tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2306899435047687562024-02-18T23:04:42.068-08:00Pattern RecognitionCritical thinking? Who said that was a useful skill!?Shrikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05404058806313927899noreply@blogger.comBlogger300125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-230689943504768756.post-20404702823218369032013-04-04T10:25:00.002-07:002013-04-04T10:25:38.859-07:00River of StarsGuy Gavriel Kay has a new book out. Its title? <i>River of Stars</i>. I suppose I should write a review of this book, since way back in the day I wrote an Honours thesis based in part on Kay's early work. (I fortunately came to my senses in time to escape the EngLit PhD trap, though!)<br />
<br />
So for now this will just be a placeholder until I actually read the book and come up with something intelligent to say about it.<br />
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My prediction: I will, as always, be entranced by Kay's command of language, crafting of scenes, and his meticulous research into fascinating historical periods: but this book won't supplant <i>A Song for Arbonne</i> or <i>The Lions of Al-Rassan</i> from their places on the pedestal. Still, almost any book by Kay is intrinsically better than 95% of all commercial fiction, so I'm in for a treat.Shrikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05404058806313927899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-230689943504768756.post-44842719076331886622012-06-18T15:04:00.000-07:002012-06-18T17:54:33.507-07:00Bringer of Fire<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Your esteemed author, in an intellectual conceit, is going to pretend that he is an obscure cousin of Prometheus, the titan in Greek mythology who gave mankind the gift of fire. This identity lets me show that brimstone is a highly combustible substance as I post a scathing review of the new Ridley Scott <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1446714/"><span style="color: red;">film</span></a> named after his famous relative.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Why am I so aggravated by this movie? Two words: high expectations.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I own just about every commercially-released version of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083658/"><span style="color: red;">Blade Runner</span></a> and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078748/"><span style="color: red;">Alien</span></a> (okay, not the Betamax versions). I would rate both in my all-time top five films, both in terms of pure enjoyment and on objective merit. So I got my hopes way, way up in imagining what Scott could do with modern film technology in making a prequel to Alien.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What did Scott ultimately deliver? A really amazing film spectacle, yes, but really he shot a film with a horrendous script.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Let's imagine you are one of the really, really smart decision-makers working for the Weyland-Yutani corporation, and your company is bankrolling a trillion-dollar space mission to another planet. This ship is going to carry your CEO, his daughter - who stands to inherit the controlling interest in the company, and who wants to survive the voyage - and some top scientists to explore a planetary body which might hold the secret of how life began on Earth. If we assume the crew were following their mission orders, based on what I saw in the movie theater, you probably wanted to make sure no-one came back alive from this journey, and you wrote up the mission protocols like so ...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Mission Protocols</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u><br /></u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1) Explore any artificial structures found at voyage terminus.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2) If structure contains breathable atmosphere, recommend opening all helmets and outer coverings to conserve oxygen supply.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3) If structure contains possible bio-hazards, direct contact (up to and including rubbing into eyes or other orifices) is authorized in order to discover possible physiological mutations in human beings.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4) All symbols should be immediately and repeatedly manipulated by direct contact. Any potential doorways should be opened without consultation with security personnel nor implementation of quarantine procedures. Ignore any signs of danger such as alien corpses, holograms or psionic shrieks of distress.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">5) All alien power sources should be activated. Functionality of alien artifacts is a mission priority.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">6) Release all (bound) alien life forms from stasis, to ensure best possible human-alien diplomatic relations. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">7) All specimens, materials and samples from the exploration site should be disseminated to surviving crew-members.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">NB. In space, no-one can hear you scream.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><u><br /></u></span></div>Shrikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05404058806313927899noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-230689943504768756.post-19177976321135318392011-06-15T18:50:00.002-07:002011-06-15T21:25:11.104-07:0017 more years of waiting?I publish this post after two periods of Game Seven in Vancouver. My team is losing 3-0. I am resigned to the Boston Bruins hoisting the Stanley Cup in our rink. This will be a bitter pill to swallow. I went downtown today on errands - and stopped not three blocks from the rink at midday. The atmosphere was electric, the mood incredibly anxious. Nearly everyone was wearing the team colours. I thought back to last year when my father and I were two of the lucky spectators at the Olympic gold-medal game. I could well imagine what the atmosphere was going to be in a few hours when the game would start and the Canucks would have a winner-take-all Game 7 to win the Stanley Cup on home ice. <br /><br />I could rant about this series for hours, but the bottom line was this: this was the first Finals appearance by the Canucks in franchise history where they were the clear favourites to win the Cup. If this series had been played 100 times, I think Vancouver would have won at least 70 times. But this is real life. In a given season, you only have one opportunity to become a champion. You don't get a do-over or a large sample size to determine who wins the post-season tournament.<br /><br />The Canucks didn't get the job done. Mostly, this was their own fault. Some of it was atrociously bad luck. And a <span style="font-style:italic;">very</span> small part of the blame should be laid at the door of the NHL's inconsistent officiating, which definitely did the Canucks no favours. But make no mistake, over the balance of play of these seven games, Boston was the better team. That's why they play the games; in professional team sports the best team often doesn't win the championship. And that's what I believe happened here.<br /><br />This was a gut-wrenching series to watch, especially for the last five games. The Canucks' luck was ridiculously bad - all the bounces of the puck went against them; the Bruins' superior goal-tending and defensive system negated much of Vancouver's league-best offense; significant injuries to nearly all of the Canucks' best players - most notably the Game One injury to Ken Hamhuis, the team's most reliable defenseman, and the clearly hobbled Ryan Kesler, the heart and soul of the team who soldiered on at half-strength - as well as the Aaron Rome suspension, robbed the team of its cohesion at the worst possible time. And you could just see the Canucks being worn down, their speed and skill advantages over Boston blunted as the series wore on.<br /><br />Above all, this series will be remembered as one where the Canucks were blown out in all three games in Boston with sub-par performances by Roberto Luongo and most everyone else in a Canucks uniform.<br /><br />I really hope the Canucks can make it back to the finals and take care of unfinished business before my nephew, aged 18 months, graduates from high school.