Poker Adventures

May 2005

May 29
I played in the Paradise Poker Masters yesterday, but only made it through about half the field. I never really got anything going and then finally took a stand with pocket queens. Unfortunately for me, my opponent had pocket aces.

Since I already had the day cleared to play in the event, I decided to play another tournament. I signed up for the $50,000 guaranteed Pieces of the Pro tournament on FullTilt Poker. I played in two other "Pieces of the Pro" tournaments and I placed in both of them. I figured I might be able to keep my record going. There were 465 players so they didn't make their guarantee and there was an overlay. I finished sixth and won $2375. I also have 1% of Phil Gordon's action in the main event at the World Series of Poker. In the first "pieces" tournament, I won 1% of John Juanda's action. I guess if I don't fair well in the main event, I can still make some money if either of those players finish in the money.

A couple nights ago I played in the $33 w/ rebuy tournament on PokerStars. I finished in 10th place on that one. All around, it has been a pretty profitable weekend, but I should have finished higher in this particular event. The first hand of the tournament, I doubled up with AJ and it didn't stop for ten minutes. The next hand I played, I took pocket nines against two opponents and won. I had 12,225 in chips after winning that hand. I took another small pot down and built my chips to 15,485. I played for a few thousand of my chips again with KT. Normally, I wouldn't play this hand for that many chips, but my opponent was going crazy. He would move in with any two cards and it was likely that I had the best hand. This time, he had me beat with AT, but the board came 66444 and we chopped the pot. The next big hand was right after and I took pocket aces against two opponents all-in and won. I not only won, I made quads!! In the first ten minutes of the tournament, I managed to build my chips up to $24,000.

The rest of the tournament wasn't as crazy, but I continued to make steady progress. I finally finished the tournament when I slowplayed a set of tens and my opponent caught runner runner straight. I probably should have made a strong bet on the turn to pick up the large pot, but I can't kick myself too bad over it. I like to play for all of my chips so I can put myself in position to win. This time it just didn't work out for me.

May 26
I have been so busy lately and I am sure at least a few of you wondered if I fell off the face of the earth. I started computer school a week ago, so I can learn more about website design. The course is going great and it feels good to be back in school. Work has been going well too. It is amazing how a little time away from poker helped my game so much.

I did the commentary for Live at the Bike the past couple of nights. If you missed last nights show, you missed a great show. The game was $30-60 Limit Holdem, but it played more like a "play for free" game. There was one guy in particular that made the game exciting. The guy is a successful businessman and a great poker player, but he normally plays the big games. The $30-60 to him is like a $1-2 would be to me. He made the game so much fun to talk about. I remember one hand where he played 53 for four bets before the flop. He managed to flop a straight and he won a huge pot, but that was about the only one I saw him win. Whenever the $30-60 game is on the "Live at the Bike" table, I walk away from the commentary booth thinking that it is time for me to start playing in that game. I am sure it would be a good investment.

I haven't been able to play online poker very much this week, but I am not going to miss the Paradise Poker Masters II. They have a guarantee of $2,000,000 and the last time I checked, they only had $1,044,000 in the prize pool. There might be a huge overlay. If you haven't already signed up, make sure you get a move on it. You don't want to have to bother with those kind of details on the day of the tournament. If you aren't going to play in the event, look for me under the name "bite-me"

May 21
I played in two tournaments this week at Commerce, but didn't do well in either of them. The first event was a shootout and I only lasted half way through my table. When I left the tournament, I went to check on Susan (a friend of mine) and she wasn't doing so hot either. We all started with $1,000 in chips and when checked on her, she only had about $400. I told her, "You can't win a tournament with those kind of chips. Get a move on." She moved alright... right into a first place finish.

The second tournament I played was a record setting event for me. I have never been busted out of a live tournament in the first round of play. I actually on lasted three hands when I flopped top two pair and the guy made a straight on the turn. I went home and signed up for the $33 with rebuy tournament (not the WSOP qualifier) and finished in sixth place. I won almost $1200 for that event.

I had a great week at work. I didn't win an enormous amount of money, but I was on top of my game. I felt like I made some great decisions and I focused more than ever. I need to keep that focus going. It is going to be an intense month and a half. The World Series is only two weeks away and before that, I will play in the Paradise Poker Masters II. I loved playing the first Masters event and finished in the money. This time around, they have a guarantee of $2,000,000 and I want to make it farther than I did the last time. Mark your calendars for May 28th.

