I have disrespected this blog way too much lately. I have the time to post, I just shrug it off. So much has happened in the last month, so it's not like there isn't anything to talk about. How 'bout this? We're having a baby!! It's very early on, and so much can happen in these next few months, but we are keeping our fingers crossed that everything will be ok. We are extremely excited about this. How can't you be, you know? Everything happens so quick. So far it looks like we will have a baby in April. People ask me if I want a boy/girl, I always say i'll take "c"-healthy. Really that's all I care about. Mo has been really tired the last few weeks, but I guess that goes with the territory. At least we don't have to paint the baby's room....we got that out of the way early, and painted it a color that is pretty neutral.
So we found all of this out about two days before we were to go on our mini-vacation to Florida. Man did we get a lucky couple of days. Ft. Lauderdale in the summer can be hit or miss when it comes to the weather. It's hurricane season so it can get pretty dicey. Luckily, we got a great 4 days. It was so relaxing. The first night we got in a little later than we thought we would, but we stayed at the Seminole Hard Rock casino in Hollywood. We got a ridiculous room that we thought was reserved only for the high-rollers. It is a truly gorgeous hotel, and they have a really neat pool too. Complete with water slides and a mini beach. Unfortunately, the gambling gods must really be trying to teach me a lesson when it comes to live poker. They are telling me exactly that if I want to have a profit, I need to learn to quit. The thing is, I played really great but got unlucky in a couple of spots. Since the change in FL legislature, they now offer $100 max buy-in NL games, with blinds from 1/2 - 2/5. I sat down with two bullets in my pocket and bought in to a table that only had a couple players with stacks over $300. After about 10 hands I had already doubled up, and my stack had reached about $350 - 400 when this ridiculous hand happens: I had 67o in the sb. About 5 people limp for $2, so I complete. Flop is 458 with two spades...GIN! I bet $10, guy in middle position raises about $15. It folds around back to me and I ask him to move his hands so I can see how much he has, which is around $90. I push out a huge stack of chips (didn't count it, but guessed it was around $100), and he goes in the tank. I'm thinking, PLEASE FREAKING CALL!! Sure enough he calls and shows pocket 9's. I'm like...WEEEEEE....I never call there, and i'm in a ridiculous position... I am 90% to win here...turn 6, river 7...rigged ass live poker shit, shit, shit. So he's all like damn, I'm so sorry...blah, blah, blah, so I say since he's so sorry why doesn't he just give me my chips back.
I should've known this might not be my night when that kind of thing happens, but I shrugged it off and chipped back up steadily.Then about 30 mins go by, and I get about $30 of it back, when this ding-dong sits down two to my left. He raises a lot and plays loose for a bunch of hands and I think, god I'd love to take this guys stack. So this time i'm in the sb again and he's under the gun and raises to $10, a bunch of callers and I look at A8 of spades, so I go ahead and give it a shot. Theres like 4 players or so in the hand and the flop is 245 with the 2/5 of spades. Here I don't know if I should've bet or not, but I was inclined to go all the way regardless, so I didn't really care what anyone did, I felt like I had the best of it. So I checked (mistake?), ding-dong bets $20, everyone folds and it's back to me...$60 in the pot, I have to call $20 (3-1 pot odds), except I think I actually might have the best of it like I said...if he has a set, so be it, I have 8 outs, if he has an overpair...well, I have 4 outs for the straight, and 8 outs for the flush, plus if I have a live Ace, that's another 3...if he has something like top pair then my 8 is live too, so that would be another 3 outs. Best case I have 18 outs twice, worst case I have 8 outs twice...so i'm either 60/40 winner, or 40/60 dog...there was also the chance that this guy had complete AIR and I could get him to fold, it was a pretty weak bet you know. So sure enough I check-raise him all-in and he thinks for like 5 seconds! and calls showing K5o!! The board bricks out, and I lose about $100 from my stack...the worst part, the guy goes..."EWWWW, that must hurt....awww, too bad for you...looks like a busted flush draw....ew so I say to him, as my stomach is turning in knots and I am trying not to show my beet red face, "As a matter of fact my friend, it actually feels great to know that I was ahead when you called...it makes me feel wonderful to know that I play better than you, so how does that feel?". So then I pretty much got up and left about 20 minutes later down about $80.
There are some tough games down there, and by tough, I mean juicy, but with that comes some ridiculous beats. Plus, the time rake there is god-awful. This is the first time I had ever played at a table with a timed rake, and at $6 a half-hour, you have to win some hands to show a profit. If I win those two hands I would've been up a good $500-$600 and most likely gotten up. But then again, who knows?
The good thing is that I am on a bit of a heater on 'Stars. I have almost hit my monetary goal for the year. And, the most of the profit has been mainly playing the 1/2 td games. Plus, I still have the WCOOP event #4 tourney in about 10 days.
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
WCOOP event #4, Vacation coming
So I won a seat to the triple draw tournament in the WCOOP. It was another one of those wild rides that i've talked about in tournament poker. Surprisingly, this is only my second satellite i've played for a direct buy-in. I plan on playing a couple more and maybe trying to get into one of the other events. The main event this year has a ridiculous guaranteed prize pool. I guess it's worth a shot.
Since we bought our house this year, our only REAL vacation will be next week when we spend 4 days in Ft. Lauderdale. The first night I will get to check out the new and improved FL poker scene, and donk around a bit at there $1/2 NL tables. They changed their laws down there so there can be big bet poker, but the max-buyin's are only $100. We'll see how that goes. I've heard mixed results. Regardless, hopefully we won't see any hurricanes and we'll get to spend some time in the sun and have some cocktails. You know, escaping reality!
Since we bought our house this year, our only REAL vacation will be next week when we spend 4 days in Ft. Lauderdale. The first night I will get to check out the new and improved FL poker scene, and donk around a bit at there $1/2 NL tables. They changed their laws down there so there can be big bet poker, but the max-buyin's are only $100. We'll see how that goes. I've heard mixed results. Regardless, hopefully we won't see any hurricanes and we'll get to spend some time in the sun and have some cocktails. You know, escaping reality!
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
All Good!
We left for our first music festival in 4 years at 1 pm. 10 hours later we would be sitting on top of a mountain listening to the Dark Star Orchestra give their rendition of October 29, 1977 Evans Field House - Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL. By the time we arrived to the center city of Masontown it was about 4pm and our stomachs turned in anxious butterflys. How was this weekend going to play out?
We sat for 2 hours, in line waiting to park at our campsite. Luckily the weather was holding up, in fact it was absolutely beautiful, and the sights were spectacular. By the time we arrived at our home for the next 3 days we couldn't wait to stretch our legs and set up camp. We were a little dumbfounded when we realized that we would be camping next to our cars, and basically right on top of everyone else. This was actually perfect because the thought of lugging all of our stuff up the mountain was ridiculous. With just a little bit of struggle we finally got our tent up and our air mattress filled. I made some quick notes on what to bring next time (ie. table, tiki-torches, glowsticks for the tent ties, etc). We ate our prepared kabobs of which we cooked on our mini-grill, and with full stomachs headed up to the Ropeadope stage for the beginning of Dark Star Orchestra. By the second set, we had had enough music for the night, and were actually quite chilly. We headed down to the tent for some much needed sleep, but not before making a quick stop at our weekend nemesis...the portapotty.
Friday was to begin with our neighbors blasting Phish and bong hits at 9am. These guys (and one girl) would turn out to be some hardcore partiers, esspecially early in the morning. We made some pancakes and waited to head over to the concert ground. They finally cleaned the portapotties by 2pm and we were ready. Our first show would be Mo's favs, The Pietasters. From what she could remember, we jotted down the setlist which looked like this:
Let's spend the night together
Biblical Sense
"new album song"
I got something better
Girl Take it Easy
Maggie May
Freakshow
There were a few others that she couldn't remember, but all in all it was a good show. Yonder Mountain String Band would be next up and we were quite excited. It was the weather that we were not getting excited about. As one of the opening bands were finishing their set, I could see the staff wrapping the lights with plastic bags...uh oh. The clouds were getting darker and darker, and swirling in. As YMSB came on we knew it wouldn't be long, luckily we were semi-prepared with one raincoat...lol. The setlist that I jotted down looked like this:
Hill Country Girl
Damned If The Right One Didn't Go Wrong
Night Out
Belle Parker
Rambler's Anthem
Kentucky Mandolin
Funtime
The Bolton Stretch
Angel >>>
Follow Me Down To The Riverside >>>
Angel >>>
Years With Rose
Ten
Encore
Holding
By the time "Ramblers Anthem" kicked in, one of my favs, the rain came tumbling down. I mean, it poured and the thunder and lightning just made things better. Mo left to the camp to get more supplies, and unfortunately missed "Holding" one her favs, and one song that we had been listening to while waiting in our car to get into the campsite the day before. The rain let up and the skys opened up to perfectly blue skys by the time the encore began and I could finally start to dry out.
We got to see some of the band Love Whip and also a bit of the Steel Pulse set. We sat through Wil Hoge waiting for what would turn out to be the show of the weekend: Keller and the Keels.
We've seen Larry Keel, Jenny Keel, and Keller "Keel", a couple times in the past, and we knew what they had in store for us. There set that night was probably the best we've seen. The setlist looked like this:
Crater In The Backyare
Faster Horses? (Larry Song?)
Mary Jane's Last Breakdown
Take Me Home, Country Road
Kidney in a Cooler
Mountain Song
Doobie In My Pocket? (new Keller song we had not heard)
New Horizons (w/ Jeff Austin of YMSB on Mandolin)
Local
Freeker By The Speaker
Breathe->
Another Brick In The Wall->
Breathe
Inside Out (Eve 6)
All Fall Down -> Culpeper Woodchuck
Loser (Beck) -> Loser (GD) (w/ Bob Weir)
Dupree's Diamond Blues (w/ Bob Weir)
The song of the night was definitely Doobie In My Pocket > New Horizons. "Doobie" is a classic Keller song, with all of his jovial lyrics and real life story telling. But, the New Horizons was especially hot, as an all-out glowstick war, a'la Phish's Harry Hood, took place. People were throwing them by the 10's and it made for some awesome visuals.
I don't remember much of the next set (Lotus), but I like them enough to warrant buying their latest cd. They play a nice mix of jazz/electronica that is just beautiful. Ratdog had me up and dancing and singing along. I have mixed feelings about Bob Weir though. I mean everyone loves Bobby, but at some points I feel a little like he is "phoning it in", so to speak. What made the set so great, in my humble opinion, was Steve Kimock who was filling in for the bands regular guitarist Mark Karan. Kimock is amazing, plain and simple. And, I think he carried the band. He makes noises that, if you closed your eyes, you would swear it was the ghost of Jerry coming through the amp. But, he doesn't just imitate Jerry, he makes his sound his own and expands on it exponentially. The set was pretty damn good though, and I wasn't complaining, although I was getting a little chilly and tired. Benevento/Russo Duo was up next and played a quick set that hit on all cylinders. But what I was really waiting for was the STS9 late-night set. A little after 2am, they hit the stage, and the fog that was setting in during "The Duo's" set, left a blanket that the lighting engineer really took advantage of. If only I could keep up with these youngsters, this may have been the MUST SEE set of the weekend. Alas, my eyes had become blurry, and I started to feel a little bad that Mo was back at the tent all alone. I did have to stay just to see those lights for a little while. The walk back to the camp was surreal. The fog was so thick that you could hardly see 4 ft. in front of you. And, the tweakers stumbling to and fro made me chuckle and remember the days that my buddies might have done the same thing...out of mind, in some kind of substance.
Saturday had us going back and forth to the concert area a couple of times. Our first stop was The Assembly of Dust's set, which, at 1pm, was the perfect setting for some down-home hick-funk. I've stated before how much I love Reid Genauer's lyrics. He played my favorite song "Speculator" and it was extremely fitting. We saw a little bit of Grace Potter's set...she is trying to be Janis Joplin sometimes, but I get it. She can pull it off, she's got a great voice and a nice little backing band to boot. We skipped Les Claypool. It seemed like everyone wanted to see him. I can take him or leave him. We wanted to save our energy for a long, late night. Michael Franti came on at 9pm, and he started his set out with a little video of his song "It's Time to Come Home". All of it set to George Bush's spliced in lyrics. Pretty funny actually. There set looked like this:
Time to go Home
Sometimes >
Hey Now Now
Taxi Radio
East to the West
Please Take Me Home
Sweet Little Lies
Stay Human
People in the Middle >
Red Red Wine
Nobody Right, Nobody Wrong
Rock the Nation
What I Got >
Theme from Sesame Street >
What I Got
Light Up Ya Lighter
I know I'm Not Alone
Yell Fire!
One Step Closer to You
Everybody Ona Move
One day I swear I am going to play a drinking game and do a shot everytime Michael Franti yells "How you Feelin?"! Moe.'s set was another highlight of the weekend. They played a very old skool set with many songs from their first, second and third albums. This was not dissapointing in the least bit. I've seen many reviews online where the moe.rons claimed it was one of the best ever. There setlist looked like this:
Rebubula >>>
32 Things
Spine of a Dog >>>
Rebubula >>>
Plane Crash
Skrunk
The Pit >>>
Rebubula >>>
Akimbo
Encore
Crab Eyes
Rebubula just kept rearin' it's pretty little head! What followed was the All Star Jam, but again...I guess I'm getting old. Oh well. As Kenny Liner's beat boxing kicked in, my walk "home" was in sync to the tunes. Good times.
By Sunday morning, it was pretty apparent that we were definitely not in it for the long haul. Mo and I were pretty much done. I made the statement "I think we've gotten this out of our system", and we made our way home. We couldn't wait to take showers and sleep in our beds. All worthwhile endeavors!
We sat for 2 hours, in line waiting to park at our campsite. Luckily the weather was holding up, in fact it was absolutely beautiful, and the sights were spectacular. By the time we arrived at our home for the next 3 days we couldn't wait to stretch our legs and set up camp. We were a little dumbfounded when we realized that we would be camping next to our cars, and basically right on top of everyone else. This was actually perfect because the thought of lugging all of our stuff up the mountain was ridiculous. With just a little bit of struggle we finally got our tent up and our air mattress filled. I made some quick notes on what to bring next time (ie. table, tiki-torches, glowsticks for the tent ties, etc). We ate our prepared kabobs of which we cooked on our mini-grill, and with full stomachs headed up to the Ropeadope stage for the beginning of Dark Star Orchestra. By the second set, we had had enough music for the night, and were actually quite chilly. We headed down to the tent for some much needed sleep, but not before making a quick stop at our weekend nemesis...the portapotty.
Friday was to begin with our neighbors blasting Phish and bong hits at 9am. These guys (and one girl) would turn out to be some hardcore partiers, esspecially early in the morning. We made some pancakes and waited to head over to the concert ground. They finally cleaned the portapotties by 2pm and we were ready. Our first show would be Mo's favs, The Pietasters. From what she could remember, we jotted down the setlist which looked like this:
Let's spend the night together
Biblical Sense
"new album song"
I got something better
Girl Take it Easy
Maggie May
Freakshow
There were a few others that she couldn't remember, but all in all it was a good show. Yonder Mountain String Band would be next up and we were quite excited. It was the weather that we were not getting excited about. As one of the opening bands were finishing their set, I could see the staff wrapping the lights with plastic bags...uh oh. The clouds were getting darker and darker, and swirling in. As YMSB came on we knew it wouldn't be long, luckily we were semi-prepared with one raincoat...lol. The setlist that I jotted down looked like this:
Hill Country Girl
Damned If The Right One Didn't Go Wrong
Night Out
Belle Parker
Rambler's Anthem
Kentucky Mandolin
Funtime
The Bolton Stretch
Angel >>>
Follow Me Down To The Riverside >>>
Angel >>>
Years With Rose
Ten
Encore
Holding
By the time "Ramblers Anthem" kicked in, one of my favs, the rain came tumbling down. I mean, it poured and the thunder and lightning just made things better. Mo left to the camp to get more supplies, and unfortunately missed "Holding" one her favs, and one song that we had been listening to while waiting in our car to get into the campsite the day before. The rain let up and the skys opened up to perfectly blue skys by the time the encore began and I could finally start to dry out.
We got to see some of the band Love Whip and also a bit of the Steel Pulse set. We sat through Wil Hoge waiting for what would turn out to be the show of the weekend: Keller and the Keels.
We've seen Larry Keel, Jenny Keel, and Keller "Keel", a couple times in the past, and we knew what they had in store for us. There set that night was probably the best we've seen. The setlist looked like this:
Crater In The Backyare
Faster Horses? (Larry Song?)
Mary Jane's Last Breakdown
Take Me Home, Country Road
Kidney in a Cooler
Mountain Song
Doobie In My Pocket? (new Keller song we had not heard)
New Horizons (w/ Jeff Austin of YMSB on Mandolin)
Local
Freeker By The Speaker
Breathe->
Another Brick In The Wall->
Breathe
Inside Out (Eve 6)
All Fall Down -> Culpeper Woodchuck
Loser (Beck) -> Loser (GD) (w/ Bob Weir)
Dupree's Diamond Blues (w/ Bob Weir)
The song of the night was definitely Doobie In My Pocket > New Horizons. "Doobie" is a classic Keller song, with all of his jovial lyrics and real life story telling. But, the New Horizons was especially hot, as an all-out glowstick war, a'la Phish's Harry Hood, took place. People were throwing them by the 10's and it made for some awesome visuals.
I don't remember much of the next set (Lotus), but I like them enough to warrant buying their latest cd. They play a nice mix of jazz/electronica that is just beautiful. Ratdog had me up and dancing and singing along. I have mixed feelings about Bob Weir though. I mean everyone loves Bobby, but at some points I feel a little like he is "phoning it in", so to speak. What made the set so great, in my humble opinion, was Steve Kimock who was filling in for the bands regular guitarist Mark Karan. Kimock is amazing, plain and simple. And, I think he carried the band. He makes noises that, if you closed your eyes, you would swear it was the ghost of Jerry coming through the amp. But, he doesn't just imitate Jerry, he makes his sound his own and expands on it exponentially. The set was pretty damn good though, and I wasn't complaining, although I was getting a little chilly and tired. Benevento/Russo Duo was up next and played a quick set that hit on all cylinders. But what I was really waiting for was the STS9 late-night set. A little after 2am, they hit the stage, and the fog that was setting in during "The Duo's" set, left a blanket that the lighting engineer really took advantage of. If only I could keep up with these youngsters, this may have been the MUST SEE set of the weekend. Alas, my eyes had become blurry, and I started to feel a little bad that Mo was back at the tent all alone. I did have to stay just to see those lights for a little while. The walk back to the camp was surreal. The fog was so thick that you could hardly see 4 ft. in front of you. And, the tweakers stumbling to and fro made me chuckle and remember the days that my buddies might have done the same thing...out of mind, in some kind of substance.
