Blogger cash game shenanigans and Mookie flameout

Hard to avoid losing a lot of chips here in the Mookie. I still had 25K left and was in second place after this fiasco. But then at the final table I lost several consecutive races to flame out and bubble. Fortunately, I'd earned some blogger money in the cash game that was running ...



I had to chuckle to myself at this remark in chat before he called my large river bet ...

ScottMc: i might have a soul read here PL

And I should be pleased that he 3-bet the flop with no pair no draw and spiked top pair on the turn to set up the hero call on the end!

Flying Seattle visit

I seized an opportunity for a quick trek down to Seattle this weekend to see some old friends. Not so coincidentally this was also the weekend that several Seattle-area poker bloggers had chosen to hold a home game, so I crashed the party.

Saturday did not have an auspicious beginning. I endured a ridiculous 90-minute wait at the Peace Arch border crossing. This delay pushed back my Seattle arrival to 1pm, and caused me to miss the first of my planned rendez-vous. I can't blame my friend Wolfgang, he was being a responsible parent to his young daughter and nap-time is inviolate for any sane father having to pull solitary child-care duties.

So, I shifted gears and parked down near Pioneer Square to take a walk, eventually ending up at a favourite bookstore -- Eliott Bay Book Co. and happily browsed the shelves and after making some purchases, I ducked downstairs to the cafe and snarfed down some good soup as I waited for the arrival of Zeem. He was a bit late and I found out that a humourless traffic cop had ticketed my car during its 12-minute window of vulnerability. Of course, I discovered the bad news AFTER I had purchased another two hours' worth of parking.

Undeterred and unwilling to have my good mood spoilt, I rode shotgun as Zeem took me over to a nearby bar, Shorty's, where I embarassed myself with an abysmal performance in its pinball arcade. The games were in generally good working order but I felt a bit curtailed by the lack of adequate lighting in the room.

Then, we proceeded along to the evening festivities, a blogger home game with a few luminaries of the Seattle poker landscape. I was the proud Gigli of the 8-player NLHE tourney where the host slaughtered me in an early pot where I flopped a 9-high club flush and raised Doc's opening bet (he had a mere two pair). Chris, the gracious host who had made sure I had copious amounts of Guinness in my system at all times, came over the top. Zeem folded what he later showed was the queen-high flush, and I announced that I wasn't good enough to fold my 1-out redraw to a straight flush and promptly got busted by a king-high flush. Yes, three of us had flopped a made club flush. It's always crubs, as CK would say. Always!

However, this proved to be a blessing in disguise because it left me with my hands free to devour food and drink without constraint. It's rare that I go bananas over tapas, but The Wife makes a mean guacomole which I could not get enough of. I doubt Astin could match it. I am willing to judge that competition and adjudicate any and all prop bets on this. I washed it down with yet more Guinness and a couple of glasses of a fine shiraz I'd had before and was happy to sample again. The Doc knows how to live well!

I was allowed to choose the format of the second tournament. It went on a little long, but I redeemed myself by winning the HOOSE event we put on (double Omaha in place of Razz). I think I won something like 22 of the 24 Stud08 hands that were dealt? It was pretty sick.

We capped the late night with a dealer's choice cash game and most of the bloggers enjoyed my pick of Crazy Pineapple for an orbit of play -- and I proved how to go broke with AAx. Later I also demonstrated my poor judgment in not folding the flopped nut straight in a hand of Omaha, and got stacked when a gutterball draw got there on the turn. But I ground back up close to even by the time the game broke.

The party ended about 2:30AM as some of the bloggers made grandiose claims of needing to do healthy exercise activities early on Sunday. I think this was merely an excuse to avoid giving me any action on my Wii Golf challenge even though I promised to play wrong-handed.

I then took advantage of Chris' offer of a spare bed, snatched a few hours' sleep, and drove home late Sunday morning after seeing a few other old Seattle-based friends for a quick chat and a late-morning cup of coffee.

It was a fun whirlwind of a trip.

NB. Rough count of gibes at token Canuck: 19
Rough count of phone calls made by Doc & Wife to other Canadian poker bloggers to mock my Gigli performance: 2

Blogger cash game shenanigans and a plug

Please don't forget to sign up for this fine event being put on by a pillar of the blogger community!


Here are a few hands of interest from the blogger cash game that Waffles set up Thursday night.

Waffles outplays me when we're holding the same hand. Boo!