May 18
When I won my seat into the Tahoe event, I told my boss I was going to take a week off of work in case I made it to the final table. I am so glad that I took that time off work. It is amazing how a little time away can do wonders. Yesterday was my first day back at work and I kicked butt. I played in four games and won in all four of them. I paid more attention than I have been lately and it paid off. The one hand that comes to mind is when 4 players limped and I raised to $40 from the small blind with pocket tens. Another player across the table moved in for $280. After the other players folded, I called and said, "I have you beat at the moment." One of the guys asked if I had pocket aces and I told him, "no". I turned up my tens, I flopped a set and I won a nice size pot. One of the players asked to see my opponent's hand and the dealer turned up pocket sevens. The players at the table tripped out at how I called that big raise and I said, "I knew they were good." I paid attention and I was rewarded for it.

I have played in a few of the Commerce tournaments this week. I played in the Ladies event and couldn't beat the girls. As a matter of fact, I didn't even make it to the first break. After I was knocked out, I played in a satellite and chopped it. I won enough money to pay for my entry into the $500 event on Monday night.

I started out the $500 event well. I was dealt a couple big hands in the early rounds and maximized my wins on both of them. The first big hand was in the second round of play (I had pocket aces) and I raised the $25 big blind to $75. Another player in late position reraised to $225 and I just called. I check raised all-in and won a nice size pot. A short time later, I was dealt pocket kings. Two players limped for $100 and I raised to $300. The original limper called and the other player folded. The flop was King high with two clubs (not the king of clubs). Both of us checked. The turn was another club. The player moved all-in and I called. I never looked back to see if I had the king of clubs. I figured it was likely that I had it in my hand. The player turned up AJ with the ace of clubs. No club fell on the river and I won another big pot. I built my chips up to $5,000, but couldn't get them past that point. I ended up finishing in 34th place. They only paid 27.

I am going to play the No Limit Holdem shootout tonight. I will probably play in at least one more event this week.

May 11
The tournament was a struggle. I never won any big hands and I had to do everything in my power to stay in the game. Anytime my chips fell below "four times the big blind", I had to take a stand. One hand, I took AJ against pocket sixes. I didn't flop a pair, but I caught the best possible flop otherwise. The flop was KK8, so if an eight came, I would have my opponent outkicked. I spiked the eight on the river and stayed in the game. I moved all-in another time with JT and when an opponent called, I said, "I should have two live cards here." He showed me AT and I replied, "Okay, I have one live card. I can catch a jack." I caught a jack on the turn.

Honestly, I am surprised that I made it as far as I did considering I never held a huge hand. I think I had pocket jacks, pocket tens, and AK one time each. I never had pocket aces, kings or queens. When we got down to 28 players, I was one of the shortest stacks. I needed to find an opportunity to play for my chips or I was going to be forced to play in the big blind. When the blind came around, I put $1,200 (plus a $200 ante) into the pot and I only had $1,700 left. I told my table that I was going to play the hand without looking at my cards. All of the players folded to the man in the cutoff and he put in a small raise. The other players folded and for some stupid reason, I decided to look at my cards. I was not happy when I looked down and saw 93. I said, "I shouldn't have looked at my cards" and then I folded my hand. I knew I had to play the next hand and there was no way it was going to be worse than 93. I played KJ hearts in the small blind and I didn't win the hand.

I will be playing in a few more events over the next two weeks. Tomorrow's event is the one I am looking forward to most. It is a $300 No Limit Holdem shootout.

May 9
I am already home from Tahoe, so obviously it didn't go as well as planned. Although I didn't make any money, I had a great time and learned a lot. Since there was so much to talk about, I've written a Harrah's Lake Tahoe trip report.

May 6
I am heading out to Tahoe today. I am really excited about the trip. Hopefully, I will have a lot of great stories to tell when I come home. I am not taking my computer with me, so I will not be able to respond to any emails until I come back. If I make it through day one, I will find a way to get the news up on my journal page.

May 3
I played in another double shootout WSOP qualifier and didn't make it past the first table. Tonight was a little different because I actually had a live audience while I was playing. There is a film crew that is making a documentary on poker and they have been doing some interviews with me. When they found out I won two seats to the World Series, they thought it would be great if I would show one of their "up and comers" how I played the shootouts. Three people watched me play my game while I explained a few of the hands and my reasoning for playing them like I did. I managed to comeback from a short stack and get heads-up. The final hand was a classic. I held pocket kings against my opponents AQ and he flopped an ace and turned another one. I was pleased with the way I played and I was glad I didn't bomb out in ninth place while on camera.

I leave for my trip to Tahoe on Friday. I am playing in the Ladies event on Saturday and then the main event on Sunday. I am looking forward to the trip. There is an Omaha Hi Low event at the Mirage the day after the final in Tahoe. I am still undecided if I am going to play in that one. There are so many tournaments now, it is hard to keep up.