<br /><br />I hope Mason Raymond recovers fully from a gruesome back injury he suffered at the :20 second mark of Game Six.<br /><br />If a miracle of biblical proportions occurs in the third period and the Canucks come back to win the series, I will probably end up collapsing after a week-long bender. If the Bruins win, I will undoubtedly be a morose grump for a few days. Either way, my liver is in for a world of hurt.<br /><br />A very, very small part of me admires the achievement of Tim Thomas. He's the same age as I am - and he just put up a goal-tending performance for the ages.Shrikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05404058806313927899noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-230689943504768756.post-29202585353596843882011-05-24T23:28:00.000-07:002011-05-24T23:29:55.156-07:0017 years of waiting is overThe Canucks are going to the Stanley Cup Finals.Shrikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05404058806313927899noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-230689943504768756.post-59407781367419908132011-04-26T22:08:00.001-07:002011-04-26T22:08:57.188-07:00The Canucks beat the HawksFinally.Shrikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05404058806313927899noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-230689943504768756.post-73706203222092476182011-04-25T15:31:00.000-07:002011-04-25T22:35:02.738-07:00Maui Trip Report, pt. 1I don't want to write anything about the Canucks-'Hawks series until it is over. Until then, I'll post a serialized trip report from my recent vacation - with pics to come.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">2nd April</span><br /><br />Get up early for 6 hr flight to Maui. Supposedly I'll be sitting next to sister, brother-in-law and 16 month-old nephew in bulkhead seats - more room to stretch out? yes please! - but they prove to be a myth. Bad beat.<br /><br />I had resigned myself to long odds that Oliver would behave on the flight but he came through like a champion, much to the delight of everyone in the vicinity, as we gladly enjoyed the 7-to-1 shot. Only bad part of flight was about 1 hour's worth of fairly significant turbulence. Would happily have traded back the hour saved - we landed in just over 5 hours - for a smoother flight.<br /><br />Somehow we spent 2.5 hours on arrival collecting baggage and picking up two rental cars. We then drove to . . . Costco. Yep, the first stop on a Hawaiian vacation was a giant store. Nothing says you're in Maui like Costco! This store was quite a bit different than the ones you'd find in Vancouver, though. Picked up essential supplies, then proceeded to posh resort. A spot of trouble with our room, but this was sorted out to our satisfaction and we settled in. (We soon found out the unit we were renting was for sale for a cool 1.4MM.) We spent a quiet evening getting the hang of the place and barbequed some burgers, than we turned in, ready to hit the beach the next day.Shrikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05404058806313927899noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-230689943504768756.post-43464482659367317962011-03-26T20:02:00.000-07:002011-03-26T23:42:36.898-07:00Escaping to paradiseI have been mulling over what to do with this space. Like many bloggers whose authorial voice has waned, my posting frequency has dropped to nearly nil. Since it's not 2005 and I no longer feel the need to try to post a lot about my poker adventures or record my halting steps towards proficiency at various forms of the game, I have been considering what other topics I might opt to write about here. I have a few ideas and once I've made some preparations, all six of you who still read this blog will hopefully be rewarded with some content of non-negligible value.<br /><br />In the meantime, I'm happy to say that I'll be taking a family vacation in a week's time to Hawaii. It'll be my first time to that island paradise, and we're all set to stay at a very nice <a href="http://www.honuakai.com/">resort</a>. I hope my nephew, who is fifteen months old, behaves on the flight. Other news of interest: my father, who is a few years older than this car <a href="http://pokerdoctor.blogspot.com/">enthusiast</a>, and probably has even more disposable income than his fellow doctor to make frivolous purchases, will likely own one of <a href="http://www.hrewheels.com/blog/porsche-911-c2s-cabriolet/">these</a> very soon. Needless to say, I have dibs on taking it out for a spin - my brother-in-law will have to get in line!<br /><br />Sadly, I'll be an island away from this poker <a href="http://surlypokergnome.blogspot.com/">blogger</a> when I'm vacationing, and it doesn't look as if I'll be able to hop over for a visit because our schedules don't mesh. I guess our next meeting will have to wait until Vegas in December.<br /><br />I hope to fit in a round of golf whilst in Maui, so if anyone has any golf course suggestions, I'm all ears.Shrikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05404058806313927899noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-230689943504768756.post-88429332924681410392011-02-08T18:12:00.000-08:002011-02-08T18:21:12.285-08:00In the words of an English peasantThis brilliant scene from one of my all-time favourite movies resonates with me more than usual this week, since Sunday is my birthday - my 37th. And I'm starting to notice the onset of age. I've spotted some gray hair. Carpe diem!<br /><br />At least no-one has yet called me ...<br /><br />King Arthur: Old woman. <br />Dennis: Man. <br />King Arthur: Man, sorry. What knight lives in that castle over there? <br />Dennis: I'm 37. <br />King Arthur: What? <br />Dennis: I'm 37. I'm not old. <br />King Arthur: Well I can't just call you "man". <br />Dennis: Well you could say "Dennis". <br />King Arthur: I didn't know you were called Dennis. <br />Dennis: Well you didn't bother to find out did you? <br />King Arthur: I did say sorry about the "old woman", but from behind you looked... <br />Dennis: What I object to is you automatically treat me like an inferior. <br />King Arthur: Well I am king. <br />Dennis: Oh, king eh? Very nice. And how'd you get that, eh? By exploiting the workers. By hanging on to outdated imperialist dogma which perpetuates the economic and social differences in our society.<br /><br /><br />Go watch the whole thing. And laugh your guts out. Or go see Spamalot, because it's nearly as awesome.Shrikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05404058806313927899noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-230689943504768756.post-53161242714601419582011-01-04T18:43:00.000-08:002011-01-04T22:48:11.876-08:00Musings on the year that was 2010 and some 2011 predictionsHere are some predictions for 2011, and a few thoughts on 2010.<br /><br />I will lose ten pounds to reach my target weight of 165 lbs (which is what I was at back when I graduated high school).<br /><br />I will achieve some much-needed professional development and move upwards, not laterally, in the coming months.<br /><br />I will improve my endurance and run some 10K races this summer, hopefully breaking the 55-minute barrier.<br /><br />The Vancouver Canucks - currently the best team in the NHL - will be Stanley Cup finalists for the first time since 1994. We will probably lose in heart-breaking fashion to the Pittsburgh Penguins because Sidney Crosby always finds a way to win. This will be a time where my sincere admiration for Crosby will (temporarily) turn to unvarnished hatred.<br /><br />I will attend next December's blogger gathering in Las Vegas.<br /><br />I will put more time and effort into crushing some local private NL/PLO cash games that I've recently discovered. I will likely play more online poker in 2011 than I did in 2010, sticking to lower stakes mixed games and PLO8 cash games and a few bloggaments. Bring on the next BBT, Al!<br /><br />I will blog more (but it's likely poker won't be a regular topic unless the American online poker industry blows up in dramatic fashion).