Quick lunch break update. I played Friday nite, busting out first from the final table in 10th with 6 paying.
I went back at it again Sunday nite live, because online poker is so rigged and I'm trying to tuneup for a the Empire State Poker Championships at TROCK which starts end of this week.
After one hour of heads-up, and about 7 hours of total play, I took down a live tourney for $700+ profit after tipping the dealer for his multiple Doyles, hammers etc, and cutting in the 7th place finisher.
My opponent was frustrated and I heard him say: "I can't get a read on her" which means I am doing what I've been working on: Keeping my demeanor the same.
Winning hand was 79s I called on a flush draw knowing full well that I could blank but had my opponent covered. He had k high I believe. But with 15 outs twice I figured its time to end this and gambled. Winner!!! Never worried about the money difference between first and second. I played for the win and it paid off. But I reckoned I had a ton more heads-up experience then most of the final table players.
Will hopefully edit this for a fuller recap later.
Showing posts with label Turning Stone. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Turning Stone. Show all posts
Monday, August 11, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Turning Stone Trip Report 7/27/2008
Now my little poker predicament was that I had been running bad and playing about as poor as I can remember especially in NLHE online. I mean I don't think I've cashed in anything to think of except a small cash in the Mookie since March, maybe a SNG here and there but nothing to speak of. I was also running bad in turbos at Omaha8 but had earned some cash in O8 ring and MTTs. When I stopped playing turbo O8's my Omaha 8 stats started improving. I had been doing a lot of reading during my downtime and worked on sealing some leaks. I knew what they were, namely I had lost my aggression component online. As I've mentioned, Live I was running really well till the action dried up. I think the last 10 MTTS I played live I final tabled 8 and cashed 5 with two bubbles. Clearly I'm no joke live.
I tuned up for my trip with a SNG win on Pokerstars, running over the table Saturday nite. That was preceded with a #2 finish in a private MTT on Bodog out of about 90+ on Friday nite. I felt like my old online self circa spring/summer 2007.
So Sunday AM, I met Snake5970 at exit 12 Park and Ride, which is the halfway point between our houses and we headed the back way to TROCK: out rte 67 thru Amsterdam to pick up the thruway there. I had brought muffins from a country store that are really good. I brought frozen water(so that it would be cold when it melted and we were thirsty later in the day) and I chilled some Pepsi's for us. When I arrived at the Park and Ride we opted to drive my SUV out, but I let Snake5970 do the driving. It's about 1 hour 45 minutes to Trock. but the drive flew by as we hadn't actually seen each other since end of April and had tons of non poker stuff to catch up on.
We registered for the deep stack turbo.... 22k starting chips, 20 minute blinds start time 10 AM. We killed some time in the poker room and then headed to the event center. The doors were still closed 10 minutes too ten. I mentioned to Snake that the PokerNews crew and Pauly commented that dead money arrives really really early. We were by no means too early but we weren't late.
I took my seat at table 9 in the two spot. Ray was at table 2 seat 2. I hate the deuce seat and prefer sitting across from the dealer. Literally the tourney started right on time and there were only 4 seated. By the time the first orbit was complete we were 9 handed at my table.
I saw no cards for about 4 levels. I had 32os twice, T2 2-3 times and every version of a jack rag os, except a pair of them. I played one pot when I called with J8 in a limped pot. I bet my 8 that hit the flop as second pair after it checked around and a dude wearing a Heartland poker tour shirt called after checking. The flop was a card I didn't want to see as it put a straight out there. the dude who had checked fired and I mucked. He told me he turned a straight which was pretty obvious. I did take down a hand with Ax blind against blind. I played one hand with 57os just to see a flop in a limped pot and mucked.
Finally I knew they were coming: JJ. After literally every offsuit combo of a Jx offsuit 8 and lower, the Johnnies were bound to invade my hand. I gave them a knowing look as if to plead... Please don't get me in trouble. A dude limped I raised 3x BB. Dude to my immediate left Dante (who played at my club in Albany) 3-bets me. I decide to take a flop and call the three bet, primarily for set mining since we were deep stacked and because you cant fold to every reraise. The board came all babies and I fired. Dante either flat called or raised but I called stupidly at that point if it was a raise. Board paired deuces, check check. So I know he doesn't have a two which would now be quads. River is a Q... I don't like it but figure if i am going to win this hand I need to bet. I fire he tanks after stating he doesn't like the Q and he calls. Dante KK, IG JJ. I lose a good sized pot. Not a great start but Poker Happens. Dante tells me he was afraid of the queen because he figured QQ was in my call a 3bet with range.
