Not much poker to report at this point in the week.
I tend to work heavily on mondays and tuesdays.. not having much of an opportunity to hit the tables on Full Tilt. Tonight though is the highly-accredited Bmore's Brawl.. where I will look to defend my two gold bracelets, all-time money and all-time knockout leads. In the 8 events I've played, I've made 5 final tables and gone heads up 3 times.
Ok, enough gloating...
I have to work late tonight, till 9:00pm so I will probably Hellmuth that tournament. I really wanted to hit the Fifty Fifty again, but I won't have time to satellite in. I could just buy-in straight, but $55 out of a $650 bankroll is a heavy investment. I'm trying to manage my bankroll correctly.. and my doing on a mostly consistent basis that is the only reason I haven't gone bust yet.
It's funny though, I have noticed a weird mental game I seem to play with myself concerning online poker.. and really poker in general. I go through strange ups and downs in terms of my conviction for playing the game.
Some days I feel like I'm playing my A-game and I have this blood-thirsty need to hit the tables and my focus is dead on. Other days, I feel like I'm just playing hands...
Now, none of this has anything to do with my passion for the game. That remains, and will always remain, without question. But the thing is, when I don't get enough sleep.. or my mind is on other things.. I really feel those are the days I shouldn't even log on or sit at a table.
And with online poker, more-so than live, it's harder to get into the poker mindset before playing. Let me explain:
When you know you have a cash game or tournament to go to at your buddies house one night, you have all day.. the drive over and the 20-30 minutes before you actually get the cards in the air to mentally prepare for playing a solid game of poker. Here's another example: An Atlantic City trip. For those of us who don't live in New Jersey, we have several hours worth of mental preparation for entering the war that is the poker felt. When you get online.. you click "log-in", type in a password, scroll down a list, find a game, click open the table, click the blank seat, chose how much you're buying in for and BAMM. You get dealt in almost immediately, playing three times as many hands as would live, nonetheless!!
So I've come to a simple conclusion: I have aspirations to make lots of money online and taking down several big titles.. hopefully land myself seats in tournaments that are televised on ESPN. Anyone who is serious about the game has thought of nothing less. But.. that doesn't mean I have to play every waking moment of my free time online. I may want to, but it's not an optimal way of doing things. If I'm not feeling it or my mind is on something else, why play? I'd rather risk my hard-earned money on a day where I can't wait to play my A-game.
Look, I love poker... but I have a life. And in that life, I really don't think I'll ever become a professional poker player. I will play the game until God makes me physically and/or mentally unable to do so.. but I never want to rely on poker as a source of income. I want it to add to it.. but not syphon from it. You see what I mean? I'm essentially building my future bankroll right now online and live from my winnings, and If I continue to do so... I will basically free roll every game I ever play in my life so long as I never go bust.
Don't get me wrong, I want a gold WSOP bracelet.. but never going bust and buying in with someone else's money for the rest of my career.. Now THAT would be an accomplishment.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Saturday, March 22, 2008
First Rocco's Rumble Complete!
Be sure to check out my Rocco's Rumble Tournament page and see who took down the first title.
Remember, get on Full Tilt every Saturday night at 8:00pm Eastern Time and sign up for "Rocco's Rumble" in the private tournaments section.
The password is: time2rumble
Remember, get on Full Tilt every Saturday night at 8:00pm Eastern Time and sign up for "Rocco's Rumble" in the private tournaments section.
The password is: time2rumble
Weekend Update - Current Tournament stats
Just a quick update on my overall stats for multi-table tournaments and single/multi-table sit-n-gos...
