQ suited. SamJacks moves all in on the flop with AJ I believe it was. I have the correct odds to call and I take the hand down with a flush doubling up again. Im playing well and aggressively and it feels natural. I wind up with an 11th place finish and a few bucks after getting caught with my hands in the cookie jar and then getting flushed. If you never get caught bluffing you arent bluffing enough.

Today finished in the money in 4/4 tourneys. One I actually lost money on because the winnings didnt cover the buy-in even though I final tabled. I was in the $15,000 freeroll on Dream that I was eligible for. I finished 226th of 3281 with 300 cashing. The tourney froze when Prima went down and I got booted. I came back to find I still had 13000 chips but the blinds were reset to 10/20. Rather then sit out and wait a bit I decide to push with AKh to try for a quick double up. Called by the big stacks AJs.. I get flushed on the river. Cie le Vie.

Just found a few bucks (about $7 or so) on Captain Cooks poker. I enter a ALMOST FREEROLL $1.10 buyin. Only 83 players with a $500 prize pool and top twenty playing. Very nice overlay. Also a $50 bounty for knocking out the Poker Room manager Dave. Will have to remember this one. I was doing great till I went card dead and then aimlessly chased a 4flush donking off a third of my stack. Why did I just do that? Out 40th when my QQ gets cracked by AT flopping an A and then rivering one for overkill.

And thank you to the Blogfather of Poker himself the great IGGY of Guiness and Poker who not only mentioned my blog in a recent post of his about blogs to check out, but who stopped by to wish me a happy poker anniversary. It doesnt get much better then that.

Bad Moon Rising- APL Week #4

Two weeks ago I couldn't sleep because of the rush of finishing #2 during week II of the Adirondack Poker League. It's 1:38 AM 9/30/06 and I cant sleep at all so I decided to actually go old school and put pen to paper rather then turn the computer back on and go directly to blogger. I'm writing on a copy of All In magazine. I'm trying to replay hands in my head. But unfortunately there weren't too many hands to replay because I only won one pot.

Counting sheep doesn't work for me. I instead resort to Dr Suess and count... ONE FISH, TWO FISH, RED FISH, BLUE FISH. Unfortunately these fish turn into the faces of league mates and other poker playing friends I have met. I'm casting out a line and trying to reel the fish in. Im getting no bites. The fish are getting away... IM CHUM.

Normally, I run bad right before the full moon. Its not that I play poorly, but the suckouts seem worse and the hands seem crazier. The next league game for me is on the actual full moon of October 6th 2006. Without fail I will break out of my imagined lull and probably play the level of poker I usually expect of myself. Now I know that this imagined cyclical nature of the ebb and flow of cards is in my head. A more rational and logical explanation may be the fact that the week leading up to the full moon I am normally PMSing. Maybe it is the plunge in hormone levels as well as serotonin that are causing my more tentative play, inability to sleep, and the ability to not focus as well or concentrate as long. I sensed it last nite during my heads-up battle with Jeff on FTP.

But let me regress to the cyclical nature of cards. I've been told that I should see a pocket pair approximately one out of every 17 hands. The odds of me seeing a particular pocket pair such as AA is 220-1. Now I know I never saw AK all nite and originally I thought I was only dealt one pocket pair in the form of TT which went into the muck on a misdeal. I did actually get 88 on the first hand in early-mid position with some of the most aggressive guys in the league yet to act which I folded. As it turned out that was my best play all nite. I also believe I got 44 once and folded out of position when short stacked. That was it. No AA, KK, QQ, JJ. NADA.. No j9 either. One qx hand I folded which would have been trips for me but a loss to a boat. Lots of 94 and 95 and 64 and 35. and 74 and 73 and about three Doyles. Guess Im paying for the nite I had kk 3-4 times, AA once and QQ twice!!

I wasn't going to even write about last nite because there wasn't much anything that I did that is worth mentioning except the mistakes I now know I made. I realized afterwards that as bad as my cards were I should have been paying attention and taking notes. I had brought a little notebook to actually record some of the key hands of my league mates in attempt to recapture for the blog. I didn't pull my notebook out.

So I must give props to Ray and also to Karen who gave me the nudge to at least make a passing mention of a couple of the crazy hands. Yes they do happen in live play!!

I was seated in the 6 seat. Lex who had played extremely well last week had the deal. Immediately to Lex's left in the SB was Joe (sitting in for Ray who was on his way back from Foxwoods), Kamikaze Kenny (props to Ray for the moniker) was in the BB. Juddy, Mark, Me, George and Doug rounded out the table. I looked down to pocket 88 and folded wanting to get a feel for the table. I told myself to play extremely tight the first orbit playing only top 10ers. I had noticed a tendency in my live play to get involved early in pots I had no business being in. I wanted to seal this chip leak.

So, Ive folded my 88. I cant remember who else may have seen that first flop but when it came down T K T. Joe in the SB and Kenny in the BB were the only two still in after that flop. I believe the turn card was a blank and the river card the third T. Now, it was pretty clear that someone had a boat and someone had quads. When Kenny fired all in first we all thought He had the quads. When Joe called we knew Kenny's fate was sealed on the first hand. Kenny's AK in the hole which resulted in Tens full of kings was beaten by Joes quad tens (and yes I forgot his other hole card). Ray's sub now had a very comfortable lead over T10000.

I saw a couple of flops one with AJd which hit two diamonds but never completed my flush which Lex took down because he knew I was on a draw and he had the other person beat (Mark I believe). I saw a flop with 98c the flop no help to me. I announced call not hearing that Joe or Jason had raised to 900. And the board was no help to me. And I mucked a winning hand when the flop came 99848 and Kenny paired his 4. I mucked the KJd not realizing my kicker would have won. I'm fanatical about showing my cards in Omaha 8 if there is ever any doubt of who has the best hand. Once again a Rookie mistake in live play. One you don't see online. Is it clear I wasn't focused and paying attention? Last nite I wasn't. I normally have a near photographic memory and can recap the players hands, flops, bet sizes even if I wasn't involved. Not last nite.

I doubled up off Joe before Ray arrived when my AQ held against his weaker suited A and the flush didn't arrive for him. That gave me some breathing room but not enough. Juddy was having as difficult a time as me so we commiserated.

I wound up going out in twelveth of 25 same postion as last week which was 24 runners. I should stay about the same in the rankings some of the players ahead of me actually did worse then I and some of the same faces made the final table as last week (Lex, Bill, Tracy, Eric,). Karen eked out a final table spot, as did Joe for Ray. Mark and Doug, Steve and George also FT'd.

I went out with AJos vs Mikes pocket 44 which held. A few hands prior I was dealt A2os. I folded it much to Ray's dismay when he saw my ace and thought I was crazy for folding an ace when the blinds were coming around. I didnt like the kicker. Yes the flop came A2x and of course there is no crying over spilled milk or mucked cards. I felt about ten years old when I turned around and gave him my 'I'm an idiot look". The next hand I was dealt 72os and for about two fleeting seconds I thought about pushing all in with the hammer as my whole evening was a Comedy of errors. Later Karen found herself in a similar predictament folding a KT in the same kind of situation. Her rationale was exactly the same as mine. Both of us way to passive vs a guys more natural aggression.

The other exciting hand of the evening was Edawg- Eric E landing a Royal Flush to take a huge stack of chips away from his girl Tracy. Tracy got away from the hand with a big dent to her stack. Yes hands like that do happen in live poker too. And then there was the split pot QQ vs QQ vs a 999 flop if I remember correctly. Crazy hands.

That wraps Adirondack Poker League Week #4. More to follow in another post after the midnight hour.

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Happy 2 year Poker Anniversary to Me!!

September 26th, 2006 (yesterday) marked my two year anniversary of playing for real money. I made my first and only deposit on Party Poker for $50 and played in the new players $1 tourney. I finished 13th of 413 and cashed for peanuts but was happy to do that well in my first buy-in.

Last night, I almost accomplished the comeback of the year on Dream poker. I had built up a nice stack nearing the bubble of our PA freeroll league and got over aggressive with my trademark hand of 99. I raised and Carol reraised. Not giving her credit for a big hand in the BB I reraised. Yes, you guessed it when the cards flipped I was looking at the bullets and I failed to hit my set. That left me stacked and down to 145 chips. But IG doesnt give up and she relentlessly worked her small stack back up to not only final table but eventually take the lead.

I pulled off a Harrington-esque squeeze play. I sensed weakness when Handpat who had lost the lead and had tightened up considerably min-raised from UTG when I was in the BB. Carol (DCI) called the mini raise from the button. I had about 4000 chips and 800 invested in the pot. With the blinds and the two mini raisers in the pot I decided to pull the trigger and push all in. Had either one called and lost they would have been crippled. I then took the lead with a semi bluff. Unfortunately, I used all 9 of my lives when my dominating AK vs A8 got sucked out on the river by Sun Honey hitting her 8 when she pushed all in against my raise. She was the short stack at the time. I then ran KQ into AK and AJ into AQ to seal my fate and go out 6th. Ah, what could have been, but I got hyperaggressive at the end with the blinds 500/1000 and 1000/2000.

TPCO didnt get enough players two nites in a row to get off the ground. DANG IT. I won the NLHE last week and wanted an attempt to repeat. Im sitting here waiting for the Mookie to begin trying to work off my FTP bonus on a Cap PLO8 table. Micro limits baby but I just took the low for $5.55. Cards havent been cooperating but I'm ahead of what I sat down with.

I just withdrew money off CD Poker into neteller. I'm trying to limit my exposure on poker rooms. I had two accounts frozen. Will Hill has about $40 on me and Royal Card Room has close to $20 (but its in EURO on both sites). Money won in league freerolls last year and I'm not happy. And whats worse I received no notice.

***************************************
And I bid you goodnite all

Ran my KK into Lifesagrind's AK during the Mookie and of course no love shown to IG-E-BABEE as Sham has coined me and I bowed out relatively early. I have yet to make the cash in an MTT on FTP. Figure "they" are making me pay my dues. I am showing a profit in my Omaha Hi lo ring games but I have yet to catch up with the buy-ins I've expended. The beats on FTP are just as bad as on Pokerstars maybe even worse.

The good news is I was also sitting at my Omaha Hi Lo table while Mookie-ing and ended up with a nice profit for the session when I flopped quad 5's. There was a possible club flush and diamond flush as well as full boats possible (A55 hit the flop and another ace on the turn) the only hand that could beat me was quad A's. I had to assume that the other two that came along for the ride were chasing the flushes. I took them for the max since we were at a cap table. YEAH BABY...