Saturday had us going back and forth to the concert area a couple of times. Our first stop was The Assembly of Dust's set, which, at 1pm, was the perfect setting for some down-home hick-funk. I've stated before how much I love Reid Genauer's lyrics. He played my favorite song "Speculator" and it was extremely fitting. We saw a little bit of Grace Potter's set...she is trying to be Janis Joplin sometimes, but I get it. She can pull it off, she's got a great voice and a nice little backing band to boot. We skipped Les Claypool. It seemed like everyone wanted to see him. I can take him or leave him. We wanted to save our energy for a long, late night. Michael Franti came on at 9pm, and he started his set out with a little video of his song "It's Time to Come Home". All of it set to George Bush's spliced in lyrics. Pretty funny actually. There set looked like this:
Time to go Home
Sometimes >
Hey Now Now
Taxi Radio
East to the West
Please Take Me Home
Sweet Little Lies
Stay Human
People in the Middle >
Red Red Wine
Nobody Right, Nobody Wrong
Rock the Nation
What I Got >
Theme from Sesame Street >
What I Got
Light Up Ya Lighter
I know I'm Not Alone
Yell Fire!
One Step Closer to You
Everybody Ona Move
One day I swear I am going to play a drinking game and do a shot everytime Michael Franti yells "How you Feelin?"! Moe.'s set was another highlight of the weekend. They played a very old skool set with many songs from their first, second and third albums. This was not dissapointing in the least bit. I've seen many reviews online where the moe.rons claimed it was one of the best ever. There setlist looked like this:
Rebubula >>>
32 Things
Spine of a Dog >>>
Rebubula >>>
Plane Crash
Skrunk
The Pit >>>
Rebubula >>>
Akimbo
Encore
Crab Eyes
Rebubula just kept rearin' it's pretty little head! What followed was the All Star Jam, but again...I guess I'm getting old. Oh well. As Kenny Liner's beat boxing kicked in, my walk "home" was in sync to the tunes. Good times.
By Sunday morning, it was pretty apparent that we were definitely not in it for the long haul. Mo and I were pretty much done. I made the statement "I think we've gotten this out of our system", and we made our way home. We couldn't wait to take showers and sleep in our beds. All worthwhile endeavors!
Friday, July 06, 2007
What a ride...
A couple notes on the last few tournaments i've played.
Firstly, I played in the monthly local game that my buddy Richard has at his "poker dungeon", and lost a race about an hour in that left me with less than 7 times the big blind. In his tourney set up, at this point it is usually crucial to just jam the hell out of the game to try and pick up blinds and get back to above 10 BB's. I luckily and unluckily had a ridiculous rush of cards, when it all started.
This is how it went. With a little less than the starting chips (10,000), I am in the BB with the blinds at 200/400. An early position player that I know well, opens for just over 4K and is all-in. It folds around to the button who is agonizing over his decision. I immediately think he has a semi decent Ace and is having trouble folding. He folds after much deliberation, and it comes around to me. I squeeze AK suited. I now have to figure things out. Firstly, I know the player who jammed will ship it with just about any "blackjack" hand. He plays that stuff frequently, although he could easily have a smallish pair. I think for about 20 secs. and figure I am either way ahead or flipping coins. My only problem is I may have one of my outs gone since the button basically gave away his hand. If I fold, I give him only 600 chips and really don't lose anything. But if I call and win i've got a nice size stack to start pushing people around a bit (bully chips). If I lose, I am down to 10 times the BB and feel like I can still get somewhere. I decide to gamble and say "I call". He turns over pocket nines and I immediately say to the button, "you folded an Ace didn't ya?". Of course he says he had AT. Even worse, the SB states that he had one of my Kings as well. So now I am down to 4 outs and some flush possibilities. I brick out and have to go to grinding.
Next hand of course the blinds go up because the guy on the button in the last hand had to take 5 minutes to fold AT, so we are at 300/600 and I am in the SB. It gets folded around and I look down at 67o. It's not a great hand, but I feel like I can just call and if the BB decides to get silly with my small stack I can still fold and be ok. He checks and we see a flop of J 4 5 rainbow. I go ahead and ship it in and he folds. "Cool", I say and rake in the extra 600 chips.
Next hand sees one middle position, semi-solid player limp in and I look down at QQ on the button. I smoothly, without saying a word shift my single column stack across the felt, signalling that I am all-in. The blinds fold and the limper deliberates. I try to act as though I am making a move, and don't want a call. I am thinking to myself that he must think this is bs going all-in two hands in a row. But, he folds. Whatever, there's another 1200 chips. That totals 1800 chips without a showdown.
Very next hand, folds around to me in the cut-off and I squeeze AQ of diamonds. With the exact same movements, I move my slightly larger column to the center without a word. The BB says, call rather quickly, but a little painfully. He shows AQo and we end up chopping. Fine, I think, theres another 500 chips (now at a total of 2300).
Finally the last hand comes down. This time it's folded around again and I look down at AQo. Here is where my decision to jam may have been a little off. This would be essentially 5 hands in a row that I would be either going all-in or calling an all-in. This time the player to my left wakes up with QQ and I am out and ship him almost 7K in chips. Looking back, it was definitely enough chips to make a raise with and maybe release, but it would've been hard.
The other night I played a $16 turbo SnG on Pokerstars. I have been playing a bunch of these and I actually really like them. It doesn't hurt that I have been doing pretty decent in them as well. But this one was pretty funny, and sums up the play and basically the title of this blog.
After exactly 31 hands of 82o, J4o, 23o, I was down to about 1000 in chips with the blinds at 100/200, and I have 6h8s utg. I decide this isn't my tourney and just decide to make an early exit. I push all-in and get called by the shorter stack who turns over AJo. I lose the hand and am down to 85 chips and am all-in on the next hand. I get AJo this time and end up winning against the sb who has J5o. Now I'm up to 170 and am in the sb the next hand. I have A2o and the pot is raised and I just go with it since I only have 70 more. I'm up against AT, the board bricks until the river comes the marvelous 2, and I now have 510 chips. Hey this isn't so bad sucking out for once (or so it seemed). I still had no aspirations of doing that well, but figured what the hell, the poker gods must be on my side for once. The next hand I must fold since the second short stack now goes all-in, and on the very next hand I push with K3 of hearts. The BB reluctantly makes the call for only 310 more and shows K2o. I hit a flush draw on the flop, a 3 on the turn and finish my draw with the heart on the river and am now up to 1120 chips. I fold the next hand and then the antes hit.
We are at 100/200/25 and I am now utg with A4d and I jam. Everyone folds. Wonderful! Now up to 1570. I fold the next 6 hands until I am down to 1120 and push all-in utg +1 with 83cc, the blinds have now gone up to 200/400/25 since everyone is playing slowly. Folds around. Now at 1870. 2 hands later I am in the BB w/ A6o and the utg shortstack player jams for 525 more, I have to call and he shows AT and wins. Back down to 895. Now in the sb I jam into a limper with J9o, he calls for only about 400 more with 44, I hit a 9 and am back up to 2200. A couple hands later I jam QJo and win blinds and antes, now at 2965 and am second in chips. I then call an all-in with A2 for 1000 or so chips and win when a 2 hits the flop and a A hits the turn (he showed T4o). Now at 4550 and chip leader with 5 left! Two hands later I make a standard raise w/ A9o and win the blinds and antes. Boom! 5550 now! I end up having to call an all-in in the bb for 350 more with 34o and lose. At this point the 3rd place player is now sitting out to my right and I just steal chips. We finally get to 3 handed after the guy sitting out failed to show up and was blinded off (he was at one time the chip leader with 9K in chips!). I chop a pot with A high against another small Ace. When we get to headsup after a funny hand where the 3rd place guy had 10 chips left after his ante and blind goes all-in with AA and I have J9 and flop a straight I have a demanding chip lead 4-1. I give away some with a call of an all-in with AT and he beats me with AK. But I end up taking it down when my J8o runs into 99, but I turn a J and we are a bit richer. I guess that's exactly what "Chip and a Chair" is all about, but for me it was one hell of a ride!
Firstly, I played in the monthly local game that my buddy Richard has at his "poker dungeon", and lost a race about an hour in that left me with less than 7 times the big blind. In his tourney set up, at this point it is usually crucial to just jam the hell out of the game to try and pick up blinds and get back to above 10 BB's. I luckily and unluckily had a ridiculous rush of cards, when it all started.
This is how it went. With a little less than the starting chips (10,000), I am in the BB with the blinds at 200/400. An early position player that I know well, opens for just over 4K and is all-in. It folds around to the button who is agonizing over his decision. I immediately think he has a semi decent Ace and is having trouble folding. He folds after much deliberation, and it comes around to me. I squeeze AK suited. I now have to figure things out. Firstly, I know the player who jammed will ship it with just about any "blackjack" hand. He plays that stuff frequently, although he could easily have a smallish pair. I think for about 20 secs. and figure I am either way ahead or flipping coins. My only problem is I may have one of my outs gone since the button basically gave away his hand. If I fold, I give him only 600 chips and really don't lose anything. But if I call and win i've got a nice size stack to start pushing people around a bit (bully chips). If I lose, I am down to 10 times the BB and feel like I can still get somewhere. I decide to gamble and say "I call". He turns over pocket nines and I immediately say to the button, "you folded an Ace didn't ya?". Of course he says he had AT. Even worse, the SB states that he had one of my Kings as well. So now I am down to 4 outs and some flush possibilities. I brick out and have to go to grinding.
Next hand of course the blinds go up because the guy on the button in the last hand had to take 5 minutes to fold AT, so we are at 300/600 and I am in the SB. It gets folded around and I look down at 67o. It's not a great hand, but I feel like I can just call and if the BB decides to get silly with my small stack I can still fold and be ok. He checks and we see a flop of J 4 5 rainbow. I go ahead and ship it in and he folds. "Cool", I say and rake in the extra 600 chips.
Next hand sees one middle position, semi-solid player limp in and I look down at QQ on the button. I smoothly, without saying a word shift my single column stack across the felt, signalling that I am all-in. The blinds fold and the limper deliberates. I try to act as though I am making a move, and don't want a call. I am thinking to myself that he must think this is bs going all-in two hands in a row. But, he folds. Whatever, there's another 1200 chips. That totals 1800 chips without a showdown.
Very next hand, folds around to me in the cut-off and I squeeze AQ of diamonds. With the exact same movements, I move my slightly larger column to the center without a word. The BB says, call rather quickly, but a little painfully. He shows AQo and we end up chopping. Fine, I think, theres another 500 chips (now at a total of 2300).
Finally the last hand comes down. This time it's folded around again and I look down at AQo. Here is where my decision to jam may have been a little off. This would be essentially 5 hands in a row that I would be either going all-in or calling an all-in. This time the player to my left wakes up with QQ and I am out and ship him almost 7K in chips. Looking back, it was definitely enough chips to make a raise with and maybe release, but it would've been hard.
The other night I played a $16 turbo SnG on Pokerstars. I have been playing a bunch of these and I actually really like them. It doesn't hurt that I have been doing pretty decent in them as well. But this one was pretty funny, and sums up the play and basically the title of this blog.
After exactly 31 hands of 82o, J4o, 23o, I was down to about 1000 in chips with the blinds at 100/200, and I have 6h8s utg. I decide this isn't my tourney and just decide to make an early exit. I push all-in and get called by the shorter stack who turns over AJo. I lose the hand and am down to 85 chips and am all-in on the next hand. I get AJo this time and end up winning against the sb who has J5o. Now I'm up to 170 and am in the sb the next hand. I have A2o and the pot is raised and I just go with it since I only have 70 more. I'm up against AT, the board bricks until the river comes the marvelous 2, and I now have 510 chips. Hey this isn't so bad sucking out for once (or so it seemed). I still had no aspirations of doing that well, but figured what the hell, the poker gods must be on my side for once. The next hand I must fold since the second short stack now goes all-in, and on the very next hand I push with K3 of hearts. The BB reluctantly makes the call for only 310 more and shows K2o. I hit a flush draw on the flop, a 3 on the turn and finish my draw with the heart on the river and am now up to 1120 chips. I fold the next hand and then the antes hit.
We are at 100/200/25 and I am now utg with A4d and I jam. Everyone folds. Wonderful! Now up to 1570. I fold the next 6 hands until I am down to 1120 and push all-in utg +1 with 83cc, the blinds have now gone up to 200/400/25 since everyone is playing slowly. Folds around. Now at 1870. 2 hands later I am in the BB w/ A6o and the utg shortstack player jams for 525 more, I have to call and he shows AT and wins. Back down to 895. Now in the sb I jam into a limper with J9o, he calls for only about 400 more with 44, I hit a 9 and am back up to 2200. A couple hands later I jam QJo and win blinds and antes, now at 2965 and am second in chips. I then call an all-in with A2 for 1000 or so chips and win when a 2 hits the flop and a A hits the turn (he showed T4o). Now at 4550 and chip leader with 5 left! Two hands later I make a standard raise w/ A9o and win the blinds and antes. Boom! 5550 now! I end up having to call an all-in in the bb for 350 more with 34o and lose. At this point the 3rd place player is now sitting out to my right and I just steal chips. We finally get to 3 handed after the guy sitting out failed to show up and was blinded off (he was at one time the chip leader with 9K in chips!). I chop a pot with A high against another small Ace. When we get to headsup after a funny hand where the 3rd place guy had 10 chips left after his ante and blind goes all-in with AA and I have J9 and flop a straight I have a demanding chip lead 4-1. I give away some with a call of an all-in with AT and he beats me with AK. But I end up taking it down when my J8o runs into 99, but I turn a J and we are a bit richer. I guess that's exactly what "Chip and a Chair" is all about, but for me it was one hell of a ride!
Monday, July 02, 2007
It's gonna be ALLL GOOOD in less than 2 weeks!
Here's my schedule for the All Good Festival:
Thursday Night - Dark Star Orchestra 9pm
Friday - The Pietasters - 5:20pm
Keller and The Keels - 9:15
Bob Weir and Ratdog - 11:30
Benevento - Russo Duo - 1:15am
STS9 - 2:00 am
Saturday - Assembly of Dust - 1:15pm
Perpetual Groove - 2:30
Grace Potter and The Nocturnals - 3:45
New Monsoon - 8:25
Michael Franti and Spearhead - 9:00
moe. - 11:15
The Slip - 1:15am
All Good Allstar Jam hosted by moe. - 2:00am
Sunday - Sam Bush - 1:15pm
West Indian Girl - 2:30
Leftover Salmon - 5:10
Should be a ridiculously fun weekend. I'm not sure if Mo is going to be up for that much music, but, I don't know if I am going to be able to handle it either. The last time we camped at a festival like this saw us leaving a little early because of the crazy people camping next to us that stayed up all night banging on their drums and talking about how Trey had some kind of machine installed in his guitar that made him play the solos so good. And, who could forget that they would refer to "good" bluegrass as "psychograss". I wonder if they knew that there was really a band that was actually called psychograss...hmmm.
Thursday Night - Dark Star Orchestra 9pm
Friday - The Pietasters - 5:20pm
Keller and The Keels - 9:15
Bob Weir and Ratdog - 11:30
Benevento - Russo Duo - 1:15am
STS9 - 2:00 am
Saturday - Assembly of Dust - 1:15pm
Perpetual Groove - 2:30
Grace Potter and The Nocturnals - 3:45
New Monsoon - 8:25
Michael Franti and Spearhead - 9:00
moe. - 11:15
The Slip - 1:15am
All Good Allstar Jam hosted by moe. - 2:00am
Sunday - Sam Bush - 1:15pm
West Indian Girl - 2:30
Leftover Salmon - 5:10
Should be a ridiculously fun weekend. I'm not sure if Mo is going to be up for that much music, but, I don't know if I am going to be able to handle it either. The last time we camped at a festival like this saw us leaving a little early because of the crazy people camping next to us that stayed up all night banging on their drums and talking about how Trey had some kind of machine installed in his guitar that made him play the solos so good. And, who could forget that they would refer to "good" bluegrass as "psychograss". I wonder if they knew that there was really a band that was actually called psychograss...hmmm.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Ok, here's what's been going on...
Things have been so crazy in life these days. It's been over a month since my last post and I would go through all of the crazy ups and downs, but it's better to start with a clean slate and just glance over the last month and a half.
1. We bought our first house and moved to Elkridge. Pictures to come.
2. I picked myself out of the hole I was in poker wise.
3. I got a bunch of new cds that are awesome.
4. I went to Atlantic City and couldn't scoop one pot in limit hold'em.
NEW HOUSE
A couple of years ago, before Mo and I got married, we looked into buying a house. At the time interest rates were excellent, but our income was not where we wanted it to be in order for us to get something that we really liked. So we decided to wait it out. Unfortunately, as everyone knows, interest rates went up, but luckily the housing market took a little bit of a dip. We were able to get a decent rate and found a beautiful townhouse in Elkridge, MD. We love it. It has a walk-out basement that is my little "dorm-room" as I like to call it. The second level is perfect for entertaining as the kitchen is very large and opens into the living room. We have painted a couple of rooms (bedroom/basement), and have plans to paint the dining room. I'll post pics soon!
POKER IS FUN WHEN YOU WIN
I had about two and a half months of straight losing poker. Triple draw is a game of BIG SWINGS and quite possibly more TILT than any other poker game there is. Luckily, since this is not the first bad run that I have had playing this game, I knew what was going on, and was able to emotionally handle it. Basically I dropped down to the lowest possible stakes and played a few more SNG's and was able to build back up to right around where I was before the drop. I am extremely happy about this, but it's a learning process. I so badly want to play in the TD 2-7 WSOP tournament, but my bankroll wouldn't be able to handle it, nor would my wife! Not that I blame her, I mean we haven't even paid our first months mortgage yet!
CD'S EVERYONE SHOULD OWN
I can't say enough about the new Wilco album: Sky Blue Sky. Sometimes a record will come out that just fits perfectly into your life. Lyrics and music that either lift your spirits or speak to you in ways that a psychiatrist or counselor or friend cannot. This one is it for me. Don't you just love when you can put on a cd and listen to every single song straight through without hitting the skip button?
I've also said plenty about Dr. Dog's: We All Belong. Buy it...'nuff said!
ATLANTIC CITY POKER IS RIGGED!
