Brief Mookie recap

I didn't make it to the first break tonight in the Mookie; obviously that is very disappointing. Deciding to make a large 3-bet shove preflop with AQs was somewhat risky .... but I never imagined getting two callers both with AK! A king on the flop and I was praying for backdoor hearts which never came.

However, I did manage one noteworthy achievement:

Full Tilt Poker, NL Hold'em Tournament, 20/40 Blinds, 8 Players

BTN: 2,790
SB: 2,980
BB: 770
UTG: 6,160
Hero (UTG+1): 2,880
MP1: 5,930
MP2: 2,625
CO: 2,820

Pre-Flop: (60) 5 5 dealt to Hero (UTG+1)
UTG folds, Hero raises to 115, 5 folds, BB calls 75

Flop: (250) 5 Q T (2 Players)
BB checks, Hero bets 140, BB calls 140

Turn: (530) 5 (2 Players)
BB checks, Hero checks

River: (530) 6 (2 Players)
BB checks, Hero bets 515, BB folds

Results: 530 Pot
Hero showed 5 5 (four of a kind, Fives)

Just Your Standard Prop Bet

I was having a lazy conversation this afternoon with last night's Skillz bubble boy and all-around good guy Riggstad when I randomly mentioned that I was listening to a truly classic album by one of my favourite bands ... U2's Joshua Tree. I made the (somewhat grandiose, but defensible) claim that he coudn't name a better rock album that had been put out since its release on March 9, 1987. Riggs didn't refute my claim directly, but he said that Aerosmith's Pump (1989) was plenty good. Pshaw! I said.

I offered to take Joshua Tree against the field. Riggs hesitated to take the bet, at any stakes, so we need to figure out what the betting line should be, and the top contenders to dethrone the champion.

All opinions welcomed.

NB. It's no coincidence that my first car died but a few days after my Joshua Tree tape got mangled after years of constant use.

Booking a Skillz win

I'll post some Stud 8 hands for analysis later, but for now I'll just post this happy image:

[Edit: HHs now posted below]

And yes, I suffered a couple of coolers, suffered some bad beats, and lucked into a key pot late to overcome getting short-stacked at the final table.

Here are a few interesting hands. Several involve mistakes on my part to extract maximum value, one involves me playing too fast, and one is one of two suckouts I accumulated to stay alive when I was desperately short-stacked.

Hand #7335160124
Tournament - 7 Card Stud *High-Low* (50/100), Ante 10, Bring-In 15

pvanharibo (Seat 1): 1,573
PirateLawyer (Seat 2): 3,896
swimmom95 (Seat 3): 2,529
HighOnPoker (Seat 4): 3,231
Evy35 (Seat 5): 3,512
bayne_s (Seat 6): 3,259

*3rd Street* - (1.20 SB)

pvanharibo: xx xx Qc___calls
PirateLawyer: Qd 4c Qh___calls
swimmom95: xx xx Ac___calls
HighOnPoker: xx xx 3d___*brings-in*
Evy35: xx xx 5d___folds
bayne_s: xx xx 7s___calls

*4th Street* - (2.70 SB)

pvanharibo: xx xx Qc 4h___checks___calls
PirateLawyer: Qd 4c Qh 7d___bets
swimmom95: xx xx Ac Jc___calls
HighOnPoker: xx xx 3d 6h___calls
bayne_s: xx xx 7s 7c___*checks*___calls

*5th Street* - (3.85 BB)

pvanharibo: xx xx Qc 4h 8d___checks___calls
PirateLawyer: Qd 4c Qh 7d 4d___bets
swimmom95: xx xx Ac Jc 5s___calls
HighOnPoker: xx xx 3d 6h Ks___calls
bayne_s: xx xx 7s 7c 9h___*checks*___folds

*6th Street* - (7.85 BB)

pvanharibo: xx xx Qc 4h 8d Ad___calls
PirateLawyer: Qd 4c Qh 7d 4d 8h___calls
swimmom95: xx xx Ac Jc 5s Ah___*checks*___calls
HighOnPoker: xx xx 3d 6h Ks 2d___bets