Sunday, September 24, 2006

APL-Live Play Week #3

The evening got off to a very interesting start when Trent who was not at my table went out on the first hand. It was his 5th Anniversary and I believe his goal was a quick double-up and then blind off. Unfortunately, his JT(if I heard right) didnt hold and it was a quick exit for him. Joyce then went out from the other table. I was holding court on the blue table in Seat 1 (I got the deal first) directly across from Ray who was in seat #5. Dane was directly to my left in the 8 seat. Good Grief the top three from last week all at the same table.

There are nights that you make one big mistake and you wind up paying for it for the rest of the evening. In my case, I made a couple of little ones early on that lead me to the big one later on. Only my well-timed all-ins and shortstack skill allowed me to eek out a 12th place finish just missing the final table.

First mistake was I was bluffed off the best hand by the player to my immediate right. He re-raised me on the turn with nothing but a pair of twos in the hole when I had the top pair. I folded, I believe Ray called and in the end I would have won the hand had I stayed in. Fortunately I picked up a pattern to his play: a tendency to over-value low pair and to bluff re-raise on the turn when a over card came to the top pair on the flop. I also got a peek at a couple of his cards. First time, I had shared a table with him and rest assured I will eventually make him pay for his bluff. It is truly amazing how many people dont protect their cards.

I then chased an open ended staight draw. Either an Ace or 9 would have given me my straight and I missed. With two others in the pot I felt I was getting the correct value to at least bet out. Shortly after Trent and Joyce bust out. Ray takes Bruce to task. There were only two hands that could have beaten Ray. There was so much money in the pot, Ray makes the correct call and rakes in a very nice pot and a very nice chip lead. We lose another one at my table when AK runs into JJ. Much like my AQ fold of Wednesday nite to another AQ and 99 hand, Ray folds his AK to the two all-ins.

My best hand of the nite was on the first table was when I minimum raised and got a call from Ray in the BB and I think one other caller was in the hand. Ray looks at me and asks if I'm breaking out yet. I have a tendency to get blotchy and on the verge of hives when the adrenaline starts kicking in. I tell him that perhaps he should fear the minimum raise from me (and since Ive been flushed out enough this week I havent had to turn pink/purple yet). It is fun to banter with someone who speaks the same table language. Check Check Check... with a King on the flop. Turn is a low card. Check Check I fire and take the hand down. My middle pockets were enough.

Eventually, my table breaks. Ray and Dane to the other table and me to the table with Zoe and Mike (who is on my right). It is at this table that I make my boo boo of the night. I raised to $400 with KT hearts. I forget who is on my left but he pushes all in. $1600 more to call. I contemplate the hand not really thinking it out. I make the call and its A8os vs KTh. The board flops an Ace, I double my opponent up and I am now short stacked and kicking myself.

Ray has built a nice stack at the other table and at one point was over T10000. He turns around and tells me to hang in to the final table. I tell him my tale of woo with the KTh. KTs knocked me out of the Sahara tourney when I had been running the table and I made a questionable call against a imbecile who told me he didnt play his cards he played how he felt. He just happened to wake up with QQ and stacked me when I paired no King and the straight didnt materalize. His weak tight girlfriend who said nothing (but then again I dont think she spoke a word of English either) was the source of many of my chips when I raised her blind round after round. Turns out KT busted Ray in the 2005 WSOP Main Event. Yet, we both play still play the hand.

I am about to be blinded out and look down in the SB with T8os. Now I remember what Phil Gorden and Harrington say when in the dead zone any two reasonable cards will do. Bill calls with 64 as its only another 300 or so from the BB. The flop is no help to either of us and Im in the lead bu I two pair on the turn and river and have doubled up. I live. We go to the break. I go over to check on Tracey and Ray and see that they have about the same number of chips as me. Ray lost in the course of two hands most of his stack to Lex who is sitting there like King of the Mountain.

I then triple up when my A8os with Ace of Spades (such a pretty card) hits a runner-runner flush. Zoe and Mike both call and I hit the nut flush on the river. Zoe creates a side-pot which I think Mike got upset about. Zoe states she has a hand. I know I hate it when someone bluffs at a dry side pot. But if I have a hand I wont check it down either.

Tracy and Ray hit the rail from the other table, Ray with KT. Mike gets sent packing from my table and before me when his AA runs into Zoe's KK and she hits a set. I folded AJos on that hand to move up another position. I then double up off Zoe when I push with QQ. She can afford the call and does with K3. The flop comes 33x and then a King on the turn seals my fate until the case Q hits on the river and my queens full of threes take her threes full of kings.

I eventually go out in 12th having nursed my small stack longer then I thought was possible. I've come back to win a tourney down to my last 110 chips but not tonight. Frankly my reads were off and I just didnt play well except for my short stack play at the end and one hand from my first table. And no it wasnt the hand when I raised to $600 when the blinds were still $25/$50 (or they had gone up to $50/$100). That was me not paying attention to the blind levels.

Im so annoyed at myself and since I'm working in the AM from 7 to noon, I decide not to buy into the cash game. I bid good nite to Tracy, Ray and Mike and a few others. About the only good decision I make all evening is what I wore. I think I channelled my inner Jennifer Tilly rather well (sunglasses, darker hair, and choice of tops...I have enough of those tops and its a long season!!).

Congrats to Eric (Edawg), recoined by me as Educk, for his quad ducks two weeks in a row, for winning Event #3. He moves on to the Tournament of Champs with Ray and Steve.

Currently listening too..................


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Saturday, September 23, 2006

Redemption- I Can Sleep Well Tonite

I'm at the final table of the Poker.com Blogger Poker Tour. Ive made the cash and played my usual disciplined game with a few surprises that I've learned. My reads have been dead on. I put last years tour champ on a weaker kicker and pretty much stacked him. It was my trouble hand of last evening too that won the pot KT.

I was up as high as #2 during the mid part of the tourney but AK ran into pocket 77's that hit a set and I miffed the whole board. I recovered nicely and made a gutsy call with K9h against the big stack who had 22 and I flushed him. Once I built my stack, I never dropped out of the top ten.

Down to 8 right now. We are playing for an eventual seat in the Aussie Millions. I'm off to a great start.

I just made another gutsy call against a bigger stack with 44. He had Trent's famed hand of 33. I hit a set WOO HOO. Im in 5th. Aces just got cracked by the big stacks A8c which caught the flush sending Hacksaw to the rail. And then there were 7. Just folded the gay waiter. I have 3x the short stacks chips. But have dropped to 6th. The #2 stack in the SB just raised my BB I have 55. I push not making the fatal error of last week. My 55 holds against Q7h Back into #2.

I just called an all-in with my trademark 99 another push all-in and its 3-way: AA vs AJ vs 99. I hit a set, knock out the AJD and stack the chip leader who is now on TILT. I am now in the lead . The dude whose AA I cracked just pushed with A9 I call with KQ. Ace high is good enough to take the pot and I lose a stack back into #2. The new chip leader announces he is off TILT!!

Down to three, I'm in 3rd by just a tad but 2nd and 3rd are both short to the chipleader. All-in with AJd no callers. I push again with KT against the big stack he flips QQ ouch. Same as Vegas.. Im out but $75 profit and Aussie Millions points. Results posted below.


Place Player Chips/Winnings
1 ReplicantPoker $125.00
2 Michael1965 $100.00
3 Irongirl $75.00
4 BobbyOlsen $55.00
5 JCL514 $45.00
6 natsdad $30.00
7 Quackpot $25.00
8 Hacksaw2000 $20.00
9 astinaguy $15.00
10 brodoughno $10.00
11 kufolem -
12 kanyezee -
13 BenPlayin8 -
14 mpgabriel -
15 OhioMike -
16 Osssss -
17 Mada1970 -
18 imjusthere4thebeer -
19 xScrewballx -
20 burnley1 -
21 kdollar00 -
22 DamRiver -
23 DawgRoyal -
24 caroon -
25 cerberi -
26 bergeroo -
27 redeyed030 -
28 cazwil -
29 Meerkat -
30 actyper -
31 crazychane -
32 DaMatrix -
33 DavidMalek -
34 drawdeadcom -
35 DedMansHand -
36 skinski -
37 abstratto -
38 MTLdon -
39 Jamroom -
40 Kipper01 -
41 mortguns -
42 freeroll26 -
43 ViezeMan -
44 Shane@poker.com -
45 NeverLimp -
46 Rahaboss -
47 bolcs5 -
48 Bardiya -
49 vmavrou -
50 lightning36 -
51 Brunsie -
52 Stratman4u -
53 Illotus -
54 JUST1CE -
55 RaisinYa -
56 tomonbass -
57 Kajagugu -
58 cashline -
59 Stormswift -
60 Porkrind333 -
61 purechaos -
62 JBaldwin -
63 bettybet -
64 stuarthomegame -
65 KiwiWiz -
66 CryTom -
67 Surfersandi -
68 CawtBluffin -
69 mick5434 -
70 EgonOlsen -
71 booboy119543 -
72 z0ot62 -
73 shadofpoker -
74 NeoBahamut -
75 PearlSnapMan -

I missed all of last seasons tourneys as did my buddy JBaldwin. I Im'd Jeff today to remind him. Taking a break from diaper duty and his nursing studies he was out to a good start and ran into the donkeys. Hes gonna out him/them on his blog!!

I used to have an issue with poker.com. It used to lag and be so slow and made me want to stick hot pokers in my eyes. I actually said that in a forum post. What an improvement in a year and I must give Poker.com props for coming thru for the WSOP seat winners from Check n Raise poker. They made about ten potentially disappointed poker players very happy.

Week in Review

Not an original title but inspiration is currently not moving me too brightly (to quote Robert Hunter). Im in a funk because of a hand I played poorly last nite and it is just eating at me. But before I recap my weekly Live event which I shall blog in another post, lets review IG's week.

I went into Monday nite of my football league capable of winning on points. I was only one of two people who looked brilliant by taking Jacksonville over Pittsburgh. Now mind you I love the Steelers but I just didn't like Big Ben coming back to play in a Jax home game in the Florida heat. Problem was no offense by either team and I lost on points. Two weeks in a row I lose on points. I am sitting in second place one out of first two weeks into the season. Still a long long way to go.