Some young dude wanders over to the table and asks if I was just in Vegas. I said "No didn't make it this year because I wasn't funded for the tourneys I wanted to play for the amount of time I wanted to be in Vegas for". Another guy had just gotten moved to my table with a monster stack and nods his head and states. "I tell lots of people with WSOP dreams to take that 10k and use it for something else/tourneys with better value". Something about this dude tells me he is the real deal and to tread with caution. And somehow I mentioned I play under Irongirl/01. At that point about two dudes heads picked up and said. "You're Irongirl???!!!??? I read your blog when I'm bored at work! Another dude knew of me as he played in the league in Saratoga, and when I mentioned who I had come with, he said "I know that name. "I see it on some emails from the Saratoga league and I know Steve and Karen." (which Snake didn't play in either, but he was cc'd on some tourney announcement emails from that league).
I earn some chips when I 3-bet a raiser with AA. Dante smooth called and the initial raiser called. the flop came down Kxx and the initial raiser bets $600 into a pot that had at least $3600-$4000 in it. I shoved, Dante folded. The other dude folds after thinking a bit. Dante thanked me for my bet as he had QQ. So, I chip back up to about 13k. Shortly after I call a raise to $450 with 99 (the IG) fold on a flop that comes TQK. worst flop for pocket 99's. Then I get dealt AJc. dude raises to $600. I think there was one caller, I call. The flop comes AJ2, I forget the suits.. initial raiser bets $3000. I cant put him on a set here. I figure TPTK and protecting against any draws. I have two pair and if I call I only have $6000 behind so I shove...... IG two pair to the dudes AA.. never thought he had AA, as I figured he would have check raised me rather then leading out. Nice trap and IG is out about 150th of 169. A very uncharacteristic early exit for me in a deep stack structure. Like I said, Poker Happens and I think because it had been a month since I had played live, I was too hasty on some of my decisions and I wasnt really reading well except on the second hand of the tourney where it was obvious the dude turned the straight.
I wandered over to Snake told him I was busto. He had built up some chips with some nice hands and was up to about 35k. I decided to try my hand at cash since it was only $100 max for $1/$2 NL and i might as well entertain myself since blackjack is certainly more expensive. The 12 PM sat for the Ladies event next month was cancelled because of the Continental Poker Championships.
I donk thru $100 in a little over an hour. Once again AJ got me in trouble I called a shorties post turn all-in on a board of A73, 6 .. I knew he didn't have two pair nor did I but I figured I was good. Unfortunately, a young Crasian had hit a str8 with 45os and repops me all in. I fold and am down to about $37-40. after I had just gotten my stack back up from $70 to almost even. I have to fold another hand after I raised with a pocket pair and failed to hit a set and had to lay down. Finally down to $16 I shove to a reraise in a pot that has a bunch of players money already in it. I am holding 87s figuring rebuy time if I buts and if its a big pair I'm live and can hopefully catch something.. I run into QQ. Board almost ran out all clubs for a split pot but I go out when a red Q gives the dude trips!!!.. Second casino live cash foray = busto again!!! I decide to take a break and go back to sweat Snake and be a social butterfly.
Snake is down to just about starting stack. He shoves with KQ postflop and gets two callers. One has TT one has 66 or 99. He looks at me and says you are going to lecture me I know it. I say no your actually a slight favorite. Overcards to the board and no set for them on flop and sure enough a beautiful Q rivers to triple him up.
I check on the big stack from my table. The dude is still accumulating, I give him a thumbs up and he smiles. Still no idea who he is. I go introduce myself to the TD Mike who was kind enough to answer my question on the two plus two threads he creates on tourney action at Turning Stone. I talk to Gobboboy a bunch of times throughout the day as he is railing his buddies still left in the CPC Main Event. Jimmy, is a really nice well spoken young man. I have some lunch (which TROCK nicely spread subs and Pizza) and contemplate challenging Gobboboy to a throwing things prop bet ala Dr Pauly and Otis as they have little spears securing a cherry tomato to each section of these mombo subs. I don't but make my spear throw into the waste basket.
The food runs out before Snake can get any. He was still involved in his final hand before the break. They send us all out for a 45 minute meal break. He gets some lunch at the food court. I know 100% that he will opt for something fried. Unfortunately I cant bet anyone on this. I of course am correct: southern fried chicken is his choice.