Multi-Table Tournaments:
Total Winnings: $799.07 ($110 in satellites)
Biggest Cash: $220.50
Biggest Buy-in: $500 (which was freerolled because I satellited into the Main Event)
Avg. Cash: $57.08
Wins: 2 (both were satellite wins to get into the Fifty Fifty)
Seconds: 0
Thirds: 0
Top Three Rate: 3.57%
Final Tables: 6 (10.71%)
Cashes: 14 (25.00%)
Total Played: 56
Avg. Field Size: 667
Avg. Finish 40/100
Longest Non-Cash Streak: 10
Cashes for the Week of 3/16/08:
3/17 - $10 PL Omaha Hi/Lo.. placed 4/89 for $97.90
3/19 - $14 NL Holdem Fifty Fifty Satellite.. placed 1/73 for $55.00
3/19 - $50 NL Holdem (Fifty Fifty).. placed 84/981 for $90.00
3/20 - $24 Limit Holdem ($3000 Guarantee).. placed 13/135 for $40.50
3/20 - $14 NL Holdem Fifty Fifty Satellite.. placed 1/59 for $55.00
3/20 - $50 NL Holdem (Fifty Fifty).. placed 30/1050 for $220.50
Source: thepokerdb at Bluff Magazine.com
Sit n Go's:
Total Played: 219
Avg. Profit: $1
Avg. Stakes: $7
Avg. ROI: 16%
Total Winnings: $281
Source: http://www.sharkscope.com/
Multi-Table Tournaments:
Total Winnings: $799.07 ($110 in satellites)
Biggest Cash: $220.50
Biggest Buy-in: $500 (which was freerolled because I satellited into the Main Event)
Avg. Cash: $57.08
Wins: 2 (both were satellite wins to get into the Fifty Fifty)
Seconds: 0
Thirds: 0
Top Three Rate: 3.57%
Final Tables: 6 (10.71%)
Cashes: 14 (25.00%)
Total Played: 56
Avg. Field Size: 667
Avg. Finish 40/100
Longest Non-Cash Streak: 10
Cashes for the Week of 3/16/08:
3/17 - $10 PL Omaha Hi/Lo.. placed 4/89 for $97.90
3/19 - $14 NL Holdem Fifty Fifty Satellite.. placed 1/73 for $55.00
3/19 - $50 NL Holdem (Fifty Fifty).. placed 84/981 for $90.00
3/20 - $24 Limit Holdem ($3000 Guarantee).. placed 13/135 for $40.50
3/20 - $14 NL Holdem Fifty Fifty Satellite.. placed 1/59 for $55.00
3/20 - $50 NL Holdem (Fifty Fifty).. placed 30/1050 for $220.50
Source: thepokerdb at Bluff Magazine.com
Sit n Go's:
Total Played: 219
Avg. Profit: $1
Avg. Stakes: $7
Avg. ROI: 16%
Total Winnings: $281
Source: http://www.sharkscope.com/
Friday, March 21, 2008
Going Deep in Multi-Table Tournaments
For the second straight night, I played two $14+1 satellites to get a seat in Full Tilt's Fifty Fifty Tournament.. and for the second straight night I won one of them and got into the $50+5 Tournament by only spending $30.
On Wednesday night, I place 84th out of 981 for $90. I basically played solid until it got down to the nitty gritty where it becomes push/fold for half the field. I picked up AQ and ran into KK.. end of story.
But last night (Thursday), I'm really upset with myself because I feel like a had a real shot at some serious cash. There were 1,050 players and 153 got paid. When we were at the bubble, I only had about 3,200 chips.. someone busted and I cashed. So, I started going crazy. As soon as I got a hand, All-in. I more than doubled up three straight times and quickly found myself with 32,000 chips. Then, I won another pot and took it up to 60,000... then up to 82,000.. I was on a roll.
With 45 players left, I was in 5th place. Tables were shifted around and I ended up with the chip leader on my left. He had 160,000 to my 78,000. Long story short, I waited and waited for a hand.. picked up A7 in a spot where I thought I could re-steal someone's raise. The guy to my right raised weak to 5200 at 1200/2400 blinds and I re-popped him to 15k. I was positive he had a hand he'd fold, besides.. I've only show monsters when I played. The chip leader to my left instantly goes all-in. I have to fold.
So with 30 players left, I pick up 87 in the cut-off. Everyone folds around. With the chip leader to my left and two guys in the blinds who had plenty of chips, I thought it was time for a blind steal. At 1500/3000 I raised to 9000. Chip leader insta-calls. His range is massive because he played like a loose-agressive moron who forgot the fold button existed. Both blinds fold and it comes down 9-10-A. There's 28k in the pot, I have 70k in front of me at this point.
I decided to check to see if he would bet and would re-access what kind of hand I thought he had by how he bet. I wasn't necessarily planning a check/raise... but it was obviously an option.