I fail to get paid here. Sniff.

I cracked aces for the third time at this table here (the other two times I turned trips and called a shove and got it all in preflop with QQ and rivered a set). The above hand was particularly satisfying as I minraised the flop, got my weak opponent to check the turn -- at which point I happily took the free card and hit the gin card on the river -- which led to him betting out on the river and stacking off when I put him to the test.

Tonight I put in a very profitable L08 session at the cash tables. I single-tabled and managed a +50BB session against the fish despite one very poorly played hand where I needlessly donated ten bets when it was clear I was second-best in both directions.

A few deepstack hands for review

I flamed out of the bloggament fairly early on, so I took Don's nagging to heart and helped get a deep-stacked blogger cash game going, which was quickly populated by a few bloggers -- we attempted to clean out the non-bloggers as best we could during the session, of course!

I was a bit of a card rack at times (QQ 3 times; KK once) and managed to win about half a buy-in. Here are a few hands worthy of commentary. I look forward to suggestions on how I can improve my decision-making; I have included several HHs where I think I could improve my betting patterns.

Hand #1: I took a bluff one step too far.

Full Tilt Poker Game #6341863006: Table Lida (deep) - $0.50/$1 - No Limit Hold'em - 23:15:09 ET - 2008/05/08
Seat 1: weak_player ($201.50)
Seat 2: turoati ($100)
Seat 3: cdnmoose_8 ($203.80)
Seat 4: Miss Mattch ($150)
Seat 5: saso25 ($238.40)
Seat 6: bayne_s ($316.25)
Seat 7: PirateLawyer ($244.35)
Seat 8: MiamiDon ($193.45)
Seat 9: OMGitsPokerFool ($275.45)
MiamiDon posts the small blind of $0.50
OMGitsPokerFool posts the big blind of $1
The button is in seat #7
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to PirateLawyer [Tc 9d]
MiamiDon: nh
weak_player has 15 seconds left to act
weak_player calls $1
cdnmoose_8 folds
Miss Mattch folds
saso25 calls $1
bayne_s folds
PirateLawyer calls $1
MiamiDon calls $0.50
OMGitsPokerFool checks
*** FLOP *** [7s Qc 3s]
MiamiDon checks
OMGitsPokerFool checks
weak_player checks
saso25 bets $3
PirateLawyer calls $3
MiamiDon folds
OMGitsPokerFool folds
weak_player folds
*** TURN *** [7s Qc 3s] [8c]
saso25 bets $7
PirateLawyer has 15 seconds left to act
PirateLawyer raises to $21 -- I'm representing a flush draw when I'm really semibluffing with an OESD
saso25 calls $14
*** RIVER *** [7s Qc 3s 8c] [Ac]
saso25 checks
PirateLawyer bets $19 - one more shell because I can't win unless I bet. The backdoor flush came in and an ace is a good scare card to bluff.
saso25 calls $19
*** SHOW DOWN ***
PirateLawyer shows [Tc 9d] Ace Queen high
saso25 shows [Qh 3h] two pair, Queens and Threes -- nothing doing as villain flopped 2 pair.
saso25 wins the pot ($88) with two pair, Queens and Threes

Hand #2: Your standard flopped stone cold nuts with royal flush redraw is all ...

Full Tilt Poker Game #6342014167: Table Lida (deep) - $0.50/$1 - No Limit Hold'em - 23:27:30 ET - 2008/05/08
Seat 1: weak_player ($197)
Seat 2: turoati ($107.05)
Seat 3: cdnmoose_8 ($203.80), is sitting out
Seat 4: Miss Mattch ($156.30)
Seat 5: saso25 ($280)
Seat 6: bayne_s ($343.25)
Seat 7: PirateLawyer ($191.85)
Seat 8: MiamiDon ($200.40)
Seat 9: OMGitsPokerFool ($282.50)
bayne_s posts the small blind of $0.50
PirateLawyer posts the big blind of $1
The button is in seat #5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to PirateLawyer [Kc Tc]
MiamiDon folds
OMGitsPokerFool folds
weak_player folds
turoati raises to $3.50
Miss Mattch folds
saso25 folds
bayne_s calls $3
PirateLawyer has 15 seconds left to act
PirateLawyer calls $2.50
*** FLOP *** [Jc 7c Ac] -- GIN!
bayne_s checks
PirateLawyer checks
turoati bets $8
bayne_s folds
PirateLawyer calls $8 -- trying not to scare off my customer
*** TURN *** [Jc 7c Ac] [4h]
PirateLawyer checks -- planning to CRAI
turoati checks -- doh!
*** RIVER *** [Jc 7c Ac 4h] [Js]
PirateLawyer bets $15 -- board pairs, which is no fun, but it's time for valuetown with a 2/3rds pot bet
turoati calls $15
*** SHOW DOWN ***
PirateLawyer shows [Kc Tc] a flush, Ace high
turoati mucks
PirateLawyer wins the pot ($53.70) with a flush, Ace high