Well not really, but I am beginning to think that The Tropicana is the worst place for me to play limit poker. It just so happens that the times that I am able to go play in a casino, my funds are too short to play and No-Limit...ugghh if they only had 2-7 tables. I've run bad in casinos before, but this last trip really messed with my mind. Mo says I never win in casinos and that I should just stick to online. The thing is, I know I am playing perfectly, it's just variance, yadda yadda. But, after this many times playing in casinos (Vegas and AC) it's like it's time for me to hit it big. Of course, I was almost there this past Feb. in Vegas, but I got greedy and stupid. It's got to come around some time right?
1. We bought our first house and moved to Elkridge. Pictures to come.
2. I picked myself out of the hole I was in poker wise.
3. I got a bunch of new cds that are awesome.
4. I went to Atlantic City and couldn't scoop one pot in limit hold'em.
NEW HOUSE
A couple of years ago, before Mo and I got married, we looked into buying a house. At the time interest rates were excellent, but our income was not where we wanted it to be in order for us to get something that we really liked. So we decided to wait it out. Unfortunately, as everyone knows, interest rates went up, but luckily the housing market took a little bit of a dip. We were able to get a decent rate and found a beautiful townhouse in Elkridge, MD. We love it. It has a walk-out basement that is my little "dorm-room" as I like to call it. The second level is perfect for entertaining as the kitchen is very large and opens into the living room. We have painted a couple of rooms (bedroom/basement), and have plans to paint the dining room. I'll post pics soon!
POKER IS FUN WHEN YOU WIN
I had about two and a half months of straight losing poker. Triple draw is a game of BIG SWINGS and quite possibly more TILT than any other poker game there is. Luckily, since this is not the first bad run that I have had playing this game, I knew what was going on, and was able to emotionally handle it. Basically I dropped down to the lowest possible stakes and played a few more SNG's and was able to build back up to right around where I was before the drop. I am extremely happy about this, but it's a learning process. I so badly want to play in the TD 2-7 WSOP tournament, but my bankroll wouldn't be able to handle it, nor would my wife! Not that I blame her, I mean we haven't even paid our first months mortgage yet!
CD'S EVERYONE SHOULD OWN
I can't say enough about the new Wilco album: Sky Blue Sky. Sometimes a record will come out that just fits perfectly into your life. Lyrics and music that either lift your spirits or speak to you in ways that a psychiatrist or counselor or friend cannot. This one is it for me. Don't you just love when you can put on a cd and listen to every single song straight through without hitting the skip button?
I've also said plenty about Dr. Dog's: We All Belong. Buy it...'nuff said!
ATLANTIC CITY POKER IS RIGGED!
Well not really, but I am beginning to think that The Tropicana is the worst place for me to play limit poker. It just so happens that the times that I am able to go play in a casino, my funds are too short to play and No-Limit...ugghh if they only had 2-7 tables. I've run bad in casinos before, but this last trip really messed with my mind. Mo says I never win in casinos and that I should just stick to online. The thing is, I know I am playing perfectly, it's just variance, yadda yadda. But, after this many times playing in casinos (Vegas and AC) it's like it's time for me to hit it big. Of course, I was almost there this past Feb. in Vegas, but I got greedy and stupid. It's got to come around some time right?
Thursday, May 03, 2007
The Latte Factor...
David Bach wrote about the Latte Factor in his best selling book about getting rich and how to make it happen. I know for sure that my "latte" is music. One of my new years resolutions was to keep track of my purchases better. I just have to face it, I spend a lot of money on cd's, mp3's from Itunes, Concert DVD's, and the like. It's only May and I have spent around $300 on music. Last year I took advantage of some of the local used CD stores, and sold some old stuff and bought some old stuff so I probably didn't spend that much. But, I would have no idea the exact amount if anyone asked...hence the resolution.
The thing is, I don't want to stop. It's my addiction...obsession...er' one of my obsessions. Anyway, there's just too much to talk about!
I should've bought The Slip's most recent release, "Eisenhower", before Christmas because it would've made my top albums of 2006 list. In fact, I think it was definitely the album that is the most underrated. The fact is, I had heard one song (Children of December), and procrastinated in buying the full album. They used to be much more of a "jamband" (I tend to hate that label), but they have done a 180 (or more of a 90) and gone to more of an indie rock feel. But, back when they were getting their jam-on they were more in line with The Disco Biscuits or STS9, etc. Their album "Aliveelectric" shows much of this off...long, drawn out, atmospheric, jams that enlightened the senses. This was all very good. I was not a huge fan of their sister album "Aliveacoustic". So, since I had tickets to see My Morning Jacket, and The Slip was opening for them, I had to wait it out and reserve judgement until after I had seen them live. The fact is, I was dissapointed. Looking back, I think I did it all wrong. This is a band that you have to know the songs from the album a little to really appreciate what they are doing on stage. So for the past couple of months, this album has taken over much of my Top 25 Most Played on my Ipod. The first 4-5 songs on the album are where it's at, but the whole thing just doesn't dissapoint.
Keller Williams came out with an excellent new album this year entitled "Dream". He's sticking with his one word titles, and this is another excellent album, chock-full of fantastic guest musicians. "Got No Feathers", so far is my favorite song on the album. KW is joined by John Scofield on guitar, and it is unlike anything he has done before.
I'll list my latest purchases soon, but those two have gotten the most "air-time" in my travels. Of course, I can't forget to pimp Dr. Dog, because that is my pick of the best album of the year. Or, at least the best "newcomer of the year".
The thing is, I don't want to stop. It's my addiction...obsession...er' one of my obsessions. Anyway, there's just too much to talk about!
I should've bought The Slip's most recent release, "Eisenhower", before Christmas because it would've made my top albums of 2006 list. In fact, I think it was definitely the album that is the most underrated. The fact is, I had heard one song (Children of December), and procrastinated in buying the full album. They used to be much more of a "jamband" (I tend to hate that label), but they have done a 180 (or more of a 90) and gone to more of an indie rock feel. But, back when they were getting their jam-on they were more in line with The Disco Biscuits or STS9, etc. Their album "Aliveelectric" shows much of this off...long, drawn out, atmospheric, jams that enlightened the senses. This was all very good. I was not a huge fan of their sister album "Aliveacoustic". So, since I had tickets to see My Morning Jacket, and The Slip was opening for them, I had to wait it out and reserve judgement until after I had seen them live. The fact is, I was dissapointed. Looking back, I think I did it all wrong. This is a band that you have to know the songs from the album a little to really appreciate what they are doing on stage. So for the past couple of months, this album has taken over much of my Top 25 Most Played on my Ipod. The first 4-5 songs on the album are where it's at, but the whole thing just doesn't dissapoint.
Keller Williams came out with an excellent new album this year entitled "Dream". He's sticking with his one word titles, and this is another excellent album, chock-full of fantastic guest musicians. "Got No Feathers", so far is my favorite song on the album. KW is joined by John Scofield on guitar, and it is unlike anything he has done before.
I'll list my latest purchases soon, but those two have gotten the most "air-time" in my travels. Of course, I can't forget to pimp Dr. Dog, because that is my pick of the best album of the year. Or, at least the best "newcomer of the year".
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Wussa Hoppenin...
They say time flies when you're having fun. I wouldn't say that the whole month has been "fun", but it sure has flown by. So much is going on I wouldn't even know where to begin.
Music
Poker
Everything Else!
Oh yeah, that's how it works, first you decide to do this whole blogging thing, then you come up with a name for your personal online diary. What is the reason you are doing this? Interests? Hobbies? Vanity? Etc, etc, etc. I guess that's where to begin. That's a good concept to think about to the would-be-blogger, when all else fails, and you can't think of anything to write about...look at the name of your blog.
Music
Poker
Everything Else!
Oh yeah, that's how it works, first you decide to do this whole blogging thing, then you come up with a name for your personal online diary. What is the reason you are doing this? Interests? Hobbies? Vanity? Etc, etc, etc. I guess that's where to begin. That's a good concept to think about to the would-be-blogger, when all else fails, and you can't think of anything to write about...look at the name of your blog.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
More Dr. Dog, More Music
Ok, seriously this album is awesome. Lush harmonies and a sweet, fun-loving sound. I mentioned that these guys sound a lot like The Beatles. Well, I don't know if it's just their production on their newest release (they used a 24 track - thats all), or maybe it's the harmonies, but thats exactly what they sound like. Maybe with a mix of The White Stripes and The Mother Hips. My only complaint is that the album clocks in at just over 38 minutes. I absolutely HATE it when bands do this. Maybe it's not the band itself that makes the decision to short-change the audience, but everyone and their mother knows how much data fits on a CD. Add some downloadable videos or something! Anyway, from what I can tell, this Philly based band got a big push from My Morning Jacket's frontman, Jim James (shocking I know), when after being given a tape, he asked them to tour with them in their opening slot. I just can't stop listening to it!
The All Good Music Festival has released their preliminary lineup for 2007. Mo and I are about 99% sure that we are going. I just realized that the dates coincide with my other passion (poker, or more specifically the WSOP), but there pretty much isn't a very good chance that I will take part in it. This will be the first time that Mo and I have taken part in this festival, which, while camping sounds fun, may turn out to be 2-3 days of hellish looking wookies keeping us up all night, every night. The fact of the matter is, this lineup is stellar:
Bob Weir & Ratdog
moe. (plus late night all-star jam)
Keller Williams (with or without WMD's?)
Michael Franti and Spearhead
Les Claypool
Yonder Mountain String Band
STS9 (Sound Tribe Sector 9) (Late Night Set)
Lotus
Tea Leaf Green
Perpetual Groove
Assembly of Dust
PBS (Porter, Batiste, Stoltz)
Soldiers of Jah Army
New Monsoon
Wil Hoge
West Indian Girl
Lovewhip
Thursday Night - Early Arrival Performances
Dark Star Orchestra
Ozric Tentacles
Not that I absolutely HAVE to see anyone else, but if they added Umphrey's McGee I think think this festival would be complete. I know for sure that they will be adding a bunch more acts. I'd go for any and all of the following: Medeski, Martin, and Wood - Martin Sexton - Honkytonk Homeslice - My Morning Jacket (probably not going to happen) - John Scofield - Railroad Earth - The Greyboy Allstars - Soulive - ALO (Animal Liberation Orchestra) - Xavier Rudd - Leo Kottke - Benevento Russo Duo - Trey Anastasio (again wishful thinking here, plus played last year)...I guess I could go on and on...hell of course at this time I wouldn't mind seeing Dr. Dog on this list as well.
Speaking of this fine list of talents, another really cool band, that IS playing this year, is West Indian Girl. I have been intrigued by these folks for a little while. I stumbled upon them searching out electronica music like Zero 7. "West Indian Girl" was apparently a strain of LSD, how "heady" is that? Their website is actually pretty cool, and it has lots of videos. I really like this sound. Critics call it "Electronica", but I wouldn't want to lump it into that genre specifically. To me, it sounds like down-beat, lounge, trip-soul.
Finally, my father hooked me up with the latest Arcade Fire CD "Neon Bible", and although I am not all the way through it, I am having a hard time figuring out why HE likes them. I can't really figure out if I even like them, and you would think that my tastes in music, while similar to his, would be more...open. The lead singers voice sounds to me like a rip-off of David Byrne, which was what I thought of after listening to their first album "The Funeral". Both albums have been critically acclaimed, but it might be too experimental for me. There are many, many, fine songs on both albums, but the music is just not my cup of tea. I do find that the album is well put together, and I could easily listen to the whole thing without skipping a song, nor wanting to turn it off. But, if given the choice between this band or Dr. Dog, i'd go with Dr. Dog. I can't explain it, but maybe I will enjoy the band more after multiple listens.
The All Good Music Festival has released their preliminary lineup for 2007. Mo and I are about 99% sure that we are going. I just realized that the dates coincide with my other passion (poker, or more specifically the WSOP), but there pretty much isn't a very good chance that I will take part in it. This will be the first time that Mo and I have taken part in this festival, which, while camping sounds fun, may turn out to be 2-3 days of hellish looking wookies keeping us up all night, every night. The fact of the matter is, this lineup is stellar:
Bob Weir & Ratdog
moe. (plus late night all-star jam)
Keller Williams (with or without WMD's?)
Michael Franti and Spearhead
Les Claypool
Yonder Mountain String Band
STS9 (Sound Tribe Sector 9) (Late Night Set)
Lotus
Tea Leaf Green
Perpetual Groove
Assembly of Dust
PBS (Porter, Batiste, Stoltz)
Soldiers of Jah Army
New Monsoon
Wil Hoge
West Indian Girl
Lovewhip
Thursday Night - Early Arrival Performances
Dark Star Orchestra
Ozric Tentacles
Not that I absolutely HAVE to see anyone else, but if they added Umphrey's McGee I think think this festival would be complete. I know for sure that they will be adding a bunch more acts. I'd go for any and all of the following: Medeski, Martin, and Wood - Martin Sexton - Honkytonk Homeslice - My Morning Jacket (probably not going to happen) - John Scofield - Railroad Earth - The Greyboy Allstars - Soulive - ALO (Animal Liberation Orchestra) - Xavier Rudd - Leo Kottke - Benevento Russo Duo - Trey Anastasio (again wishful thinking here, plus played last year)...I guess I could go on and on...hell of course at this time I wouldn't mind seeing Dr. Dog on this list as well.
Speaking of this fine list of talents, another really cool band, that IS playing this year, is West Indian Girl. I have been intrigued by these folks for a little while. I stumbled upon them searching out electronica music like Zero 7. "West Indian Girl" was apparently a strain of LSD, how "heady" is that? Their website is actually pretty cool, and it has lots of videos. I really like this sound. Critics call it "Electronica", but I wouldn't want to lump it into that genre specifically. To me, it sounds like down-beat, lounge, trip-soul.
Finally, my father hooked me up with the latest Arcade Fire CD "Neon Bible", and although I am not all the way through it, I am having a hard time figuring out why HE likes them. I can't really figure out if I even like them, and you would think that my tastes in music, while similar to his, would be more...open. The lead singers voice sounds to me like a rip-off of David Byrne, which was what I thought of after listening to their first album "The Funeral". Both albums have been critically acclaimed, but it might be too experimental for me. There are many, many, fine songs on both albums, but the music is just not my cup of tea. I do find that the album is well put together, and I could easily listen to the whole thing without skipping a song, nor wanting to turn it off. But, if given the choice between this band or Dr. Dog, i'd go with Dr. Dog. I can't explain it, but maybe I will enjoy the band more after multiple listens.
Friday, March 09, 2007
New Band Alert - I think this is a good one!
Not the greatest website, but check out Dr. Dog. Their new album is called "We all Belong", and you can hear clips of some of their songs. I REALLY like this band. They have a very "old-timey" sound, but in a good way. This album almost could pass for a George Martin produced record from, say...1968 or so. Anyway this is another band that will be at, what looks to be an epic, Bonnaroo. I think, besides the inaugural show back in 2002, this looks like the best one, imho.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Masochism and "The Sweat"
Theres something about lowball poker. I have heard it said that the game is for masochists. The dictionary defines MASOCHIST as "someone who obtains pleasure from receiving punishment". This can be no closer to the truth. Even when I get to play the game live for nickels and quarters with friends, I still have to "set my hand" so that when I have a draw like 7432x, I have to "sweat" that last card i'm drawing to. It's just a longing for the feeling of peeking at the corner of that beautiful 5, giving you the nuts. It happens on every "street" and in every poker game.
You see the pros do it on tv. Hellmuth is famous for the way he looks at his cards, and there's a reason for it. When he peels that first card and puts his thumb over the corner, I know exactly what's going through his mind. And, the best part is that you get to do it again on your second holecard. That's one of the things that can make the game so enjoyable over a long period of time..."the sweat". In hold'em, you get the rush twice, and usually it's the second that is the most profound. When you see the first card is a six of spades, depending on your position and the texture of the table and what has gone on, you can hope for a 4, 5, 7, 8 or an Ace of spades, and finally another six giving you a "pair in the hole". The pros take it one step further...which they always seem to do. They call it "2 across" and "4 across", they see "paint" and make themselves guess at the hand, without actually looking at the whole card. What is it about this game that makes people come up with all of these unpleasantries, yet be so gratified about them?
When I play 2-7 triple draw online, I have to set my hand in order for the cards that I am drawing for to "fill" my hand. This is contrary to the more standard approach of setting your hand in order, lowest to highest like in a game of gin. It's almost become a lucky charm sort of thing. If I can't set my hand so that the cards fill, I am just not as eager nor am I confident that the hand will come to fruition.
After playing as many hands as I have in this game, the beats don't hurt as bad, and that relates to going on tilt. Everyone has a threshold, and it's hard to not let it get to them. I've had more #2's beat by #1's than I care to imagine. But those are the ones you remember, not all of the times you were able to put the beat on someone else. That is what I strive to remember everytime I sit down to play a session of lowball.
You see the pros do it on tv. Hellmuth is famous for the way he looks at his cards, and there's a reason for it. When he peels that first card and puts his thumb over the corner, I know exactly what's going through his mind. And, the best part is that you get to do it again on your second holecard. That's one of the things that can make the game so enjoyable over a long period of time..."the sweat". In hold'em, you get the rush twice, and usually it's the second that is the most profound. When you see the first card is a six of spades, depending on your position and the texture of the table and what has gone on, you can hope for a 4, 5, 7, 8 or an Ace of spades, and finally another six giving you a "pair in the hole". The pros take it one step further...which they always seem to do. They call it "2 across" and "4 across", they see "paint" and make themselves guess at the hand, without actually looking at the whole card. What is it about this game that makes people come up with all of these unpleasantries, yet be so gratified about them?
When I play 2-7 triple draw online, I have to set my hand in order for the cards that I am drawing for to "fill" my hand. This is contrary to the more standard approach of setting your hand in order, lowest to highest like in a game of gin. It's almost become a lucky charm sort of thing. If I can't set my hand so that the cards fill, I am just not as eager nor am I confident that the hand will come to fruition.
After playing as many hands as I have in this game, the beats don't hurt as bad, and that relates to going on tilt. Everyone has a threshold, and it's hard to not let it get to them. I've had more #2's beat by #1's than I care to imagine. But those are the ones you remember, not all of the times you were able to put the beat on someone else. That is what I strive to remember everytime I sit down to play a session of lowball.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
January, Vegas and Music
So January was quite a month poker-wise. I had easily one of my best $$ results online and live. The home games were juicy, and the triple draw games on 'Stars, while always up and down, were for the most part extremely lucrative. Thanks to the good ole' DOJ, I cashed out a nut or two, but that hasn't really stopped me from playing.