<br /> <br />Looking back on 2010, I have a lot to be thankful for. I significantly improved my fitness, I saw the most famous international goal in Canadian hockey in my lifetime from 40 feet away (my DOB is post-Summit Series), and most importantly of all, my close family is all in good health and grew by one with the birth of my nephew Oliver, who recently turned one on December 30th.Shrikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05404058806313927899noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-230689943504768756.post-75211270014611070902010-12-11T18:46:00.000-08:002010-12-11T18:57:42.582-08:00NineteenTonight marks the night when #19 rises to the rafters. Just two years after his retirement from the NHL, Markus Naslund, the best player in Vancouver Canucks <a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Photos+Markus+Naslund+Vancouver+career/3953682/story.html">team history</a> (he owns a ton of team records for his accomplishments as a Canuck), has his number retired by the Canucks. It's the third number retired by the franchise, following Stan Smyl (#12) and Trevor Linden (#16).<br /><br />It couldn't happen to a more deserving person.<br /><br />The only thing that could make me happier as a lifelong fan of the team is a Stanley Cup parade.Shrikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05404058806313927899noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-230689943504768756.post-21472247397249164102010-10-06T21:00:00.000-07:002010-10-07T01:30:40.069-07:00Two words: no-hitterRoy Halladay is the best pitcher in baseball.<br /><br />Even though he's no longer pitching for my team, I still cheer for him. <br /><br />Now that he's pitching in the playoffs for Philadelphia, casual baseball fans realize just how good Doc is. All he's done for the Phillies this year, his first season playing in the National League, is put up a Cy Young-worthy season which featured a perfect game, and now the second <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/baseball/mlb/10/06/reds.phillies.game.1.ap/index.html">no-hitter</a> in baseball's postseason history (NB. there have been 1,264 postseason baseball games played since 1903 - so this was a truly staggering feat). And this wasn't an easy task - Halladay was facing the highest-scoring team in the league in the Cincinnati Reds - and he made the Reds batters look completely <span style="font-style:italic;">helpless</span> at the plate. No-one even came close to getting a hit; and Halladay only walked one batter during the game. <br /><br />Five men have thrown two no-hitters in a calendar year <span style="font-style:italic;">or</span> a postseason no-hitter. Halladay just became the first pitcher in baseball history to accomplish <span style="font-weight:bold;">both</span> feats.<br /><br />I look forward to the day Doc gets inducted to the Hall of Fame, and I can see him wearing a Blue Jays cap once again.Shrikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05404058806313927899noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-230689943504768756.post-56304999356838665522010-09-04T23:41:00.000-07:002010-09-05T09:18:33.205-07:00Two words: whisky nightThe long hot dry summer is over.<br /><br />A night out with father, brother-in-law, and brother-in-law's father (visiting from Scotland) put paid to the mostly alcohol-free summer. We spent a night out having a good meal followed by the real treat of the evening, sampling a great many expensive offerings of Scotland's finest export in Vancouver's best <a href="http://www.irishheather.com/gallery.php?id=shebeen">gastropub</a> - none of your Irish or American or Canadian inferior offerings for this party of four, if you please (the menu had a full page of single malts; there was about seven or eight Irish whiskeys on the back page, and a few North American and Japanese).<br /><br />My favourite - we sampled about twenty, accompanied by a tasty cheese plate, some sausage and french fries - was a classic offering: a 16 year-old Lagavulin. But if you pressed me, I'd have cast a strong second-place vote for the 15 year-old Bruichladdich. Or my perennial favorite, Caol Ila (a real fire-starter, an 8 year-old with over 64% alcohol content), could have taken pride of place. Or there was this very good recommendation by the bar manager ...<br /><br />I'm glad we thought ahead and booked a cab for the trip home.Shrikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05404058806313927899noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-230689943504768756.post-16199813707330124072010-07-26T12:10:00.000-07:002010-07-26T12:30:33.970-07:00Dog days of summerI will seize on any lame excuse for my lack of blogging. Hot summer weather is a good one.<br /><br />Despite the summer heat, I've managed to break through a running plateau. Some proper new running shoes and a new venue - which incidentally was a training track for Roger Bannister's 1954 four-minute mile at the Commonwealth Games - have furnished added motivation to my exercise program. I've managed to crack the six-minute barrier (km) for my half-hour runs (total distance just over 5K). I hope by next summer to be doing 10K runs at that pace or better.<br /><br />Haven't been playing any poker due to lack of inspiration. If I can't play close to my best, there's no point in playing. This means I should be a complete degen in December at the WPBG . . . isn't poker blogger money the best? I'm on track to meet my target weight of 165 lbs, but losing the first 15 was easier than the remaining 15 will be. I wonder if <a href="http://riggstad-nutstraight.blogspot.com/">anyone</a> <a href="http://pokerdoctor.blogspot.com/">else</a> is going to make their weight?<br /><br />Nephew is just about 7 months old. A new purchase which has been a big hit is a wading pool.<br /><br />One of my favourite all-time baseball players entered the Hall of Fame yesterday. Here's a tip of the cap to Andre Dawson. Hopefully his former Expos teammate Tim Raines won't be far behind.Shrikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05404058806313927899noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-230689943504768756.post-25558279931344619552010-06-29T16:44:00.001-07:002010-06-29T17:04:56.970-07:00You Win Some, You Lose SomeIt's been a lazy summer so far, and not entirely by choice.<br /><br />Injured my foot somehow; haven't been able to run for past ten days or so. Disappointing, because I'd broken through a plateau and was chewing up more distance in my 30 minute runs. I hope to be back at it either Wednesday or Friday, though.<br /><br />My nephew will reach the 6-month mark tomorrow, and as a doting uncle I babysit every chance I get to spoil him shamelessly and leave all the responsibilities to the parents. <br /><br />Poker hasn't been so fun lately - I used up some of my unused stockpile of FTP points to earn T$, and proceeded to bubble a slew of SNGs for zero profit, but I'm reminded why I like Rush Poker when I play just long enough to hold up in spots like this (having 55% equity in a 3-way AIPF pot is hard to do in Omaha!):<br /><br /><object width="400" height="267"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=2061826"></param><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /></param><param name="quality" value="high" /></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /></param><param name="scale" value="Exactfit"></param><embed src="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=2061826" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" allowScriptAccess="always" scale="Exactfit" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" allowFullScreen="true" height="267"></embed></object>Shrikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05404058806313927899noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-230689943504768756.post-48186865913414666502010-06-16T20:40:00.000-07:002010-06-16T21:31:55.219-07:00Fitness GoalsAs time marches on I figure I should provide a brief update on the weight loss bet that I've really been taking seriously from the get-go. I plan on attending this year's WBG in December after a one-year hiatus, and there's something on the line as I've pledged to reach a target weight of 75 kilos - which is what I tipped the scales at way back in 1992 when I graduated from high school. I'm pleased to report that I'm well on my way there, having weighed in today at 80 kilos. Running three times a week and hitting the gym another couple of times per week since February has done the trick, along with much improved nutrition. When I began my running program it was all I could do to wheeze through ten-minutes stretches at a laughably slow pace; now I'm able to run about 5km in 30 minutes. Not exactly a 4 minute mile pace but pretty respectable by my way of thinking (at least for now). This time next year I hope to be able to run 10K in under 50 minutes.