When we get back upstairs to the hallway outside the Event Center, we talk to an older guy who had been at Ray's table but who busted. Snake had told me about a hand that he was involved in with the dude on a previous break. Ray had a straight flush and the guy told Ray "You would have been busto had the A come" as he would have had the nut flush. Ray had told him no you would have had the second nuts and the dude couldnt figure it out. I believe Ray told him eventually that he hit the str8 flush on the turn. This guy has been around a long time (and Ray actually mentioned the old guy was a good player) and introduces us to the Big Stack dude from my original table as Jim. I had pointed Mr big stack out to Snake and said watch out for that dude if he gets moved to your table. Jim mentions as we are talking that Poker has been really good to him and the older dude mentions a big win. I of course figure I can go home and google this tourney win as it was the Ultimate Poker Challenge in 2004. Lets just say he downplayed this as his biggest win. Based on his stats in the Hendon Mob data base he has over $2.8M in career earnings and is 94th on the career money list. Funny I must have missed his WPT final table. Anyway he is a really nice guy.
I am asked if Snake is my husband about three times from three different people. One guy states, your husband is fortunate to have a wife who knows and plays poker and is supportive. Snake has come back to me several times to discuss some hands and the dude must have just assumed we were married. When he see's me look and cackle and wave my ring hand, he states the obvious: Oh, your not married to him?. I shake my head and don't offer any more info. Not sure, if that was an Oh, cool I should move in on you now Oh or another Oh. I of course tell Snake this. Maybe because we are such good friends and get along so well we act and look like a happily married couple. And maybe that is the key to a happy marriage. Dont get married stay friends!!
Anyway time moves on tick tick tick. He makes the second dinner break. We get dinner at the buffet but have to speed eat dinner as it takes forever to seat you at casino buffet as they make a ritual of the paying, and seating procedure, when there are a gazillion open tables. While in line I start talking about when hes taking me to see his horses work out. As one may actually race at Saratoga this year. The dude in front of us looks at Snake and says? You own horses? I used to own part of a standard bred. His wife makes a remark that it was the stupidest purchase her husband ever did. We get seated and go get our food. When I return Snake tells me the gentleman had found him and wanted to talk horses with him. And snake says did you see the look on his wifes face and hear the tone in her voice?
The turbo structure really goes full throttle and play grinds to a halt as the money bubble approaches. Snake is alive and bound for at least a bottom cash. Jim is at Snakes table and gets moved to the other big stacks table. Snake's table is not sad to see Jim go.
I talk to the look alike ex-wife of Carlos Mortenson who is railing her husband and who donked out before me (they are from Toronto area). I talk to another Canadian dude who doesnt work but plays live cash in Ottawa for a living and who staked a dude at the final table who is a Pstars supernova sng grinder and whose first live MTT it is. And I talk to another girl whose boyfriend is at the FT and who exposes a card to Snake when Snake says: Id really like to see one of your cards as he is contemplating shove or fold. The dude almost gets a penalty for it but since he was playing poker for 12+ hours doesn't and has to show everyone. Snake folds. I state to Snake after the commotion is over. "That is your expert persuasive powers of interrogation as a (retired) CO. The dudes brother on the rail with the girlfrind, says "OH, my dad is a correctons officer too, at the same time the A of spade flasher tells Snake the same thing.
On break, Snake asks me about chopping (when they are now down to about 7 and everyone has at least 4 figures) and should he if the subject came up. I suggest since he is now short not to mention anything. I figure someone else will as it is now 11:30 PM. Sure enough Jim VA does and they chop 5-way for $4600 each with 4 of them throwing $400 each to the chip leader. The chipleader had a monster stack. He had been on a roll ever since calling an all in with K8 and busting the dude without thinking a minute about it. Just prior to that Snake had run his AK into the same guys AA which launched the guys run from shortie to chip leader.
That was Snake's biggest live cash and made up for his poor tourney showing in Vegas this summer. We got back to our cars a little before 1Am after a great poker day. Even though I played poorly and was out early, I had an enjoyable day. And there is the High Heels Poker Tour at TROCK for me next month.
I tuned up for my trip with a SNG win on Pokerstars, running over the table Saturday nite. That was preceded with a #2 finish in a private MTT on Bodog out of about 90+ on Friday nite. I felt like my old online self circa spring/summer 2007.
So Sunday AM, I met Snake5970 at exit 12 Park and Ride, which is the halfway point between our houses and we headed the back way to TROCK: out rte 67 thru Amsterdam to pick up the thruway there. I had brought muffins from a country store that are really good. I brought frozen water(so that it would be cold when it melted and we were thirsty later in the day) and I chilled some Pepsi's for us. When I arrived at the Park and Ride we opted to drive my SUV out, but I let Snake5970 do the driving. It's about 1 hour 45 minutes to Trock. but the drive flew by as we hadn't actually seen each other since end of April and had tons of non poker stuff to catch up on.
We registered for the deep stack turbo.... 22k starting chips, 20 minute blinds start time 10 AM. We killed some time in the poker room and then headed to the event center. The doors were still closed 10 minutes too ten. I mentioned to Snake that the PokerNews crew and Pauly commented that dead money arrives really really early. We were by no means too early but we weren't late.