So he bets 14,500 into a 28,000 pot. Kind of hesitantly as well. I think about it, looked at my odds with my open-ender.. was getting laid 42.5 to 14.5, a fraction away from 3-1 and thought, well let me see the turn and re-access. I call. Turn is a King. (9-10-A-K)
Now, I figured I could do one of two things. If I push (only have 55k now and there's enough in the pot) I know he's going to call with any ace or king. No matter what. That's how he was playing. So I'd have to be absolutely certain he didn't have one.. and I wasn't. I was pretty sure he had nothing.. but couldn't be positive. The only way for me to learn more about him.. and how he felt about that King was to check and see what he does. I checked, and he hesitated and checked behind me. Now I'm thinking he may have a J-10, Q-10, pocket 8s-2s, J-9 J-8 even... But for some reason, I really felt he didn't hit anything.
River comes out another 9. Final board is now (9-10-A-K-9).
There's about 55k in the pot, I have 55k and now I feel like he didn't like the King.. was probably bluffing the Ace on the flop.. but what if he has a nine. For some reason I doubted it. And I was right... sort of.
I lost my mind and decided to push the river, try to steal it. He insta-called me with A-5. I was surprised he insta-called... good call by him. But why play it so weak throughout the hand if you are going to insta-call the river? Didn't expect to see an Ace or King there. So I went busto in 30th place.. took home a cool $220.50 for my largest online cash to date. (I know it's pathetic, right?)
Back to back Fifty Fiftys.. back to back cashes.. on back to back satellites.. Guess I can't really complain too much... but damn I wish I hadn't played that 87. I know I screwed up.. but that'll just make me that much better the next time I go deep in a big tourney.
On Wednesday night, I place 84th out of 981 for $90. I basically played solid until it got down to the nitty gritty where it becomes push/fold for half the field. I picked up AQ and ran into KK.. end of story.
But last night (Thursday), I'm really upset with myself because I feel like a had a real shot at some serious cash. There were 1,050 players and 153 got paid. When we were at the bubble, I only had about 3,200 chips.. someone busted and I cashed. So, I started going crazy. As soon as I got a hand, All-in. I more than doubled up three straight times and quickly found myself with 32,000 chips. Then, I won another pot and took it up to 60,000... then up to 82,000.. I was on a roll.
With 45 players left, I was in 5th place. Tables were shifted around and I ended up with the chip leader on my left. He had 160,000 to my 78,000. Long story short, I waited and waited for a hand.. picked up A7 in a spot where I thought I could re-steal someone's raise. The guy to my right raised weak to 5200 at 1200/2400 blinds and I re-popped him to 15k. I was positive he had a hand he'd fold, besides.. I've only show monsters when I played. The chip leader to my left instantly goes all-in. I have to fold.
So with 30 players left, I pick up 87 in the cut-off. Everyone folds around. With the chip leader to my left and two guys in the blinds who had plenty of chips, I thought it was time for a blind steal. At 1500/3000 I raised to 9000. Chip leader insta-calls. His range is massive because he played like a loose-agressive moron who forgot the fold button existed. Both blinds fold and it comes down 9-10-A. There's 28k in the pot, I have 70k in front of me at this point.
I decided to check to see if he would bet and would re-access what kind of hand I thought he had by how he bet. I wasn't necessarily planning a check/raise... but it was obviously an option.
So he bets 14,500 into a 28,000 pot. Kind of hesitantly as well. I think about it, looked at my odds with my open-ender.. was getting laid 42.5 to 14.5, a fraction away from 3-1 and thought, well let me see the turn and re-access. I call. Turn is a King. (9-10-A-K)
Now, I figured I could do one of two things. If I push (only have 55k now and there's enough in the pot) I know he's going to call with any ace or king. No matter what. That's how he was playing. So I'd have to be absolutely certain he didn't have one.. and I wasn't. I was pretty sure he had nothing.. but couldn't be positive. The only way for me to learn more about him.. and how he felt about that King was to check and see what he does. I checked, and he hesitated and checked behind me. Now I'm thinking he may have a J-10, Q-10, pocket 8s-2s, J-9 J-8 even... But for some reason, I really felt he didn't hit anything.