<br /><br />I plan to hit the ice again for weekly hockey games in the fall; it's been several years since I've played organized hockey and given how I'm feeling I am pretty optimistic that I'll have the cardiovascular fitness to seamlessly pretend I'm an NHL'er. I just hope my hands haven't completely lost their touch; I used to play hockey at a pretty high level back when I was a teenager. Only time will tell if I'm delusional.Shrikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05404058806313927899noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-230689943504768756.post-40062000974430450162010-05-30T16:09:00.000-07:002010-05-30T17:14:45.443-07:00Anatomy of a PLO gameHere are some interesting hands from a deep-stacked PLO game I played earlier today. This was at low stakes, obviously, but it was a good opportunity to shake off some rust as I shift attention away from tournament poker back to the cash games. The mixed games are still my bread-and-butter, but today I felt like something fast-paced, which Omaha definitely is!<br /><br />Hand #1: Backing into two pair<br /><br /><object width="400" height="267"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1975847"></param><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /></param><param name="quality" value="high" /></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /></param><param name="scale" value="Exactfit"></param><embed src="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1975847" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" allowScriptAccess="always" scale="Exactfit" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" allowFullScreen="true" height="267"></embed></object><br /><br />This guy could have had anything. It turned out he had two club blockers and luckboxed his way to a mediocre two pair hand, which I was able to vanquish.<br /><br />Hand #2: Value-betting a straight<br /><br /><object width="400" height="267"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1975848"></param><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /></param><param name="quality" value="high" /></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /></param><param name="scale" value="Exactfit"></param><embed src="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1975848" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" allowScriptAccess="always" scale="Exactfit" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" allowFullScreen="true" height="267"></embed></object><br /><br />Pretty trivial spot. I love the power of position.<br /><br />Hand #3: Folding a set<br /><br /><object width="400" height="267"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1975850"></param><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /></param><param name="quality" value="high" /></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /></param><param name="scale" value="Exactfit"></param><embed src="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1975850" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" allowScriptAccess="always" scale="Exactfit" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" allowFullScreen="true" height="267"></embed></object><br /><br />I was probably priced in to call off my stack hoping to boat up. I had one of my outs in my hand and this led me to wuss out and fold (incorrectly I would guess).<br /><br />Hand #4: Losing the minimum with a premium draw<br /><br /><object width="400" height="267"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1975851"></param><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /></param><param name="quality" value="high" /></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /></param><param name="scale" value="Exactfit"></param><embed src="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1975851" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" allowScriptAccess="always" scale="Exactfit" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" allowFullScreen="true" height="267"></embed></object><br /><br />Villain pretty much has to have me beat on the flop given this action. I was happy to take free cards for the chance to go to valuetown if I made a better hand.<br /><br />The following three hands had me squaring off with a particular villain. His play led me to believe I should give him action, but he was very transparent with made hands, as we'll see below.<br /><br />Hand #5: Folding the nut flush<br /><br /><object width="400" height="267"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1975957"></param><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /></param><param name="quality" value="high" /></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /></param><param name="scale" value="Exactfit"></param><embed src="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1975957" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" allowScriptAccess="always" scale="Exactfit" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" allowFullScreen="true" height="267"></embed></object><br /><br />I got too cute here. I should have led right out on the turn with the nuts. Check-folding the river was painful but necessary.<br /><br />Hand #6: Overplaying a draw<br /><br /><object width="400" height="267"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1975958"></param><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /></param><param name="quality" value="high" /></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /></param><param name="scale" value="Exactfit"></param><embed src="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1975958" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" allowScriptAccess="always" scale="Exactfit" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" allowFullScreen="true" height="267"></embed></object><br /><br />I was still steaming a little from Hand #6 and decided to gamble against what was pretty obviously a set of queens. I didn't get there.<br /><br />Hand #7: Getting even with trips<br /><br /><object width="400" height="267"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1975959"></param><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /></param><param name="quality" value="high" /></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /></param><param name="scale" value="Exactfit"></param><embed src="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1975959" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" allowScriptAccess="always" scale="Exactfit" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" allowFullScreen="true" height="267"></embed></object><br /><br />Given the last two hands against this villain I absolutely cannot fold here.<br /><br />Hand #8: Snapping off bare aces<br /><br /><object width="400" height="267"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1975963"></param><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /></param><param name="quality" value="high" /></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /></param><param name="scale" value="Exactfit"></param><embed src="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1975963" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" allowScriptAccess="always" scale="Exactfit" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" allowFullScreen="true" height="267"></embed></object><br /><br />I like to have a little more equity on the flop but I was more than willing to get it in given all the possibilities I had to improve. I probably should have waited until the turn to get it in.<br /><br />Hand #9: Properly played aces<br /><br /><object width="400" height="267"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1975964"></param><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /></param><param name="quality" value="high" /></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /></param><param name="scale" value="Exactfit"></param><embed src="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1975964" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" allowScriptAccess="always" scale="Exactfit" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" allowFullScreen="true" height="267"></embed></object><br /><br />I'm willing to pay off against the miracle quad fives. Villain is much more likely to have a big pair in the hole.