I had a nice 4 day weekend and had Monday off. Monday nite I played the Poker Analysis freeroll league which was on RVP. The top 5 places would win a ticket into the 15k freeroll they have. Kind of nostalgic about the league since I was league champion last September. I won the title last year on my one year poker anniversary. My two year poker playing anniversary is September 26th. Anyway, I had some of the donkiest of PA donks at my table. Now one player is very good at LAG. He is capable of laying down hands and that makes him dangerous. I was able to get the better of him on a hand or two and he stayed largely out of my way. I had built up a stack and was up into 2nd place. I get into it with one of the donks who is just a maniac. Carol says he has no clue Im more blunt and say douchebag. He will not laydown a hand to a female.. You can guess what happens he flushes me with a crap hand he hand no business being in and I am now out about $4000 chips and not happy. I then run my KK into another donkey who gets lucky on me again and Im out.

Tuesday nite was a mixed bag for poker. I finish in the points but no cash in PA's $5 buyin league at Pot Limit Omaha. Never got anything really going. AP showing me no love and I missed when I attempted a draw to my str8 flush which was stupid but I was short stack and trying to make something happen (top 5 pays) . I cash in TPCO Omaha Hi Lo covering my buyin and then some and finish 2nd in a tourney for Lady Freerollerz at No Limit. I had taken alot of the chips away from the gal who beat me heads up several times. She was tight weak. She never raised me once when she was SB to my BB. I went into heads up the chip leader largely with her chips. She wound up getting chips from the other gals when she either woke up with a hand and no one got aggressive with her or she outdrew on them. My mistake heads up was with blinds $2000/$4000 I was raising and missing and had to lay down a bunch of hands. I should have just started calling her blind. Live and learn

Wednesday nite at 8 PM Pot Limit Omaha for PA freeroll league. I go out on the Second hand when I decide I dont really want to be playing this and donk off to Pekabo with two aces in the hole and she hits a str8. Tis okay. I have TPCO starting at 9 and my weekly fix of The Mookie on FTP starts at 10PM. TPCO starts off poorly but starts turning around. Im now at the final table of TPCO and the Mookie has started.

The Mookie is typical Mookie action. Lots of raising and bluffing and blind stealing. If you want to be tested and learn how to eat humble pie then the Mookie is the place to spend your Wednesday nites. A lot of these guys and gals are not only top bloggers with great content, they are also great players with big tourney experience. Ive cashed in the WWDN but never in the Mookie but Have come close to final tabling a few times in my 4-5 attempts. I steal my share of blinds and am in okay position. I look down with AQ from EP and raise to $150 (3X) two people move in trkfix (not sure which blogger that is) and Smokkee. Now I have to respect Smokkee. With two all ins in front of me I fold the AQ. When the cards flip its AQ for Trkfix and Smokkee with the IG signature hand of 99. I'm kicking myself when a Ace hits on the flop, I'm turning a cartwheel when Smokee turns a 9 for a set and out goes Trkfix.

The phone rings and I hear a familiar voice..

"What did you have that hand"

I start laughing and state "So, you like to watch"???!!!

It's Ray who decided to check in to see how I was doing. I'm trying to talk and play two tourneys at the same time. I called a raise from Love_elf with TT. Flop misses me with two overs to my tens. When love_elf bets out I fold pretty sure she has hit her hand. I raise with AT on the Mookie. Normally, from EP I may fold this hand. My fellow Libra, and 4 time Mookie winner Surflexus reraises and I call, hit an ace. I lead out only to be reraised again. I go back over the top knowing Surf is either on a draw or trying to raise me off the hand cuz thats the kind of aggressive poker he plays. Of course he flushes me on the river and I am out of the Mookie relatively early but now can give full attention to TPCO. Ray has let me get back to both tourneys but types in chat on Full Tilt Poker to bring the win home on Titan. Mookie players wish me luck and its off to do heads-up battle.

I take down the win on Titan and Ray calls me back a little later to see how I did. I am pleased to report the victory. Not bad turning $2.20 into $25.20 in about two hours. My titan balance is up to $1124 all from $50 back in April. We chat for awhile about the WSOP airing especially Eric Molina. I had sent him the link to Shaniac's blog (Shane Schleger) who tangled with Eric but he hadn't had time to check it out yet. I look at the clock and realize Egad its 11:30 PM and I have to get to bed.

Thursday nite is start of my weekend as I again take Friday off. I get home turn on the computer and it goes into checking the disk. Everything is trying to load at the same time and something is hanging. I have to be on Full Tilt at 8 PM and its not looking too good. Finally, all the incompatabilities are resolved and I'm registerd for the AcesCracked mid week preseason tourney. Mike, my live league manager joined AcesCracked and is registered, and Trent has too (but is a no show tonite) and some character named Snake something or other (Ray) joins in the fun too. His avatar is my old FTP avatar whick cracks me up. The chick with the floppie hat and big chest. I actually have a similar hat and a chest but I have decided to change my avatar to a somewhat more sportier and polished one. I type in chat to Ray; "I used to look like that, here". I'll leave his chat commment to me alone.

Anyway I'm out within twenty minutes I hit a set of 666 and I know mcash is trying to get me off the best hand and by the time the dust settles I am out flushed again. DAMN IT ALL. That's like three nites in a row. I watch most of the rest of the tourney. I see Ray run a bluff sucessfully (I tell no tales of how I knew this and he confirmed it last nite) and then he gets his butt handed to him when Penn(Penfolio)catches him bluffing later on. He finishes #2 for peanuts since this was short handed with about 6 playing. $5.50 isn't his usual buy-in but thats the bread and butter for us lower stakes folks. Anyway, I decide that I should do something more constructive with my evening then get flushed, rivered and bitch-slapped so I decide to color my hair and read Cosmopolitan.

Out to Walmart I trot after Aces Cracked is over, and I deliberate over what color brunette I should be. My hairstylist is only part-time now and with my schedule it's hard to get an appointment that fits into her availablity and mine. Plus, I think I can handle doing this myself for a fraction of the cost. I do so sucessfully saving a chunk of change. Its back to a nice chocolate brown but I can still see the red highlights. Last year I tired of the Jennifer Aniston colored locks that I had for years and decided to go a darker brown then I ever was. Ah there is nothing more satisfying then saving money and doing it yourself, I just saved about $50 on my hair so I think I'll do retail therapy and sleep in tomorrow.

Monday, September 18, 2006

Bounty Player Blogger Event 9/24/2006

I am playing in the next BountyPlayer Bloggers Championship. BountyPlayer.com is a unique site that allows poker players to play against each other for Bounties. Each player is a hunter and hunted. You may also Join the Hunt!

Pimpin the Mookie

So what if he's from Austin and a Longhorns fan. I can swallow my CU pride. Yeah Yeah Yeah 70-3!!!




All bloggers and Friends of Bloggers are welcome to join. Per the Mookie himself the more the merrier.

Sunday, September 17, 2006

IG's Football Picks week II

Well I missed the win last week but am in a solid third place two games out of first. Of course its still early in the season. I'm looking good for season to date points in the league going into Monday nite this week. Here were this weeks picks

Sunday games
>
> MIA
> ATL
> BAL
> PHI
> NO
> IND
> CHI
> CIN
> MIN
> STL
> SEA
> NE
> DEN
>SD
>DAL
>
>Monday game
>
> JAX

11-3 after the early games. For once Minnesota didnt screw me over.

Didn't play much poker today but I did get myself out of a ticket. There was a safety check on Sitterly Road. I always wear my seat belt but my inspection had lapsed in August and I knew it. I had no outs so I soldiered on. The officer looked in the car saw I was wearing my belt but then he pointed at the windshield. "Ma'am we have a problem do you know your inspection is lapsed. It expired in August". And in my best poker face I bluffed him. 'Oh shit' I mutter feigning ignorance. "Oops, Officer would you like me to pull over". He looked at me and smiled No just go get it taken care of. I thanked him nicely and said "I'll go over to Hoffman's right now". Inspection and oil change done. Poker winnings saved.

I stopped at PetSmart to get Maine Coon Kibble for Bailey and some other kitty treats. Maine Coons are the giants of the cat world. Bailey is a big boy. Hell be three in December but Maine Coons dont fully develop or mature till they are between 3-5. His dad Reed is a very big boy at about 22 lbs. Grandpa Gorham is also a big boy. Mom, Carousel is pretty and dainty. Bailey is long and lean like Mom but has the big ruff (mane), tufted paws, lynx tips on his ears and size of his dad and Grandpa just not the weight yet. The interesting thing about Maine Coons is that they tend to swallow food whole. The Maine Coon kibble is big pellets designed to make them chew it and therefore digest it better. It is also what I throw up in the air for him to catch. It is always much better to Baboo if he has to hunt it down. He has caught it in his paws mid-air. He will bring it back to me, spit it out and want me to throw it again. He is a character but can be a handful. A strong-willed kitty (much like his mommy at times. I've had to put him down a few times to show who is Alpha when he has gotten playfully aggressive we me. Ears go back and he likes to use his claws and grab on to my arm and kick. Normally he is a mush mellon and very laid back and affectionate. Usually at my feet when I play online or in his kitty bed (which is a dog bed).

I also spent some time tending my mums. Because I have a second floor condo I am limited pretty much to container gardening. It was a nice day so I spent some time on the balcony tending to the mums I had bought. I never got a real garden going early spring. The rain on the weekends kept me inside. Then since I was heading to Vegas I figured I'd wait till I got back and plant some containers. Never got to it. But there is nothing more satisfying then digging in the dirt. So I deadheaded my mums. May have to repot them soon.

I played the PA buyin game on Royal Vegas Poker. Lou Krieger was supposed to join us but he was a sit-out. Something must have come up as he usually always shows unless he is traveling or lecturing or off doing poker press. His ghost beat me. On the hand that was the start of my undoing, I hit a non-nut four flush and open ender on the flop. I fired a pot sized bet on the flop, then an overbet on the turn to shake everyone out. I lost two but should have known better as the lone caller, (A friend of mine who wont let go of hands) raised all in with a four flush holding A2 diamonds. I had her covered but it was going to cost me if the flush hit and not the str8. I had outs and was pot committed and called. Wrong move. Out I went in 9th with top 5 paying. Criminey!!!

I then caught up with Mike from my live league on Full Tilt Poker and railed him for a bit in his tourney. Also railed Lee from Poker Analysis in WCOOP #2 he, Tilter and The Student all played and didnt fair very well. I won a little contest that Tilter had on Poker Analysis. It was a nice stake into a WCOOP sat to attempt to qualify for today's event. Kevin overslept (heck hes still in College and entitled too oversleep)so he announced I had won it after it was too late. He sent me the money on Stars to use for another buy-in. I may attempt to satellite into the Omaha Hi Lo. tourney later this month.