*River* - (11.85 BB)

pvanharibo: xx xx Qc 4h 8d Ad xx___calls
PirateLawyer: Qd 4c Qh 7d 4d 8h Ts___folds
swimmom95: xx xx Ac Jc 5s Ah xx___*checks*___folds
HighOnPoker: xx xx 3d 6h Ks 2d xx___bets

*Total pot:* (13.85 BB - 1,385)

Results:

pvanharibo: [9s 6c Qc 4h 8d Ad 3c] - HI: Ace Queen high; LO: 8,6,4,3,A
HighOnPoker: [7h 5c 3d 6h Ks 2d 2s] - HI: a pair of Twos; LO: 7,6,5,3,2

--I make an incorrect fold but I was only contesting half the pot.

Hand #7335528371
Tournament - 7 Card Stud *High-Low* (100/200), Ante 15, Bring-In 30

pvanharibo (Seat 1): 3,138
PirateLawyer (Seat 2): 3,911
swimmom95 (Seat 3): 1,819
HighOnPoker (Seat 4): 3,451
Evy35 (Seat 5): 2,352
bayne_s (Seat 6): 3,329

*3rd Street* - (0.90 SB)

pvanharibo: xx xx 2d___*brings-in*
PirateLawyer: Ac 3s 4d___calls
swimmom95: xx xx Ad___folds
HighOnPoker: xx xx 6d___folds
Evy35: xx xx Qc___folds
bayne_s: xx xx Th___folds

*4th Street* - (1.50 SB)

pvanharibo: xx xx 2d 6s___calls
PirateLawyer: Ac 3s 4d 4s___*bets*

*5th Street* - (1.75 BB)

pvanharibo: xx xx 2d 6s 5c___checks
PirateLawyer: Ac 3s 4d 4s Jc___*checks*

*6th Street* - (1.75 BB)

pvanharibo: xx xx 2d 6s 5c Ts___calls
PirateLawyer: Ac 3s 4d 4s Jc 3d___*bets*

*River* - (3.75 BB)

pvanharibo: xx xx 2d 6s 5c Ts xx___bets
PirateLawyer: Ac 3s 4d 4s Jc 3d 5h___*checks*___calls

*Total pot:* (5.75 BB - 1,150)

Results: Seat 1: pvanharibo showed [8d 7c 2d 6s 5c Ts 2c] and won (575) with HI: a pair of Twos; LO: 8,7,6,5,2 (!)
Seat 2: PirateLawyer showed [Ac 5h 4d 4s Jc 3d 3s] and won (575) with HI: two pair, Fours and Threes

--I get unlucky to brick out and chop with my premium hand. LJ's bet on 7th is extremely light and she was fortunate I didn't improve to scoop.

Hand #7335554205
Tournament - 7 Card Stud *High-Low* (100/200), Ante 15, Bring-In 30

pvanharibo (Seat 1): 3,198
PirateLawyer (Seat 2): 3,926
swimmom95 (Seat 3): 1,789
HighOnPoker (Seat 4): 3,421
Evy35 (Seat 5): 2,322
bayne_s (Seat 6): 3,344

*3rd Street* - (0.90 SB)

pvanharibo: xx xx 3s___calls
PirateLawyer: 5c As 3h___*brings-in*
swimmom95: xx xx Js___folds
HighOnPoker: xx xx 5d___folds
Evy35: xx xx Kh___folds
bayne_s: xx xx Qd___folds

*4th Street* - (1.50 SB)

pvanharibo: xx xx 3s Jd___*checks*___calls
PirateLawyer: 5c As 3h Jh___bets

*5th Street* - (1.75 BB)

pvanharibo: xx xx 3s Jd 2c___*checks*___calls
PirateLawyer: 5c As 3h Jh 2s___bets

*6th Street* - (3.75 BB)

pvanharibo: xx xx 3s Jd 2c 3d___*checks*___calls
PirateLawyer: 5c As 3h Jh 2s Ah___bets

*River* - (5.75 BB)

pvanharibo: xx xx 3s Jd 2c 3d xx___*checks*___calls
PirateLawyer: 5c As 3h Jh 2s Ah 4c___bets

*Total pot:* (7.75 BB - 1,550)

Results:

Total pot 1,550 | Rake 0

pvanharibo: [8c 5h 3s Jd 2c 3d 2h] - HI: two pair, Threes and Twos
PirateLawyer showed [As 5c 3h Jh 2s Ah 4c] and won (1,550) with HI: a straight, Five high; LO: 5,4,3,2,A

---I punish LJ with the scoop courtesy of a wheel that I finally pick up on 7th as she continues to check-call with a hand she should really have dumped early on.