Hand #3: MiamiDon money is pretty sweet -- he bluffed a busted draw in position and I showed discipline out of position ...

Full Tilt Poker Game #6342173996: Table Lida (deep) - $0.50/$1 - No Limit Hold'em - 23:40:33 ET - 2008/05/08
Seat 1: weak_player ($201.50)
Seat 2: FabulousHubcap ($48.50)
Seat 3: Kevkon ($258.50)
Seat 4: Miss Mattch ($142.30)
Seat 5: saso25 ($309.55)
Seat 6: bayne_s ($337.75)
Seat 7: PirateLawyer ($213.10)
Seat 8: MiamiDon ($186.25)
Seat 9: OMGitsPokerFool ($218.95)
PirateLawyer posts the small blind of $0.50
MiamiDon posts the big blind of $1
The button is in seat #6
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to PirateLawyer [3h 3d]
OMGitsPokerFool folds
FabulousHubcap folds
Kevkon folds
Miss Mattch folds
saso25 folds
bayne_s folds
PirateLawyer raises to $3
MiamiDon calls $2
*** FLOP *** [3c 9c Jh]
PirateLawyer bets $3 -- bet your sets
MiamiDon calls $3
*** TURN *** [3c 9c Jh] [Tc]
PirateLawyer checks
MiamiDon bets $8.65
PirateLawyer calls $8.65 - turn completes straight and flushes but I can redraw if I need to
*** RIVER *** [3c 9c Jh Tc] [4s]
PirateLawyer checks
MiamiDon has 15 seconds left to act
MiamiDon bets $22.35
PirateLawyer calls $22.35 - committed to calling down; I don't want to CRAI and re-open the betting with a small set here
*** SHOW DOWN ***
MiamiDon shows [6s Ac] Ace Jack high
PirateLawyer shows [3h 3d] three of a kind, Threes
PirateLawyer wins the pot ($71) with three of a kind, Threes

Hand #4: I am a payoff wizard on the river; I think I should have bet the turn but I hate to overplay mediocre top pair hands ...

Full Tilt Poker Game #6342322766: Table Lida (deep) - $0.50/$1 - No Limit Hold'em - 23:52:32 ET - 2008/05/08
Seat 1: weak_player ($199)
Seat 2: FabulousHubcap ($45.50)
Seat 3: Kevkon ($263.30)
Seat 4: Miss Mattch ($148.55)
Seat 5: saso25 ($309.40)
Seat 6: bayne_s ($338)
Seat 7: PirateLawyer ($240)
Seat 8: MiamiDon ($189.90)
Seat 9: OMGitsPokerFool ($230.80)
PirateLawyer posts the small blind of $0.50
MiamiDon posts the big blind of $1
The button is in seat #6
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to PirateLawyer [Kd 9c]
OMGitsPokerFool folds
weak_player calls $1
FabulousHubcap folds
Kevkon folds
Miss Mattch folds
saso25 folds
bayne_s folds
PirateLawyer calls $0.50
MiamiDon checks
*** FLOP *** [Qs 8s Kh]
PirateLawyer bets $3 - decide to lead right out here with top pair
MiamiDon folds
weak_player calls $3
*** TURN *** [Qs 8s Kh] [3d]
PirateLawyer checks - trying to exert pot control with a one-pair hand with a bet-check-bet line
weak_player checks
*** RIVER *** [Qs 8s Kh 3d] [Ks]
PirateLawyer bets $6
weak_player raises to $18 --- uh-oh
PirateLawyer calls $12 -- with top set I have to reluctantly pay off a flush here ...
*** SHOW DOWN ***
weak_player shows [As 2s] a flush, Ace high -- as I suspected ...
PirateLawyer mucks
weak_player wins the pot ($42.75) with a flush, Ace high

Hand #5: I play an overpair cautiously out of position ...