River comes out another 9. Final board is now (9-10-A-K-9).
There's about 55k in the pot, I have 55k and now I feel like he didn't like the King.. was probably bluffing the Ace on the flop.. but what if he has a nine. For some reason I doubted it. And I was right... sort of.
I lost my mind and decided to push the river, try to steal it. He insta-called me with A-5. I was surprised he insta-called... good call by him. But why play it so weak throughout the hand if you are going to insta-call the river? Didn't expect to see an Ace or King there. So I went busto in 30th place.. took home a cool $220.50 for my largest online cash to date. (I know it's pathetic, right?)
Back to back Fifty Fiftys.. back to back cashes.. on back to back satellites.. Guess I can't really complain too much... but damn I wish I hadn't played that 87. I know I screwed up.. but that'll just make me that much better the next time I go deep in a big tourney.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Playing over my Bankroll.. Getting Back Down to Earth
The last 24 hours of my online poker life can be described pretty simply: roller coaster. I began last night with $570 in my account and I felt like playing some 7 card stud. And, because of my added confidence of being on a good run lately, I decided to play in a bigger game than usual. I bought in to three tables: $1/2 Stud Hi, $2/4 Stud Hi and $1/2 Stud Hi/Lo. I always buy-in for 20 big bets, so it was $40, $80 and $40 respectively. So, I put $160/$570 at risk... or 28% of my bankroll. Not a smart move.. and I paid for it.
I caught some of the worst cards you can in Stud. In the $2/4 game, I caught a Queen-high diamond flush on 5th street... only to be immediately raised by a K-J-2 of hearts after the same guy bet 4th street like he had a flush draw. I go into check/call mode only to see he has the A-K heart flush. I didn't record any of the hands because it was late.. but that's the general idea. Then I jumped into some .25/.50 NL Holdem with a $15 CAP.. proceeded to run into situations like when I had AQ vs AJ... flop is rags... Jack on the river.. you know how this story ends. All things considered.. I ran really cold in games over my head and dropped $120 in 25 minutes.
So, I decide today to go back to basics... play smart! I decide to return to my tournament roots, figuring my game has been improving in multi-table tournaments and I should keep it going. So, I got online at 7:00pm eastern Wednesday with about $450 in my account. I bought into two $14+1 Satellites to the Fifty Fifty ($50,000 guarantee).. and I won one of them. Wednesday is also Brawl night, as well as the Mookie from the Battle of the Bloggers. In other words, I wanted to play tourneys and I had more than my fill.
By 10:00pm eastern, I was in five multi-table No Limit Holdem tournaments:
- $10+1 Bmore's Brawl - 30 players
- $10+1 The Mookie - 106 players
- $50+5 Fifty Fifty - 981 players
- $10+2 Daily Double A - 1263 players
- $10+2 Daily Double B - 1149 players
I feel that I played my best game, considering I had five tables to concentrate on. I saved a few screen shots of huge hands that led to my exit from some of these.
This one is from Daily Double B. The blinds are 120/240 with a 25 ante and I have about 5200. A short stack of around 2900 pushes all-in from middle position and I am in the small blind with AK....
Crippling.. as you can see. I later pushed with QJ suited during the 150/300 level with about 2200 and was called and felted by A 10. I finished 283/1149. Played well, no cash money though.
Here's a fun one from the mookie. The blinds are 50/100 and I have around 1300. Hadn't really played a hand but I decide to raise from under the gun with AQ, and the Big blind calls. I see my Ace-high flop and push after the BB checks... and this happened:
So yea.. I was out. Kinda hated that. I finished somewhere in the 60s range of the 106 player tournament. I was more focused on the Brawl and Fifty Fifty.
Here's a hand from that Fifty Fifty. The blinds were 60/120 and both the villian and I had over 4000. The villian is in the cut-off... everyone folds to him and he limps. Button and Small Blind both fold, I look at pocket Tens in the big blind and decide to check. Now.. to understand the strangeness of this hand, let's have a little quiz.. see if you can guess what he had. Here's the action.