I took my seat at table 9 in the two spot. Ray was at table 2 seat 2. I hate the deuce seat and prefer sitting across from the dealer. Literally the tourney started right on time and there were only 4 seated. By the time the first orbit was complete we were 9 handed at my table.
I saw no cards for about 4 levels. I had 32os twice, T2 2-3 times and every version of a jack rag os, except a pair of them. I played one pot when I called with J8 in a limped pot. I bet my 8 that hit the flop as second pair after it checked around and a dude wearing a Heartland poker tour shirt called after checking. The flop was a card I didn't want to see as it put a straight out there. the dude who had checked fired and I mucked. He told me he turned a straight which was pretty obvious. I did take down a hand with Ax blind against blind. I played one hand with 57os just to see a flop in a limped pot and mucked.
Finally I knew they were coming: JJ. After literally every offsuit combo of a Jx offsuit 8 and lower, the Johnnies were bound to invade my hand. I gave them a knowing look as if to plead... Please don't get me in trouble. A dude limped I raised 3x BB. Dude to my immediate left Dante (who played at my club in Albany) 3-bets me. I decide to take a flop and call the three bet, primarily for set mining since we were deep stacked and because you cant fold to every reraise. The board came all babies and I fired. Dante either flat called or raised but I called stupidly at that point if it was a raise. Board paired deuces, check check. So I know he doesn't have a two which would now be quads. River is a Q... I don't like it but figure if i am going to win this hand I need to bet. I fire he tanks after stating he doesn't like the Q and he calls. Dante KK, IG JJ. I lose a good sized pot. Not a great start but Poker Happens. Dante tells me he was afraid of the queen because he figured QQ was in my call a 3bet with range.
Some young dude wanders over to the table and asks if I was just in Vegas. I said "No didn't make it this year because I wasn't funded for the tourneys I wanted to play for the amount of time I wanted to be in Vegas for". Another guy had just gotten moved to my table with a monster stack and nods his head and states. "I tell lots of people with WSOP dreams to take that 10k and use it for something else/tourneys with better value". Something about this dude tells me he is the real deal and to tread with caution. And somehow I mentioned I play under Irongirl/01. At that point about two dudes heads picked up and said. "You're Irongirl???!!!??? I read your blog when I'm bored at work! Another dude knew of me as he played in the league in Saratoga, and when I mentioned who I had come with, he said "I know that name. "I see it on some emails from the Saratoga league and I know Steve and Karen." (which Snake didn't play in either, but he was cc'd on some tourney announcement emails from that league).
I earn some chips when I 3-bet a raiser with AA. Dante smooth called and the initial raiser called. the flop came down Kxx and the initial raiser bets $600 into a pot that had at least $3600-$4000 in it. I shoved, Dante folded. The other dude folds after thinking a bit. Dante thanked me for my bet as he had QQ. So, I chip back up to about 13k. Shortly after I call a raise to $450 with 99 (the IG) fold on a flop that comes TQK. worst flop for pocket 99's. Then I get dealt AJc. dude raises to $600. I think there was one caller, I call. The flop comes AJ2, I forget the suits.. initial raiser bets $3000. I cant put him on a set here. I figure TPTK and protecting against any draws. I have two pair and if I call I only have $6000 behind so I shove...... IG two pair to the dudes AA.. never thought he had AA, as I figured he would have check raised me rather then leading out. Nice trap and IG is out about 150th of 169. A very uncharacteristic early exit for me in a deep stack structure. Like I said, Poker Happens and I think because it had been a month since I had played live, I was too hasty on some of my decisions and I wasnt really reading well except on the second hand of the tourney where it was obvious the dude turned the straight.
I wandered over to Snake told him I was busto. He had built up some chips with some nice hands and was up to about 35k. I decided to try my hand at cash since it was only $100 max for $1/$2 NL and i might as well entertain myself since blackjack is certainly more expensive. The 12 PM sat for the Ladies event next month was cancelled because of the Continental Poker Championships.
I donk thru $100 in a little over an hour. Once again AJ got me in trouble I called a shorties post turn all-in on a board of A73, 6 .. I knew he didn't have two pair nor did I but I figured I was good. Unfortunately, a young Crasian had hit a str8 with 45os and repops me all in. I fold and am down to about $37-40. after I had just gotten my stack back up from $70 to almost even. I have to fold another hand after I raised with a pocket pair and failed to hit a set and had to lay down. Finally down to $16 I shove to a reraise in a pot that has a bunch of players money already in it. I am holding 87s figuring rebuy time if I buts and if its a big pair I'm live and can hopefully catch something.. I run into QQ. Board almost ran out all clubs for a split pot but I go out when a red Q gives the dude trips!!!.. Second casino live cash foray = busto again!!! I decide to take a break and go back to sweat Snake and be a social butterfly.