Full Tilt Poker Game #6342450540: Table Lida (deep) - $0.50/$1 - No Limit Hold'em - 0:03:02 ET - 2008/05/09
Seat 1: weak_player ($221.75)
Seat 2: FabulousHubcap ($42.50)
Seat 3: Kevkon ($257.80)
Seat 4: Miss Mattch ($151.20)
Seat 5: saso25 ($276.05)
Seat 6: bayne_s ($340.90)
Seat 7: PirateLawyer ($215)
Seat 8: MiamiDon ($243.10)
Seat 9: OMGitsPokerFool ($208.55)
Kevkon posts the small blind of $0.50
Miss Mattch posts the big blind of $1
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to PirateLawyer [Qs Qd]
saso25 folds
bayne_s has 15 seconds left to act
bayne_s folds
PirateLawyer raises to $3.50
MiamiDon folds
OMGitsPokerFool folds
weak_player calls $3.50
FabulousHubcap folds
Kevkon calls $3
Miss Mattch folds
*** FLOP *** [3c 5d 8d]
Kevkon checks
PirateLawyer bets $6
weak_player raises to $18
Kevkon folds
PirateLawyer calls $12 - contemplated a 3-bet but decide to play cautiously
*** TURN *** [3c 5d 8d] [7s]
PirateLawyer checks
weak_player bets $20
PirateLawyer calls $20 - the board completes a possible straight but I will check/call another street
*** RIVER *** [3c 5d 8d 7s] [4s]
PirateLawyer checks - I want to make a blocking bet here but the board is so coordinated that I opt not to
weak_player checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
weak_player shows [9h 9s] a pair of Nines
PirateLawyer shows [Qs Qd] a pair of Queens
PirateLawyer wins the pot ($84.50) with a pair of Queens

It turns out that weak had one of the few hands I could plausibly beat. Does anyone have good arguments for taking a different line with queens here to extract more value, even if such bets are very thin?

Hand #6: I misplay AK preflop and it costs me a fair amount as I get outdrawn on the turn and miss my nut flush draw on the river.

Full Tilt Poker Game #6342478294: Table Lida (deep) - $0.50/$1 - No Limit Hold'em - 0:05:21 ET - 2008/05/09
Seat 1: weak_player ($180.25)
Seat 2: FabulousHubcap ($42.50)
Seat 3: Kevkon ($254.30)
Seat 4: Miss Mattch ($149.20)
Seat 5: saso25 ($278.80)
Seat 6: bayne_s ($339.90)
Seat 7: PirateLawyer ($258)
Seat 8: MiamiDon ($242.10)
Seat 9: OMGitsPokerFool ($208.55)
bayne_s posts the small blind of $0.50
PirateLawyer posts the big blind of $1
The button is in seat #5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to PirateLawyer [Ac Kd]
MiamiDon has 15 seconds left to act
MiamiDon folds
OMGitsPokerFool raises to $3
weak_player folds
FabulousHubcap folds
Kevkon calls $3
Miss Mattch folds
saso25 folds
bayne_s has 15 seconds left to act
bayne_s folds
PirateLawyer calls $2 -- I opt to under-represent my hand preflop. I don't mind this play when stacks are so deep and I'm out of position, but often I will 3-bet to take the initiative
*** FLOP *** [7d Tc Jc]
PirateLawyer checks
OMGitsPokerFool bets $7
Kevkon folds
PirateLawyer calls $7 -- I have a gutshot and a backdoor nut flush draw and likely two overcards, so this is an easy call
*** TURN *** [7d Tc Jc] [9c]
PirateLawyer checks
Miss Mattch has been disconnected
OMGitsPokerFool bets $13
PirateLawyer calls $13 -- I'm drawing to the nut flush now but I could dump here if I don't think the implied odds are there ...
Miss Mattch has reconnected
*** RIVER *** [7d Tc Jc 9c] [Td]
PirateLawyer checks
OMGitsPokerFool has 15 seconds left to act
OMGitsPokerFool bets $30
PirateLawyer has 15 seconds left to act
PirateLawyer has requested TIME
PirateLawyer folds
Uncalled bet of $30 returned to OMGitsPokerFool
OMGitsPokerFool shows [4c 7c] a flush, Jack high
OMGitsPokerFool wins the pot ($47.05)

Hand #7: Another overpair, this time played in position ...