Pot= 300. Flop comes down 6-J-8 with two clubs. I have 10,10 with no clubs. I decide to bet 200 to see if has the Jack. He calls quickly. So I am thinking about clubs here.. but who knows, I don't know the villian.
Pot= 700. Turn: 3 of diamonds (6-J-8-3 with two clubs, two diamonds).. Diamonds don't concern me here.. but I feel that if I bet now and he raises, he's probably got me beat. So I decide to lead out again, this time for 350, half the pot. I feel that if he has the Jack, he HAS to raise here as there is too much danger on this board. However, he hesitates and calls again.. a little less quickly.
Pot= 1400. River: J of spades (6-J-8-3-J).. Honestly, I love this card. Both flushes missed, I don't think he has a Jack from the previous action.. but he just might. Players do weird things sometimes and I know that. So I decide to make a blocker bet for value... in other words, if I'm good I don't want to miss a bet, but If I bet and get raised or called, I want to lose the minimum. So I bet 400 into a pot of 1400. Villian insta-calls. Now......
What does he have? (think about it, make one guess and scroll down)
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He had ACES!! I was stunned, quite honestly...
So, I got short stacked after this point, down to 2200 or so and was forced to play push/fold poker. I ended up building it up to 16,000 before going busto. I busted 84th out of 981 for $90.
Now, for the brawl. Be sure to keep an eye on thebmorekid's blog for details on the Brawl itself.. but long story short, I went heads up with Kori (kibl). We got heads up around the 1000/2000 blind level with Kori having 49000 to my 41000 chips. Unfortunately.. my cards went as dead as they go heads up. I'm not taking anything away from Kori, but I didn't have better than 6-high in 60% of my hands. When I had a hand, Kori folded.. of course. But either way, I had fun.. and ended up having to push on the button when I was down to 16,000 in chips.
So, yea... that was over quick. I took down second place.. my third top-three in the eight tournaments I've played at Bmore's Brawl. Wanted to win my third brawl bracelet.. but can't have it all I guess. I also took over the lead spot on the Money list with tonight's $48 cash and my four knockouts extended my lead in that category. I've done well at the brawl, and I feel that considering the level of the players there.. it's a great accomplishment to be the leader through ten tourneys having only played 8 of them.
Overall, I ended up spending $70 in tournament fees and bringing in $146 in profits (when you add in the knockout bonuses from the brawl). Add in a few dollars from cash games here and there and I've rebounded from my bankroll blowup from last night. Back up to $540... I believe I've learned my lesson and I plan on sticking within the boundaries of my roll from now on..
I caught some of the worst cards you can in Stud. In the $2/4 game, I caught a Queen-high diamond flush on 5th street... only to be immediately raised by a K-J-2 of hearts after the same guy bet 4th street like he had a flush draw. I go into check/call mode only to see he has the A-K heart flush. I didn't record any of the hands because it was late.. but that's the general idea. Then I jumped into some .25/.50 NL Holdem with a $15 CAP.. proceeded to run into situations like when I had AQ vs AJ... flop is rags... Jack on the river.. you know how this story ends. All things considered.. I ran really cold in games over my head and dropped $120 in 25 minutes.
So, I decide today to go back to basics... play smart! I decide to return to my tournament roots, figuring my game has been improving in multi-table tournaments and I should keep it going. So, I got online at 7:00pm eastern Wednesday with about $450 in my account. I bought into two $14+1 Satellites to the Fifty Fifty ($50,000 guarantee).. and I won one of them. Wednesday is also Brawl night, as well as the Mookie from the Battle of the Bloggers. In other words, I wanted to play tourneys and I had more than my fill.
By 10:00pm eastern, I was in five multi-table No Limit Holdem tournaments:
- $10+1 Bmore's Brawl - 30 players
- $10+1 The Mookie - 106 players
- $50+5 Fifty Fifty - 981 players
- $10+2 Daily Double A - 1263 players
- $10+2 Daily Double B - 1149 players
I feel that I played my best game, considering I had five tables to concentrate on. I saved a few screen shots of huge hands that led to my exit from some of these.
This one is from Daily Double B. The blinds are 120/240 with a 25 ante and I have about 5200. A short stack of around 2900 pushes all-in from middle position and I am in the small blind with AK....