Hand #7335715764
Tournament - 7 Card Stud *High-Low* (120/240), Ante 20, Bring-In 40

pvanharibo (Seat 1): 2,613
PirateLawyer (Seat 2): 4,621
swimmom95 (Seat 3): 1,624
HighOnPoker (Seat 4): 3,646
Evy35 (Seat 5): 2,082
bayne_s (Seat 6): 3,414

*3rd Street* - (1.00 SB)

pvanharibo: xx xx 5d___calls
PirateLawyer: 7c 2c Qc___calls
swimmom95: xx xx Tc___folds
HighOnPoker: xx xx 4c___folds
Evy35: xx xx 3h___*brings-in*
bayne_s: xx xx Js___folds

*4th Street* - (2.00 SB)

pvanharibo: xx xx 5d 2h___calls
PirateLawyer: 7c 2c Qc Ad___*bets*
Evy35: xx xx 3h 6s___calls

*5th Street* - (2.50 BB)

pvanharibo: xx xx 5d 2h 7s___raises
PirateLawyer: 7c 2c Qc Ad 3d___*bets*___calls
Evy35: xx xx 3h 6s 5s___calls___calls

*6th Street* - (8.50 BB)

pvanharibo: xx xx 5d 2h 7s Ks___calls
PirateLawyer: 7c 2c Qc Ad 3d Ac___*bets*
Evy35: xx xx 3h 6s 5s Qd___folds

*River* - (10.50 BB)

pvanharibo: xx xx 5d 2h 7s Ks xx___checks
PirateLawyer: 7c 2c Qc Ad 3d Ac Jh___*checks*

*Total pot:* (10.50 BB - 2,520)

Results:

Seat 1: pvanharibo showed [9d 7d 5d 2h 7s Ks 2d] and won (2,520) with HI: two pair, Sevens and Twos
Seat 2: PirateLawyer showed [Jh 7c Qc Ad 3d Ac 2c] and lost with HI: a pair of Aces

-- LJ had two pair and got sticky. I had her flush draw blocked and am showing good on 6th but I can't improve to aces up.

Hand #7335862584
Tournament - 7 Card Stud *High-Low* (150/300), Ante 25, Bring-In 50

pvanharibo (Seat 1): 5,173
PirateLawyer (Seat 2): 4,021
swimmom95 (Seat 3): 2,199
HighOnPoker (Seat 4): 3,356
Evy35 (Seat 5): 1,342
bayne_s (Seat 6): 1,909

*3rd Street* - (1.00 SB)

pvanharibo: xx xx Qc___completes
PirateLawyer: Ad Kd 4d___calls
swimmom95: xx xx 9h___calls
HighOnPoker: xx xx 5h___folds
Evy35: xx xx 2d___*brings-in*___folds
bayne_s: xx xx As___folds

*4th Street* - (4.33 SB)

pvanharibo: xx xx Qc Qs___*bets*
PirateLawyer: Ad Kd 4d Ks___calls
swimmom95: xx xx 9h Kh___folds

*5th Street* - (3.17 BB)

pvanharibo: xx xx Qc Qs 6c___*bets*___raises___calls
PirateLawyer: Ad Kd 4d Ks 5d___raises___raises

*6th Street* - (11.17 BB)

pvanharibo: xx xx Qc Qs 6c 6s___*bets*___raises___calls
PirateLawyer: Ad Kd 4d Ks 5d 5s___raises___raises

*River* - (19.17 BB)

pvanharibo: xx xx Qc Qs 6c 6s xx___*checks*
PirateLawyer: Ad Kd 4d Ks 5d 5s 2c___checks

*Total pot:* (19.17 BB - 5,750)

Results:

Seat 1: pvanharibo showed [Qh 9d Qc Qs 6c 6s 8s] and won (5,750) with HI: a full house, Queens full of Sixes
Seat 2: PirateLawyer showed [Ad Kd 4d Ks 5d 5s 2c] and lost with HI: two pair, Kings and Fives

--Your standard cooler. LJ gets an improbable full house on 6th and I brick out for low and can't manage to find a full house redraw once my flush draw is dead. I should have slowed way down on 6th; that was a real brain cramp on my part which cost me three bets.