Snake is down to just about starting stack. He shoves with KQ postflop and gets two callers. One has TT one has 66 or 99. He looks at me and says you are going to lecture me I know it. I say no your actually a slight favorite. Overcards to the board and no set for them on flop and sure enough a beautiful Q rivers to triple him up.
I check on the big stack from my table. The dude is still accumulating, I give him a thumbs up and he smiles. Still no idea who he is. I go introduce myself to the TD Mike who was kind enough to answer my question on the two plus two threads he creates on tourney action at Turning Stone. I talk to Gobboboy a bunch of times throughout the day as he is railing his buddies still left in the CPC Main Event. Jimmy, is a really nice well spoken young man. I have some lunch (which TROCK nicely spread subs and Pizza) and contemplate challenging Gobboboy to a throwing things prop bet ala Dr Pauly and Otis as they have little spears securing a cherry tomato to each section of these mombo subs. I don't but make my spear throw into the waste basket.
The food runs out before Snake can get any. He was still involved in his final hand before the break. They send us all out for a 45 minute meal break. He gets some lunch at the food court. I know 100% that he will opt for something fried. Unfortunately I cant bet anyone on this. I of course am correct: southern fried chicken is his choice.
When we get back upstairs to the hallway outside the Event Center, we talk to an older guy who had been at Ray's table but who busted. Snake had told me about a hand that he was involved in with the dude on a previous break. Ray had a straight flush and the guy told Ray "You would have been busto had the A come" as he would have had the nut flush. Ray had told him no you would have had the second nuts and the dude couldnt figure it out. I believe Ray told him eventually that he hit the str8 flush on the turn. This guy has been around a long time (and Ray actually mentioned the old guy was a good player) and introduces us to the Big Stack dude from my original table as Jim. I had pointed Mr big stack out to Snake and said watch out for that dude if he gets moved to your table. Jim mentions as we are talking that Poker has been really good to him and the older dude mentions a big win. I of course figure I can go home and google this tourney win as it was the Ultimate Poker Challenge in 2004. Lets just say he downplayed this as his biggest win. Based on his stats in the Hendon Mob data base he has over $2.8M in career earnings and is 94th on the career money list. Funny I must have missed his WPT final table. Anyway he is a really nice guy.
I am asked if Snake is my husband about three times from three different people. One guy states, your husband is fortunate to have a wife who knows and plays poker and is supportive. Snake has come back to me several times to discuss some hands and the dude must have just assumed we were married. When he see's me look and cackle and wave my ring hand, he states the obvious: Oh, your not married to him?. I shake my head and don't offer any more info. Not sure, if that was an Oh, cool I should move in on you now Oh or another Oh. I of course tell Snake this. Maybe because we are such good friends and get along so well we act and look like a happily married couple. And maybe that is the key to a happy marriage. Dont get married stay friends!!
Anyway time moves on tick tick tick. He makes the second dinner break. We get dinner at the buffet but have to speed eat dinner as it takes forever to seat you at casino buffet as they make a ritual of the paying, and seating procedure, when there are a gazillion open tables. While in line I start talking about when hes taking me to see his horses work out. As one may actually race at Saratoga this year. The dude in front of us looks at Snake and says? You own horses? I used to own part of a standard bred. His wife makes a remark that it was the stupidest purchase her husband ever did. We get seated and go get our food. When I return Snake tells me the gentleman had found him and wanted to talk horses with him. And snake says did you see the look on his wifes face and hear the tone in her voice?
The turbo structure really goes full throttle and play grinds to a halt as the money bubble approaches. Snake is alive and bound for at least a bottom cash. Jim is at Snakes table and gets moved to the other big stacks table. Snake's table is not sad to see Jim go.
I talk to the look alike ex-wife of Carlos Mortenson who is railing her husband and who donked out before me (they are from Toronto area). I talk to another Canadian dude who doesnt work but plays live cash in Ottawa for a living and who staked a dude at the final table who is a Pstars supernova sng grinder and whose first live MTT it is. And I talk to another girl whose boyfriend is at the FT and who exposes a card to Snake when Snake says: Id really like to see one of your cards as he is contemplating shove or fold. The dude almost gets a penalty for it but since he was playing poker for 12+ hours doesn't and has to show everyone. Snake folds. I state to Snake after the commotion is over. "That is your expert persuasive powers of interrogation as a (retired) CO. The dudes brother on the rail with the girlfrind, says "OH, my dad is a correctons officer too, at the same time the A of spade flasher tells Snake the same thing.