Then comes February and the trip to Vegas. Every year we have a convention in Las Vegas for the flooring industry. It is a long trip out and a very hectic week. Basically up at 7am'ish every morning, walking miles and miles all day, then back to your hotel around 5:30pm and straight to sales dinners. I usually got back to my room around 9:30 or so. Obviously this doesn't leave that much time for the tables. But of course anyone can make time right? My first night playing at Caesars Palace was interesting to say the least. I had originally had a plan of playing their 11pm nightly tourney, a $70 buy-in. So I get to the room about an hour and a half early and decide to bring $200 into a 1/2NL game. I had every intention at this point to get up in exactly one hour and register for the tournament. Well, an hour later my stack was monstrous (for my standards anyway) at around $750. I saw the tournament getting ready, looked at my pathetic table, and figured this was a table that just doesn't come around that often. So I decided to not play in the tourney and stick to this cash game. BAD IDEA. Immediately following that decision I got sucked out on, on the river for about a $250 pot. I pushed the turn ahead, obviously. That pot had me down about $100-150. Then I constantly would bet into smallish stacks that would either double up through me because they hit their 3 outers on the turn/river, or would force me to call because of pot-odds. Thirty minutes later i'm up maybe $150, and I find KK in the sb. 6 limp for $2, and I pop it to $20 (maybe too small a bet...but it was the standard raise even with limpers). I get the one guy that I don't mind calling, although he was the guy who sucked out on me for the $250 pot, and we see a flop of A Q T with two spades. I HATE this flop, but I do have the K of spades, and a inside straight draw. I bet out $40 and the guy immediately raises all-in for about $160 more. I fold...he tells me KTo...whatever...good read on his part I guess. Then we get a seat filled by a VERY good local young player who says that he normally plays the 2/5 game, but there isn't one going. He proceeds to run over the table (much like I had done early in the game). But, this guy was pretty damn good. He was calling out peoples cards...a regular Negreanu. He pegged my AK at one time, and even though I knew that he knew, I knew that he was going to call me because I didn't have enough...I know that doesn't make that much sense, but this is stream of conciousness here people. So about 1/2 hour later I get felted, pushing in with a K high flush draw that doesn't get there.
The next night I decide to play the same game, at the same casino. Except, this time, it's a brand new table, and it hardly ever stays full. I play terribly, and get felted for another $200 by 2:00am.
Fun time, regardless of the results. I am still up for the year, and I wouldn't even bring $400 bucks to Vegas if I couldn't stand to lose it. I am VERY proud of myself for not playing any table games though...first time ever!
I have about $60 I am going to spend on new music this week. I have my eye on a few 2006 releases that I never got around to buying last year. The Hold Steady is one of them. This band is intriguing. Maybe a little to "E-Street" sounding, but only in all of the good ways. I am still waiting for someone to put out an upcoming music releases website. Maybe thats something I could've done about 10 years ago. I would probably pay $5 a month for something like that.
Then comes February and the trip to Vegas. Every year we have a convention in Las Vegas for the flooring industry. It is a long trip out and a very hectic week. Basically up at 7am'ish every morning, walking miles and miles all day, then back to your hotel around 5:30pm and straight to sales dinners. I usually got back to my room around 9:30 or so. Obviously this doesn't leave that much time for the tables. But of course anyone can make time right? My first night playing at Caesars Palace was interesting to say the least. I had originally had a plan of playing their 11pm nightly tourney, a $70 buy-in. So I get to the room about an hour and a half early and decide to bring $200 into a 1/2NL game. I had every intention at this point to get up in exactly one hour and register for the tournament. Well, an hour later my stack was monstrous (for my standards anyway) at around $750. I saw the tournament getting ready, looked at my pathetic table, and figured this was a table that just doesn't come around that often. So I decided to not play in the tourney and stick to this cash game. BAD IDEA. Immediately following that decision I got sucked out on, on the river for about a $250 pot. I pushed the turn ahead, obviously. That pot had me down about $100-150. Then I constantly would bet into smallish stacks that would either double up through me because they hit their 3 outers on the turn/river, or would force me to call because of pot-odds. Thirty minutes later i'm up maybe $150, and I find KK in the sb. 6 limp for $2, and I pop it to $20 (maybe too small a bet...but it was the standard raise even with limpers). I get the one guy that I don't mind calling, although he was the guy who sucked out on me for the $250 pot, and we see a flop of A Q T with two spades. I HATE this flop, but I do have the K of spades, and a inside straight draw. I bet out $40 and the guy immediately raises all-in for about $160 more. I fold...he tells me KTo...whatever...good read on his part I guess. Then we get a seat filled by a VERY good local young player who says that he normally plays the 2/5 game, but there isn't one going. He proceeds to run over the table (much like I had done early in the game). But, this guy was pretty damn good. He was calling out peoples cards...a regular Negreanu. He pegged my AK at one time, and even though I knew that he knew, I knew that he was going to call me because I didn't have enough...I know that doesn't make that much sense, but this is stream of conciousness here people. So about 1/2 hour later I get felted, pushing in with a K high flush draw that doesn't get there.
The next night I decide to play the same game, at the same casino. Except, this time, it's a brand new table, and it hardly ever stays full. I play terribly, and get felted for another $200 by 2:00am.
Fun time, regardless of the results. I am still up for the year, and I wouldn't even bring $400 bucks to Vegas if I couldn't stand to lose it. I am VERY proud of myself for not playing any table games though...first time ever!
I have about $60 I am going to spend on new music this week. I have my eye on a few 2006 releases that I never got around to buying last year. The Hold Steady is one of them. This band is intriguing. Maybe a little to "E-Street" sounding, but only in all of the good ways. I am still waiting for someone to put out an upcoming music releases website. Maybe thats something I could've done about 10 years ago. I would probably pay $5 a month for something like that.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Preliminary Oscar Picks
Mo and I pride ourselves as professional movie watchers from time to time. Every year our friend Brian holds a little Oscar party/pool, usually for $20 or so. We have never won any money, despite our studying year 'round. What little of the Golden Globes that I watched, I had a good read on the winners, so I am going to pick em' early for the Oscars, that way if need be, I can change my picks.
Actor in a leading role:
Forrest Whitaker - Last King Of Scotland
Mo and I just saw this, and I think this one is a no-brainer.
Actor in a supporting role:
Eddie Murphy - Dreamgirls
I have not seen Dreamgirls, but I just think this is who will win at this point. I really would rather see Arkin (Little Miss Sunshine), Hounsou (Blood Diamond), or Wahlberg (The Departed) win.
Actress in a leading role:
Helen Mirren - The Queen
Another one that I haven't seen, but the buzz just points to this one.
Actress in a supporting role:
Abigail Breslin - Little Miss Sunshine
Don't know if this is a "sleeper pick" or not, but I'm pretty sure she won't win...but I gotta go with my gut, plus out of all of the movies nominated in this category, this is the only one i've seen. I wouldn't be surprised if Jennifer Hudson wins though (Dreamgirls).
Animated Feature Film:
HAPPY FEET
Art Direction:
Pans Labyrinth
I have a good feeling about this movie, even though I have not seen it yet. This is another one that could go to Dreamgirls though, but again, i'm sticking with my gut.
Cinematography:
NO PICK YET
The only nominee I've seen was The Illusionist, and I didn't find the cinematography to be all that great.
Costume Design:
NO PICK YET
Another tought one, that could go to just about any of the nominees imho. It wouldn't be a stretch to pick any of them, but preliminary pick has me leaning towards The Queen, with a nod to Marie Antoinette (which is what I would like to see win).
Directing:
The Departed
Seriously, it's time for Marty to take one down. Wouldn't be surprised to see Clint Eastwood take it (Letters from Iwo Jima).
Documentary Feature:
An Inconvenient Truth
Documentary Short:
NO PICK YET
Film Editing:
The Departed
I'm hoping this film takes at least two or three awards, but I think Babel might get this one too.
Foreign Language Film:
Pan's Labyrinth
Makeup:
Pan's Labyrinth
Music (Score):
The Queen
Music (Song):
Dreamgirls
NO BRAINER here.
Best Picture:
The Departed
This is a tough one, as always. But I do think this was the best out of them all. I would love to see the little low budget indie flick take it (Little Miss Sunshine), but this will win...it has to!
Short Film (Animated):
NO PICK YET
Short Film (Live Action):
NO PICK YET
Sound Editing:
Flags of our Fathers
Sound Mixing:
Dreamgirls
Visual Effects:
Pirates of the Caribbean - Dead Mans Chest
Writing (Adapted Screenplay):
The Departed
God do I want Borat to win!!
Writing (Original Screenplay):
Little Miss Sunshine
Actor in a leading role:
Forrest Whitaker - Last King Of Scotland
Mo and I just saw this, and I think this one is a no-brainer.
Actor in a supporting role:
Eddie Murphy - Dreamgirls
I have not seen Dreamgirls, but I just think this is who will win at this point. I really would rather see Arkin (Little Miss Sunshine), Hounsou (Blood Diamond), or Wahlberg (The Departed) win.
Actress in a leading role:
Helen Mirren - The Queen
Another one that I haven't seen, but the buzz just points to this one.
Actress in a supporting role:
Abigail Breslin - Little Miss Sunshine
Don't know if this is a "sleeper pick" or not, but I'm pretty sure she won't win...but I gotta go with my gut, plus out of all of the movies nominated in this category, this is the only one i've seen. I wouldn't be surprised if Jennifer Hudson wins though (Dreamgirls).
Animated Feature Film:
HAPPY FEET
Art Direction:
Pans Labyrinth
I have a good feeling about this movie, even though I have not seen it yet. This is another one that could go to Dreamgirls though, but again, i'm sticking with my gut.
Cinematography:
NO PICK YET
The only nominee I've seen was The Illusionist, and I didn't find the cinematography to be all that great.
Costume Design:
NO PICK YET
Another tought one, that could go to just about any of the nominees imho. It wouldn't be a stretch to pick any of them, but preliminary pick has me leaning towards The Queen, with a nod to Marie Antoinette (which is what I would like to see win).
Directing:
The Departed
Seriously, it's time for Marty to take one down. Wouldn't be surprised to see Clint Eastwood take it (Letters from Iwo Jima).
Documentary Feature:
An Inconvenient Truth
Documentary Short:
NO PICK YET
Film Editing:
The Departed
I'm hoping this film takes at least two or three awards, but I think Babel might get this one too.
Foreign Language Film:
Pan's Labyrinth
Makeup:
Pan's Labyrinth
Music (Score):
The Queen
Music (Song):
Dreamgirls
NO BRAINER here.
Best Picture:
The Departed
This is a tough one, as always. But I do think this was the best out of them all. I would love to see the little low budget indie flick take it (Little Miss Sunshine), but this will win...it has to!
Short Film (Animated):
NO PICK YET
Short Film (Live Action):
NO PICK YET
Sound Editing:
Flags of our Fathers
Sound Mixing:
Dreamgirls
Visual Effects:
Pirates of the Caribbean - Dead Mans Chest
Writing (Adapted Screenplay):
The Departed
God do I want Borat to win!!
Writing (Original Screenplay):
Little Miss Sunshine
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
A Quick One
So, a little while ago I was going to post a bunch of hands from the tournament that I took 3rd in, but I went over them, and aside from a few well timed plays, it wasn't all that interesting. I have them all saved still so if I feel like getting down and dirty with them, I will proceed. One hand in particular was really crazy, in a "had to be there" kind of way. It went something like this. I was riding a medium/short stack with about 50 or so people left, and was just moved to a new table with a bunch of similar stacks as mine. Fortunately, this time they were not all of the chip leaders, which always seems to happen to me. Blinds are around 800/1600 with whatever the ante is (I think it's 75). I'm in the MP with 44, and raise it up to 3800, it folds around to the BB who jams his 22K stack at me... I talked a little about this before, but at this point in the tournament, with the number of people left, it didn't really matter to me if I went out on this hand or folded only to go out a few hands later, of course I am talking about the payout structure, relative to this hand. EDIT: I must admit now, that I have gone back to looking at the hand, and I was actually in pretty decent shape at the beginning of the hand, I had 38K in chips. Well, it didn't take all of my time bank, in fact I think I only used an extra 10 seconds, but I decided to make the call. It felt like a huge overbet at the time, but I think regardless of knowing the table or not, this was a pretty awful call...luckily he had K3o and I essentially doubled up. It was a awesome feeling to catch the guy here, even though in hindsight, it was a pretty messed up call by me.
There were actually two other hands that I could talk about, but I won't right now since they are too hard to explain, but suffice to say, I OWNED this guy at my table who was playing table captain/bully/prick/etc....
And, what the &*#@ US GOVT!!!! Stay out of our personal lives!!! This whole conservative right wing christian regime needs to GO, including the dictat..I mean President...
IPOD RANDOM TEN
1. Harry Hood - Phish - 2/20/93
2. Rain Please Go Away - Alison Krauss & Union Station - Lonely Runs Both Ways
3. World Of Machines - The Samples - Return To Earth
4. Strance Of The Spirit Red Gator - Medeski, Martin, And Wood - Shack Man
5. Exempli Gratia - Ernie Stires - Samson Riffs (Performances: 1983-1997)
6. Moth Reprise - moe. - Warts & All Vol. 1
7. Not Myself - John Mayer - Room For Squares
8. Moma Dance - Phish - The Story Of The Ghost
9. Eveline - Nickel Creek - Why Should The Fire Die
10. Don't Tell The Band - Widespread Panic - Don't Tell The Band
There were actually two other hands that I could talk about, but I won't right now since they are too hard to explain, but suffice to say, I OWNED this guy at my table who was playing table captain/bully/prick/etc....
And, what the &*#@ US GOVT!!!! Stay out of our personal lives!!! This whole conservative right wing christian regime needs to GO, including the dictat..I mean President...
IPOD RANDOM TEN
1. Harry Hood - Phish - 2/20/93
2. Rain Please Go Away - Alison Krauss & Union Station - Lonely Runs Both Ways
3. World Of Machines - The Samples - Return To Earth
4. Strance Of The Spirit Red Gator - Medeski, Martin, And Wood - Shack Man
5. Exempli Gratia - Ernie Stires - Samson Riffs (Performances: 1983-1997)
6. Moth Reprise - moe. - Warts & All Vol. 1
7. Not Myself - John Mayer - Room For Squares
8. Moma Dance - Phish - The Story Of The Ghost
9. Eveline - Nickel Creek - Why Should The Fire Die
10. Don't Tell The Band - Widespread Panic - Don't Tell The Band
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Xmas > New Years
Well, the year has come and gone, and man was it up and down. Whether it be poker related or just plain old life, the year of 2006 will not be forgotten. It seems that the "Best of 2006 Mix" was a hit. With every cd that I gave out, I also included a synopsis taken from that very post. So hopefully i'll get some more readers out of it. Even though this here little blog is really only an excercise for my own well being, I am always very entertained to read all of my other favorite blogs, so hopefully others will get a kick out of my thoughts and my life in general.
I actually made it to a final table! My last post I titled "I CAN make it deep...but can I win?". It's like a song from The Newgrass Revival..."Deeper and Deeper". This time I pulled down 3rd place, while holding on to the chip lead for the majority of the final two tables. I had some bad timing and a few questionable hands in the end, but I wasn't really dissapointed. I was playing some great poker, and along the way got quite drunk as well. But, when things are going well, why change? I think i'm starting to get the hang of the Pokerstars tournament format. In that I mean, I now know that if you can dodge a few bullets (I mean bad beats) in the early portions of the tourney, you can very easily make the money. These low-buy-in tourneys are full of WEAK players who are begging to give their chips away. My only complaint is that everytime I get a table where I end up with a nice stack, I get moved to another with all of the chip leaders. This time around I ended up with the majority of the stacks, but it was only after a few GREAT hands that I played. I will be posting some of them shortly.
Christmas was very fun as usual. Mo and I had one of the first holidays where in the end all we could say is "We're not doing that again!". We cut down our tree at the same tree farm we go to every year, although this year, we went a little later than years before.
We picked out a good one though! When we got in the room, it looked awfully small, but once we got some lights and ornaments on it, it looked amazing.
The finished product!
Soon after finishing the tree we went on to our outdoors decorations. Every year our complex does a "Deck the Deck" contest. Last year, we didn't even think they were doing it and we ended up with third place. This year, since we knew it was happening we worked extra hard and spent a little extra cash.
We were robbed...we claimed "rigged", but this got second place for $100! I even tried to bribe the judges, and Mo even gave them home-made cookies...oh well.
Just before New Years, Mo and I went out with our good friends Lisa and Angie. We've been trying to get out to the "Garden of Lights", which is a public park that puts on a light show completely non-secular. It was a little bit of a wait to get in, but it was pretty spectacular.
Mo and friends Angie and Lisa.
This year, as with every year since we've known each other, Mo and I went down to St. Michaels, MD to stay with her Sister and Husband. We went to the same restaurant, except it was very dissapointing. Despite having what may have been the best bowl of soup i've ever had.
After dinner we rushed home to ring in 2007 with are annual fireworks display off the dock of the Inn. This years fireworks were ridiculous. We were actually a little scared that the "5-0" might stop by, but they've got "bigger fish to fry". Hell, the hillbillies down there were shooting off their shotguns in the air!
Happy New Year!
I actually made it to a final table! My last post I titled "I CAN make it deep...but can I win?". It's like a song from The Newgrass Revival..."Deeper and Deeper". This time I pulled down 3rd place, while holding on to the chip lead for the majority of the final two tables. I had some bad timing and a few questionable hands in the end, but I wasn't really dissapointed. I was playing some great poker, and along the way got quite drunk as well. But, when things are going well, why change? I think i'm starting to get the hang of the Pokerstars tournament format. In that I mean, I now know that if you can dodge a few bullets (I mean bad beats) in the early portions of the tourney, you can very easily make the money. These low-buy-in tourneys are full of WEAK players who are begging to give their chips away. My only complaint is that everytime I get a table where I end up with a nice stack, I get moved to another with all of the chip leaders. This time around I ended up with the majority of the stacks, but it was only after a few GREAT hands that I played. I will be posting some of them shortly.
Christmas was very fun as usual. Mo and I had one of the first holidays where in the end all we could say is "We're not doing that again!". We cut down our tree at the same tree farm we go to every year, although this year, we went a little later than years before.
We picked out a good one though! When we got in the room, it looked awfully small, but once we got some lights and ornaments on it, it looked amazing.
The finished product!Soon after finishing the tree we went on to our outdoors decorations. Every year our complex does a "Deck the Deck" contest. Last year, we didn't even think they were doing it and we ended up with third place. This year, since we knew it was happening we worked extra hard and spent a little extra cash.
We were robbed...we claimed "rigged", but this got second place for $100! I even tried to bribe the judges, and Mo even gave them home-made cookies...oh well.Just before New Years, Mo and I went out with our good friends Lisa and Angie. We've been trying to get out to the "Garden of Lights", which is a public park that puts on a light show completely non-secular. It was a little bit of a wait to get in, but it was pretty spectacular.