<br /><br />Hand #10: Letting the new table maniac bet for you<br /><br /><object width="400" height="267"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1975967"></param><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /></param><param name="quality" value="high" /></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /></param><param name="scale" value="Exactfit"></param><embed src="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1975967" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" allowScriptAccess="always" scale="Exactfit" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" allowFullScreen="true" height="267"></embed></object><br /><br />If I had been certain he only had two pair and would pay off a raise, I would have re-popped it. But I chickened out in case he had the straight. If I had felt like pushing the action I could have given more action on the turn with the nut flush draw and an overpair.<br /><br />Hand #11: My boat is bigger than yours<br /><br /><object width="400" height="267"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1975968"></param><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /></param><param name="quality" value="high" /></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /></param><param name="scale" value="Exactfit"></param><embed src="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1975968" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" allowScriptAccess="always" scale="Exactfit" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" allowFullScreen="true" height="267"></embed></object><br /><br />Given my recent run of cards people were looking me up with inferior values.<br /><br />Hand #12: Missing my freeroll<br /><br /><object width="400" height="267"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1975969"></param><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /></param><param name="quality" value="high" /></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /></param><param name="scale" value="Exactfit"></param><embed src="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1975969" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" allowScriptAccess="always" scale="Exactfit" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" allowFullScreen="true" height="267"></embed></object><br /><br />The final hand of our session. The Austrian villain was seduced by the quantity of crappy draws he had and avoided a lot of disaster cards by making a nut straight right along with me. This hand more than anything illustrates the beauty of a superior hand structure where you can dominate someone's draws.<br /><br />I happily booked a +4 buy-in win for the session and will be back for more, once I've fixed a few leaks that have revealed themselves (see in particular Hands 3, 5, and 6) from this session review.Shrikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05404058806313927899noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-230689943504768756.post-62404826113580033832010-05-29T18:44:00.000-07:002010-05-30T10:26:08.512-07:00A game of excellenceI never doubted Roy Halladay would be dominant in the NL, but he just exceeded my lofty expectations by throwing the twentieth <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Perfect_game">perfect game</a> in ML baseball history. The number of baseball games in MLB history is a rather large number -- approximately <span style="font-style:italic;">eight hundred thousand</span> -- so it's hard not to marvel at such a rare accomplishment. Which happens once every thirty-seven thousand games, or thereabouts.<br /><br />We miss you, Doc.<br /><br />At least you'll go into the Hall of Fame wearing a Blue Jays cap.Shrikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05404058806313927899noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-230689943504768756.post-29013725736303717442010-05-26T22:18:00.000-07:002010-05-26T23:22:59.712-07:00A game of luckThere won't be a pirate sighting in the ToC of the BBT5, sadly. As is my usual wont in the Mookie, I built a big stack in Hour 1 (top five), maintained it in Hour 2 (top ten), went completely card dead in Hour 3 and busted out once I was forced to play preflop shove poker with 10BBs despite having way the best of it when the money went in preflop (AK vs. A3).<br /><br />I thought about channeling Waffles in a rant but I can't be unhappy with how I busted out. Bloggers calling off with inferior ace-x hands is just a way of life and in the long-term I love getting those calls. <br /><br />Good luck to those with a ToC seat! And thanks to Al and FTP for a pile of free stuff ... something like 35K in prizes with only twenty-one players competing in the final tournament(!).Shrikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05404058806313927899noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-230689943504768756.post-43477129477956245402010-05-20T11:53:00.000-07:002010-05-20T14:26:37.521-07:00I like a good freeroll, reduxAl works hard for us, doesn't he?<br /><br />I have a few more thoughts on some trends I've noticed playing in just a handful of the BBT5 events so far.<br /><br />Firstly, some very aggressive players have really put a beating on the tournament fields so far in the BBT5. They apply maximum pressure preflop with any two cards and, frankly, avoid playing postflop poker whenever possible -- this is especially true in the later stages of the tournaments, even when stacks are 20+ bbs. I even saw one particular player open-shove a 25 bb stack once an orbit <span style="font-style:italic;">four consecutive times</span> in the middle stages of last night's Mookie! Each time I woke up with a fairly good hand - usually AJ, AQ, AK - on the button and reluctantly folded since I didn't want to blindly gamble it up. I'd have to say this is pretty frustrating for me, coming from a cash game background where the effective stacks are usually much deeper, and I don't have tournament survival as an overriding concern. After all, in a cash game I can simply rebuy and plan to take all of a target's money in a subsequent hand; I can't do that in a tournament. I like to see a flop with significant money behind as it gives me more room to maneuver; their tactics effectively minimize the skill factor in the game and maximize the luck factor. Obviously, this does mean that they get paid off when they have big hands because they are going to generate action when other players have a medium-to-good hand to fight back with; what I don't like about this style of play is when I see the questionable <span style="font-weight:bold;">calls</span> preflop with a lot of dominated ace-rag hands in hopes they will get lucky. All that said, if you can adapt to deal with this style, don't fear getting it in with a hand like the mighty jack-ace; they are going to call with many worse aces and you will have the best of it. Above all, I would try not to give them the opportunity to put in the last raise. Either apply pressure yourself, by making them decide to call off their chips. Or best of all, if you do have a premium hand, put out a normal raise and pray that they get frisky. You can even try the ol' limp re-raise or limp-call from early position with a big pair since they won't be able to resist jamming from late position on you a lot of the time. More than anything, plan your hand out in advance once you've adjusted to the presence of a loose aggressive player.<br /><br />More than anything I regret not being able to amass a 25+ bb stack at the final table of last night's Mookie. That would have given me enough ammunition to play back at the aggressive players, or to force them to play postflop by calling their raises in position in an attempt to maneuver myself into a situation where I think I have an advantage.Shrikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05404058806313927899noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-230689943504768756.post-83834182069431484282010-05-19T23:28:00.000-07:002010-05-20T13:33:57.410-07:00An old-fashioned Mookie + Dookie recapIt's been a really really long time since I've done a bloggament recap. So why not two for the price of one, seeing as how I made the final table in both?