Crippling.. as you can see. I later pushed with QJ suited during the 150/300 level with about 2200 and was called and felted by A 10. I finished 283/1149. Played well, no cash money though.
Here's a fun one from the mookie. The blinds are 50/100 and I have around 1300. Hadn't really played a hand but I decide to raise from under the gun with AQ, and the Big blind calls. I see my Ace-high flop and push after the BB checks... and this happened:
So yea.. I was out. Kinda hated that. I finished somewhere in the 60s range of the 106 player tournament. I was more focused on the Brawl and Fifty Fifty.Here's a hand from that Fifty Fifty. The blinds were 60/120 and both the villian and I had over 4000. The villian is in the cut-off... everyone folds to him and he limps. Button and Small Blind both fold, I look at pocket Tens in the big blind and decide to check. Now.. to understand the strangeness of this hand, let's have a little quiz.. see if you can guess what he had. Here's the action.
Pot= 300. Flop comes down 6-J-8 with two clubs. I have 10,10 with no clubs. I decide to bet 200 to see if has the Jack. He calls quickly. So I am thinking about clubs here.. but who knows, I don't know the villian.
Pot= 700. Turn: 3 of diamonds (6-J-8-3 with two clubs, two diamonds).. Diamonds don't concern me here.. but I feel that if I bet now and he raises, he's probably got me beat. So I decide to lead out again, this time for 350, half the pot. I feel that if he has the Jack, he HAS to raise here as there is too much danger on this board. However, he hesitates and calls again.. a little less quickly.
Pot= 1400. River: J of spades (6-J-8-3-J).. Honestly, I love this card. Both flushes missed, I don't think he has a Jack from the previous action.. but he just might. Players do weird things sometimes and I know that. So I decide to make a blocker bet for value... in other words, if I'm good I don't want to miss a bet, but If I bet and get raised or called, I want to lose the minimum. So I bet 400 into a pot of 1400. Villian insta-calls. Now......
What does he have? (think about it, make one guess and scroll down)
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.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
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He had ACES!! I was stunned, quite honestly...So, I got short stacked after this point, down to 2200 or so and was forced to play push/fold poker. I ended up building it up to 16,000 before going busto. I busted 84th out of 981 for $90.
Now, for the brawl. Be sure to keep an eye on thebmorekid's blog for details on the Brawl itself.. but long story short, I went heads up with Kori (kibl). We got heads up around the 1000/2000 blind level with Kori having 49000 to my 41000 chips. Unfortunately.. my cards went as dead as they go heads up. I'm not taking anything away from Kori, but I didn't have better than 6-high in 60% of my hands. When I had a hand, Kori folded.. of course. But either way, I had fun.. and ended up having to push on the button when I was down to 16,000 in chips.
So, yea... that was over quick. I took down second place.. my third top-three in the eight tournaments I've played at Bmore's Brawl. Wanted to win my third brawl bracelet.. but can't have it all I guess. I also took over the lead spot on the Money list with tonight's $48 cash and my four knockouts extended my lead in that category. I've done well at the brawl, and I feel that considering the level of the players there.. it's a great accomplishment to be the leader through ten tourneys having only played 8 of them.
Overall, I ended up spending $70 in tournament fees and bringing in $146 in profits (when you add in the knockout bonuses from the brawl). Add in a few dollars from cash games here and there and I've rebounded from my bankroll blowup from last night. Back up to $540... I believe I've learned my lesson and I plan on sticking within the boundaries of my roll from now on..
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Rocco's Rumble
Starting this Saturday, I will be hosting a weekly private tournament on Full Tilt called "Rocco's Rumble." You need to use the password I'm posting here to register. Here's the details:
March 22nd at 8:00pm
Private Tournament: Rocco's Rumble
Password: time2rumble (all one word, lowercase)
- The Buyin is $10+1 with a $2 Knockout Bounty per person.
- The game is Pot Limit HA (Holdem and Omaha Hi)
- It's a Double stack tourney, we will start with 3000 chips
So please come out this Saturday at 8:00pm and let's kick off this tournament with a bang.
-Rocco
March 22nd at 8:00pm
Private Tournament: Rocco's Rumble
Password: time2rumble (all one word, lowercase)
- The Buyin is $10+1 with a $2 Knockout Bounty per person.