Mo and friends Angie and Lisa.This year, as with every year since we've known each other, Mo and I went down to St. Michaels, MD to stay with her Sister and Husband. We went to the same restaurant, except it was very dissapointing. Despite having what may have been the best bowl of soup i've ever had.
After dinner we rushed home to ring in 2007 with are annual fireworks display off the dock of the Inn. This years fireworks were ridiculous. We were actually a little scared that the "5-0" might stop by, but they've got "bigger fish to fry". Hell, the hillbillies down there were shooting off their shotguns in the air!
Happy New Year!
Thursday, December 14, 2006
I CAN make it deep...but can I WIN??
I played a $5 tourney on Stars, which I had yet to cash in. These things have such a huge luck factor. The fields are incredibly huge, which is definitely a good/bad thing. When I won that $5 tourney back over a year ago on UB it was only 800 or so people. This one had close to 1300. So, it's not that I am upset about anything, in fact I believe I played quite well in certain areas, and pretty poorely in some others (esspecially the last bust-out hand). Regardless, I wanted to take a look at a few hands and see what I did correct and what I did wrong.
p0ker Stars
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t400/t800
(Ante: t50)
9 players
Converter
Stack sizes:
jamfreek: t14015
UTG+1: t41974
MP1: t10726
MP2: t47390
MP3: t3362
CO: t4311
Button: t34593
SB: t4086
BB: t15452
Pre-flop: (9 players) jamfreek is UTG with [Ac] [Ah]
jamfreek raises to t2400, 7 folds, BB calls t1600 (pot was t4050).
Standard raise here. I was making the same raise throughout the tourney, and although I could've made it larger, I didn't want anything to look any different than normal.
Flop: [9s] [Js] [3s] (t5650, 2 players)
BB checks, jamfreek bets t4000, BB calls t4000 (pot was t9650).
Again, standard continuation bet here. Here I think I made a mistake...I think I have to jam this.
Turn: [2s] (t13650, 2 players)
BB checks, jamfreek checks.
I'm pretty sure i'm beat here, why would he check? I'm thinking that if he checks on the river I can make a small value bet.
River: [Kd] (t13650, 2 players)
BB bets t5600, jamfreek folds.
Uncalled bets: t5600 returned to BB.
This stinks of a value bet by him. I'm beat by many hands, and it wasn't very hard to fold, but I felt that I should've been a bit more aggressive on the flop.
Results:
Final pot: t13650
p0ker Stars
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t600/t1200
(Ante: t75)
9 players
Converter
Stack sizes:
UTG: t10772
UTG+1: t29443
MP1: t15969
MP2: t22036
jamfreek: t7015 Pretty gross stack here, anytime is a good time to jam.
CO: t36590
Button: t8576
SB: t51075
BB: t14925
Pre-flop: (9 players) jamfreek is MP3 with [7h] [8h] Perfect cards i'm looking for
3 folds, MP2 calls t1200 (pot was t2475), jamfreek raises all-in t6940, CO folds, Button raises all-in t8501, 2 folds, MP2 calls t7301 (pot was t19116).
Flop: [6h] [Th] [9s] (t14337, 1 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: t23295)
GIN!
Turn: [Js] (t14337, 1 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: t23295)
River: [5h] (t14337, 1 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: t23295)
Results: IN WHITE
Final pot: t14337
MP2 showed Tc As
jamfreek showed 7h 8h
Converter screwed it up, but I also beat out KK!
p0ker Stars
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t800/t1600
(Ante: t75)
9 players
Converter
Stack sizes:
UTG: t50540
UTG+1: t13018
MP1: t23801
MP2: t27431
jamfreek: t20970
CO: t67860
Button: t33874
SB: t52499
BB: t38912
Pre-flop: (9 players) jamfreek is MP3 with [Qd] [As]
UTG folds, UTG+1 raises all-in t12943, 2 folds, jamfreek raises all-in t20895.
Uncalled bets: t7952 returned to jamfreek.
At this point in the tourney, I was already ITM, but the payout schedule is soooo FLAT that it really didn't matter. I was looking to play a coinflip here, and was pretty sure I made the right decision. I needed some chips, and the difference between going out here or in 2-3 rounds was miniscule.
Flop: [9s] [9d] [Ad] (t5475, 0 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: t28961)
Turn: [4h] (t5475, 0 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: t28961)
River: [Jd] (t5475, 0 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: t28961)
Results: IN WHITE
Final pot: t5475
UTG+1 showed 8c 8h
jamfreek showed Qd As
COIN FLIP WON!
p0ker Stars
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t1000/t2000
(Ante: t100)
8 players
Converter
Stack sizes:
UTG: t23624
UTG+1: t58149
MP1: t19062
MP2: t87341
CO: t58840
Button: t14081
jamfreek: t29638
MP3: t20895
BB: t96910
Pre-flop: (8 players) jamfreek is SB with [Tc] [7h]
UTG folds, UTG+1 calls t2000 (pot was t3800), MP1 folds, MP2 calls t2000 (pot was t5800), 2 folds, jamfreek calls t1000 (pot was t7800), BB checks.
Flop: [8c] [2d] [5d] (t8800, 4 players)
jamfreek checks, BB checks, UTG+1 checks, MP2 checks.
Turn: [9d] (t8800, 4 players)
jamfreek checks, BB bets t2000, 2 folds, jamfreek raises to t8000, BB folds.
Uncalled bets: t6000 returned to jamfreek.
This was such a weak bet, I HAD to make a play here. There was just too much dead money in the pot that nobody seemed to want. The BB took a min. bet stab.
Results:
Final pot: t12800
p0ker Stars
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t1500/t3000
(Ante: t150)
8 players
Converter
Stack sizes:
UTG: t8237
UTG+1: t34324
MP1: t88291
MP2: t61236
CO: t21540
Button: t27612
jamfreek: t28838
MP3: t20795
BB: t145578
Pre-flop: (8 players) jamfreek is SB with [Tc] [Ts]
UTG raises all-in t8087, 5 folds, jamfreek raises all-in t28688, BB calls t25688 (pot was t40975).
Less than 10bb's and I jam with 88 and up.
Flop: [3s] [Js] [8d] (t66663, 1 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: t25461, Sidepot 1: t41202)
Turn: [Ad] (t66663, 1 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: t25461, Sidepot 1: t41202)
River: [6c] (t66663, 1 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: t25461, Sidepot 1: t41202)
Results: IN WHITE
Final pot: t66663
BB showed 9h Th
UTG showed Td Jd
jamfreek showed Tc Ts
Pretty sick flop there. Luckily, I win the side pot which is more than I started the hand with, but I would've loved to get that extra 25K!
p0ker Stars
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t2000/t4000
(Ante: t200)
7 players
Converter
Stack sizes:
UTG: t20061
UTG+1: t28774
MP1: t82741
CO: t12990
Button: t65724
jamfreek: t45852
jamfreek: t28688
MP3: t20645
BB: t159514
Pre-flop: (7 players) jamfreek is SB with [Ac] [Qc]
3 folds, CO raises all-in t12790, Button folds, jamfreek raises all-in t45652.
Uncalled bets: t32862 returned to jamfreek.
Same as a couple hands before. I'm thinking coinflip here, and again, because of the payouts, I have no fear.
Flop: [Ks] [2c] [2s] (t22190, 0 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: t30980)
Turn: [3h] (t22190, 0 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: t30980)
River: [2d] (t22190, 0 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: t30980)
Results: In White
Final pot: t22190
CO showed Kc Jd
jamfreek showed Ac Qc
Figures I was ahead, but I can't fault the guy for his jam...i mean you gotta get lucky sometimes.
p0ker Stars
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t2000/t4000
(Ante: t200)
8 players
Converter
Stack sizes:
jamfreek: t39462
MP3: t20445
UTG+1: t153047
MP1: t33522
MP2: t60439
CO: t75541
Button: t141369
SB: t63560
BB: t64524
Pre-flop: (8 players) jamfreek is UTG with [Ac] [Qh]
jamfreek raises all-in t39262, 6 folds, BB calls t35262 (pot was t46862).
Again, just trying to stay alive. Less than 10 bb's is a pretty easy jam, as i'm afraid of 4 hands only.
Flop: [7d] [2h] [Ad] (t82124, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: t82124)
Turn: [8d] (t82124, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: t82124)
River: [9h] (t82124, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: t82124)
Results: IN WHITE
Final pot: t82124
BB showed Kc Kh
jamfreek showed Ac Qh
I get lucky this time.
p0ker Stars
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t3000/t6000
(Ante: t300)
9 players
Converter
Stack sizes:
UTG: t25522
UTG+1: t40439
MP1: t50919
MP2: t98341
MP3: t133369
CO: t60960
Button: t73924
jamfreek: t99324
BB: t124385
Pre-flop: (9 players) jamfreek is SB with [Kh] [8h]
7 folds, jamfreek raises to t18000, BB raises to t77000, jamfreek folds.
Uncalled bets: t59000 returned to BB.
Interesting hand here. BB was a complete MANIAC for the whole time I was playing at this table. And, to top it off, the extremely loose calls he was making were winning. I love this type of player, but not when he's on my immediate left. I think I should've just pushed here. I'm likely ahead, but i'm not calling off all of my chips.
Results:
Final pot: t38700
p0ker Stars
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t3000/t6000
(Ante: t300)
7 players
Converter
Stack sizes:
UTG: t88678
UTG+1: t33519
MP1: t86941
CO: t60960
Button: t50524
jamfreek: t84324
Button: t73624
jamfreek: t99024
BB: t156868
Pre-flop: (7 players) jamfreek is SB with [7h] [7d]
3 folds, CO raises all-in t60660, Button folds, jamfreek folds, BB folds.
Uncalled bets: t54660 returned to CO.
I think I need to call here and gamble. I think this was a coinflip, I was just gun-shy. If I call and win my flip, I am top 5 in chips, and can lay back a bit. I think there was about 25-30 players left maybe a little bit less.
Results:
Final pot: t17100
p0ker Stars
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t4000/t8000
(Ante: t400)
7 players
Converter
Stack sizes:
UTG: t75241
UTG+1: t54061
MP1: t44160
jamfreek: t127424
Button: t73324
SB: t98724
Button: t131313
SB: t55748
BB: t188319
Pre-flop: (7 players) jamfreek is CO with [Ah] [Th]
3 folds, jamfreek raises to t24000, 2 folds, BB calls t16000 (pot was t38800).
Flop: [6d] [Js] [Kd] (t54800, 2 players)
BB checks, jamfreek checks.
TERRIBLE check here. This guy was solid. This may be a little results-oriented thinking, but if I jam, he can't call unless he has like 5 hands, and I none of them would check here. I may get a call from a nut-flush draw or open-ender, but I have to apply the pressure yes?
Turn: [Ts] (t54800, 2 players)
BB checks, jamfreek bets t32000, BB raises to t144000, jamfreek calls all-in t71024.
Uncalled bets: t40976 returned to BB.
TERRIBLE CALL. Why call? Well, I seriously thought that he was on a flush draw. I see that check-raise on a draw so much that I almost insta-called.
River: [2s] (t260848, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: t260848)
Results: IN WHITE
Final pot: t260848
BB showed Ad Qd
jamfreek showed Ah Th
Of course he had the stone-cold nuts. I was outplayed here, and could've layed it down. I didn't respect this guy enough when all of the info I had on him showed me he was solid and wouldn't make some donkey play (not that a jam with a flush draw is donkey-like).
I can do so much better. These things don't come around enough for me and I wish I capitalized on my position better. It's hard to make it deep in any tourney with this size field, so I feel like I let one get away.
Anyway, Christmas is coming and it's getting exciting around town. Work is pretty slow, and I can't wait to get these CD's out. Hopefully everyone will like em'.
p0ker Stars
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t400/t800
(Ante: t50)
9 players
Converter
Stack sizes:
jamfreek: t14015
UTG+1: t41974
MP1: t10726
MP2: t47390
MP3: t3362
CO: t4311
Button: t34593
SB: t4086
BB: t15452
Pre-flop: (9 players) jamfreek is UTG with [Ac] [Ah]
jamfreek raises to t2400, 7 folds, BB calls t1600 (pot was t4050).
Standard raise here. I was making the same raise throughout the tourney, and although I could've made it larger, I didn't want anything to look any different than normal.
Flop: [9s] [Js] [3s] (t5650, 2 players)
BB checks, jamfreek bets t4000, BB calls t4000 (pot was t9650).
Again, standard continuation bet here. Here I think I made a mistake...I think I have to jam this.
Turn: [2s] (t13650, 2 players)
BB checks, jamfreek checks.
I'm pretty sure i'm beat here, why would he check? I'm thinking that if he checks on the river I can make a small value bet.
River: [Kd] (t13650, 2 players)
BB bets t5600, jamfreek folds.
Uncalled bets: t5600 returned to BB.
This stinks of a value bet by him. I'm beat by many hands, and it wasn't very hard to fold, but I felt that I should've been a bit more aggressive on the flop.
Results:
Final pot: t13650
p0ker Stars
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t600/t1200
(Ante: t75)
9 players
Converter
Stack sizes:
UTG: t10772
UTG+1: t29443
MP1: t15969
MP2: t22036
jamfreek: t7015 Pretty gross stack here, anytime is a good time to jam.
CO: t36590
Button: t8576
SB: t51075
BB: t14925
Pre-flop: (9 players) jamfreek is MP3 with [7h] [8h] Perfect cards i'm looking for
3 folds, MP2 calls t1200 (pot was t2475), jamfreek raises all-in t6940, CO folds, Button raises all-in t8501, 2 folds, MP2 calls t7301 (pot was t19116).
Flop: [6h] [Th] [9s] (t14337, 1 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: t23295)
GIN!
Turn: [Js] (t14337, 1 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: t23295)
River: [5h] (t14337, 1 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: t23295)
Results: IN WHITE
Final pot: t14337
MP2 showed Tc As
jamfreek showed 7h 8h
Converter screwed it up, but I also beat out KK!
p0ker Stars
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t800/t1600
(Ante: t75)
9 players
Converter
Stack sizes:
UTG: t50540
UTG+1: t13018
MP1: t23801
MP2: t27431
jamfreek: t20970
CO: t67860
Button: t33874
SB: t52499
BB: t38912
Pre-flop: (9 players) jamfreek is MP3 with [Qd] [As]
UTG folds, UTG+1 raises all-in t12943, 2 folds, jamfreek raises all-in t20895.
Uncalled bets: t7952 returned to jamfreek.
At this point in the tourney, I was already ITM, but the payout schedule is soooo FLAT that it really didn't matter. I was looking to play a coinflip here, and was pretty sure I made the right decision. I needed some chips, and the difference between going out here or in 2-3 rounds was miniscule.
Flop: [9s] [9d] [Ad] (t5475, 0 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: t28961)
Turn: [4h] (t5475, 0 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: t28961)
River: [Jd] (t5475, 0 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: t28961)
Results: IN WHITE
Final pot: t5475
UTG+1 showed 8c 8h
jamfreek showed Qd As
COIN FLIP WON!
p0ker Stars
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t1000/t2000
(Ante: t100)
8 players
Converter
Stack sizes:
UTG: t23624
UTG+1: t58149
MP1: t19062
MP2: t87341
CO: t58840
Button: t14081
jamfreek: t29638
MP3: t20895
BB: t96910
Pre-flop: (8 players) jamfreek is SB with [Tc] [7h]
UTG folds, UTG+1 calls t2000 (pot was t3800), MP1 folds, MP2 calls t2000 (pot was t5800), 2 folds, jamfreek calls t1000 (pot was t7800), BB checks.
Flop: [8c] [2d] [5d] (t8800, 4 players)
jamfreek checks, BB checks, UTG+1 checks, MP2 checks.
Turn: [9d] (t8800, 4 players)
jamfreek checks, BB bets t2000, 2 folds, jamfreek raises to t8000, BB folds.
Uncalled bets: t6000 returned to jamfreek.
This was such a weak bet, I HAD to make a play here. There was just too much dead money in the pot that nobody seemed to want. The BB took a min. bet stab.
Results:
Final pot: t12800
p0ker Stars
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t1500/t3000
(Ante: t150)
8 players
Converter
Stack sizes:
UTG: t8237
UTG+1: t34324
MP1: t88291
MP2: t61236
CO: t21540
Button: t27612
jamfreek: t28838
MP3: t20795
BB: t145578
Pre-flop: (8 players) jamfreek is SB with [Tc] [Ts]
UTG raises all-in t8087, 5 folds, jamfreek raises all-in t28688, BB calls t25688 (pot was t40975).
Less than 10bb's and I jam with 88 and up.
Flop: [3s] [Js] [8d] (t66663, 1 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: t25461, Sidepot 1: t41202)
Turn: [Ad] (t66663, 1 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: t25461, Sidepot 1: t41202)
River: [6c] (t66663, 1 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: t25461, Sidepot 1: t41202)
Results: IN WHITE
Final pot: t66663
BB showed 9h Th
UTG showed Td Jd
jamfreek showed Tc Ts
Pretty sick flop there. Luckily, I win the side pot which is more than I started the hand with, but I would've loved to get that extra 25K!
p0ker Stars
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t2000/t4000
(Ante: t200)
7 players
Converter
Stack sizes:
UTG: t20061
UTG+1: t28774
MP1: t82741
CO: t12990
Button: t65724
jamfreek: t45852
jamfreek: t28688
MP3: t20645
BB: t159514
Pre-flop: (7 players) jamfreek is SB with [Ac] [Qc]
3 folds, CO raises all-in t12790, Button folds, jamfreek raises all-in t45652.
Uncalled bets: t32862 returned to jamfreek.
Same as a couple hands before. I'm thinking coinflip here, and again, because of the payouts, I have no fear.
Flop: [Ks] [2c] [2s] (t22190, 0 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: t30980)
Turn: [3h] (t22190, 0 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: t30980)
River: [2d] (t22190, 0 player + 2 all-in - Main pot: t30980)
Results: In White
Final pot: t22190
CO showed Kc Jd
jamfreek showed Ac Qc
Figures I was ahead, but I can't fault the guy for his jam...i mean you gotta get lucky sometimes.
p0ker Stars
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t2000/t4000
(Ante: t200)
8 players
Converter
Stack sizes:
jamfreek: t39462
MP3: t20445
UTG+1: t153047
MP1: t33522
MP2: t60439
CO: t75541
Button: t141369
SB: t63560
BB: t64524
Pre-flop: (8 players) jamfreek is UTG with [Ac] [Qh]
jamfreek raises all-in t39262, 6 folds, BB calls t35262 (pot was t46862).
Again, just trying to stay alive. Less than 10 bb's is a pretty easy jam, as i'm afraid of 4 hands only.