<br /><br />The Dookie was a PLO8 tournament. PLO8 is pretty much my favourite poker variant of them all, and I like to think I am pretty solid with the fundamentals of this game. Many people are not. So I was sailing along in a commanding position, chip-leader with six left, and ultimately decided to put maximum pressure on the villain whom I barely had covered, with a premium hand: Kh Ad 2c 3d. He opted to put 7000 tournament chips in with Ah 2s 3c 2h (!) ... and a measly pair of deuces held up in a pretty sick spot:<br /><br /><object width="400" height="267"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1954345"></param><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /></param><param name="quality" value="high" /></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /></param><param name="scale" value="Exactfit"></param><embed src="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1954345" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" allowScriptAccess="always" scale="Exactfit" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" allowFullScreen="true" height="267"></embed></object><br /><br />Needless to say, I think the villain should <span style="font-style:italic;">never</span> get it in here.<br /><br />I wasn't too unhappy because I was making a run in the Mookie and was trying to focus on being a short-stack ninja as we reached the final nine and the final table (which was also the cash bubble). In the previous BBT series (2-4) I have managed to win this tournament for a ToC seat, but so far in BBT5 I have only played one Mookie and didn't get anywhere. This time, I swore it would be different.<br /><br />Things got off to a good start as I got some revenge on <a href="http://jgoat.blogspot.com/">JuliusGoat</a>, when he 4-bet jammed with QQ and ran into a bigger pair:<br /><br /><object width="400" height="267"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1954346"></param><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /></param><param name="quality" value="high" /></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /></param><param name="scale" value="Exactfit"></param><embed src="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1954346" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" allowScriptAccess="always" scale="Exactfit" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" allowFullScreen="true" height="267"></embed></object><br /><br />Then I folded, folded, folded, and folded some more. Card death was rampant. I won the occasional pot to stay at around 5K in chips for a very long time.<br /><br />Then I opened in early position with sevens and folded to a button re-raise by a player whom I know doesn't ever fold to a 4-bet.<br /><br />The very next hand, I was able to squeeze in the big blind against three opponents with pocket tens. Given my image, I probably would have tried this with any two cards.<br /><br />Shortly after this I was dealt three good hands in succession, and lost 1K in chips since I don't like to overplay AK or AQ unimproved ... this put me back down to 4K in chips, and I was struggling to maintain an average chip stack. I refused to panic, however, since I still had plenty in relation to the blinds.<br /><br />Using my tight image, I played some positional poker to get a fold from what was likely a better hand than mine:<br /><br /><object width="400" height="267"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1954347"></param><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /></param><param name="quality" value="high" /></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /></param><param name="scale" value="Exactfit"></param><embed src="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1954347" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" allowScriptAccess="always" scale="Exactfit" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" allowFullScreen="true" height="267"></embed></object><br /><br />The very next hand I was dealt tens again and 3-bet to bring my stack up 6K without a showdown. I like it when my raises get respect.<br /><br />I went back to folding for multiple orbits.<br /><br />As the antes kicked in, I won the blinds a couple of times with AK.<br /><br />I was able to win a bigger pot, without having to go to showdown, with the reliable jack-ace:<br /><br /><object width="400" height="267"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1954348"></param><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /></param><param name="quality" value="high" /></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /></param><param name="scale" value="Exactfit"></param><embed src="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1954348" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" allowScriptAccess="always" scale="Exactfit" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" allowFullScreen="true" height="267"></embed></object><br /><br />I 3-bet light on the button and folded to a 4-bet, tumbling back down to 4500 in chips.<br /><br />I had my one big suckout of the tourney right here as a blind steal went wrong. With 1000 out there and a stack just over 4000 behind I open-shoved A2 on the button to pick up the pot. Of course, I got out of jail against a big pair:<br /><br /><object width="400" height="267"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1954349"></param><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /></param><param name="quality" value="high" /></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /></param><param name="scale" value="Exactfit"></param><embed src="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1954349" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" allowScriptAccess="always" scale="Exactfit" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" allowFullScreen="true" height="267"></embed></object><br /><br />As the blinds and antes increased, I was able to take them down uncontested again with AK two more times, and then my pocket jacks held vs. a short-stacked opponent's eights. I looked up and all of a sudden I had over 15K in chips. I felt like I was <a href="http://astincubed.blogspot.com/">Astin</a> for a while.<br /><br />I folded down to 12.5K and snapped off <a href="http://opoker.blogspot.com/">cmitch</a>'s open-shove with the mighty ace-ten (easy call because his range here is really really wide):<br /><br /><object width="400" height="267"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1954389"></param><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /></param><param name="quality" value="high" /></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /></param><param name="scale" value="Exactfit"></param><embed src="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1954389" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" allowScriptAccess="always" scale="Exactfit" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" allowFullScreen="true" height="267"></embed></object><br /><br />Then I was able to win another hand against a <a href="http://mondogarage.blogspot.com/">short-stack</a> when my eights held up against his early position shove with KJ to climb to 23K in chips as we neared the final table bubble. Sadly, I would climb no higher than this and was forced to fold my way up the ladder for a while.<br /><br />I ran up against <a href="http://pokerandbridge.blogspot.com/">MemphisMojo</a> right on the final table bubble when we were playing five-handed and was forced to lay down a hand when I just didn't think I could get him to fold once he'd led out on a scary flop, since he was representing exactly what I was <span style="font-style:italic;">supposed</span> to have:<br /><br /><object width="400" height="267"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1954390"></param><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /></param><param name="quality" value="high" /></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /></param><param name="scale" value="Exactfit"></param><embed src="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1954390" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" allowScriptAccess="always" scale="Exactfit" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" allowFullScreen="true" height="267"></embed></object><br /><br />Once we reached the final table a player quickly busted out so we were down to eight. I was somehow dealt AK back-to-back and prayed for action on the second hand, but no dice. (Seriously, I must have been dealt AK about six times, and always won the blinds without any action. If I had ever had some other quality hands that I could have opened to appear more active, I'm sure I would have gotten some action. I really felt like I was Astin in disguise.)