On break, Snake asks me about chopping (when they are now down to about 7 and everyone has at least 4 figures) and should he if the subject came up. I suggest since he is now short not to mention anything. I figure someone else will as it is now 11:30 PM. Sure enough Jim VA does and they chop 5-way for $4600 each with 4 of them throwing $400 each to the chip leader. The chipleader had a monster stack. He had been on a roll ever since calling an all in with K8 and busting the dude without thinking a minute about it. Just prior to that Snake had run his AK into the same guys AA which launched the guys run from shortie to chip leader.
That was Snake's biggest live cash and made up for his poor tourney showing in Vegas this summer. We got back to our cars a little before 1Am after a great poker day. Even though I played poorly and was out early, I had an enjoyable day. And there is the High Heels Poker Tour at TROCK for me next month.
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Full Tilt Poker's FTOPS IX & PokerStars WCOOP Announced
They're Back!!!
Seems like its just one big online tournament series after the other. FTOPS VIII wrapped in May then it was onto the MSOP on Full Tilt. And now Full Tilt has announced the 9th edition of its FTOPS online series beginning August 6th at 9PM and running thru August 17th. Once again they have split starting times up between the Euro-friendly 2PM EST and US Friendly (except if you are caught in a traffic jam on the San Diego Freeway during rush hour of your evening commute home) 9 PM EST.
The full schedule is here!!!
And of course no one can out-do the Grandaddy of on-line tourneys Pokerstars' WCOOP. 33 events over many disciplines (but alas no Chinese Poker or pai gow!). WCOOP begins Friday September 5th and runs thru Sunday September 21st. The WCOOP events start at the ridiculous for the US times of 2:30PM EST and 4:30PM EST.
Full schedule here!!!
Satellites starting soon for all events on both sites.
And in the live arena Turning Stone has added a new tournament series called the Continental Poker Championships July 19th thru the 28th. You can check out the qualifiers and tournaments here. Right after that the 6th annual Empire State Holdem Championships begins August 15th thru the 25th. Complete Schedule here. Satellites for the main event are already running and are on Sundays at 2 PM. Word on the 2+2 forum from the TROCK TD is that there will also be another new multi-day series around Thanksgiving time with some surprises in store as far as new events and structure.
Seems like its just one big online tournament series after the other. FTOPS VIII wrapped in May then it was onto the MSOP on Full Tilt. And now Full Tilt has announced the 9th edition of its FTOPS online series beginning August 6th at 9PM and running thru August 17th. Once again they have split starting times up between the Euro-friendly 2PM EST and US Friendly (except if you are caught in a traffic jam on the San Diego Freeway during rush hour of your evening commute home) 9 PM EST.
The full schedule is here!!!
And of course no one can out-do the Grandaddy of on-line tourneys Pokerstars' WCOOP. 33 events over many disciplines (but alas no Chinese Poker or pai gow!). WCOOP begins Friday September 5th and runs thru Sunday September 21st. The WCOOP events start at the ridiculous for the US times of 2:30PM EST and 4:30PM EST.
Full schedule here!!!
Satellites starting soon for all events on both sites.
And in the live arena Turning Stone has added a new tournament series called the Continental Poker Championships July 19th thru the 28th. You can check out the qualifiers and tournaments here. Right after that the 6th annual Empire State Holdem Championships begins August 15th thru the 25th. Complete Schedule here. Satellites for the main event are already running and are on Sundays at 2 PM. Word on the 2+2 forum from the TROCK TD is that there will also be another new multi-day series around Thanksgiving time with some surprises in store as far as new events and structure.
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Full Tilt Ladies Bracelet Race #2 Snafu
I opted not to go to Turning Stone for the High Heels Poker Tour which had a structure much to my liking: 10k starting chips and 50 minute blinds. A deep-stack lovers wet dream. The buy-in was $350 and was doable except that my Santa Fe on Tuesday nite decided to have another hiccup and semi conk out on me. I was bringing my neighbor Randy to get one of his three cars (CrossFire, Beemer and now a Mustang Convertible) and down at the bottom of the hill just about to get on the bridge to cross the Mohawk she stalls. I get it started but cant get the car up over 2000 RPMS. I later find out that this is called... LIMP HOME MODE... I put the car in overdrive and get a little more juice get home and have 2008 car agita Round II
Instead, I wound up getting to drive Randy's BMW home from the car dealership as we drove down in that to pick up his Crossfire (in a blinding rain storm) which was having some seal coat put on it. And no Randy is not a former, current or future love interest as he plays for the other team... ie hes Ghey. But I love him to death and every gal needs to have their go to gay male friend. Carrie had her Stanford and I have my Randy.