Hand #7336142940
Tournament - 7 Card Stud *High-Low* (250/500), Ante 40, Bring-In 75

PokerBrian322 (Seat 1): 7,760
jeciimd (Seat 2): 5,281
MiamiDon (Seat 3): 1,815
hoyazo (Seat 6): 3,816
swimmom95 (Seat 7): 4,217
PirateLawyer (Seat 8): 7,468

*3rd Street* - (0.96 SB)

PokerBrian322: xx xx Ks___completes
jeciimd: xx xx 7d___folds
MiamiDon: xx xx Qs___folds
hoyazo: xx xx 5d___folds
swimmom95: xx xx 8d___folds
PirateLawyer: 3s 3h 3c___*brings-in*___calls

*4th Street* - (2.96 SB)

PokerBrian322: xx xx Ks Ac___*bets*___calls
PirateLawyer: 3s 3h 3c Ah___raises

*5th Street* - (3.48 BB)

PokerBrian322: xx xx Ks Ac Jc___*checks*___calls
PirateLawyer: 3s 3h 3c Ah Tc___bets

*6th Street* - (5.48 BB)

PokerBrian322: xx xx Ks Ac Jc Jh___raises
PirateLawyer: 3s 3h 3c Ah Tc As___*bets*___calls

*River* - (9.48 BB)

PokerBrian322: xx xx Ks Ac Jc Jh xx___checks
PirateLawyer: 3s 3h 3c Ah Tc As 5s___*checks*

*Total pot:* (9.48 BB - 4,740)

Results:

Seat 1: PokerBrian322 showed [Qh Qc Ks Ac Jc Jh 6c] and lost with HI: two pair, Queens and Jacks
Seat 8: PirateLawyer showed [5s 3s 3c Ah Tc As 3h] and won (4,740) with HI: a full house, Threes full of Aces

-- I got way too cute on 6th and 7th and missed earning two bets with my only rolled up hand of the tournament.

Hand #7336723226
Tournament - 7 Card Stud *High-Low* (600/1,200), Ante 100, Bring-In 200

swimmom95 (Seat 1): 5,107
BamBamCan (Seat 3): 7,414
jeciimd (Seat 4): 15,705
twoblackaces (Seat 5): 12,894
HighOnPoker (Seat 7): 4,826
PirateLawyer (Seat 8): 8,054

*3rd Street* - (1.00 SB)

swimmom95: xx xx Qs___folds
BamBamCan: xx xx Qc___folds
jeciimd: xx xx 8d___folds
twoblackaces: xx xx 3c___*brings-in*___calls
HighOnPoker: xx xx 8s___completes___folds
PirateLawyer: Qd Qh 9s___raises

*4th Street* - (6.00 SB)

twoblackaces: xx xx 3c 4d___calls
PirateLawyer: Qd Qh 9s 7d___*bets*

*5th Street* - (4.00 BB)

twoblackaces: xx xx 3c 4d Kh___calls
PirateLawyer: Qd Qh 9s 7d 7c___*bets*

*6th Street* - (6.00 BB)

twoblackaces: xx xx 3c 4d Kh 3d___checks
PirateLawyer: Qd Qh 9s 7d 7c 3h___*checks*

*River* - (6.00 BB)

twoblackaces: xx xx 3c 4d Kh 3d xx___calls
PirateLawyer: Qd Qh 9s 7d 7c 3h 2c___*bets*

*Total pot:* (8.00 BB - 9,600)

Results:

Total pot 9,600 | Rake 0

twoblackaces showed [7h 5h 3c 4d Kh 3d 3s] and won (9,600) with HI: three of a kind, Threes
PirateLawyer showed [Qh Qd 9s 7d 7c 3h 2c] and lost with HI: two pair, Queens and Sevens

--Your standard 1-outer for trips on 7th.