<br /><br />Unfortunately, I then had to fold a parade of junk hands for multiple orbits and my tournament came to an abrupt end as I exited in 7th place as I open-shoved 13 bbs from the small blind right into the big blind's pocket jacks. FPT decided to taunt me by giving me eleven outs on the turn, but I didn't get there.<br /><br />Only three more BBT5 tournaments to go! I hope to give myself at least one more good shot at a ToC seat. Best of luck to everyone in their pursuit of this same goal.Shrikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05404058806313927899noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-230689943504768756.post-30782207104661257202010-05-16T22:55:00.001-07:002010-05-17T00:09:12.303-07:00Running to stand still, and yet more scoopingToday was not a fun day, but it did end on a good note. The morning was spent in very fine weather doing a charity 5K run. Of course, I failed my orientation skill check and proceeded to run about 7K since the route was not well marked in two crucial spots. So needless to say I was able to ignore my posted time of finish and grumpily proceeded to stuff my face with refreshments once I finally arrived at the finish line.<br /><br />The afternoon brought some fussy work as I struggled to proofread a manuscript for a project I've left way behind schedule. I was distracted and still need to do a lot of work on it before it sees the light of day, and the deadline is looming.<br /><br />I then proceeded to donk off my chips in the BBT5 freeroll, getting away from several second-best hands with a minimum of damage. I was never able to get my stack back above its starting amount, and I foolishly dusted off my respectably-sized stack when I made the mistake of trying to get a blogger - in this case, the estimable <a href="http://www.donkeysdraw.com/">Numb</a> to fold top pair. Needless to say this is just <span style="font-style:italic;">not</span> a good idea.<br /><br />And then I proceeded to get stomped when I played some cash games afterwards. Some Rush NLHE, no good. Some Rush PLO, which had been recommended to me by several trustworthy sources? No good. +2 buy-ins to begin with but soon enough I would lose some monster hands where I made the correct decisions but just couldn't hold up despite having the best of it. Five buy-ins later and I was stuck three overall.<br /><br />Then I found the reliable cure: a mixed game, this time a juicy HORSE table. How juicy? Yet another example of a scoop as I played two rotations for a nice +2 buy-ins to end the night with the BR stabilized back to an acceptable level. My hourly rate in this game was fairly impressive!<br /><br />We pick up the action on 4th street in - what else? - a stud hi/lo hand. The pot was inflated on 3rd as four of us got here after capping the action for four bets each. (I got a bit out of line but I knew V1 was a complete maniac)<br /><br />Dealt to V1 [5c] [4h]<br />Dealt to V2 [9c] [6c]<br />Dealt to Hero [8c Ad 6h] [7s]<br />Dealt to V3 [Jh] [Qd]<br /><br />Each person put in one more bet.<br /><br />On 5th:<br /><br />Dealt to V1 [5c 4h] [Jd]<br />Dealt to V2 [9c 6c] [Kh]<br />Dealt to Hero [8c Ad 6h 7s] [5d]<br />Dealt to V3 [Jh Qd] [Th]<br /><br />I bet with a made low and an OESD, everyone called.<br /><br />On 6th: <br /><br />Dealt to V1 [5c 4h Jd] [4s]<br />Dealt to V2 [9c 6c Kh] [6d]<br />Dealt to Hero [8c Ad 6h 7s 5d] [4c]<br />Dealt to V3 [Jh Qd Th] [Jc]<br /><br />V3 bets out, the other two call, I raise with my straight and made low, <span style="font-weight:bold;">they all call</span>. <span style="font-style:italic;">I'm showing four to a straight and a made low and they are all determined to see 7th!</span> I'm sure you all see what's happening here, besides noticing that I am very lucky to have made a two-way hand here. Again, everyone else is playing for half.<br /><br />On 7th, the following took place:<br /><br />V1 bet. V2 called. Our hero raised. V3 folded. V1 3-bet all-in. V2 called. I 4-bet. V2 called.<br /><br />At showdown, I tabled my eight-high straight and 76 low for a scoop.<br /><br />V2 mucked [As Ac 9c 6c Kh 6d Ts] - HI: two pair, Aces and Sixes<br />V1 mucked [Ah 8s 5c 4h Jd 4s 3h] - HI: a pair of Fours; LO: 8,5,4,3,A<br /><br />We can clearly see that V2 has some fundamental flaws to correct in his game. V1 got taken for a ride and stubbornly lost some extra bets that he didn't have to on the later streets, much to my benefit. Yours truly continues to get lucky with some marginal hands in just the right situations to play them.<br /><br />The same lessons apply that I mentioned in my previous post.<br /><br /><br />Hopefully my next 5K run at the end of the month is on a course I can't get lost in.Shrikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05404058806313927899noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-230689943504768756.post-72718337095195392132010-05-15T16:25:00.000-07:002010-05-15T17:23:31.502-07:00A game of scoopingIt's a truism in split pot poker games that playing to win the whole pot is a fundamental component of a winning strategy. This is doubly true when you are involved in a hand against multiple opponents. Today I played a hand that illustrates this principle very well, and it's worth examining the play of this hand in detail.<br /><br />This afternoon I found myself playing in a low-stakes 7-Game mixed game. The rotation had made its way to stud hi/lo, which is undoubtedly one of my best games, and perhaps even more importantly, often the worst game in the rotation for most of my opponents. Needless to say, I was primed and ready to find any profitable situation that I could and start pounding away.<br /><br />I was dealt the [8s 4s] 6h and was the bring-in.<br />Villain #1 had the Ah showing and completed.<br />Villain #2 had the Th showing and called.<br /><br />I don't love my hand here, since I have a pretty ragged 3-card low to an 8, but given this price I really should see 4th street. If I catch good I can likely proceed further with the hand; otherwise I can get away cheaply. More importantly it's distinctly possible that both my opponents have high-only hands and I'd be drawing very live for the low half with a chance at making a low straight or flush to scoop the entire pot 3-handed, which is a very profitable opportunity. Also, Villain #2 is extremely likely to show up here with split tens. If for some reason he's got rolled up tens, action could be fast and furious on later streets, which again would be to my benefit if I can make a medium straight.<br /><br />On 4th, I do catch good: [8s 4s] 6h 7h<br />Villain #1 Ah 4h<br />Villain #2 Th 9d<br /><br />Villain #1 bet right out, and Villain #2 called. I have to be wary that Villain #1 is drawing to a better low than I am (since I've got two hearts showing I can discount the possibility that he's also drawing to a flush), but with a gutshot straight draw which would also give me a qualifying low, this is a trivial call closing out the action. The turning point of the hand will be, as it so often is, 5th street when the bets double in size.<br /><br />On 5th, I catch my gin card: [8s 4s] 6h 7h 5h<br /><br />Dealt to Villain #2 [Th 9d] [Qs]<br />Dealt to Villain #1 [Ah 4h] [5d]<br /><br />Somewhat to my surprise, Villain #2 leads out; I raise and Villain #1 makes it three bets! Villain #2 calls two bets cold and I have an easy cap since I have a made hand in both directions and can represent a flush if I catch another heart on 6th. Note, however, the potential vulnerability of my hand: I can end up with the second-best hand in both directions if Villain #1 makes a better low and Villain #2 can show up with a higher straight or a full house for the high half.<br /><br />On 6th, the betting is capped again in the exact same pattern as on 5th:<br /><br />Dealt to Villain #2 [Th 9d Qs] [5c]<br />Dealt to Hero [8s 4s 6h 7h 5h] [Kc]<br />Dealt to Villain #1 [Ah 4h 5d] [6d] <br /><br />At this point I am definitely worried that Villain #1 had a board-lock for the low half, but I am equally determined to carve up Villain #2 for the high since he was clearly playing only for half. Finding small edges is crucial in a situation like this! And a remote possibility remains that I am currently in a position to scoop the entire pot if Villain #1 had started with split aces and a 4, 5 or 6 he'd paired up for aces up.