Catching up on the 2006 WSOP right now. Ray had mentioned the reads Danny Negreanu made in the episode where he was featured. Sheer genius. I also caught Dr Pauly in the background and caught Eric Lynch's aka Rizen's segment. Will be interesting to see what he post's about the WSOP after the final episode airs. I would have placed my money on Lisandro decking Friedman if that had escalated into a shoving match. Reminded me of the Grizzle vs Hellmuth confrontation a few years back. I also learned how Carlos Mortenson got his name 'The Matador'. I must say, I root for the bulls when they run. Anyone drunk and stupid enough to try to outrun a nasty bull deserves what they get. I remember as a little girl going into the wrong field at my Grandpa's dairy farm with my friend and neighbor, Brenda. King Tut got into the field and charged us. That's where my track and field/cross country career got its start!!!!

Saturday, September 16, 2006

APL Week II-Live Play

Last night it was back up to Fort Edward for week II of the Adirondack Poker League. Never really knowing how much traffic I am going to find on a Friday night on the Northway I leave about 5PM and get there about 30 minutes early. I help Mike set up as does Ray for tonights league action. Let me just preface the nights action by saying I had finished 4th and in the money in a 45 person sng on stars (Lee showing me some love) earlier in the afternoon. I cranked some Grateful Dead on my way up and was ready to rock and roll.

3 tables with 24 members. Karen and Steve are away in Arkansas for a music festival featuring Little Feat( I've seen them a bunch in my day) and have a sub sitting in for them. I draw the red table, and to my immediate liking, I have no women at my table which means the league ATM is wreaking havoc at another one. The other three ladies Tracy, Zoe, and Juddy are at the other table, as is Ray. I'm in the 3 seat which is also to my liking as far as me having to deal from, but I'm also the BB first hand. Trent is at my table, a few spots to my right. Exactly where you want a LAG player. Trent plays LAG extremely well and it beats having him on my left. He announces he is going to play extremely tight which means he doesn't come in for a raise until hand Two!!. Mike our League, manager is also at my table. I post the BB of $50. A bunch of limpers and I check with A9 spades, figuring I'll just see a flop. I hit top pair on the flop with my 9 and top kicker and take down the first hand right there. It always feels good to take down your first hand especially when it is the first hand of the tourney.

A few hands from my first table of note. I call a raise from Bill (an older gent-Juddy's hubby and Zoe's Dad), with KQos. I hit my King. Figuring I have top pair with a decent kicker I bet. Bill either smooth called me or raised me Trent folds, I call the raise as there is a J and I figure I can semi bluff two pair. When the hand plays out I am down a bunch of chips as Bill played a pair of pocket Aces very nicely for value. Turns out Trent folded the same hand as me. KQos will be a major hand for me later on it will turn out. Hand II of note is a nice win for me. I am dealt pocket KK. I raise it up 4x BB. I get one caller in the form of Darren. I hit my set and check. He bets about $400 and I re-raise him. He mulls it over and calls. When I fire another bet. Darren announces Nice Bet and flashes me his hand A7 diamonds. I show him my Cowboys. Shortly, thereafter Doug pulls the same AA move on Bill as Bill had pulled on me. Table I is playing solid poker and Doug seems to have the momentum. Another losing hand of note is when I raise with TT and get called by George. George is another older fellow. He played in this years WSOP on a direct buy-in. One thing I noticed about George is, his hands shake when he has a hand. I would say ROCK. The board is not nice for my TT nor is it nice apparently for George. He bets the turn after I check and I decide to pay to see the cards. My read was off he had pocket JJ to my TT and it costs me about $1800. The hand that proves my turning point as far as momentum going my way involves Doug. He raises to $900 (3X). I call the raise with AJd. I hit my Ace on the flop and one of the other cards is a 7 . Doug bets I call. Another Ace hits he bets harder I just smooth call. River a 7. I fill up and take down a huge pot against Doug's QQ. No fiasco like my infamous JJ J33 during prseason.

I get moved and am at a table where a few of the guys have nice stacks because they have emptied the ATM who apparently went all in when she hit a 6 and that was like the low pair on the board. I've played Lex before, and Rich (Ray's bro who was last weeks runner-up). Mark (Steve and Karen's sub), is playing very well and Dane last weeks first out are also at this table and I have no info on them. Rich gets bounced, then I bounce Lex when he is short stacked and pushes all-in. I move in from relatively EP when I am dealt KK to discourage any callers. Lex flips AK and my Cowboys hold. Cowboys were extremely nice to me last nite as I had them about 3 times, maybe 4. I then get moved back to my original table when we condense down to two.

The overwhelming theme of the nite was that the players who did extremely well first week are first out(Remember it was a full moon). What is the saying the first shall be last and the last shall be first.

Finally, it is down to the final table. Eric (E-dawg) is the short stack. He's between me and Ray. Other players at the FT were Mark (the sub), Tracy, Zoe, George, Darren, Dane and Doug. Eric and Doug hit the rail. Mark pushes in and I call his all in with TT. Darren and George both call. They have AK and AJ neither one hits. Mark does have a Q and the board hits a Q and he quads up. Ray coaches me that I should have moved in to push out other callers. That would have prevented Mark from quading up. I completely understand his reasoning there but was gun shy at the time after my previous foray. George busts out next. Tracy busts out to Ray when I'm the Dealer. Both of them have High connectors. Tracy hits first and it looks like a double up for her, but I deal Ray the card he needs to take the hand and he has accumulated a nice stack of chips. For Tracy's bubble efforts she wins a nice pokerstars sweatshirt. I refuse to go down without a fight and push first with JJ (no callers) to stay ahead of the blinds. I push with AQ and get Zoey to call with KT (if I remember right) and double thru her. She's now the short stack. She double's back up thru Ray who is now playing big stack poker and Ray's A5d runs into either AK or AQ. I'm into the money and most importantly my points earned are a big improvement over last weeks 17th place. 6th will earn the buy-in back. I'm now playing to win and am in okay shape but with a fairly low M I really am playing short stack poker which is one of my strengths. I was extremely aware of my chip stack in relation to the other smaller stacks vs Rays big stack.

Mark and Darren bust out in 5th and 6th (cant remember which order and results aren't posted yet). Zoe goes out 4th. After Eric had busted, Ray was on my immediate right a reversal of our table last week. Last week we never tangled. He mentions this and I make the statement that before the season is out the two of us will be heads-up for the weekly title probably at least once, if not a couple of times. When it is still 4-way I point at him and at me and our stacks and nod my head meaning I'm predicting we will go heads-up tonite. Now if only I can predict my cards that well!!

After busting out first last week, Dane is now playing for the win too. He got so annoyed by Joyce last week it sent him on Tilt. I also correctly assume he is the man to go after. I am tourney Savvy enough to not mess with the big stack. Ray is going to have to come after me. Besides he has 35 years of poker under his belt (started playing at about 8) and big tourney experience. The person who he most reminds me of as far as style of play is Poker Analysis Elite 9 member Clark (Kelarob/Razrback-blog link at right). Just like Clark, (who has staked me and who I met in Vegas) he has absolutely no ego and besides being fun to play against has been generous with poker advice. Plays with controlled aggession extremely well. Hard to get any reads on but will blush on occasion!! Thats okay, Im close to breaking out in hives at this point.

Ray puts me all in from the little blind at one point. I have KQos which I fold. He flashes me AK and I show him my hand. He had me dominated. I know Harrington would say it was an auto call there but I had taken a hit with the same hand earlier against Bill. I consider it a trap hand meaning play it and you get trapped. I had to respect the raise from Ray and I want to be the one pushing not the one being pushed. It proves to be a brilliant move on my part.

I immediately go in Kill Phil mode and start pushing against Dane I push with all my Aces, I push with 88, we see a flop with me SB vs BB and I have J9s. I hit an open ender on the turn and semi bluff the pot. I then look down and am dealt AKc. I push again and I reckon by this time he was tired of my antics. He asks Mike the league manager what 2nd vs 3rd prize money is. He decides to call with connectors 78 I believe it was. He hits two pair but there are two clubs on the flop. I'm thinking I go home but the river card is a JC. Ray and I are looking at the two pair thinking Dane had me (that would have left me with T100) but Lex announces "Look at the board, she caught her flush". I have now doubled up and knocked out Dane.

My bold prediction holds true just a little sooner then expected. Ray and I are going heads-up. I am about a two to one dog to his stack. But thats okay. I've won tourneys where I have been a ten to 1 dog going into heads up. Lex takes over the deal so we can concentrate. We go round and round battling the blinds which are now 1500/3000. I raise Ray with KJ. He contemplates the call and I believe pushing me all in but folds. I tell him I'll tell him later what I had. Lex pipes in with "how much later". That gets me blushing. I look down and have 55 in the BB. Ray puts me all in. In retrospect I should have called here. I look at him and ask how big is his pocket pair. Nothing but his poker face. I lay down. The next hand is the hand that does me in. I cant remember if Ray raised and I called from the BB but regardless, holding Q5 I hit my Q. He puts me in on the flop and I call. His Q6 vs my Q5 is no good for me when he turns two pair. There was a chance of a split pot until he got his two pair. The best player last nite won.

$100 for my runner-up finish after 5+ hours of poker last nite and good leaderboard points. Always feels good to drive home with more money in your pocket then you started with. I decided my live winnings are going to go into an envelope for next year and Vegas. That was only my 13th live tourney (two at the Taj, the Ladies event at the Orleans this year, three tourneys at Treasure Island, two at the Sahara, one home game at Trent's, two preseason APL's and two actual league events. I've cashed twice, both times finishing #2. I've bubbled twice and finished one off the bubble another time (5 Final tables total) and went deep in two of the other Vegas tourneys but missed the money. Not really a bad start to live play.

I found out later that the hand I had 55 on Ray had mid connectors (79 if I recall our post match convo correctly) and it would have been a race with my small pair. I proved a quick study of his use of gappers which he used on me effectively: I knocked Sham out of the Aces Cracked tourney with 79s tonite and took a big pot down with 8Tos. Unfortunately I ran my TT into QQ when we were three way tonite on pokerstars. I read the board correctly that CNS1 had no Ace or J but didnt think he had QQ or KK. I put him on 99 or 88 incorrectly. Still cashed for more then my buy-in of $11 winning $20 for third.

Aces Cracked was all for today as I'm over-tired. By the time I got home last nite it was after midnight, Bailey my kitty was hell-bent for action and so I played catch with him (I got a cat that plays catch like a dog). Then I couldn't fall asleep because I was replaying hands in my head. I worked over-time this morning from 7 AM to 12PM and was up at 5:30 with about 2.5 hours sleep. Tried a quick catnap this afternoon but the sun was beaming in thru the skylights of my condo and I only dozed. I'm running well again in bigger buy ins and figure a good sized win is right around the corner.