Hand #7336855441
Tournament - 7 Card Stud *High-Low* (800/1,600), Ante 150, Bring-In 250

swimmom95 (Seat 1): 12,864
BamBamCan (Seat 3): 2,614
jeciimd (Seat 4): 18,055
twoblackaces (Seat 5): 12,937
HighOnPoker (Seat 7): 1,722
PirateLawyer (Seat 8): 5,808

*3rd Street* - (1.13 SB)

swimmom95: xx xx 3h___folds
BamBamCan: xx xx Qs___completes___raises
jeciimd: xx xx 9c___folds
twoblackaces: xx xx 9d___calls___calls
HighOnPoker: xx xx 8s___raises to 1,572 (all-in)
PirateLawyer: Ah 7c 3c___*brings-in*___calls___calls

*4th Street* - (11.99 SB)

BamBamCan: xx xx Qs Jh___*bets 92 (all-in)*
twoblackaces: xx xx 9d Ts___calls___calls
HighOnPoker: xx xx 8s 9s___all-in
PirateLawyer: Ah 7c 3c 5s___raises

*5th Street* - (7.05 BB)

BamBamCan: xx xx Qs Jh Jd___all-in
twoblackaces: xx xx 9d Ts 3s___*checks*___calls
HighOnPoker: xx xx 8s 9s 2h___all-in
PirateLawyer: Ah 7c 3c 5s 4h___bets

*6th Street* - (9.05 BB)

BamBamCan: xx xx Qs Jh Jd Qc___all-in
twoblackaces: xx xx 9d Ts 3s 4c___*checks*___folds
HighOnPoker: xx xx 8s 9s 2h 8d___all-in
PirateLawyer: Ah 7c 3c 5s 4h 7s___bets 886 (all-in)

*River* - (9.05 BB)

BamBamCan: xx xx Qs Jh Jd Qc xx___all-in
HighOnPoker: xx xx 8s 9s 2h 8d xx___all-in
PirateLawyer: Ah 7c 3c 5s 4h 7s Js___all-in

*Total pot:* (9.05 BB - 14,480)

Results:

Total pot 14,480 Main pot 7,188. Side pot 1 2,676. Side pot 2 4,616. | Rake 0

PirateLawyer wins side pot #2 (4,616)
PirateLawyer shows [Ah 7c 3c 5s 4h 7s Js] a pair of Sevens, for high and 7,5,4,3,A, for low
BamBamCan shows [Kc Kh Qs Jh Jd Qc Tc] two pair, Kings and Queens, for high
BamBamCan wins high side pot #1 (1,338) with two pair, Kings and Queens
PirateLawyer wins low side pot #1 (1,338) with 7,5,4,3,A
HighOnPoker shows [2s Ac 8s 9s 2h 8d 5d] two pair, Eights and Twos, for high
BamBamCan wins the high main pot (3,594) with two pair, Kings and Queens
PirateLawyer wins the low main pot (3,594) with 7,5,4,3,A

-- I push this hard because I'm basically freerolling for a scoop with the low lock. I chip up nicely as I get TBA to fold on 6th as dead money.

Hand #7336969451
Tournament - 7 Card Stud *High-Low* (1,000/2,000), Ante 150, Bring-In 300

swimmom95 (Seat 1): 19,689
BamBamCan (Seat 3): 4,232
jeciimd (Seat 4): 21,455
twoblackaces (Seat 5): 3,865
PirateLawyer (Seat 8): 4,759

*3rd Street* - (0.75 SB)

swimmom95: xx xx 3c___*brings-in*___calls
BamBamCan: xx xx Tc___completes
jeciimd: xx xx 7h___calls
twoblackaces: xx xx Jd___folds
PirateLawyer: Ts Ah 3s___calls

*4th Street* - (4.75 SB)

swimmom95: xx xx 3c 6s___calls___calls
BamBamCan: xx xx Tc 5h___*bets*___raises___calls 82 (all-in)
jeciimd: xx xx 7h 9c___calls___folds
PirateLawyer: Ts Ah 3s Td___raises___raises to 3,609 (all-in)

*5th Street* - (9.03 BB)

swimmom95: xx xx 3c 6s 7s
BamBamCan: xx xx Tc 5h 6d___all-in
PirateLawyer: Ts Ah 3s Td 3d___all-in