Wednesday AM the flat bed from Hyundai Road side assistance takes the car away. Fortunately I work from home and didnt need the car that day. But Thursday and Friday I had a full agenda of appointments. Dentist Thursday afternoon and then Friday an appointment with a new Primary Care Doctor in the AM and my furnace was getting its annual tune-up/service in the afternoon. Not to mention that a trip or two to Starbucks was in order. Another friend offered me to use one of his two or three or four auto's but I didnt need it as the Santa Fe was back home Thursday AM.
So the car came to about $262 which was a good chunk of the buyin at TROCK. I thought about playing live at the club Thursday nite since I was getting out early. I bargained with myself and said okay IG you cash there and win the buyin you go to TROCK on Saturday AM. Instead I decided to just chill after all the running around and phone calls with the car, appointments etc. I opted to work over-time this AM from casa IG since I fell a little short mid-week.
In the meantime Dad got the results of his biopsies: Colon polyp(s) were benign but the esphogus showed he has Barrett's esophogus and what he had was a Barrett's ulcer. This is caused by long-term untreated acid reflux and can be a precursor to cancer of the esophogus. I mentioned this before but for those of you who have heartburn or as we Italians say agita, take care of it now so you dont wind up like Irondad (props to Pauly for coining that one). And thank you all for your thoughts while dad was in the hospital too by the way.
So after I finish work, I take a trip to Starbucks for a PepperMint Mocha. I dine on some won-ton soup which I didnt eat last nite when I picked up some Chinese Food. I decide to once again play the Ladies Only bracelet race on Full-Tilt. LJ is also in the tourney and at my table. She gets short-stacked on the first hand when a limper called her raise with JT suited and LJ floated the flop. The gal did hit top pair with a ten and then flushed LJ (who I give credit for firing again on the turn). Anyway LJ doubled up her shortstack a well played AA hand (it was multi-way which makes it tricky) and I pretended I didnt really no her by referring to her as PVAN in chat.
FULL TILT Goes down down down right before the first break. LJ is not on girly chat so I send her an IM offline and she gets back to me as she is down down down too. I then get a chance to warn her about the horrendous play in the Ladies tourney (Im not convinced all of them are Ladies either) I mean any two suited cards work, Ace rags are gold...Come to think of it may not be that much different then any blogger tourney we play or the play I experienced sometime in my league......... BOOM!!!
So I conjure up Bayne from girly chat as I know he is alive and well in Saturday's with Dr Pauly which I went out of early and he cant get on FTP either. I flopped trip aces. Now I know a set in Omaha Hi is not that strong of a hand, but against one player who I was pretty sure was on a draw I was willing to gamble for that early double-up. I was heads-up against Kajagugu who claimed he knew nothing about PL Omaha and who was raising with interesting hands. I knew he was on a diamond draw, especially after he called my pot size bet on the flop. I fired all in on the turn knowing I had the lead still and of course riverstars rewards the chase. We dont call it OMAHADraw for nothing.
My separated at birth twin Donkette (Both Italian Lori's born in the same year) pulls me and LJ into chat with Kat, Fuel, Bayne, Zeem, and Riggstad and we are later joined by Surflexus and Waffles. I yuck it up for a while while we stew about FTP. We discuss plans for AL's Bash and a must do get together during the Borgata Poker Open in September. And all is right with the world. As I finish up this post FTP is still not open for business and from a 2+2 thread has experienced a major server crash. It is now 5 hour later and still no FTP. (So much for sit-n-go madness).
As for poker this week, I played extremely well in the Skillz Game even though I missed the cash. I inked my second in row BBT2 leaderboard points. Limit Omaha isnt my forte (much better at Pot Limit) but I was up near the top in that for a good portion of the tourney , same for the Mookie (inked some points there too) and for the Riverchasers Pot-Limit Holdem outing I was up at the top early ( first orbit, I called Joanne's reraise with pocket tens knowing she had to have a monster but it was early and you cant fold to every reraise, I hit a set and crippled her AA) only to get outkicked on one hand, and then pocket tens cracked my QQ's with a set on either the turn or river (Im pretty sure it wasnt flopped). I rallyed for a bit only to have my second pair of tens fail me. As Bayne said it was the first time all nite they didnt hit a set for someone at the table we were at.
Anyway, I know I'm going to get my buy-in back for the uncompleted Bracelet race which both LJ and I were alive in. Will be interesting to see how they divvy up the $2000 prize of the seat amongst those of us remaining (think their were 29 of 34 left can you say overlay). Like I said to Kat, LJ, and Donkette lets get a bunch of us in this next week and win a seat!!!
Instead, I wound up getting to drive Randy's BMW home from the car dealership as we drove down in that to pick up his Crossfire (in a blinding rain storm) which was having some seal coat put on it. And no Randy is not a former, current or future love interest as he plays for the other team... ie hes Ghey. But I love him to death and every gal needs to have their go to gay male friend. Carrie had her Stanford and I have my Randy.