Full Tilt Poker Game #6342605335: Table Lida (deep) - $0.50/$1 - No Limit Hold'em - 0:16:11 ET - 2008/05/09
Seat 1: weak_player ($184.85)
Seat 2: leobarag ($86)
Seat 3: Kevkon ($268.30)
Seat 4: Miss Mattch ($150.70)
Seat 5: zmeyga ($60)
Seat 6: bayne_s ($334.40)
Seat 7: PirateLawyer ($233)
Seat 8: MiamiDon ($242.60)
Seat 9: OMGitsPokerFool ($306.25)
OMGitsPokerFool posts the small blind of $0.50
weak_player posts the big blind of $1
The button is in seat #8
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to PirateLawyer [Qs Qd]
Miss Mattch: no
leobarag folds
Kevkon calls $1
Miss Mattch folds
zmeyga folds
bayne_s folds
PirateLawyer raises to $5
MiamiDon folds
OMGitsPokerFool folds
leobarag adds $14
weak_player folds
Kevkon calls $4
*** FLOP *** [7h 4h 7c]
Kevkon checks
PirateLawyer bets $7
Kevkon calls $7
*** TURN *** [7h 4h 7c] [8c]
Kevkon checks
PirateLawyer bets $15
Kevkon calls $15
*** RIVER *** [7h 4h 7c 8c] [5d]
Kevkon checks
PirateLawyer checks - safety check; I don't really see very many second-best hands calling here
*** SHOW DOWN ***
PirateLawyer shows [Qs Qd] two pair, Queens and Sevens
Kevkon mucks
PirateLawyer wins the pot ($52.75) with two pair, Queens and Sevens
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $55.50 | Rake $2.75
Board: [7h 4h 7c 8c 5d]
Seat 1: weak_player (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 2: leobarag didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: Kevkon mucked [Ah Jh] - a pair of Sevens
Seat 7: PirateLawyer showed [Qs Qd] and won ($52.75) with two pair, Queens and Sevens

Hand #8: Bayne $$$ is just as sweet as anyone else's ... I snap off another bluff in position here:

Full Tilt Poker Game #6342846495: Table Lida (deep) - $0.50/$1 - No Limit Hold'em - 0:37:20 ET - 2008/05/09
Seat 1: weak_player ($244.35)
Seat 2: TheOahuOgre ($52.40)
Seat 3: Kevkon ($200)
Seat 4: Miss Mattch ($147.50)
Seat 5: zmeyga ($89.85)
Seat 6: bayne_s ($338.50)
Seat 7: PirateLawyer ($258.75)
Seat 8: MiamiDon ($240.55)
Seat 9: OMGitsPokerFool ($301.75)
MiamiDon posts the small blind of $0.50
OMGitsPokerFool posts the big blind of $1
The button is in seat #7
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to PirateLawyer [Td Jc]
weak_player folds
TheOahuOgre folds
Kevkon folds
Miss Mattch folds
zmeyga folds
bayne_s raises to $3.50
PirateLawyer calls $3.50 - fairly easy call in position
MiamiDon has 15 seconds left to act
MiamiDon folds
OMGitsPokerFool folds
*** FLOP *** [2h Tc 5h]
bayne_s checks
PirateLawyer checks - trying to trap and extract value on later streets
*** TURN *** [2h Tc 5h] [6h]
bayne_s bets $6
PirateLawyer calls $6 - trap is proceeding as planned
*** RIVER *** [2h Tc 5h 6h] [3c]
bayne_s bets $15
PirateLawyer calls $15 - I think top pair is good but I decide to exercise pot control and just call down
*** SHOW DOWN ***
bayne_s shows [Qs Ah] Ace Queen high
PirateLawyer shows [Td Jc] a pair of Tens
PirateLawyer wins the pot ($48) with a pair of Tens

Sure enough, Bayne fired two bullets with ace-high and I generated as much value as I could reasonably expect here.

No luck in MATH, but ...

Fuel55 took it down. I flamed out relatively early and then took some headache medicine because I was definitely feeling some pain after helping some friends move yesterday. I regrouped and railed Fuel for a while and then jumped in when I heard about a blogger cash game starting.

And boy was it a wild one! We all sat at a deepstack cash game table with .40/.80 blinds and I endured a lot of re-raising light and sick bluffs by lucko but eventually I got whole through a combination of making big hands/winning races and accumulated a nice stack for a good cash session up 2 buy-ins by the end of the night.

I even got AA a couple of times and took down some nice pots without them being cracked.