*6th Street* - (9.03 BB)

swimmom95: xx xx 3c 6s 7s Ks
BamBamCan: xx xx Tc 5h 6d 4h___all-in
PirateLawyer: Ts Ah 3s Td 3d Qd___all-in

*River* - (9.03 BB)

swimmom95: xx xx 3c 6s 7s Ks xx
BamBamCan: xx xx Tc 5h 6d 4h xx___all-in
PirateLawyer: Ts Ah 3s Td 3d Qd Th___all-in

*Total pot:* (9.03 BB - 18,050)

Results:
Seat 1: swimmom95 showed [5s Ac 3c 6s 7s Ks Kh] and won (8,025) with HI: a pair of Kings; LO: 7,6,5,3,A
Seat 3: BamBamCan showed [Kd Kc Tc 5h 6d 4h Jh] and lost with HI: a pair of Kings
Seat 4: jeciimd folded on 4th St.
Seat 5: twoblackaces folded on 3rd St.
Seat 8: PirateLawyer showed [Ts Ah 3s Td 3d Qd Th] and won (8,025) with HI: a full house, Tens full of Threes

-- With only five bets to begin the hand I decide to stick it in and get lucky to survive.

Hand #7336986873
Tournament - 7 Card Stud *High-Low* (1,000/2,000), Ante 150, Bring-In 300

swimmom95 (Seat 1): 22,955
jeciimd (Seat 4): 19,305
twoblackaces (Seat 5): 3,715
PirateLawyer (Seat 8): 8,025

*3rd Street* - (0.60 SB)

swimmom95: xx xx 6s___folds
jeciimd: xx xx Ac___completes
twoblackaces: xx xx Jd___folds
PirateLawyer: 5h 7d 6h___*brings-in*___calls

*4th Street* - (2.60 SB)

jeciimd: xx xx Ac 9c___*bets*
PirateLawyer: 5h 7d 6h Qh___calls

*5th Street* - (2.30 BB)

jeciimd: xx xx Ac 9c 5d___*bets*
PirateLawyer: 5h 7d 6h Qh 4s___calls

*6th Street* - (4.30 BB)

jeciimd: xx xx Ac 9c 5d 5s___*bets*___calls
PirateLawyer: 5h 7d 6h Qh 4s 8s___raises to 3,875 (all-in)

*River* - (8.18 BB)

jeciimd: xx xx Ac 9c 5d 5s xx
PirateLawyer: 5h 7d 6h Qh 4s 8s 7s___all-in

*Total pot:* (8.18 BB - 16,350)

Results:

Total pot 16,350 | Rake 0

jeciimd showed [4h Ad Ac 9c 5d 5s 9h] and lost with HI: two pair, Aces and Nines
PirateLawyer showed [5h 7d 6h Qh 4s 8s 7s] and won (16,350) with HI: a straight, Eight high; LO: 8,7,6,5,4

--I get there for a big scoop vs. aces up.

Hand #7337310746
Tournament - 7 Card Stud *High-Low* (1,500/3,000), Ante 250, Bring-In 500

jeciimd (Seat 4): 16,650
PirateLawyer (Seat 8): 37,350

*3rd Street* - (0.33 SB)

jeciimd: xx xx Kd___calls
PirateLawyer: 6d 5d Qh___*brings-in*

*4th Street* - (1.00 SB)

jeciimd: xx xx Kd 5c___*checks*___calls
PirateLawyer: 6d 5d Qh 6h___bets

*5th Street* - (1.50 BB)

jeciimd: xx xx Kd 5c 2c___*checks*___calls
PirateLawyer: 6d 5d Qh 6h 3h___bets

*6th Street* - (3.50 BB)

jeciimd: xx xx Kd 5c 2c 5s___*checks*___calls
PirateLawyer: 6d 5d Qh 6h 3h Ah___bets

*River* - (5.50 BB)

jeciimd: xx xx Kd 5c 2c 5s xx___*checks*___folds
PirateLawyer: 6d 5d Qh 6h 3h Ah 3d___bets

*Total pot:* (5.50 BB - 16,500)

Results:

Total pot 16,500 | Rake 0

--Down to headsup I miss everything but back into two low pair but my board is so threatening I get the fold on 7th.