<br /><br />7th street came and I caught an immaterial card.<br /><br />Villain #2 bet, Villain #1 called, and I called with the eight-high straight. To my amazement, I ended up scooping the entire pot (this led me to second-guess myself for not raising here)! <br /><br />Here is what my opponents showed up with:<br /><br />Seat 1: Villain #1 showed [As Kh Ah 4h 5d 6d 4d] and lost with HI: two pair, Aces and Fours<br />Seat 5: Villain #2 showed [Jd Ts Th 9d Qs 5c Td] and lost with HI: three of a kind, Tens<br />Seat 6: Hero showed [8s 6c 6h 7h 5h Kc 4s] and won with HI: a straight, Eight high; LO: 8,7,6,5,4<br /><br />Let's look at what happened here on the later streets. Villain #1's play on 5th and 6th streets is hilarious in that he made it 3 bets with aces up and a live low draw against all the action in front of him, which means he is taking the worst of it; he presumably has to catch one of eight or ten outs to take down the low half, or one of 3-4 outs for an improbable full house for the high half. Villain #2 shoveled a lot of money into the pot from 5th street onwards in a horrible situation hoping to lock up the high half, as he was being forced to put in a ton of money whilst frozen out of half of the pot. And I was the benefactor as my two opponents didn't manage to improve.<br /><br />The lesson here? Play for the whole pot.<br /><br />Another lesson: mixed games are fun and profitable.<br /><br />NB. If anyone knows of a good stud re-player, let me know!Shrikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05404058806313927899noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-230689943504768756.post-75664654995940249732010-05-11T21:45:00.000-07:002010-05-11T22:01:52.488-07:00A game of sadnessThe Canucks achieved the dubious achievement of losing all three of their home games in this disappointing series which never lived up to its potential. Speaking purely as a hockey fan who loves a classic playoff contest between two very good teams, this series failed to deliver any classic games; all were strangely uncompetitive, ugly contests. The Canucks' decimated blueline crippled their chances of extending the series to a seventh game and the Canucks' best players up front - the Sedins - simply didn't show up when the team needed a stalwart effort to stay alive.<br /><br />More than anything I will remember what might have been: what if Sami Salo hadn't been hurt? and Alexander Edler (early in game six)? what if the bounces of the puck had been evenly distributed? what if the Canucks had not taken so many bad penalties? and so on.<br /><br />For the second consecutive year I am forced to pay off after betting on my team. I don't like it one bit.<br /><br />Finally, I hate Dustin Byfuglien. He exhibited real class in trash-talking Roberto Luongo after scoring a meaningless goal to make it 5-1 halfway through the 3rd period. It was <span style="font-weight:bold;">so</span> egregious both the referee Bill McCreary and his own coach Joel Quenneville told him to shut up. You know you're a complete moron when you can manage that feat. If the NHL had an award for most unsportsmanlike player, Byfuglien would be the runaway winner.<br /><br />The Canucks could well meet Chicago again next year ... they will have an opportunity to rebuild their shattered defense corps in the off-season and their group of forwards should if anything improve even more with the expected addition of Cory Hodgson, a highly touted prospect who will add yet more scoring talent to the lineup, and the continued growth of Michael Grabner and Jannik Hansen. Those three will more than make up for the expected departure of Pavol Demitra.Shrikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05404058806313927899noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-230689943504768756.post-41474304187414304012010-05-09T19:46:00.000-07:002010-05-10T11:25:24.935-07:00A game of desireCanucks wanted it more. Luongo played very well. Salo was hurt on a scary play. Canucks gutted out a 4-1 win and again proved they are the better team at even strength. <br /><br />I was also able to play in the Mother's Day edition of the BBT5 invitational. Had good chips well into the second hour but went completely card dead as we got down to twenty players. The evil <a href="http://jgoat.blogspot.com/">Goat</a> pulled off not one but two check-raises where I had to find a laydown. <br /><br />I managed a timely double with ATsooted vs. a chipleader's KJ, but my nemesis <a href="http://twoblackaces.blogspot.com/">2BA</a> -- unquestionably a superior player I was avoiding at all costs -- put me to the test. Given my chipstack I clearly had to go with AdKd and sadly he won the race in the cruelest way possible: he rivered a set of nines after I flopped top pair. I was even getting 3:1 on my money as the CL made the overcall with a small pair!<br /><br /><object width="400" height="267"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1914777"></param><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /></param><param name="quality" value="high" /></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /></param><param name="scale" value="Exactfit"></param><embed src="http://www.pokerhandreplays.com/flash/replayer.swf?pokerhandid=1914777" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" allowScriptAccess="always" scale="Exactfit" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" allowFullScreen="true" height="267"></embed></object><br /><br />I exited in 12th place of the freeroll; many thanks to <a href="http://alcanthang.blogspot.com/">Al</a> for giving me the chance to play.<br /><br />I really hope Salo's injury proves less serious than it appears and that the Canucks aren't short-handed going into a pivotal game six at home as they do their utmost to extend the series to a deciding game seven back in Chicago.Shrikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05404058806313927899noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-230689943504768756.post-58206624821037161252010-05-07T20:12:00.000-07:002010-05-07T21:32:33.637-07:00A game of bouncesThis series is over.<br /><br />How I saw this game:<br /><br />Byfuglien is 270 pounds and apparently the Canucks can deck him like a rag doll and the refs will let him draw penalties at will. This is beyond absurd. If the Canucks aren't allowed to check him, how are they supposed to defend their goalie? Sami Salo makes brilliant defensive play at end of 1st period and is called for a ridiculous penalty. Naturallly, Hawks score on PP to start 2nd period off a ridiculous bounce. This was the turning point of the game.<br /><br />Canucks' PK having same problems as they were early in series vs. Kings. The Hawks are a superior team so it is very tough for Canucks to come back against this.<br /><br />The Canucks began to lose their composure as they were very frustrated by the juxtaposition of bad luck and questionable officiating. This was a perfect situation for Hawks to exploit the situation and bury the Canucks, because they are a bigger, grittier team who are able to defend a lead well if Vancouver isn't able to employ their puck possession game and generate scoring chances with speed and passing.<br /><br />Multiple 5-3 man advantages sealed the game. Apparently one of the Sedins can lean on Seabrook and he'll topple like a bowling pin. Can only dream that a ref would recognize a dive when they see one.<br /><br />Canucks are done for second consecutive year.<br /><br />Incredibly frustrating turn of events. Every bounce of the puck and nearly every decision by the referees went their way, a trend that began in the second period of game two. I turned the game off early in the 3rd period after yet another perfect bounce led to a back-breaking Hawks goal. Hawks won 6-4 and lead series 3-1. The Canucks tried to address how the Hawks were able to dominate Canucks' crease in game three and they were hammered by the refs for it. Inevitably I am going to come across as a sore loser but I honestly believe the Canucks deserved better treatment from the officials. And it would be nice for the puck's bounces to even out.<br /><br />I give the Canucks demerits for not showing more poise. And the Sedins didn't fight through adversity when it counted most.Shrikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05404058806313927899noreply@blogger.com2