Friday, September 15, 2006

Blogger Poker Tour-Season II

After playing in Matt's PokerSavvy Blogger tourney on Wednesday nite (made the final table but only top 3 paid) as well as The MOOKIE, I decided to check out the Blogger Poker Tour site to see when Season II would begin. My timing is impeccable except when it comes to me making a stand with my AQ and running it into AA (The Mookie) and my AK into AA (pokerstars PPA $1 tourney). Not to mention when down to three in a buy-in tourney last nite I run KK into Ace-rag and of course the Ace hits.

I headed over to the BPT site which is held on Poker.com and season II is kicking off on September 23, 2006. Not only will the winner of Season II win a trip to the Aussie Millions but the person who blogs the best about Season II wins a trip to the Aussie Millions as the official poker.com blogger for the event. Now, I may not have the writing chops of Dr Pauly, but I do have some writing experience having written enough articles for THE PACESETTER which is the magazine of the Hudson Mohawk Road Runners (HMRRC)as well as being the editor of the Profile of a Runner Column for many years. Originally, I was going to take this week off from live blogging the Aces Cracked Weekly game to concentrate on playing but I figure I Can use all the experience I can get if I am going to win this contest. It would be totally awesome to win a trip to Australia and be able to visit with El Ing and Synergy (Ellen & Dean) before Vegas next year. The only problem is getting vacation time in January. The phones go wild in January with all the new plans and members coming on board and time off is restricted. Fortunately, I'm pretty friendly with my manager who I've been a sounding board for thru his running aches and pains and his rapid rise up the Masters Ranks.

Even though I only work 4 hours on Friday, I decided to take the whole day off to get my eyebrows done, do my hair and measure my windows for new curtains etc. Then it's off to Fort Edward for Week II of the APL. I went thru a whole bunch of accumulated junk mail and my postman must think I am some kind of degenerate gambler. I have received so much mail and CD's from Online casinos, Sports Books, and Poker rooms etc., that next I expect a pamphlet on Gambler's Anonymous to be popped in my mailbox.


Finally, as a show of solidarity to my Poker playing friends who reside in the STUPID SEVEN STATES of Illinois, Nevada, Indiana, Washington, Wisconsin, Louisiana, Missouri, I have decided to withdraw my money from Dream Poker. I pulled from Purple Lounge the other nite (they did charge a $1 withdrawal fee the bastards) and I decided to Pull from Trident last nite to consolidate down and get my money off the poker rooms in case all hell breaks lose. Rest assured Congressman Sweeney will not be getting my vote this November as he voted on the online gambling ban.








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Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Full Circle to Full Tilt

The Mookie has moved to Full Tilt Poker (FTP henceforth) from Pokerstars and I have joined tonites tourney after missing last weeks Charity tourney for Tanner Evans.

Two years ago August, I started on FTP when it was still in Beta mode and I was a play money player. Originally, that was going to be my home site because I had a crush on Phil Gorden (since ended since he went and got himself engaged!!) I still have a gazillion play money chips from my month or two of play money play. I never deposited there because I felt at the time most of the buy-ins were a little to steep for me to justify the outlay. I soon discovered poker forums and Freerolls and built my bankroll up from a few small deposits on a few sites. My learning curve was short and sweet. I'm one of those folks that cashed in the first NLHE MTT they ever played as well as the first Omaha Hi/Lo tourney I ever played. I won my first tourney about 3 months after I started buy-ins and went on a roll from there.

I made my first deposit to Full Tilt poker today from Neteller after closing down a few Prima sites like Purple Lounge that are getting all antsy about the arrests of gambling execs etc. I Feel like I'm coming back to where it originally started for me.

You can find me on FTP Mookie-ing it up with other bloggers and friends of the Mookie from Austin on Wednesday nites at 10PM EST and on Thursday nites at 8 PM EST for the Aces Cracked mid-week $5.50 special ( all listed under the private tab).

Monday, September 11, 2006

Royal Flush (Omaha Hi/Lo) 9/11/2006

Im not much for hand histories but I figured I'd capture my Royal Flush even if it is in Omaha Hi Lo ($2 buy-in for PokerCards). The result was a split pot with me taking the Hi. I was off today and figured I'd get my Omaha Hi/Lo mojo going. To no avail. I'm out 13th. AP still not showing me any love. Just might withdraw the remaining $98 from the site.


Stage #495702409 Tourney ID 1200407 Omaha Hi/Lo Multi Normal Tournament Pot Limit $75 - 2006-09-11 19:07:20 (ET)
Table: 3 (Real Money) Seat #6 is the dealer
Seat 1 - MOTHURA ($635 in chips)
Seat 2 - BOOZA37 ($790 in chips)
Seat 3 - STEPHDANNY ($2333.75 in chips)
Seat 4 - LADYLISA ($5201.87 in chips)
Seat 5 - GRANDMASUGAR ($4150 in chips)
Seat 6 - MAGPOT ($5741.27 in chips)
Seat 7 - IRONGIRL01 ($1162.50 in chips)
Seat 8 - ARIZONA1 ($3125 in chips)
IRONGIRL01 - Posts small blind $75
ARIZONA1 - Posts big blind $150
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to IRONGIRL01 [10d 10s Kh Jh]
MOTHURA - Folds
BOOZA37 - Folds
STEPHDANNY - Folds
LADYLISA - Folds
GRANDMASUGAR - Folds
MAGPOT - Calls $150
IRONGIRL01 - Calls $75
ARIZONA1 - Checks
*** FLOP *** [6c Qh 4s]
IRONGIRL01 - Checks
ARIZONA1 - Checks
MAGPOT - Checks
*** TURN *** [6c Qh 4s] [Ah]
IRONGIRL01 - Checks
ARIZONA1 - Bets $150
MAGPOT - Calls $150
IRONGIRL01 - Calls $150
*** RIVER *** [6c Qh 4s Ah] [10h]
IRONGIRL01 - Checks
ARIZONA1 - Bets $150
MAGPOT - Calls $150
IRONGIRL01 - Raises $450 to $450
ARIZONA1 - Calls $300
MAGPOT - Folds
*** SHOW DOWN ***
IRONGIRL01 - Shows [10d 10s Kh Jh] (Royal flush)
ARIZONA1 - Shows [2c 5d As Qc] (Two Pair, aces and queens)
IRONGIRL01 Collects $975 from main pot
ARIZONA1 Collects $975 from main pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total Pot($1950)
Board [6c Qh 4s Ah 10h]
Seat 1: MOTHURA Folded on the POCKET CARDS
Seat 2: BOOZA37 Folded on the POCKET CARDS
Seat 3: STEPHDANNY Folded on the POCKET CARDS
Seat 4: LADYLISA Folded on the POCKET CARDS
Seat 5: GRANDMASUGAR Folded on the POCKET CARDS
Seat 6: MAGPOT (dealer) Folded on the RIVER
Seat 7: IRONGIRL01 (small blind) won Total ($975) HI:($975) with Royal flush [10d 10s Kh Jh - B:Ah,P:Kh,B:Qh,P:Jh,B:10h]
Seat 8: ARIZONA1 (big blind) won Total ($975) HI:with Two Pair, aces and queens [2c 5d As Qc - P:As,B:Ah,B:Qh,P:Qc,B:10h] LO:($975) [B:Ah,P:2c,B:4s,P:5d,B:6c]

I then boat up and scoop on this hand getting myself back into contention for the final table

Stage #495703405 Tourney ID 1200407 Omaha Hi/Lo Multi Normal Tournament Pot Limit $75 - 2006-09-11 19:08:53 (ET)
Table: 3 (Real Money) Seat #8 is the dealer
Seat 2 - BOOZA37 ($640 in chips)
Seat 3 - STEPHDANNY ($2333.75 in chips)
Seat 4 - LADYLISA ($5201.87 in chips)
Seat 5 - GRANDMASUGAR ($4150 in chips)
Seat 6 - MAGPOT ($5291.27 in chips)
Seat 7 - IRONGIRL01 ($1387.50 in chips)
Seat 8 - ARIZONA1 ($3500 in chips)
BOOZA37 - Posts small blind $75
STEPHDANNY - Posts big blind $150
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to IRONGIRL01 [2c Ac Jc Js]
LADYLISA - Folds
GRANDMASUGAR - Calls $150
MAGPOT - Folds
IRONGIRL01 - Calls $150
ARIZONA1 - Folds
BOOZA37 - Calls $75
STEPHDANNY - Checks
*** FLOP *** [4s 3h 7s]
BOOZA37 - Checks
STEPHDANNY - Checks
GRANDMASUGAR - Checks
IRONGIRL01 - Bets $300
BOOZA37 - Folds
STEPHDANNY - Folds
GRANDMASUGAR - Calls $300
*** TURN *** [4s 3h 7s] [3d]
GRANDMASUGAR - Bets $150
IRONGIRL01 - Calls $150
*** RIVER *** [4s 3h 7s 3d] [Jh]
GRANDMASUGAR - Checks
IRONGIRL01 - Bets $450
GRANDMASUGAR - Calls $450
*** SHOW DOWN ***
IRONGIRL01 - Shows [2c Ac Jc Js] (Full house, jacks full of threes)
GRANDMASUGAR - Shows [5c Qc Jd Ad] (Two Pair, jacks and threes)
IRONGIRL01 Collects $2400 from main pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total Pot($2400)
Board [4s 3h 7s 3d Jh]
Seat 2: BOOZA37 (small blind) Folded on the FLOP
Seat 3: STEPHDANNY (big blind) Folded on the FLOP
Seat 4: LADYLISA Folded on the POCKET CARDS
Seat 5: GRANDMASUGAR HI:lost with Two Pair, jacks and threes [5c Qc Jd Ad - B:Jh,P:Jd,B:3h,B:3d,P:Ad] LO: [P:Ad,B:3h,B:4s,P:5c,B:7s]
Seat 6: MAGPOT Folded on the POCKET CARDS
Seat 7: IRONGIRL01 won Total ($2400) HI:($1200) with Full house, jacks full of threes [2c Ac Jc Js - P:Js,B:Jh,P:Jc,B:3h,B:3d] LO:($1200) [P:Ac,P:2c,B:3h,B:4s,B:7s]
Seat 8: ARIZONA1 (dealer) Folded on the POCKET CARDS

Twas all for naught. I split another pot with a 6 high str8 to A wheel low. After that it was all busted draws and being counterfeited that sent me packing. Should have picked my spots better and in better position. Live and Learn.