Hand #7337337627
Tournament - 7 Card Stud *High-Low* (2,000/4,000), Ante 300, Bring-In 600

jeciimd (Seat 4): 6,600
PirateLawyer (Seat 8): 47,400

*3rd Street* - (0.30 SB)

jeciimd: xx xx 9s___calls
PirateLawyer: 7c 8c 4s___*brings-in*

*4th Street* - (0.90 SB)

jeciimd: xx xx 9s 4h___*checks*
PirateLawyer: 7c 8c 4s 3c___checks

*5th Street* - (0.45 BB)

jeciimd: xx xx 9s 4h Th___*bets*___calls 1,700 (all-in)
PirateLawyer: 7c 8c 4s 3c 7s___raises

*6th Street* - (3.30 BB)

jeciimd: xx xx 9s 4h Th 3s___all-in
PirateLawyer: 7c 8c 4s 3c 7s 6h

*River* - (3.30 BB)

jeciimd: xx xx 9s 4h Th 3s xx___all-in
PirateLawyer: 7c 8c 4s 3c 7s 6h 4c

*Total pot:* (3.30 BB - 13,200)

Results:

jeciimd showed [7h 3h 9s 4h Th 3s 8s] and lost with HI: a pair of Threes
PirateLawyer showed [7c 8c 4s 3c 7s 6h 4c] and won (13,200) with HI: two pair, Sevens and Fours; LO: 8,7,6,4,3

Thanks for reading this far! I really do find Stud8 to be a fascinating game, and it can be a very profitable one to boot.

Watch This

In honour of highly anticipated comic book adaptations .... yes, I am going to go see The Dark Knight Returns this afternoon ... I provide a link to a stunning trailer for a film due out in 2009.

Amongst most of the cognoscenti (yes, I am one) The Watchmen is considered the finest graphic novel ever written. Alan Moore is notorious for having nothing to do with adaptations of his work (see: V for Vendetta et al.), but I am guessing even he will find something to smile about in this instance.

Complete Mookie recap

I do seem to do this too often: build a monster stack, flame out short of a win.

That being said, here's how history repeated itself.

I lose about 10% of my starting stack in the first level. I recover nicely by getting top-pair hands to pay me off when I make a disguised straight and trip deuces in two nice pots, as well as taking down a nice pot with KK. This put me at 5K in chip, which had me comfortably covering everyone at my starting table.

As Hoy has discussed on his blog, we then came to your garden-variety setup hand where he folded 33 after a ton of preflop action that saw me lose a big pot:

Full Tilt Poker, NL Hold'em Tournament, 25/50 Blinds, 8 Players

MP1: 1,360
Hero (MP2): 5,005
CO: 2,890
BTN: 2,785
SB: 2,810
BB: 1,850
UTG: 3,625
UTG+1: 3,675

Pre-Flop: (75) K K dealt to Hero (MP2)
3 folds, Hero raises to 150, CO calls 150, 2 folds, BB raises to 400, Hero raises to 1,375, CO folds, BB raises to 1,850 and is All-In, Hero calls 475

Flop: (3,875) J 4 2 (2 Players - 1 is All-In)

Turn: (3,875) 4 (2 Players - 1 is All-In)

River: (3,875) 3 (2 Players - 1 is All-In)

Results: 3,875 Pot
Hero showed K K (two pair, Kings and Fours) and LOST (-1,850 NET)
BB showed A A (two pair, Aces and Fours) and WON 3,875 (+2,025 NET)

So that sets me back to a bit more than a starting stack. All my early chipping up was wiped out. Time to get grinding away again.

Before I can do that I badly misplay AQ and spew off a few more chips, just to make it easier on myself. Fortunately for me, I am the beneficiary of a courtesy doubleup from the Gnome, who was trying to focus on the blogger cash game and apparently had had a bit too much to drink ...

Now that I've got my stack back to healthy I mix it up a little with a light 3-bet preflop with middle pocket pair and chip up with an automatic c-bet that meets no resistance. Then I steal another pot with jackace unimproved.