Flop: [7d] [2h] [Ad] (t82124, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: t82124)
Turn: [8d] (t82124, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: t82124)
River: [9h] (t82124, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: t82124)
Results: IN WHITE
Final pot: t82124
BB showed Kc Kh
jamfreek showed Ac Qh
I get lucky this time.
p0ker Stars
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t3000/t6000
(Ante: t300)
9 players
Converter
Stack sizes:
UTG: t25522
UTG+1: t40439
MP1: t50919
MP2: t98341
MP3: t133369
CO: t60960
Button: t73924
jamfreek: t99324
BB: t124385
Pre-flop: (9 players) jamfreek is SB with [Kh] [8h]
7 folds, jamfreek raises to t18000, BB raises to t77000, jamfreek folds.
Uncalled bets: t59000 returned to BB.
Interesting hand here. BB was a complete MANIAC for the whole time I was playing at this table. And, to top it off, the extremely loose calls he was making were winning. I love this type of player, but not when he's on my immediate left. I think I should've just pushed here. I'm likely ahead, but i'm not calling off all of my chips.
Results:
Final pot: t38700
p0ker Stars
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t3000/t6000
(Ante: t300)
7 players
Converter
Stack sizes:
UTG: t88678
UTG+1: t33519
MP1: t86941
CO: t60960
Button: t50524
jamfreek: t84324
Button: t73624
jamfreek: t99024
BB: t156868
Pre-flop: (7 players) jamfreek is SB with [7h] [7d]
3 folds, CO raises all-in t60660, Button folds, jamfreek folds, BB folds.
Uncalled bets: t54660 returned to CO.
I think I need to call here and gamble. I think this was a coinflip, I was just gun-shy. If I call and win my flip, I am top 5 in chips, and can lay back a bit. I think there was about 25-30 players left maybe a little bit less.
Results:
Final pot: t17100
p0ker Stars
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t4000/t8000
(Ante: t400)
7 players
Converter
Stack sizes:
UTG: t75241
UTG+1: t54061
MP1: t44160
jamfreek: t127424
Button: t73324
SB: t98724
Button: t131313
SB: t55748
BB: t188319
Pre-flop: (7 players) jamfreek is CO with [Ah] [Th]
3 folds, jamfreek raises to t24000, 2 folds, BB calls t16000 (pot was t38800).
Flop: [6d] [Js] [Kd] (t54800, 2 players)
BB checks, jamfreek checks.
TERRIBLE check here. This guy was solid. This may be a little results-oriented thinking, but if I jam, he can't call unless he has like 5 hands, and I none of them would check here. I may get a call from a nut-flush draw or open-ender, but I have to apply the pressure yes?
Turn: [Ts] (t54800, 2 players)
BB checks, jamfreek bets t32000, BB raises to t144000, jamfreek calls all-in t71024.
Uncalled bets: t40976 returned to BB.
TERRIBLE CALL. Why call? Well, I seriously thought that he was on a flush draw. I see that check-raise on a draw so much that I almost insta-called.
River: [2s] (t260848, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: t260848)
Results: IN WHITE
Final pot: t260848
BB showed Ad Qd
jamfreek showed Ah Th
Of course he had the stone-cold nuts. I was outplayed here, and could've layed it down. I didn't respect this guy enough when all of the info I had on him showed me he was solid and wouldn't make some donkey play (not that a jam with a flush draw is donkey-like).
I can do so much better. These things don't come around enough for me and I wish I capitalized on my position better. It's hard to make it deep in any tourney with this size field, so I feel like I let one get away.
Anyway, Christmas is coming and it's getting exciting around town. Work is pretty slow, and I can't wait to get these CD's out. Hopefully everyone will like em'.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
"Best of 2006" Holiday Mix CD
I recently mentioned that I was going to be giving away my version of a "Best of 2006" mix cd to family and friends as holiday presents, and I have finally finished it. After 3 revisions I have come up with, what I believe to be, either my favorite or the best songs of all of the CD's that I bought from 2006. Now, these are only albums that were published this year, and obviously I could not get every single pop/rock, jazz, country, etc. album that came out. But, as I have pointed out before, my musical taste runs from hard rock to jazz to country, so I guess you could say this cd could be considered "eclectic" for lack of a better word.
So here it is, the tracklisting with notes to jamfreeks "Best of 2006 Holiday Mix CD":
Songname - Artist - ALBUM
1. East Nashville Easter - Yonder Mountain String Band - YONDER MOUNTAIN STRING BAND
We start things off with a little "jam-grass". Bluegrasses younger sister. YMSB is maybe one of the greatest progressive bluegrass bands to come out since New Grass Revival (Sam Bush, Bela' Fleck, etc.). I really love how this song speaks about the atmosphere at one of their concerts. The differences in the population of the crowd at a show and that "crazy young man standing out in the crowd, going up and down, down and out".
2. Yell Fire - Michael Franti & Spearhead - YELL FIRE
We move from bluegrass to a mix of politically fueled hip-hop/rock/reggae that is Michael Franti. This guy is a religion! Everyone who likes a good concert should go out as soon as he comes to town and see a KILLER show. Whether you are a democrat, republican, libertarian or scientologist, you can not deny that this guy speaks the truth with whatever he writes about. This song, and album of the same title, really is politically fueled. Franti also released an excellent documentary titled "I Know I'm Not Alone" where the viewer follows him around Iraq, Afghanistan and occupied Palestine. Franti speaks about peace and love like a hippy from the '60's, except he is a 6'6" African-American that raps. The first verse of this song is sooooo good!
3. Xmas Curtain - My Morning Jacket - OKONOKOS
My favorite band this year. Another great live act. This live album covers just about every song from their last two albums ("Z", "It Still Moves"), with a little bit of older material thrown around. Many people might hear an influence of Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam, even a little bit of country. The fact of the matter is, Jim James has a very distinctive voice and writes incredible songs.
4. Vultures - John Mayer - CONTINUUM
Will John Mayer be a lasting artist? That is the question I ask myself from time to time when listening to his latest album. It's hard to say really. For one thing, you have the teeny-bopper pop of his first two albums. Ok, his second album really spoke to that Room For Squares crowd that was searching for a replacement for their Dave Matthews Band. Then he releases a very underrated live album ("Trio") with guys like Pino Palladino and Steve Jordan that is much closer to blues then anything he has done in the past. I like this. So the question remains, will this new direction take on a life of it's own and will his following...well...follow? This album almost has a Steely Dan feel. Very jazzy and bluesy. I'm not a huge fan of every single song on the album, but I can listen to it from start to finish without wishing a song was over.
5. If You're Walking - Trey Anastasio - BAR 17
Here's the way I see things with Trey. I believe he is really trying to follow Eric Clapton's career and model himself after him. This isn't necessarily a bad thing mind you. At first listen to this song you could close your eyes and think you're listening to "Pilgrim" (Claptons "adult-contemporary" release from 1998). But the thing is, that album was absolutely horrendous. "Bar 17" is not, it's actually quite good, brilliant at times. Probably not as accessible as his previous solo release "Shine", but many of the songs are a throwback to those Phish days, that really were not that long ago.
6. Gone - Pearl Jam - PEARL JAM
This might be, in my opinion, close to the best album of the year. Probably the best PJ has done since "Ten" really. I usually can't take Eddie Vedder's politics that much, and would prefer him to just sing and rock out. He does it quite well this time around. Plus, usually the songs I end up liking the most on PJ albums always seem to be written by McCready or Gossard or a mix of all of them. I always thought that as soon as Vedder started playing guitar on stage and writing not just the lyrics but the music as well, was really the down-fall of PJ...well that and kicking Dave Abbruzese out of the band. The lyrics "When the gas in my tank, feels like money in the bank, gonna blow it all this time, take me one last ride..." speaks volumes about the state of the country we live in.
7. Girl, I Wanna Lay You Down - ALO (Animal Liberation Orchestra) - FLY BETWEEN FALLS
If you like Jack Johnson, you will absolutely love this band, and I am not really that big of a fan of him. In fact he's the bands old college buddy that really got them in front of the right audience (he's also on this particular track). These guys have a very distinct "California-Surfer-Funk" vibe that is really a joy to listen to. The band uses everything from bongos to ukulele's to create a brilliant blend of funk and soul.
8. Cellphone's Dead - Beck - THE INFORMATION
"One by one i'll knock you out..." Beck returns to form on this release that harkens back to his "two turntables and a microphone" days. The thing is, I believe his best release "Sea Change" may stand the test of time, but will never be remembered as his "go-to album", which I believe this may be. Forlorn folky songs like those could only work as a full release, as he could never intersperse those throughout this album or it's fraternal twin "Guero". What I love about that is Beck actually makes it work here by piecing together each song with bits and pieces of that soft crooner voice that made that album so popular. It's a great mix of everything that Beck has done without it being a greatest hits type album. In other words, as you move through this record "one by one", Beck literally "knocks you out" with each track. As soon as you think "oh this is just like "Odelay" you get a whole new perspective of the song. Great album, and one of the best this year on most anybodys list.
9. Intentions Clear - Umphrey's McGee - SAFETY IN NUMBERS
A couple years ago, UM did a short tour with Joshua Redman (saxophone). Luckily I was able to catch one of the shows at The Funk Box (now back to it's original name "8x10 Club"). During that performance, Joel Cummins commented "maybe we should add a sax player full-time". While they didn't do that with this album, they did have Redman come in and do a brilliant job on this song. This album is much darker than their previous releases, but to me, is much more coherent. Also, on a personal level, it speaks volumes to me as when this album was released, we lost our dear friend David to cancer. This song is really a transitional song for the mix cd as the very end has a nice extended moog section that is almost like a bookend to the first half of this "Best of" cd.
10. Little Walter Rides Again - Medeski, Scofield, Martin and Wood - OUT LOUDER
While the first half of this cd is made up of mostly pop-oriented music, we move along to a jazz song. There were probably hundreds, maybe thousands of jazz albums that came out this year, and this is one of the best. Back in the mid 90's MMW collaborated with John Scofield, one of the last remaining jazz-guitar legends...hell he worked with Miles, that's got to mean something right. Anyway, that exceptional album "A Go Go" was more of a John Scofield album with MMW as backing band. This time around, they actually wrote songs together, which created a dynamic that seems to be more MMW fueled than Scofield. This song is the opening track of the album and even though it was written and performed around ten years later, I could've said it was from "A Go Go" and you wouldn't even know.
11. High On A Mountain - Ollabelle - RIVERSIDE BATTLE SONGS
At first listen you might think this band was from Tennessee or somewhere in the south. Believe it or not, they are straight out of Manhattan. One must wonder how they can sound so smooth and rootsy in that big ole' city. This band makes these old time songs sound just as they should, which is refreshing when some other bands like to fuse weirdness into songs, in essence trying to make them "their own". That just isn't the case with Ollabelle (the name taken from an old songwriter Olla Belle Reed who apparently now resides in Maryland). This song is really a traditional or "standard" that puts the listener in the singers mindset of introspection and spirituality.
12. Luckiest Man - The Wood Brothers - WAYS NOT TO LOSE
Chris Wood, most well known as the "W" in MMW (or Medeski, Martin and Wood) teams up with his brother Oliver for a very intimate blend of blues, americana folk and roots rock. Apparently these guys had performed together only at family parties before putting these songs down on tape to sell to the masses. C. Wood's bass grooves are very distinctive, and his brother's voice while raw and raspy at times meshes well with these great songs. Another one of those records that is hard to find a weak song throughout.
13. Spirit On The Water - Bob Dylan - MODERN TIMES
This might be it. The BEST record all year. I've heard people say that this recording is really the third of a trilogy of albums (Time Out Of Mind, and Love And Theft being the other two). Sure enough, they all do seem to resemble each other closely, but I think this one is a bit better. Maybe it's the material Bob had to work with (Katrina) that really does it for me, or maybe it's his backing band that may be the some of the best musicians he's ever worked with. Regardless, there is not an artist out there whose work spans five decades AND changed modern music in such a way that everyone else had to jump on board. Aside from mentions of "Alicia Keys", you could listen to this album and at times be transported back to the days with "The Band" and his work in the 70's on an album like "Desire". When I heard this album all the way through for the first time, I really wished my friend David was still alive, because this is the type of album he would absolutely love. These songs make me miss him every time I here them.
14. Crazy - Widespread Panic - EARTH TO AMERICA
The great thing about this album, and more specifically this song that I chose here, is that these guys didn't try to "reinvent the wheel" so to speak. Sure, their founding guitarist (Michael Houser) passed away, but he wanted the band to go on without him. And that's just it, they did, and this song is vintage WSP. Domingo Ortiz's afro-cuban percussion on "Crazy" represents that trippy, laid back atmosphere that helped make these guys the darling of the post-Grateful Dead- jam era. And, Mikey's replacement, George McConnell does an excellent job of filling those impossible to fill shoes that were left behind, unfortunately he has since left the band. Who knows where the band is headed.
15. Local - Keller Williams and The Keels - GRASS
One of my favorite artists. This album is chock-full of "campy" bluegrass music that at times may seem so silly it's brilliant. But that's Keller's 'shtick. The album includes only three Keller originals (Goofballs, Crater in the Backyard, and Local), all of which have become live staples over the years, only now being re-invented in a more progressive bluegrass style. The rest of the album includes covers from Tom Petty, Pink Floyd, Jerry Garcia, etc. If only he had released his forth-coming album sooner (it's scheduled for an early Feb.07 release), it easily would've made this mix cd. I know this because he is a genius songwriter and guitar player. Technically, throughout this album Keller mainly sticks to his "banji-tar" which is essentially a custom made banjo-guitar hybrid. The husband and wife duo of Larry and Jenny Keel (Keller's longtime Virginia friends) have great interplay with Keller's voice and compliment him well. Larry's raspy, backwoods singing and down-home flatpicking is a joy to see live as well. I was lucky enough to see an up-close and personal show from the front row of The Rams Head Tavern in Annapolis that was very fun and intimate.
16. Roly Poly - The Little Willies - THE LITTLE WILLIES
The Little Willies are essentially a group of guys that are all friends with the star of the band Norah Jones. That's not to say that the rest of the players don't have any 'chops. It's just that none of them topped the billboard 100 at number 1 nor did any of them win 8 grammy awards. Richard Julian who appears on this album with Jones may have released one of the most underrated and underappreciatted albums of 2005 (Slow New York) and this album features one of his songs. He is a great singer/songwriter in the same vain as someone like James Taylor. But for the most part, this album features covers of familiar country/rock, and americana tunes that move from mellow to playful at the drop of a hat. The guitar lines are jumpy and bright on this track, and the song itself has such fun lyrics.
17. Not That I Care - Willie Nelson - YOU DON'T KNOW ME: THE SONGS OF CINDY WALKER
I debated with myself for weeks whether to put this track on this cd or not. While I am not a huge fan of country music, this album intrigued me because it is so pure and relaxed it's hard not to like it. I don't know much about Cindy Walker, but what I do know is that she was an extremely gifted songwriter whose songs became standards in the western swing genre. Regardless, Willie's laid back voice works well as we head towards the end of this cd, like a lullaby in a way.
18. Minor Swing - Jay Geils, Gerry Beaudoin and The Kings of Strings - JAY GEILS, GERRY BEAUDOIN AND THE KINGS OF STRINGS
The "find" of the year! While browsing my favorite local record store (Joe's Record Paradise), this album came on and I was mesmerized from start to finish. The last time I had such an epiphany was when I heard the Smashing Pumpkins for the first time. You know when you hear music and you really don't care who it is, but you just have to have it. Well this was it. The album is all acoustic "gypsy music" from the 30's and 40's. That's right, this is old time swing tunes from the likes of Django Reinhart, Stephane Grappelli, Duke Ellington, etc. It is so jazzy and upbeat, but relaxed as well. The perfect end to in my opinion a perfect mix cd!
So here it is, the tracklisting with notes to jamfreeks "Best of 2006 Holiday Mix CD":
Songname - Artist - ALBUM
1. East Nashville Easter - Yonder Mountain String Band - YONDER MOUNTAIN STRING BAND
We start things off with a little "jam-grass". Bluegrasses younger sister. YMSB is maybe one of the greatest progressive bluegrass bands to come out since New Grass Revival (Sam Bush, Bela' Fleck, etc.). I really love how this song speaks about the atmosphere at one of their concerts. The differences in the population of the crowd at a show and that "crazy young man standing out in the crowd, going up and down, down and out".
2. Yell Fire - Michael Franti & Spearhead - YELL FIRE
We move from bluegrass to a mix of politically fueled hip-hop/rock/reggae that is Michael Franti. This guy is a religion! Everyone who likes a good concert should go out as soon as he comes to town and see a KILLER show. Whether you are a democrat, republican, libertarian or scientologist, you can not deny that this guy speaks the truth with whatever he writes about. This song, and album of the same title, really is politically fueled. Franti also released an excellent documentary titled "I Know I'm Not Alone" where the viewer follows him around Iraq, Afghanistan and occupied Palestine. Franti speaks about peace and love like a hippy from the '60's, except he is a 6'6" African-American that raps. The first verse of this song is sooooo good!
3. Xmas Curtain - My Morning Jacket - OKONOKOS
My favorite band this year. Another great live act. This live album covers just about every song from their last two albums ("Z", "It Still Moves"), with a little bit of older material thrown around. Many people might hear an influence of Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam, even a little bit of country. The fact of the matter is, Jim James has a very distinctive voice and writes incredible songs.
4. Vultures - John Mayer - CONTINUUM
Will John Mayer be a lasting artist? That is the question I ask myself from time to time when listening to his latest album. It's hard to say really. For one thing, you have the teeny-bopper pop of his first two albums. Ok, his second album really spoke to that Room For Squares crowd that was searching for a replacement for their Dave Matthews Band. Then he releases a very underrated live album ("Trio") with guys like Pino Palladino and Steve Jordan that is much closer to blues then anything he has done in the past. I like this. So the question remains, will this new direction take on a life of it's own and will his following...well...follow? This album almost has a Steely Dan feel. Very jazzy and bluesy. I'm not a huge fan of every single song on the album, but I can listen to it from start to finish without wishing a song was over.
5. If You're Walking - Trey Anastasio - BAR 17
Here's the way I see things with Trey. I believe he is really trying to follow Eric Clapton's career and model himself after him. This isn't necessarily a bad thing mind you. At first listen to this song you could close your eyes and think you're listening to "Pilgrim" (Claptons "adult-contemporary" release from 1998). But the thing is, that album was absolutely horrendous. "Bar 17" is not, it's actually quite good, brilliant at times. Probably not as accessible as his previous solo release "Shine", but many of the songs are a throwback to those Phish days, that really were not that long ago.