Phone March on Capitol Hill 9/12/06

The U.S. Senate is Seeking to Ban Online Poker
PPA Phone March on Capitol Hill Scheduled for Sept. 12

Dear PPA Member:

Your urgent action is needed! On September 12th the Poker Players Alliance with the support of leading poker blogs and forums, PocketFives.com, Wicked Chops Poker and others are organizing a "Phone March" on Capitol Hill. From 9:00 AM Eastern Time, until 5:30 PM Eastern Time on Tuesday, September 12th, we are asking all PPA members and anyone interested in defending poker to call this toll free number, 800-289-1136 and be patched through to one of your two U.S. Senators in Washington D.C. When you call the 800 number you will hear a recording from fellow PPA member Greg "Fossilman" Raymer and then you will be prompted to enter your five digit zip code so you can be directed, free of charge, to your Senator's office.

Note: The 800 number will only be active between 9:00 AM EST and 5:30 PM EST on Tuesday September 12.

Key points you should make:

* I am voter in your state.
* I strongly oppose any legislation that would prohibit online poker, and urge the Senator to vote against such legislation.
* Poker is a skill game enjoyed by 70 Million Americans.
* The Senator should seek to regulate online poker much like the government regulates other forms of gaming, like lotteries.
* Prohibitions don't work. Any legislation that tries to ban online poker will only drive those players underground.
* Again, I urge the Senator to oppose any attempts to prohibit me from playing the great American game of poker on the Internet.

The threat to poker is real. Please forward this information to everyone you know who cares about poker and an American's freedom to use the Internet. We need everyone possible to make their voice heard on September 12th!

Sincerely,

Michael Bolcerek
President
Poker Players Alliance

This and That/That and This

With two games to go I am at 9-5 for my weekly football picks. I have taken Washington and San Diego so hope to improve to 11-5. I also picked Minnesota for the AcesCracked Pick a Loser contest we have going. I was hoping to get off to a better start then a possible 11-5 but Im okay with the picks. My faux pas was changing Baltimore to Tampa Bay. Go with your gut I always say.

Tomorrow nite I have to play a tourney on Hollywood Poker before the coupon expires. I won a ticket into the weekly play a celebrity tourney or the Michael Woods Invitational for having my blog piece titled "Jennifer Tilly wears the coolest T-shirts" winning a best blog entry contest. It was voted on and I won. Ive been getting some nice compliments on my writing ability lately. Perhaps that Chick Lit book is just around the corner.

The week turned around for me yesterday. I'm blaming it on the full moon which is now past. Ray asked me Friday nite if I believed in that stuff. My answer was nope, but it does make for a good excuse as to why you suck. I had received an invitation to beta test Royal Vegas Casino (microgaming) from Royal Vegas and a few gambling sites reminded me of the offer. I was going thru emails and decided what the Hell and what do I have to lose. You were given 200 free credits and spins. I tried out a bunch of different games and was down about 40 bucks. I then switched I think to Lucky 777 and Holy Mother of Pearl Batman IG hits for over $1200 credits. KA CHING KA CHING. It finally dawns on me that I am a winner and to play it safe. I move on to Cosmic Cat and hit a few $10 winners. When I finish the beta test I am at $1050 or so. Take away the $200 to start and I would have won $850. The only condition was to do a deposit on the site so I moved $50 from Neteller there and earned a nice profit of $200 for this test. I just checked out Grubby's blog and he has a whole post on it.

After my $200 cash I found DCI/Carol on MSN to tell her my good fortune. Carol is the queen of Casino whoring. Unfortunately, she couldnt get the beta room to load. I'm all excited and tell her to share the keys to the kingdom when it comes to bonus whoring etc. So now I have to sign up for Casino Rewards frequent player perk thing. I then ran out to pay my Discover bill at Sears and decided to play the Poker Analysis freeroll league game on Fair Poker. Fair requires 40 players to start and we just made it. I take a hit a few hands in but IG turns it around and goes on a nice run to Finish 4th.

I spent the afternoon doing some housework before sitting down to play a few league buy-ins. I final table at a bunch of small dollar buy-ins for various leagues that range from $1-$5.50 with my best finish a second and 4th. I only lost money on one league buy-in I did when the money I won was 53 cents short of the original buy-in. I then thru away another dollar on soon to be closed prima site All-IN poker where I had a whopping $2.14 or so of earnings. This site never took off. It was set up like a multi-level marketing business where you signed up under someones link and then when they were full you were assigned players. The idea was to earn extra money while you play. I never deposited and have till 9/22/06 to blow the last $1 and change. I wound up netting about $50 for the day from poker on a couple of tourneys so I had a nice $250 day. I was disappointed about the headsup. I had a nice lead and was showing early momentum and the I just went card dead and couldnt hit a thing. I even semi slow-played aces, got some action. When I raised on the turn I got no where. I lost a few hands I had to get off of was down to a 3-1 deficit doubled back up and then it all just went south again. We battled for close to 45 minutes I think. I made some really really good raises and bets and moves during the main tourney without a single suckout that reaffirmed my slump was just short term.

I'm off work today. Originally, I was going to go up to the Racino and play some more -EV games. After my on-line casino foray yesterday I figure I'll quit when Im ahead and just read, blog and play a little later on.

I just saw an advertisement on ESPN that said register now for the 2007 World Series of Poker. Christmas is just around the corner and I don't mean 12/25/2006. It will soon be time to make another pilgrimage to the gambling mecca of Las Vegas.

Late Breaking Updates:

Just got the recap from Rob in California that I'm in the running for this weeks Football Pool Woo Hoo. I must win my two games and win the point tiebreaker.

Secondly this from a forum I belong too.

Prima poker is locking accounts from 7 states that have laws set against online gambling. From what I was told if you have deposited or met the requirements on freeroll winnings you have to contact support and the will open your account to withdraw your funds. The first one is Dreampoker you can find a list of all the primapoker sites view this link: Click here
States are: Illinois, Nevada, Indiana, Washington, Wisconsin, Louisiana, Missouri

Saturday, September 09, 2006

Aces Cracked Tourney I

The chips are in the air at 8 PM. For some ungodly reason they have all 8 of us split into two tables. This is making it hard to live blog. I have the other table pulled up and we are chatting between the two tables. Hopefully we will combine after the first orbit.

Two of Penn's Predictions have come true in the first 30 minutes:

We have been asked for money. The going rate has gone up to $1. Im totally pissed at the moment and tell the dude to go get a job. Then I add that if he is panhandling for money he shouldnt be playing poker. He leaves and another surfaces shortly thereafter.

Mark has mentioned pudding at least 7 times. That got JBaldwin into the mix when his newborn made baby mess in his diaper and JB had to go change the diaper.

I am on the schneid. My set of 777 on the flop got flushed by PLJ1. Here is the hand that I got outplayed on. It hurts it hurts.

PokerStars Game #6229926184: Tournament #29838033, $10+$1 Hold'em No Limit - Level I (10/20) - 2006/09/09 - 20:13:35 (ET)
Table '29838033 1' 9-max Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: cns1 (900 in chips)
Seat 2: plj1 (995 in chips)
Seat 3: irongirl01 (1580 in chips)
Seat 4: MarkGreb (1430 in chips)
Seat 5: mcash2 (1535 in chips)
Seat 6: Penfolio (790 in chips)
Seat 8: taxidermist (1860 in chips)
Seat 9: JBaldwin (2910 in chips)
taxidermist: posts small blind 10
JBaldwin: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to irongirl01 [7h 7c]
cns1: folds
plj1: calls 20
irongirl01: calls 20
MarkGreb: calls 20
mcash2: folds
Penfolio: folds
taxidermist: folds
JBaldwin: checks
*** FLOP *** [Js 7s Kd]
JBaldwin: checks
plj1: checks
mcash2 said, "dead animals ain't all rk wants to stiff"
taxidermist said, "wanna see the naked ones?"
irongirl01: bets 60
MarkGreb: folds
JBaldwin: folds
plj1: calls 60
*** TURN *** [Js 7s Kd] [9s]
mcash2 said, "+stuff"
plj1: checks
irongirl01: bets 180
plj1: raises 180 to 360
irongirl01: raises 1140 to 1500 and is all-in
plj1: calls 555 and is all-in
mcash2 said, "sorry ladies I'm a sicko I know"
*** RIVER *** [Js 7s Kd 9s] [3h]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
plj1: shows [6s As] (a flush, Ace high)
irongirl01: shows [7h 7c] (three of a kind, Sevens)
plj1 collected 2040 from pot
Penfolio said, "u just want teh game we got mike"


8:35PM I have now taken the walk of shame and gone out first. In typical riverstars fashion I lose with the better hand pre-flop. Poker is a cruel cruel game


PokerStars Game #6230107380: Tournament #29838033, $10+$1 Hold'em No Limit - Level III (25/50) - 2006/09/09 - 20:30:10 (ET)
Table '29838033 1' 9-max Seat #8 is the button
Seat 1: cns1 (910 in chips)
Seat 2: plj1 (2335 in chips)
Seat 3: irongirl01 (345 in chips)
Seat 4: MarkGreb (1405 in chips)
Seat 5: mcash2 (1520 in chips)
Seat 6: Penfolio (950 in chips)
Seat 8: taxidermist (1670 in chips)
Seat 9: JBaldwin (2865 in chips) is sitting out
JBaldwin: posts small blind 25
cns1: posts big blind 50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to irongirl01 [Ad Jd]
plj1: folds
irongirl01: raises 295 to 345 and is all-in
MarkGreb: folds
mcash2: folds
Penfolio: folds
taxidermist: folds
JBaldwin: folds
cns1: calls 295
*** FLOP *** [9d 3h Kc]
*** TURN *** [9d 3h Kc] [Th]
*** RIVER *** [9d 3h Kc Th] [7s]
Penfolio said, "ouch"
*** SHOW DOWN ***
cns1: shows [Ts As] (a pair of Tens)
irongirl01: shows [Ad Jd] (high card Ace)
mcash2 said, "ouch"
irongirl01 said, "good game"
cns1 collected 715 from pot
taxidermist said, "omg"
cns1 said, "gg"


8:43 PM- Last years champ is now the short stack at T555. How is that pudding coming mark? Think he mentioned the flavor of the day is Butterscotch.