I give some of it back when I manage to lose the minimum with 99 vs. QQ on a scary board:

Full Tilt Poker, NL Hold'em Tournament, 60/120 Blinds, 8 Players

MP2: 2,205
Hero (CO): 6,280
BTN: 4,355
SB: 7,907
BB: 9,040
UTG: 4,960
UTG+1: 5,690
MP1: 2,913

Pre-Flop: (120) 9 9 dealt to Hero (CO)
4 folds, Hero raises to 360, BTN raises to 1,200, Hero calls 840

Flop: (2,520) K 8 8 (2 Players)
Hero checks, BTN checks

Turn: (2,520) J (2 Players)
Hero checks, BTN checks

River: (2,520) J (2 Players)
Hero checks, BTN checks

Results: 2,520 Pot
Hero mucked 9 9 (two pair, Jacks and Nines) and LOST (-1,200 NET)
BTN showed Q Q (two pair, Queens and Jacks) and WON 2,520 (+1,320 NET)

Then I manage to get on the other side of a dominating PP vs. PP (TT vs. 99) situation and hold up. I get KK(#3, insert Astin joke here) and get no action. I bust Alan when his crippled stack (he ran KK into AA just like I did) can't improve vs. my AKs.

And then I catapult to the chiplead when someone floats me and makes a hand at precisely the wrong time:

Full Tilt Poker, NL Hold'em Tournament, 80/160 Blinds, 8 Players

Hero (UTG): 9,105
UTG+1: 6,155
MP1: 4,720
MP2: 5,227
CO: 8,600
BTN: 9,760
SB: 7,011
BB: 2,313

Pre-Flop: (240) 9 9 dealt to Hero (UTG)
Hero raises to 320, UTG+1 folds, BTN raises to 800, Hero calls 480

Flop: (1,840) 4 4 9 (2 Players)
Hero checks, BTN bets 1,120, Hero calls 1,120

Turn: (4,080) A (2 Players)
Hero checks, BTN checks

River: (4,080) 2 (2 Players)
Hero bets 1,960, BTN raises to 7,840 and is All-In, Hero calls 5,225 and is All-In

Results: 18,450 Pot
Hero showed 9 9 (a full house, Nines full of Fours) and WON 18,450 (+9,345 NET)
BTN showed K J (a flush, Ace high) and LOST (-9,105 NET)

All of which led me to the top of the leaderboard:

Right after the break at a new table, I finally bust Mookie for the first time ever in a classic race with a twist:

Yep, the ol' two-outer on the turn to recapture the lead.

Then I get caught making a positional raise with my big stack ... of course, I would have gotten there ... but Bayne and Columbo quite properly priced me out of seeing a showdown.

I grind back up for a while and then manage my only suckout of the tournament, cracking JJ with 88:

Full Tilt Poker, NL Hold'em Tournament, 200/400 Blinds, 50 Ante, 6 Players

MP: 4,017
Hero (CO): 23,365
BTN: 10,578
SB: 12,660
BB: 3,980
UTG: 11,025

Pre-Flop: (900) 8 8 dealt to Hero (CO)
UTG folds, MP raises to 3,967 and is All-In, Hero raises to 7,534, 3 folds

Flop: (8,834) K K 8 (2 Players - 1 is All-In)

Turn: (8,834) 9 (2 Players - 1 is All-In)

River: (8,834) 4 (2 Players - 1 is All-In)

Results: 8,834 Pot
MP showed J J (two pair, Kings and Jacks) and LOST (-4,017 NET)
Hero showed 8 8 (a full house, Eights full of Kings) and WON 8,834 (+4,817 NET)

Which was obviously a welcome result.

I then make some laydowns, get played back at preflop and have to fold to some 3-bets. I bust a shorty, I double up a shorty, and see-saw at the 20K chip mark for a while. I dip down to 15K and into second place, but then the new chipleader demonstrates what not to do with a big ace:

... which is to make a move when I don't think you have it: he opened, I 3-bet, he flat-called and shoved the flop. All of a sudden, I rocketed up above 30K in chips, which is where I would stay going into the final table. Sadly, once we reached the final table I went completely card dead and watched as LJ seized a comfortable chip lead over me and decided to take K-high to the felt.

And IGHN in 4th place.

Still, it was a very fun tournament and I always enjoy playing with Don and LJ and Mookie and the gang.