6. Gone - Pearl Jam - PEARL JAM
This might be, in my opinion, close to the best album of the year. Probably the best PJ has done since "Ten" really. I usually can't take Eddie Vedder's politics that much, and would prefer him to just sing and rock out. He does it quite well this time around. Plus, usually the songs I end up liking the most on PJ albums always seem to be written by McCready or Gossard or a mix of all of them. I always thought that as soon as Vedder started playing guitar on stage and writing not just the lyrics but the music as well, was really the down-fall of PJ...well that and kicking Dave Abbruzese out of the band. The lyrics "When the gas in my tank, feels like money in the bank, gonna blow it all this time, take me one last ride..." speaks volumes about the state of the country we live in.
7. Girl, I Wanna Lay You Down - ALO (Animal Liberation Orchestra) - FLY BETWEEN FALLS
If you like Jack Johnson, you will absolutely love this band, and I am not really that big of a fan of him. In fact he's the bands old college buddy that really got them in front of the right audience (he's also on this particular track). These guys have a very distinct "California-Surfer-Funk" vibe that is really a joy to listen to. The band uses everything from bongos to ukulele's to create a brilliant blend of funk and soul.
8. Cellphone's Dead - Beck - THE INFORMATION
"One by one i'll knock you out..." Beck returns to form on this release that harkens back to his "two turntables and a microphone" days. The thing is, I believe his best release "Sea Change" may stand the test of time, but will never be remembered as his "go-to album", which I believe this may be. Forlorn folky songs like those could only work as a full release, as he could never intersperse those throughout this album or it's fraternal twin "Guero". What I love about that is Beck actually makes it work here by piecing together each song with bits and pieces of that soft crooner voice that made that album so popular. It's a great mix of everything that Beck has done without it being a greatest hits type album. In other words, as you move through this record "one by one", Beck literally "knocks you out" with each track. As soon as you think "oh this is just like "Odelay" you get a whole new perspective of the song. Great album, and one of the best this year on most anybodys list.
9. Intentions Clear - Umphrey's McGee - SAFETY IN NUMBERS
A couple years ago, UM did a short tour with Joshua Redman (saxophone). Luckily I was able to catch one of the shows at The Funk Box (now back to it's original name "8x10 Club"). During that performance, Joel Cummins commented "maybe we should add a sax player full-time". While they didn't do that with this album, they did have Redman come in and do a brilliant job on this song. This album is much darker than their previous releases, but to me, is much more coherent. Also, on a personal level, it speaks volumes to me as when this album was released, we lost our dear friend David to cancer. This song is really a transitional song for the mix cd as the very end has a nice extended moog section that is almost like a bookend to the first half of this "Best of" cd.
10. Little Walter Rides Again - Medeski, Scofield, Martin and Wood - OUT LOUDER
While the first half of this cd is made up of mostly pop-oriented music, we move along to a jazz song. There were probably hundreds, maybe thousands of jazz albums that came out this year, and this is one of the best. Back in the mid 90's MMW collaborated with John Scofield, one of the last remaining jazz-guitar legends...hell he worked with Miles, that's got to mean something right. Anyway, that exceptional album "A Go Go" was more of a John Scofield album with MMW as backing band. This time around, they actually wrote songs together, which created a dynamic that seems to be more MMW fueled than Scofield. This song is the opening track of the album and even though it was written and performed around ten years later, I could've said it was from "A Go Go" and you wouldn't even know.
11. High On A Mountain - Ollabelle - RIVERSIDE BATTLE SONGS
At first listen you might think this band was from Tennessee or somewhere in the south. Believe it or not, they are straight out of Manhattan. One must wonder how they can sound so smooth and rootsy in that big ole' city. This band makes these old time songs sound just as they should, which is refreshing when some other bands like to fuse weirdness into songs, in essence trying to make them "their own". That just isn't the case with Ollabelle (the name taken from an old songwriter Olla Belle Reed who apparently now resides in Maryland). This song is really a traditional or "standard" that puts the listener in the singers mindset of introspection and spirituality.
12. Luckiest Man - The Wood Brothers - WAYS NOT TO LOSE
Chris Wood, most well known as the "W" in MMW (or Medeski, Martin and Wood) teams up with his brother Oliver for a very intimate blend of blues, americana folk and roots rock. Apparently these guys had performed together only at family parties before putting these songs down on tape to sell to the masses. C. Wood's bass grooves are very distinctive, and his brother's voice while raw and raspy at times meshes well with these great songs. Another one of those records that is hard to find a weak song throughout.
13. Spirit On The Water - Bob Dylan - MODERN TIMES
This might be it. The BEST record all year. I've heard people say that this recording is really the third of a trilogy of albums (Time Out Of Mind, and Love And Theft being the other two). Sure enough, they all do seem to resemble each other closely, but I think this one is a bit better. Maybe it's the material Bob had to work with (Katrina) that really does it for me, or maybe it's his backing band that may be the some of the best musicians he's ever worked with. Regardless, there is not an artist out there whose work spans five decades AND changed modern music in such a way that everyone else had to jump on board. Aside from mentions of "Alicia Keys", you could listen to this album and at times be transported back to the days with "The Band" and his work in the 70's on an album like "Desire". When I heard this album all the way through for the first time, I really wished my friend David was still alive, because this is the type of album he would absolutely love. These songs make me miss him every time I here them.
14. Crazy - Widespread Panic - EARTH TO AMERICA
The great thing about this album, and more specifically this song that I chose here, is that these guys didn't try to "reinvent the wheel" so to speak. Sure, their founding guitarist (Michael Houser) passed away, but he wanted the band to go on without him. And that's just it, they did, and this song is vintage WSP. Domingo Ortiz's afro-cuban percussion on "Crazy" represents that trippy, laid back atmosphere that helped make these guys the darling of the post-Grateful Dead- jam era. And, Mikey's replacement, George McConnell does an excellent job of filling those impossible to fill shoes that were left behind, unfortunately he has since left the band. Who knows where the band is headed.
15. Local - Keller Williams and The Keels - GRASS
One of my favorite artists. This album is chock-full of "campy" bluegrass music that at times may seem so silly it's brilliant. But that's Keller's 'shtick. The album includes only three Keller originals (Goofballs, Crater in the Backyard, and Local), all of which have become live staples over the years, only now being re-invented in a more progressive bluegrass style. The rest of the album includes covers from Tom Petty, Pink Floyd, Jerry Garcia, etc. If only he had released his forth-coming album sooner (it's scheduled for an early Feb.07 release), it easily would've made this mix cd. I know this because he is a genius songwriter and guitar player. Technically, throughout this album Keller mainly sticks to his "banji-tar" which is essentially a custom made banjo-guitar hybrid. The husband and wife duo of Larry and Jenny Keel (Keller's longtime Virginia friends) have great interplay with Keller's voice and compliment him well. Larry's raspy, backwoods singing and down-home flatpicking is a joy to see live as well. I was lucky enough to see an up-close and personal show from the front row of The Rams Head Tavern in Annapolis that was very fun and intimate.
16. Roly Poly - The Little Willies - THE LITTLE WILLIES
The Little Willies are essentially a group of guys that are all friends with the star of the band Norah Jones. That's not to say that the rest of the players don't have any 'chops. It's just that none of them topped the billboard 100 at number 1 nor did any of them win 8 grammy awards. Richard Julian who appears on this album with Jones may have released one of the most underrated and underappreciatted albums of 2005 (Slow New York) and this album features one of his songs. He is a great singer/songwriter in the same vain as someone like James Taylor. But for the most part, this album features covers of familiar country/rock, and americana tunes that move from mellow to playful at the drop of a hat. The guitar lines are jumpy and bright on this track, and the song itself has such fun lyrics.
17. Not That I Care - Willie Nelson - YOU DON'T KNOW ME: THE SONGS OF CINDY WALKER
I debated with myself for weeks whether to put this track on this cd or not. While I am not a huge fan of country music, this album intrigued me because it is so pure and relaxed it's hard not to like it. I don't know much about Cindy Walker, but what I do know is that she was an extremely gifted songwriter whose songs became standards in the western swing genre. Regardless, Willie's laid back voice works well as we head towards the end of this cd, like a lullaby in a way.
18. Minor Swing - Jay Geils, Gerry Beaudoin and The Kings of Strings - JAY GEILS, GERRY BEAUDOIN AND THE KINGS OF STRINGS
The "find" of the year! While browsing my favorite local record store (Joe's Record Paradise), this album came on and I was mesmerized from start to finish. The last time I had such an epiphany was when I heard the Smashing Pumpkins for the first time. You know when you hear music and you really don't care who it is, but you just have to have it. Well this was it. The album is all acoustic "gypsy music" from the 30's and 40's. That's right, this is old time swing tunes from the likes of Django Reinhart, Stephane Grappelli, Duke Ellington, etc. It is so jazzy and upbeat, but relaxed as well. The perfect end to in my opinion a perfect mix cd!
Thursday, December 07, 2006
TD Hands
Thanks to Snadly and his kind offer to stake me over at Pokerstars, I have been playing a ton of triple draw, and man do I absolutely love those games over there. WAY more to choose from then the old UB games, and players obviously not as good. I hopefully will be able to move up to some higher limits someday, but for now all I can play are the .50/1.00 games. So here are a few from a really great session I had with comments:
Triple Draw 2-7 Lowball Limit ($0.50/$1)
SB ($5.70), Seat 2
BB ($4.75), Seat 3
UTG ($22.90), Seat 4
Hero ($36.15), Seat 5
CO ($23.75), Seat 6
Button ($20.25), Seat 1
Button at Seat 1.
SB posts $0.25. BB posts.
Hand: [2h 9c 5s 9d 7d]
Round 1: (1.50 SB)
UTG folds.Hero raises. CO calls. Button folds.SB calls. BB calls.
SB takes 1. BB takes 3. Hero discards 9c 9d. CO takes 2.
Hand: [2h 5s 7d Th 4d]
Round 2: (8.00 SB)
SB checks. BB checks. Hero bets. CO raises. SB calls. BB folds.Hero calls.
SB takes 1. Hero discards Th. CO stands pat.
Hand: [2h 5s 7d 4d 4s]
Round 3: (7.00 BB)
SB checks. Hero checks. CO bets. SB calls. Hero calls.
SB takes 1. Hero discards 4s. CO stands pat.
Hand: [2h 5s 7d 4d 6c]
Round 4: (10.00 BB)
SB checks. Hero checks. CO bets. SB folds.Hero raises. CO raises. Hero calls.
Total pot: (16.00 BB) - $16
Results: (in white)
Total pot $16 | Rake $0.50
Hero has [2h 6c 5s 4d 7d] and won ($15.50) with Lo: 7,6,5,4,2
CO has [2s Td 2c 3d 7s] and lost with Lo: a pair of Deuces
So, I get fancy from time to time checking 7's. In fact I do it once a session. I am pretty sick when I get re-raised on the final draw, not sure what this guy was thinking with this ridiculous snow. I wouldn't lay down an 87 at this limit.
Triple Draw 2-7 Lowball Limit ($.50/$1.00)
SB ($24.25), Seat 4
Hero ($44.90), Seat 5
UTG ($16.50), Seat 6
Button ($25.55), Seat 1
Button at Seat 1.
SB posts $0.25. Hero posts.
Hand: [4d 9s 2s 7d 7h]
Round 1: (1.50 SB)
UTG calls. Button calls. SB calls.
SB takes 2. Hero discards 9s 7h. UTG takes 2. Button takes 2.
Hand: [4d 2s 7d Td Jc]
Round 2: (4.00 SB)
No action, HU w/all-in.
SB takes 2. Hero discards Td Jc. UTG takes 2. Button takes 3.
Hand: [4d 2s 7d Jd Qc]
Round 3: (2.00 BB)
No action, HU w/all-in.
SB takes 1. Hero discards Jd Qc. UTG takes 1. Button takes 2.
Hand: [4d 2s 7d As 3h]
Round 4: (2.00 BB)
UTG bets.
Total pot: (2.00 BB) - $2
Results: (in white)
Total pot $2 | Rake $0.10
I hate this spot. I have played it every which way and it is such a break even type hand that I can't figure it out. Do I raise before the draw? This is the way these games have been playing on 'Stars...VERY PASSIVE. I hate playing it weak and checking, but unless I have a smoother draw I can't justify putting in an extra bet, they are all going to call me and i'm OOP...basically, I have no idea how to play it, but I think I have to play it with a raise.
Triple Draw 2-7 Lowball Limit ($0.50/$1)
Hero ($44.40), Seat 5
BB ($17.90), Seat 6
UTG ($25.05), Seat 1
MP ($20), Seat 2
CO ($20), Seat 3
Button ($23.75), Seat 4
Button at Seat 4.
Hero posts $0.25. BB posts. MP posts BB. CO posts BB.
Hand: [3c 4d 9s 3h 2h]
Round 1: (3.50 SB)
Button calls. Hero raises. BB calls. MP calls. Button calls.
Hero discards 9s 3h. BB takes 3. MP takes 4. Button takes 2.
Hand: [3c 4d 2h Qs 5c]
Round 2: (9.00 SB)
Hero bets. BB calls. Button raises. Hero calls. BB calls.
Hero discards Qs. BB stands pat. Button stands pat.
Hand: [3c 4d 2h 5c Tc]
Round 3: (7.50 BB)
Button bets. Hero calls. BB calls.
Hero discards Tc. BB takes 2. Button stands pat.
Hand: [3c 4d 2h 5c 2d]
Round 4: (10.50 BB)
No action, HU w/all-in.
Total pot: (10.50 BB) - $10.50
Results: (in white)
Total pot $10.50 | Rake $0.50
Button has [8s 6c 5s 2s 3s] and won ($10) with Lo: 8,6,5,3,2
Hero has [3c 4d 2d 5c 2h] and lost with Lo: a pair of Deuces
BB has [Js 5h 4s 7h 7d]
Standard miss, nothing special, but I bet his 86 in his spot
Triple Draw 2-7 Lowball Limit ($0.50/$1)
SB ($25.55), Seat 1
BB ($19), Seat 2
UTG ($19.50), Seat 3
MP ($30.75), Seat 4
Hero ($41.40), Seat 5
Button ($14.40), Seat 6
Button at Seat 6.
SB posts $0.25. BB posts.
Hand: [5s Ks 4c 3s 7h]
Round 1: (1.50 SB)
Hero raises. SB calls. BB calls.
SB takes 2. BB takes 1. Hero discards Ks.
Hand: [5s 4c 3s 7h Tc]
Round 2: (6.00 SB)
Hero bets. SB calls. BB calls.
SB takes 1. BB stands pat. Hero discards Tc.
Hand: [5s 4c 3s 7h 2c]
Round 3: (4.50 BB)
Hero bets. BB calls.
BB stands pat. Hero stands pat.
Hand: [5s 4c 3s 7h 2c]
Round 4: (6.50 BB)
Hero bets. BB calls.
Total pot: (8.50 BB) - $8.50
Results: (in white)
Total pot $8.50 | Rake $0.40
BB has [8h 4d 2h 9d 3d]
Hero has [5s 2c 4c 3s 7h] and won ($8.10) with Lo: 7,5,4,3,2
This is such a weak play by this guy, you gotta go with your hand and bet it all the way...sure sometimes you're gonna lose, but the times you play your monster hands the same way more than make up for it.
Triple Draw 2-7 Lowball Limit ($0.50/$1.00)
SB ($29.75), Seat 4
Hero ($46), Seat 5
UTG ($16.70), Seat 6
MP ($24.05), Seat 1
CO ($16.15), Seat 2
Button ($17.25), Seat 3
Button at Seat 3.
SB posts $0.25. Hero posts.
Hand: [Qc 3s 7s 2c 4h]
Round 1: (1.50 SB)
SB raises. Hero raises. SB calls.
SB takes 1. Hero discards Qc.
Hand: [3s 7s 2c 4h 8s]
Round 2: (6.00 SB)
SB bets. Hero raises. SB calls.
SB takes 1. Hero stands pat.
Hand: [3s 7s 2c 4h 8s]
Round 3: (5.00 BB)
Hero bets. SB calls.
SB takes 1. Hero stands pat.
Hand: [3s 7s 2c 4h 8s]
Round 4: (7.00 BB)
No action, HU w/all-in.
Total pot: (7.00 BB) - $7
Results: (in white)
Total pot $7 | Rake $0.30
SB has [6c 7d 3h 6d 2h] and lost with Lo: a pair of Sixes
Hero has [8s 3s 7s 2c 4h] and won ($6.70) with Lo: 8,7,4,3,2
Missed a value bet on the river...i think i'm the only player who will get fancy and check a 7 in his spot, although i might be the only player on 'stars who will check an 87 as well
Triple Draw 2-7 Lowball Limit ($0.50/$1)
SB ($23.55), Seat 1
BB ($14.15), Seat 2
UTG ($18.95), Seat 3
MP ($25.75), Seat 4
Hero ($48.95), Seat 5
Button ($17.70), Seat 6
Button at Seat 6.
SB posts $0.25. BB posts.
Hand: [Jh 4h Js 3h 5h]
Round 1: (1.50 SB)
Hero raises. Button calls. BB calls.
BB takes 1. Hero discards Jh Js. Button takes 3.
Hand: [4h 3h 5h 8c 2d]
Round 2: (6.50 SB)
BB bets. Hero raises. Button calls. BB calls.
BB stands pat. Hero stands pat. Button takes 2.
Hand: [4h 3h 5h 8c 2d]
Round 3: (6.25 BB)
Hero bets. Button calls. BB calls.
BB stands pat. Hero stands pat. Button takes 1.
Hand: [4h 3h 5h 8c 2d]
Round 4: (9.25 BB)
Hero bets. Button calls. BB calls.
Total pot: (12.25 BB) - $12.25
Results: (in white)
Total pot $12.25 | Rake $0.50
BB has [8s 4c 5d 3d 7s]
Hero has [8c 4h 2d 3h 5h] and won ($11.75) with Lo: 8,5,4,3,2
Button has [6d 3s 2h 4s 8h] and lost with Lo: 8,6,4,3,2
Playing position here, don't want to be called by the button, although he is a loosy goosy type player who could draw anywhere from 1 to 3. I am surprised by the bb who flat calls and draws 1. I play that hand like I have a huge wheel draw like 2347x. The way he played it is very recognizable that he has a rough draw and most of the time they don't have a 2.
Triple Draw 2-7 Lowball Limit ($0.50/$1)
Hero ($56.20), Seat 5
BB ($19.50), Seat 6
UTG ($22.90), Seat 1
CO ($13.80), Seat 2
Button ($16.20), Seat 3
Button at Seat 3.
Hero posts $0.25. BB posts.