8:48 PM Fellow blogger ashmc2 (mcash2 on pokerstars) has joined me in the AC loser's lounge taken out by another blogger JBaldwin"

PokerStars Game #6230286450: Tournament #29838033, $10+$1 Hold'em No Limit - Level IV (50/100) - 2006/09/09 - 20:46:35 (ET)
Table '29838033 1' 9-max Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: cns1 (2055 in chips)
Seat 2: plj1 (2335 in chips)
Seat 4: MarkGreb (755 in chips)
Seat 5: mcash2 (1720 in chips)
Seat 6: Penfolio (1525 in chips)
Seat 8: taxidermist (1670 in chips)
Seat 9: JBaldwin (1940 in chips)
MarkGreb: posts small blind 50
mcash2: posts big blind 100
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Penfolio: folds
taxidermist: folds
JBaldwin: raises 200 to 300
cns1: folds
plj1: folds
MarkGreb: folds
mcash2: calls 200
*** FLOP *** [5c Ah 2d]
mcash2: checks
JBaldwin: checks
*** TURN *** [5c Ah 2d] [7s]
mcash2: bets 100
JBaldwin: calls 100
*** RIVER *** [5c Ah 2d 7s] [Ad]
mcash2: bets 300
JBaldwin: raises 400 to 700
mcash2: raises 620 to 1320 and is all-in
JBaldwin: calls 620
*** SHOW DOWN ***
mcash2: shows [As Th] (three of a kind, Aces)
JBaldwin: shows [Ac Kd] (three of a kind, Aces - King kicker)
JBaldwin collected 3490 from pot
taxidermist said, "eeek"
Seat 9: JBaldwin showed [Ac Kd] and won (3490) with three of a kind, Aces

IG's prediction holds true. Two bloggers down and she predicts blogger MarkGreb will hit the rail next. He mentions something about wanting to be out to watch the Ohio State Game.........River stars is now Flop stars and turn stars....


PokerStars Game #6230364372: Tournament #29838033, $10+$1 Hold'em No Limit - Level IV (50/100) - 2006/09/09 - 20:53:50 (ET)
Table '29838033 1' 9-max Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: cns1 (1805 in chips)
Seat 2: plj1 (1985 in chips)
Seat 4: MarkGreb (655 in chips)
Seat 6: Penfolio (1425 in chips)
Seat 8: taxidermist (1670 in chips)
Seat 9: JBaldwin (4460 in chips)
plj1: posts small blind 50
MarkGreb: posts big blind 100
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Penfolio: folds
taxidermist: calls 100
JBaldwin: folds
cns1: folds
plj1: calls 50
MarkGreb: raises 555 to 655 and is all-in
taxidermist: calls 555
plj1: folds
*** FLOP *** [Js Jh 7d]
*** TURN *** [Js Jh 7d] [Ks]
*** RIVER *** [Js Jh 7d Ks] [8s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
MarkGreb: shows [4h 4d] (two pair, Jacks and Fours)
taxidermist: shows [Ad Jd] (three of a kind, Jacks)
taxidermist said, "ta ta"
taxidermist collected 1410 from pot
Penfolio said, "hes used to cleaning up the s**t, so this is just another day at the office"

We are at the break and the short stack at T1555 is cns1 from Binghamton. I have no goods on these Western New Yorkers including PLJ1 who hails from Vestal. PLJ1 is another female, or so Ive been told but says very little. Gotta watch them quiet ones. JB is our chip leader with T4760. He has a big lead over The Taxidermist who has T2125. The ACers can blame me for bringing JB into the mix.

RNG on poker stars = River no GOOD.

Back from the break and CNS1 has doubled up off of JBaldwin. JB's JJ got str8d by 8d9h with a str8 6-10

9:24 PM. After some technical difficulties (disconnect and freeze up from Pokerstars Im back in blogging form)another freeloader pesters the remaining 5.

jonnypodo [observer]: hey could anyone lend me a dollar?

THE SOUND OF A SUCKOUT:
The hand of all hands. I feel JB's pain. I feel Taxidermists pain. He was enjoying his gumbo (must be better then Marks pudding)

PokerStars Game #6230716958: Tournament #29838033, $10+$1 Hold'em No Limit - Level VI (100/200) - 2006/09/09 - 21:26:27 (ET)
Table '29838033 1' 9-max Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: cns1 (1685 in chips)
Seat 2: plj1 (1260 in chips)
Seat 6: Penfolio (1875 in chips)
Seat 8: taxidermist (3250 in chips)
Seat 9: JBaldwin (3930 in chips)
Penfolio: posts small blind 100
taxidermist: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
JBaldwin: raises 400 to 600
cns1: folds
plj1: folds
Penfolio: raises 1275 to 1875 and is all-in
taxidermist: raises 1275 to 3150
JBaldwin: raises 780 to 3930 and is all-in
taxidermist: calls 100 and is all-in
Penfolio said, "lol"
*** FLOP *** [Th 7d 4h]
*** TURN *** [Th 7d 4h] [6s]
*** RIVER *** [Th 7d 4h 6s] [As]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
taxidermist: shows [Ks Kc] (a pair of Kings)
JBaldwin: shows [Kd Kh] (a pair of Kings)
taxidermist collected 1375 from side pot
JBaldwin collected 1375 from side pot
Penfolio: shows [Tc Ah] (two pair, Aces and Tens)
Penfolio collected 5625 from main pot

9:35 PM we are down to 4. Taxidermist has taken CNS1 hide....

PokerStars Game #6230801269: Tournament #29838033, $10+$1 Hold'em No Limit - Level VI (100/200) - 2006/09/09 - 21:34:06 (ET)
Table '29838033 1' 9-max Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: cns1 (785 in chips)
Seat 2: plj1 (1060 in chips)
Seat 6: Penfolio (6025 in chips)
Seat 8: taxidermist (2275 in chips)
Seat 9: JBaldwin (1855 in chips)
taxidermist: posts small blind 100
JBaldwin: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Penfolio said, "dont bother posting it"
cns1: raises 585 to 785 and is all-in
plj1: folds
Penfolio: folds
taxidermist: raises 1490 to 2275 and is all-in
JBaldwin: folds
*** FLOP *** [3h 6h Qc]
Penfolio said, "its not worth the webspace"
Penfolio said, ";)"
*** TURN *** [3h 6h Qc] [Kd]
*** RIVER *** [3h 6h Qc Kd] [Td]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
taxidermist: shows [Kc As] (a pair of Kings)
cns1: shows [7d 7s] (a pair of Sevens)
taxidermist said, "gg"
taxidermist collected 1770 from pot
taxidermist said, "cns"
JBaldwin said, "gg cns"

and then this hand:

PokerStars Game #6230822099: Tournament #29838033, $10+$1 Hold'em No Limit - Level VI (100/200) - 2006/09/09 - 21:36:01 (ET)
Table '29838033 1' 9-max Seat #6 is the button
Seat 2: plj1 (760 in chips)
Seat 6: Penfolio (6325 in chips)
Seat 8: taxidermist (3060 in chips)
Seat 9: JBaldwin (1855 in chips)
taxidermist: posts small blind 100
JBaldwin: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
plj1: folds
Penfolio: raises 400 to 600
taxidermist: folds
JBaldwin: raises 1255 to 1855 and is all-in
Penfolio: calls 1255
*** FLOP *** [9h 7h 4s]
JBaldwin said, "damn"
JBaldwin said, "gg all"
*** TURN *** [9h 7h 4s] [4c]
*** RIVER *** [9h 7h 4s 4c] [8s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
JBaldwin: shows [8c 8h] (a full house, Eights full of Fours)
Penfolio: shows [Qd Qh] (two pair, Queens and Fours)
taxidermist said, "right"
JBaldwin collected 3810 from pot
Penfolio said, "payback"

First Penn (split pot with PLJ1 all-in) and then JB tries to take out PLJ1 to no avail:

PokerStars Game #6230842396: Tournament #29838033, $10+$1 Hold'em No Limit - Level VI (100/200) - 2006/09/09 - 21:37:52 (ET)
Table '29838033 1' 9-max Seat #6 is the button
Seat 2: plj1 (560 in chips)
Seat 6: Penfolio (4370 in chips)
Seat 8: taxidermist (3360 in chips)
Seat 9: JBaldwin (3710 in chips)
taxidermist: posts small blind 100
JBaldwin: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Penfolio said, "make sure u blog the payback ig!!! ;)"
plj1: raises 360 to 560 and is all-in
Penfolio: folds
taxidermist: folds
JBaldwin: calls 360
*** FLOP *** [7c 3h Qc]
*** TURN *** [7c 3h Qc] [Jh]
Penfolio said, "lessen my shame"
*** RIVER *** [7c 3h Qc Jh] [7d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
JBaldwin: shows [8c 6h] (a pair of Sevens)
plj1: shows [Ad 7h] (three of a kind, Sevens)
plj1 collected 1220 from pot

PLJ1 is proving a tough nut to crack. Shes on a run and into 2nd place. Penn just doubled her up when he ran his JJ into her KK.

Bouncing round the room or in this case the virtual felt. The remaining four are switching off the lead. As quick as I think someone has taken a lead it changes. Who will be the bubble? This is where Patience is paramount (I Know Ive finished on it enough but also have more then my fair share of wins). I turn around and JB is out on the bubble. The last blogger standing taken out by PLJ1. My money is on her. Usually the person who takes me out goes on to win.