Wednesday AM the flat bed from Hyundai Road side assistance takes the car away. Fortunately I work from home and didnt need the car that day. But Thursday and Friday I had a full agenda of appointments. Dentist Thursday afternoon and then Friday an appointment with a new Primary Care Doctor in the AM and my furnace was getting its annual tune-up/service in the afternoon. Not to mention that a trip or two to Starbucks was in order. Another friend offered me to use one of his two or three or four auto's but I didnt need it as the Santa Fe was back home Thursday AM.
So the car came to about $262 which was a good chunk of the buyin at TROCK. I thought about playing live at the club Thursday nite since I was getting out early. I bargained with myself and said okay IG you cash there and win the buyin you go to TROCK on Saturday AM. Instead I decided to just chill after all the running around and phone calls with the car, appointments etc. I opted to work over-time this AM from casa IG since I fell a little short mid-week.
In the meantime Dad got the results of his biopsies: Colon polyp(s) were benign but the esphogus showed he has Barrett's esophogus and what he had was a Barrett's ulcer. This is caused by long-term untreated acid reflux and can be a precursor to cancer of the esophogus. I mentioned this before but for those of you who have heartburn or as we Italians say agita, take care of it now so you dont wind up like Irondad (props to Pauly for coining that one). And thank you all for your thoughts while dad was in the hospital too by the way.
So after I finish work, I take a trip to Starbucks for a PepperMint Mocha. I dine on some won-ton soup which I didnt eat last nite when I picked up some Chinese Food. I decide to once again play the Ladies Only bracelet race on Full-Tilt. LJ is also in the tourney and at my table. She gets short-stacked on the first hand when a limper called her raise with JT suited and LJ floated the flop. The gal did hit top pair with a ten and then flushed LJ (who I give credit for firing again on the turn). Anyway LJ doubled up her shortstack a well played AA hand (it was multi-way which makes it tricky) and I pretended I didnt really no her by referring to her as PVAN in chat.
FULL TILT Goes down down down right before the first break. LJ is not on girly chat so I send her an IM offline and she gets back to me as she is down down down too. I then get a chance to warn her about the horrendous play in the Ladies tourney (Im not convinced all of them are Ladies either) I mean any two suited cards work, Ace rags are gold...Come to think of it may not be that much different then any blogger tourney we play or the play I experienced sometime in my league......... BOOM!!!
So I conjure up Bayne from girly chat as I know he is alive and well in Saturday's with Dr Pauly which I went out of early and he cant get on FTP either. I flopped trip aces. Now I know a set in Omaha Hi is not that strong of a hand, but against one player who I was pretty sure was on a draw I was willing to gamble for that early double-up. I was heads-up against Kajagugu who claimed he knew nothing about PL Omaha and who was raising with interesting hands. I knew he was on a diamond draw, especially after he called my pot size bet on the flop. I fired all in on the turn knowing I had the lead still and of course riverstars rewards the chase. We dont call it OMAHADraw for nothing.
My separated at birth twin Donkette (Both Italian Lori's born in the same year) pulls me and LJ into chat with Kat, Fuel, Bayne, Zeem, and Riggstad and we are later joined by Surflexus and Waffles. I yuck it up for a while while we stew about FTP. We discuss plans for AL's Bash and a must do get together during the Borgata Poker Open in September. And all is right with the world. As I finish up this post FTP is still not open for business and from a 2+2 thread has experienced a major server crash. It is now 5 hour later and still no FTP. (So much for sit-n-go madness).
As for poker this week, I played extremely well in the Skillz Game even though I missed the cash. I inked my second in row BBT2 leaderboard points. Limit Omaha isnt my forte (much better at Pot Limit) but I was up near the top in that for a good portion of the tourney , same for the Mookie (inked some points there too) and for the Riverchasers Pot-Limit Holdem outing I was up at the top early ( first orbit, I called Joanne's reraise with pocket tens knowing she had to have a monster but it was early and you cant fold to every reraise, I hit a set and crippled her AA) only to get outkicked on one hand, and then pocket tens cracked my QQ's with a set on either the turn or river (Im pretty sure it wasnt flopped). I rallyed for a bit only to have my second pair of tens fail me. As Bayne said it was the first time all nite they didnt hit a set for someone at the table we were at.
Anyway, I know I'm going to get my buy-in back for the uncompleted Bracelet race which both LJ and I were alive in. Will be interesting to see how they divvy up the $2000 prize of the seat amongst those of us remaining (think their were 29 of 34 left can you say overlay). Like I said to Kat, LJ, and Donkette lets get a bunch of us in this next week and win a seat!!!
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