Hand: [3h 9d 7h 2d 5h]
Round 1: (1.50 SB)
CO calls. Hero raises. BB calls. CO calls.
Hero discards 9d. BB takes 2. CO takes 3.
Hand: [3h 7h 2d 5h Js]
Round 2: (6.00 SB)
Hero bets. BB calls. CO calls.
Hero discards Js. BB takes 2. CO takes 1.
Hand: [3h 7h 2d 5h 9c]
Round 3: (4.50 BB)
Hero bets. BB calls. CO calls.
Hero stands pat. BB takes 1. CO takes 1.
Hand: [3h 7h 2d 5h 9c]
Round 4: (7.50 BB)
No action, HU w/all-in.
Total pot: (7.50 BB) - $7.50
Results: (in white)
Total pot $7.50 | Rake $0.35
CO has [Qc 3c 6d 7d 5c]
Hero has [3h 9c 7h 2d 5h] and won ($7.15) with Lo: 9,7,5,3,2
BB has [8h 2c 5d 4s 2h]
Pretty standard Super System II play; betting the 97 pre-third draw, and pating, then checking to the two players drawing one. I'm only going to get called by a better hand, and I check call this if there is a bet.
Triple Draw 2-7 Lowball Limit ($0.50/$1)
SB ($9.70), Seat 3
BB ($12), Seat 4
Hero ($60.85), Seat 5
MP ($12), Seat 6
CO ($29.85), Seat 1
Button ($14.90), Seat 2
Button at Seat 2.
SB posts $0.25. BB posts.
Hand: [7d 8d Ac 2d 3d]
Round 1: (1.50 SB)
Hero raises. BB raises. Hero raises. Betting is capped. BB calls.
BB takes 1. Hero discards Ac.
Hand: [7d 8d 2d 3d 3c]
Round 2: (8.50 SB)
No action, HU w/all-in.
BB stands pat. Hero discards 3d.
Hand: [7d 8d 2d 3c Jc]
Round 3: (4.25 BB)
No action, HU w/all-in.
BB stands pat. Hero discards Jc.
Hand: [7d 8d 2d 3c Qs]
Round 4: (4.25 BB)
No action, HU w/all-in.
Total pot: (4.25 BB) - $4.25
Results: (in white)
Total pot $4.25 | Rake $0.20
BB has [4c 3s 8s 5c 9s] and won ($4.05) with Lo: 9,8,5,4,3
Hero has [7d 8d 3c 2d Qs]
Pretty weak play by me here. I need to bet after the first draw, because regardless of my hand, I have position and can force a break of that 9. I hate his play though, because he has to have at least a rough 87, but I immediately put him on a 9 when he went pat and didn't bet. Pre-first-draw I am deciding if I am keeping the 8 based on who calls/raises. When the bb puts in teh third bet I know for sure that I am capping with the 87 because of my position.
Triple Draw 2-7 Lowball Limit ($0.50/$1.00)
SB ($16.90), Seat 2
BB ($20), Seat 3
UTG ($11.65), Seat 4
Hero ($51.85), Seat 5
CO ($5.75), Seat 6
Button ($33.15), Seat 1
Button at Seat 1.
SB posts $0.25. BB posts.
Hand: [Kd As 2h 4s 5s]
Round 1: (1.50 SB)
Hero raises. SB calls. BB calls.
SB takes 2. BB takes 2. Hero discards Kd As.
Hand: [2h 4s 5s 6h 7h]
Round 2: (6.00 SB)
BB bets. Hero raises. SB calls. BB calls.
SB takes 1. BB takes 1. Hero stands pat.
Hand: [2h 4s 5s 6h 7h]
Round 3: (6.00 BB)
Hero bets. SB calls. BB calls.
SB takes 1. BB takes 1. Hero stands pat.
Hand: [2h 4s 5s 6h 7h]
Round 4: (9.00 BB)
Hero bets. SB raises. Hero calls.
Total pot: (13.00 BB) - $13
Results: (in white)
Total pot $13 | Rake $0.50
SB has [5c 4c 6d 3s 7d] and lost with Lo: a straight, Three to Seven
Hero has [6h 7h 2h 4s 5s] and won ($12.50) with Lo: 7,6,5,4,2
When you're hot, you're hot. I'm sick when he check-raises me, because he did the same thing the hand before except he had #1. At first I thought he misread his hand, but it's pretty easy to tell when you don't have that 2.
One thing i've found since i've been playing this game is that you REALLY have to ride out your HOT streaks. If you are playing 2 card draws and getting top 10 hands off that first draw...KEEP PLAYING!! If, on the other hand, those same 2 card and 1 card draws have you banging your head on your keyboard (ala POWDA's avatar)...you need to play a shorter session.
Triple Draw 2-7 Lowball Limit ($0.50/$1)
SB ($5.70), Seat 2
BB ($4.75), Seat 3
UTG ($22.90), Seat 4
Hero ($36.15), Seat 5
CO ($23.75), Seat 6
Button ($20.25), Seat 1
Button at Seat 1.
SB posts $0.25. BB posts.
Hand: [2h 9c 5s 9d 7d]
Round 1: (1.50 SB)
UTG folds.Hero raises. CO calls. Button folds.SB calls. BB calls.
SB takes 1. BB takes 3. Hero discards 9c 9d. CO takes 2.
Hand: [2h 5s 7d Th 4d]
Round 2: (8.00 SB)
SB checks. BB checks. Hero bets. CO raises. SB calls. BB folds.Hero calls.
SB takes 1. Hero discards Th. CO stands pat.
Hand: [2h 5s 7d 4d 4s]
Round 3: (7.00 BB)
SB checks. Hero checks. CO bets. SB calls. Hero calls.
SB takes 1. Hero discards 4s. CO stands pat.
Hand: [2h 5s 7d 4d 6c]
Round 4: (10.00 BB)
SB checks. Hero checks. CO bets. SB folds.Hero raises. CO raises. Hero calls.
Total pot: (16.00 BB) - $16
Results: (in white)
Total pot $16 | Rake $0.50
Hero has [2h 6c 5s 4d 7d] and won ($15.50) with Lo: 7,6,5,4,2
CO has [2s Td 2c 3d 7s] and lost with Lo: a pair of Deuces
So, I get fancy from time to time checking 7's. In fact I do it once a session. I am pretty sick when I get re-raised on the final draw, not sure what this guy was thinking with this ridiculous snow. I wouldn't lay down an 87 at this limit.
Triple Draw 2-7 Lowball Limit ($.50/$1.00)
SB ($24.25), Seat 4
Hero ($44.90), Seat 5
UTG ($16.50), Seat 6
Button ($25.55), Seat 1
Button at Seat 1.
SB posts $0.25. Hero posts.
Hand: [4d 9s 2s 7d 7h]
Round 1: (1.50 SB)
UTG calls. Button calls. SB calls.
SB takes 2. Hero discards 9s 7h. UTG takes 2. Button takes 2.
Hand: [4d 2s 7d Td Jc]
Round 2: (4.00 SB)
No action, HU w/all-in.
SB takes 2. Hero discards Td Jc. UTG takes 2. Button takes 3.
Hand: [4d 2s 7d Jd Qc]
Round 3: (2.00 BB)
No action, HU w/all-in.
SB takes 1. Hero discards Jd Qc. UTG takes 1. Button takes 2.
Hand: [4d 2s 7d As 3h]
Round 4: (2.00 BB)
UTG bets.
Total pot: (2.00 BB) - $2
Results: (in white)
Total pot $2 | Rake $0.10
I hate this spot. I have played it every which way and it is such a break even type hand that I can't figure it out. Do I raise before the draw? This is the way these games have been playing on 'Stars...VERY PASSIVE. I hate playing it weak and checking, but unless I have a smoother draw I can't justify putting in an extra bet, they are all going to call me and i'm OOP...basically, I have no idea how to play it, but I think I have to play it with a raise.
Triple Draw 2-7 Lowball Limit ($0.50/$1)
Hero ($44.40), Seat 5
BB ($17.90), Seat 6
UTG ($25.05), Seat 1
MP ($20), Seat 2
CO ($20), Seat 3
Button ($23.75), Seat 4
Button at Seat 4.
Hero posts $0.25. BB posts. MP posts BB. CO posts BB.
Hand: [3c 4d 9s 3h 2h]
Round 1: (3.50 SB)
Button calls. Hero raises. BB calls. MP calls. Button calls.
Hero discards 9s 3h. BB takes 3. MP takes 4. Button takes 2.
Hand: [3c 4d 2h Qs 5c]
Round 2: (9.00 SB)
Hero bets. BB calls. Button raises. Hero calls. BB calls.
Hero discards Qs. BB stands pat. Button stands pat.
Hand: [3c 4d 2h 5c Tc]
Round 3: (7.50 BB)
Button bets. Hero calls. BB calls.
Hero discards Tc. BB takes 2. Button stands pat.
Hand: [3c 4d 2h 5c 2d]
Round 4: (10.50 BB)
No action, HU w/all-in.
Total pot: (10.50 BB) - $10.50
Results: (in white)
Total pot $10.50 | Rake $0.50
Button has [8s 6c 5s 2s 3s] and won ($10) with Lo: 8,6,5,3,2
Hero has [3c 4d 2d 5c 2h] and lost with Lo: a pair of Deuces
BB has [Js 5h 4s 7h 7d]
Standard miss, nothing special, but I bet his 86 in his spot
Triple Draw 2-7 Lowball Limit ($0.50/$1)
SB ($25.55), Seat 1
BB ($19), Seat 2
UTG ($19.50), Seat 3
MP ($30.75), Seat 4
Hero ($41.40), Seat 5
Button ($14.40), Seat 6
Button at Seat 6.
SB posts $0.25. BB posts.
Hand: [5s Ks 4c 3s 7h]
Round 1: (1.50 SB)
Hero raises. SB calls. BB calls.
SB takes 2. BB takes 1. Hero discards Ks.
Hand: [5s 4c 3s 7h Tc]
Round 2: (6.00 SB)
Hero bets. SB calls. BB calls.
SB takes 1. BB stands pat. Hero discards Tc.
Hand: [5s 4c 3s 7h 2c]
Round 3: (4.50 BB)
Hero bets. BB calls.
BB stands pat. Hero stands pat.
Hand: [5s 4c 3s 7h 2c]
Round 4: (6.50 BB)
Hero bets. BB calls.
Total pot: (8.50 BB) - $8.50
Results: (in white)
Total pot $8.50 | Rake $0.40
BB has [8h 4d 2h 9d 3d]
Hero has [5s 2c 4c 3s 7h] and won ($8.10) with Lo: 7,5,4,3,2
This is such a weak play by this guy, you gotta go with your hand and bet it all the way...sure sometimes you're gonna lose, but the times you play your monster hands the same way more than make up for it.
Triple Draw 2-7 Lowball Limit ($0.50/$1.00)
SB ($29.75), Seat 4
Hero ($46), Seat 5
UTG ($16.70), Seat 6
MP ($24.05), Seat 1
CO ($16.15), Seat 2
Button ($17.25), Seat 3
Button at Seat 3.
SB posts $0.25. Hero posts.
Hand: [Qc 3s 7s 2c 4h]
Round 1: (1.50 SB)
SB raises. Hero raises. SB calls.
SB takes 1. Hero discards Qc.
Hand: [3s 7s 2c 4h 8s]
Round 2: (6.00 SB)
SB bets. Hero raises. SB calls.
SB takes 1. Hero stands pat.
Hand: [3s 7s 2c 4h 8s]
Round 3: (5.00 BB)
Hero bets. SB calls.
SB takes 1. Hero stands pat.
Hand: [3s 7s 2c 4h 8s]
Round 4: (7.00 BB)
No action, HU w/all-in.
Total pot: (7.00 BB) - $7
Results: (in white)
Total pot $7 | Rake $0.30
SB has [6c 7d 3h 6d 2h] and lost with Lo: a pair of Sixes
Hero has [8s 3s 7s 2c 4h] and won ($6.70) with Lo: 8,7,4,3,2
Missed a value bet on the river...i think i'm the only player who will get fancy and check a 7 in his spot, although i might be the only player on 'stars who will check an 87 as well
Triple Draw 2-7 Lowball Limit ($0.50/$1)
SB ($23.55), Seat 1
BB ($14.15), Seat 2
UTG ($18.95), Seat 3
MP ($25.75), Seat 4
Hero ($48.95), Seat 5
Button ($17.70), Seat 6
Button at Seat 6.
SB posts $0.25. BB posts.
Hand: [Jh 4h Js 3h 5h]
Round 1: (1.50 SB)
Hero raises. Button calls. BB calls.
BB takes 1. Hero discards Jh Js. Button takes 3.
Hand: [4h 3h 5h 8c 2d]
Round 2: (6.50 SB)
BB bets. Hero raises. Button calls. BB calls.
BB stands pat. Hero stands pat. Button takes 2.
Hand: [4h 3h 5h 8c 2d]
Round 3: (6.25 BB)
Hero bets. Button calls. BB calls.
BB stands pat. Hero stands pat. Button takes 1.
Hand: [4h 3h 5h 8c 2d]
Round 4: (9.25 BB)
Hero bets. Button calls. BB calls.
Total pot: (12.25 BB) - $12.25
Results: (in white)
Total pot $12.25 | Rake $0.50
BB has [8s 4c 5d 3d 7s]
Hero has [8c 4h 2d 3h 5h] and won ($11.75) with Lo: 8,5,4,3,2
Button has [6d 3s 2h 4s 8h] and lost with Lo: 8,6,4,3,2
Playing position here, don't want to be called by the button, although he is a loosy goosy type player who could draw anywhere from 1 to 3. I am surprised by the bb who flat calls and draws 1. I play that hand like I have a huge wheel draw like 2347x. The way he played it is very recognizable that he has a rough draw and most of the time they don't have a 2.
Triple Draw 2-7 Lowball Limit ($0.50/$1)
Hero ($56.20), Seat 5
BB ($19.50), Seat 6
UTG ($22.90), Seat 1
CO ($13.80), Seat 2
Button ($16.20), Seat 3
Button at Seat 3.
Hero posts $0.25. BB posts.
Hand: [3h 9d 7h 2d 5h]
Round 1: (1.50 SB)
CO calls. Hero raises. BB calls. CO calls.
Hero discards 9d. BB takes 2. CO takes 3.
Hand: [3h 7h 2d 5h Js]
Round 2: (6.00 SB)
Hero bets. BB calls. CO calls.
Hero discards Js. BB takes 2. CO takes 1.
Hand: [3h 7h 2d 5h 9c]
Round 3: (4.50 BB)
Hero bets. BB calls. CO calls.
Hero stands pat. BB takes 1. CO takes 1.
Hand: [3h 7h 2d 5h 9c]
Round 4: (7.50 BB)
No action, HU w/all-in.
Total pot: (7.50 BB) - $7.50
Results: (in white)
Total pot $7.50 | Rake $0.35
CO has [Qc 3c 6d 7d 5c]
Hero has [3h 9c 7h 2d 5h] and won ($7.15) with Lo: 9,7,5,3,2
BB has [8h 2c 5d 4s 2h]
Pretty standard Super System II play; betting the 97 pre-third draw, and pating, then checking to the two players drawing one. I'm only going to get called by a better hand, and I check call this if there is a bet.
Triple Draw 2-7 Lowball Limit ($0.50/$1)
SB ($9.70), Seat 3
BB ($12), Seat 4
Hero ($60.85), Seat 5
MP ($12), Seat 6
CO ($29.85), Seat 1
Button ($14.90), Seat 2
Button at Seat 2.
SB posts $0.25. BB posts.
Hand: [7d 8d Ac 2d 3d]
Round 1: (1.50 SB)
Hero raises. BB raises. Hero raises. Betting is capped. BB calls.
BB takes 1. Hero discards Ac.
Hand: [7d 8d 2d 3d 3c]
Round 2: (8.50 SB)
No action, HU w/all-in.
BB stands pat. Hero discards 3d.
Hand: [7d 8d 2d 3c Jc]
Round 3: (4.25 BB)
No action, HU w/all-in.
BB stands pat. Hero discards Jc.
Hand: [7d 8d 2d 3c Qs]
Round 4: (4.25 BB)
No action, HU w/all-in.
Total pot: (4.25 BB) - $4.25
Results: (in white)
Total pot $4.25 | Rake $0.20
BB has [4c 3s 8s 5c 9s] and won ($4.05) with Lo: 9,8,5,4,3
Hero has [7d 8d 3c 2d Qs]
Pretty weak play by me here. I need to bet after the first draw, because regardless of my hand, I have position and can force a break of that 9. I hate his play though, because he has to have at least a rough 87, but I immediately put him on a 9 when he went pat and didn't bet. Pre-first-draw I am deciding if I am keeping the 8 based on who calls/raises. When the bb puts in teh third bet I know for sure that I am capping with the 87 because of my position.
Triple Draw 2-7 Lowball Limit ($0.50/$1.00)
SB ($16.90), Seat 2
BB ($20), Seat 3
UTG ($11.65), Seat 4
Hero ($51.85), Seat 5
CO ($5.75), Seat 6
Button ($33.15), Seat 1
Button at Seat 1.
SB posts $0.25. BB posts.
Hand: [Kd As 2h 4s 5s]
Round 1: (1.50 SB)
Hero raises. SB calls. BB calls.
SB takes 2. BB takes 2. Hero discards Kd As.
Hand: [2h 4s 5s 6h 7h]
Round 2: (6.00 SB)
BB bets. Hero raises. SB calls. BB calls.
SB takes 1. BB takes 1. Hero stands pat.
Hand: [2h 4s 5s 6h 7h]
Round 3: (6.00 BB)
Hero bets. SB calls. BB calls.
SB takes 1. BB takes 1. Hero stands pat.
Hand: [2h 4s 5s 6h 7h]
Round 4: (9.00 BB)
Hero bets. SB raises. Hero calls.
Total pot: (13.00 BB) - $13
Results: (in white)
Total pot $13 | Rake $0.50
SB has [5c 4c 6d 3s 7d] and lost with Lo: a straight, Three to Seven
Hero has [6h 7h 2h 4s 5s] and won ($12.50) with Lo: 7,6,5,4,2
When you're hot, you're hot. I'm sick when he check-raises me, because he did the same thing the hand before except he had #1. At first I thought he misread his hand, but it's pretty easy to tell when you don't have that 2.
One thing i've found since i've been playing this game is that you REALLY have to ride out your HOT streaks. If you are playing 2 card draws and getting top 10 hands off that first draw...KEEP PLAYING!! If, on the other hand, those same 2 card and 1 card draws have you banging your head on your keyboard (ala POWDA's avatar)...you need to play a shorter session.
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