PokerStars Game #6230978644: Tournament #29838033, $10+$1 Hold'em No Limit - Level VII (100/200) - 2006/09/09 - 21:50:09 (ET)
Table '29838033 1' 9-max Seat #8 is the button
Seat 2: plj1 (2990 in chips)
Seat 6: Penfolio (3750 in chips)
Seat 8: taxidermist (2285 in chips)
Seat 9: JBaldwin (2975 in chips)
plj1: posts the ante 25
Penfolio: posts the ante 25
taxidermist: posts the ante 25
JBaldwin: posts the ante 25
JBaldwin: posts small blind 100
plj1: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Penfolio: folds
taxidermist: folds
JBaldwin: raises 400 to 600
plj1: calls 400
*** FLOP *** [2s 7s Ts]
JBaldwin: bets 600
plj1: calls 600
*** TURN *** [2s 7s Ts] [4s]
JBaldwin: bets 1750 and is all-in
plj1: calls 1750
*** RIVER *** [2s 7s Ts 4s] [6c]
JBaldwin said, "gg"
*** SHOW DOWN ***
JBaldwin: shows [Js 5s] (a flush, Jack high)
plj1: shows [As 4d] (a flush, Ace high)
taxidermist said, "yikes"
plj1 collected 6000 from pot
taxidermist said, "gg"
taxidermist said, "JB"
Penfolio said, "vgg jb"
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 6000 | Rake 0
Board [2s 7s Ts 4s 6c]
Seat 2: plj1 (big blind) showed [As 4d] and won (6000) with a flush, Ace high
Seat 6: Penfolio folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: taxidermist (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: JBaldwin (small blind) showed [Js 5s] and lost with a flush, Jack high


9:54 PM Taxidermist takes a huge pot off Penn. Penn is the short stack

9:59 PM Penn is sent to the rail when he is quaded by PLJ1

PokerStars Game #6231076643: Tournament #29838033, $10+$1 Hold'em No Limit - Level VIII (200/400) - 2006/09/09 - 21:58:49 (ET)
Table '29838033 1' 9-max Seat #6 is the button
Seat 2: plj1 (8415 in chips)
Seat 6: Penfolio (1065 in chips)
Seat 8: taxidermist (2520 in chips)
plj1: posts the ante 25
Penfolio: posts the ante 25
taxidermist: posts the ante 25
taxidermist: posts small blind 200
plj1: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Penfolio: raises 640 to 1040 and is all-in
taxidermist: folds
plj1: calls 640
*** FLOP *** [7c As 6h]
*** TURN *** [7c As 6h] [8c]
*** RIVER *** [7c As 6h 8c] [8s]
taxidermist said, "gg"
*** SHOW DOWN ***
plj1: shows [8h 8d] (four of a kind, Eights)
Penfolio: shows [Qs 7s] (two pair, Eights and Sevens)
taxidermist said, "wow"
plj1 collected 2355 from pot
plj1 said, "gg"

My Prediction holds true.. the winning hand at 10:01 PM. This after Taxi had just taken a T5440 pot down off PLJ1 with a king high flush.

PokerStars Game #6231099068: Tournament #29838033, $10+$1 Hold'em No Limit - Level VIII (200/400) - 2006/09/09 - 22:00:48 (ET)
Table '29838033 1' 9-max Seat #8 is the button
Seat 2: plj1 (6560 in chips)
Seat 8: taxidermist (5440 in chips)
plj1: posts the ante 25
taxidermist: posts the ante 25
taxidermist: posts small blind 200
plj1: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
taxidermist: calls 200
plj1: raises 400 to 800
taxidermist: raises 4615 to 5415 and is all-in
plj1: calls 4615
*** FLOP *** [4h 6c 3c]
*** TURN *** [4h 6c 3c] [Ts]
*** RIVER *** [4h 6c 3c Ts] [6d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
plj1: shows [Ks Kc] (two pair, Kings and Sixes)
taxidermist: shows [Th Ah] (two pair, Tens and Sixes)
taxidermist said, "gg"
plj1 collected 10880 from pot

Aces Cracked Season II Opener (Prologue)

Mookie gave me the idea of live blogging the Aces Cracked Season Opener which is tonite on pokerstars at 8 PM EST. Since the chat is usually far more interesting then the hands Lee Jones deals to me, I figured I can work on my note-taking skills while I hit fold. Besides do you think IG will let her guys be all Gay for a Day? Of course not. Throw a female into the mix and watch these men start marking territory while they try to impress her with their poker skills. I've seen it all guys and I'll just let you fish fry yourselves.

A little bit of info on some of the colorful characters follows. Some of the details were provided by the players themselves and others I may have embellished upon. Names will not be changed to protect the innocent just because!!!

Mark Greb-Season I champ. Of course he had it easy since I didnt play. He should be afraid very afraid. This Straight from the horses mouth:

"Chicks dig me, because I rarely wear underwear and when I do it's usually something unusual." (okie dokie Mark, My little pony perhaps??)

Favorite Book: Captain Underpants and the Perilous Plot of Professor Poopie Pants-sure its written for Kindergarteners but Mark has never seemed to advance beyond Freud's stage of anal fixation. Think I need to send him over to Hench and Bluu on Poker Analysis as a Primo candidate for membership in Team Anal.

His poker philosophy:

"There's a force in the universe that makes things happen. And all you have to do is get in touch with it, stop thinking, let things happen, and be the cards"

My New Mantra: See the Cards Be the Cards

His lame poker blog can be found at LowStakesOnlinePoker

Taxidermist(aka RK92559)

In his words:

When I am not messing with dead stuff, I am a master electrician, refrigeration guy, and poker degenerate. . (Women love guys that are good with their hands and good around the house). Extreme rugged good looks (so he says, Im getting a visual of Grizzly Adams right now).

Struggles at times with bouts of retardation....(Proud rider of a short bus I see)


Taxidermist was willing to post a pic:...... the clean one...the other??..."well..I was young, and needed the money for school." (Yeah and so did David Williams, you'll have to do better then that excuse)

ashmc2

A Cryptical Name wasnt too forth-coming on personal details other then inking his Johnson. This is how Ashmc2 rolls:

I usually just sit back in my Lazy-boy, which is positioned conveniently, smack-dab in front of my computer-stand. (Yes, I know, I like hyphens too much.) I write notes in my notebook like; Penn's the biggest runner-runner hittin' luckbox I ever have been fortune enough to meet, I think I shall deem him Rail Road or RR for short, rk calls with shit, rk raises with shit, rk calls and raises with shit and then blames Lee or the RNG, and the always endearing, Greb you are full of shit, you know you don't have shit so stop min-raisin' you bastard, Greb you lucky, lucky fag, I can't believe you hit that junk. This is about the time I scribble all over my notes, break my pen, and go wash the ink off myself. (And don't ask how I got got ink on my Johnson, because I don't remember, I just remember it felt good.)

IG must ask the question about Mark hitting his Junk. Ashmc2 are we talking about cards here or The Junk in Mark Grebs pants? And if the later how do you know? Inquiring minds want to know.

PENN

Our Fearless leader from across the pond (thats England for you geographically challenged short bus riders). Thinks we have enough juicy info on him and wasn't too forthcoming. He can predict the future however. His predictions on tonites chat:

At some point we will all have a go at mark for sucking out on a big one with rags

we'll also berate him for his inane min raises

Mark will discuss his plans for making pudding

Taxidermist will type 'online video game' whilst referring to the big hand that Mark sucks out on

ashmc will sit n play tight and then pull a big bluff when he thinks no one is looking

rk will ask, where's plj1?

some panhandler will ask for 10 cents


There you have it. Prop bet anyone?

Shamanalix

Forum dippy hippie. Dragged me over to Aces Cracked under the premises of improving his Omaha. He then proceeded to give me a bitch slapping in a three-way with our buddy GMROZ. Bruce and I probably met years ago at some Dead show and havent figured it out yet. Unfortunately he is from the wrong side of the BIG TWELVE tracks in the state of Misery. I can forgive a fellow hippie for that. Its all about Peace love and understanding right Bud? Sham a lama ding dong is off to celebrate his moms birthday tonite and is going to the Races. Negative EV horse-racing is Dude. I will go easy on him tonite.

Other possible players:

Hench18- Bruce and I got Hench to come over from Poker Analysis. He is the team Anal Captain of PA. I have an idea he only joined because he thought the Forum name was AssesCracked not AcesCracked. A solid player if he shows.

JBaldwin- Another friend of mine, and owner of Absolutely Freerolls as well as another Poker Analysis member. He may be called to diaper duty tonite. No not Mark Greb's. He and his wife have a recent addition to their family.

and let us not forget our Heroine

IRONGIRL

As comfortable in Prada or Manolo Blaniks (though she might just fall off and out of the high heels) as she is space-dancing in Tye-dye. This gal can do it all: She make's a mean Shrimp Scampi, is a good gardener (had some practice back in the day with weeds that cultivated her green thumb), Has completed a marathon (that's 26.2 miles), and triathlons (swim bike and run all in the same day)!!. Doesnt really look her age because of Chemical Preservatives largely taken when on Dead Tour in the Eighties. She is not only good with numbers ( an accountant by training), she can Dance too. Definitely knows how to use both sides of her brain. Little Known fact for you poker players. IG was President of one of the Largest running clubs in the country: the Hudson Mohawk Road Runners and directed the clubs showcase fall marathon for 5 years: The Mohawk Hudson River Marathon. A perfect Amazing Race teammate and a cheap date.



-----To be continued-----

Thursday, September 07, 2006

Are You Ready For Some Football!!

It's that special time of the year where IG morphs into the Fabulous Sports Babe and takes on a bunch of guys in her weekly football pool. Not that that is much different from IG taking on a bunch of guys on the poker table.

Last year, ( my season II) I was the queen of point suckouts. 4 times I failed to win the weekly pool because I was just over on points and lost to the person way under or just below the weekly winner by a point. I failed to bring home the weekly $130 prize at all last year. This year I am determined to go for the title that I lost with a week 16 choke in season I. At least I won during Season I. My football winnings and birthday money bought me my Maine Coon Cat- Bailey when he was retired off the show circuit.

Here are IG's winning week I picks. Because of the Thursday nite game which is currently underway and the fact that I had to have my picks into Rob in California by 5:30 PM PST I didnt have access to USA Today's football report, nor did I study the line at all. I picked them all shall we say IN THE DARK last night!! BTW, I do not need to pick against the spread.

Thursday game
>
> PIT
>
> Sunday games
>
> SEA
> PHI
> TEN
> CLE
> DEN
> CIN
> NE
> TB
> CAR
> CHI
> AZ
> JAX
> IND
>
> Monday games
>
> WAS
> SD
>
> POINTS - 36

Now onto Poker, tomorrow nite the APL kicks off. I work till 1:30 PM and then its off to Macy's for a mini-SPA day. I will get pampered, relaxed and a free make-over before I play. Actually the make-over wont be free becuase I will wind up dropping a wad on my mushroom serum and a bunch of other skin care products. I'll then run home pop in my contacts and grab my Starbucks on the way up to Ft Edward. I've got some good info on some of my league mates stored away in my near photographic memory which I will hopefully use to get me off the friggin bubble and into the money.

Saturday I plan on live blogging the Aces Cracked $10 buy-in on Pokerstars and have asked the usual suspects for their profiles. Lets just say the chat is as colorful as the players themselves. Since I can't use my cleavage to my advantage on-line or bat my eyelashes at the guys, I have to resort to other tactics to gain a mental edge on them. The TLB for Season II kicks off Saturday night... all are welcome to join in by joining the forum at http://www.aces-cracked.net. I must give Mookie99 credit for the idea of live blogging. He does a great job live blogging the Mookie which has now moved to Full Tilt Poker on Wednesday nites.

As I end tonites post it is the 3rd quarter and the Fins are up over the Steelers 17-14 with 1:30 remaining.... %@!#^* GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. OMG FUMBLE!!!! No Bettis to the rescue....