- The game is Pot Limit HA (Holdem and Omaha Hi)
- It's a Double stack tourney, we will start with 3000 chips
So please come out this Saturday at 8:00pm and let's kick off this tournament with a bang.
-Rocco
Monday, March 17, 2008
Omaha High/Low
Today I got my daily tournament fix.. this time in another non-holdem game... and at 10:15 am I jumped into a $10+1 Pot Limit Omaha High/Low Tournament. With a total of 89 players and double stacks.. I was basically for a long grind.. considering all the split pots we were going to deal with.
I began the tournament with a plan: Play small pots!!!! I decided to play extremely tight early so that everyone at my table understands I'm not screwing around. So I folded the majority of my hands until I picked up an A-2 suited at the minimum.. usually with a hand like A-2-J-10 being a great one. I slowly built up my chips with a combination of playing good cards and making solid plays. There was one guy to my right who played way too aggressive and tried stealing in obvious spots.. making me able to call a pot-sized raise pre-flop and pot-sized bet on this flop: The turn and river were checked down:
By the time we got down to the final 40 players, I was the chip leader at 120/240 with over 17k. I keep playing my game and stayed within the top 5 in chips all the way to the final table.. where things went a little crazy.
I started the Final table (they paid top 9 spots so I'm in the money) with 25,000 chips.. which was 5th place at the time. After the first short stack busted, I got involved in a huge hand. I didn't capture the screenshot.. but basically I raised with A-A-Q-Q of hearts and spades.. got one caller. Flop comes K-7-5 all spades. We get it all-in on the flop and it's over.. with the blinds and the knockout.. we are down to seven players and I again retake the chip lead:
Numbers 7, 6 and 5 all went out within the next few minutes and it came down to a brutal four-way duel at 1500/3000 blinds where I had about 80k, and everyone else had an average of 40-50k. After getting up to about 95,000 chips... the blinds go up to 2000/4000 and I go card dead. Will_B_D started stealing every single round because both the other two players were playing scared and folding every hand. So with about 53k left, I'm in the big blind and Will raises to 12,000. I re-raise the pot, making it 38,000 to go... leaving me with only 15,000 behind. Will calls.
Now the screenshot of the this hand is below.. but you have to appreciate something.. I pushed all-in on the flop with my remaining 15k and Will_B_D called me with Ace high and no low draw... but I will admit.. there was about 80k in the pot and it was only 15k for him to call... but even so.. he calls with nothing...
So, yea... he cracked an 8 on the river to bust me... but look at how sick this is for this guy to call me in this spot...
I pushed all-in with sevens and they were GOOD! Oh I'm so salty that I finished 4th.. didn't even top three it. I got $97.90 for my troubles.. but I wanted that bracelet baby!!!
So, in the past few days... I've gone deep into a Razz and PL Omaha Hi/Lo tourney.. and it's got me thinking.. I should play more non-holdem games. The fields are smaller and I believe my edge is far greater. And without the "All-in" weapon, players simply have to try and actually play their way through a tournament.. not just push all-in like maniacs.
-Rocco
I began the tournament with a plan: Play small pots!!!! I decided to play extremely tight early so that everyone at my table understands I'm not screwing around. So I folded the majority of my hands until I picked up an A-2 suited at the minimum.. usually with a hand like A-2-J-10 being a great one. I slowly built up my chips with a combination of playing good cards and making solid plays. There was one guy to my right who played way too aggressive and tried stealing in obvious spots.. making me able to call a pot-sized raise pre-flop and pot-sized bet on this flop: The turn and river were checked down:
By the time we got down to the final 40 players, I was the chip leader at 120/240 with over 17k. I keep playing my game and stayed within the top 5 in chips all the way to the final table.. where things went a little crazy.
I started the Final table (they paid top 9 spots so I'm in the money) with 25,000 chips.. which was 5th place at the time. After the first short stack busted, I got involved in a huge hand. I didn't capture the screenshot.. but basically I raised with A-A-Q-Q of hearts and spades.. got one caller. Flop comes K-7-5 all spades. We get it all-in on the flop and it's over.. with the blinds and the knockout.. we are down to seven players and I again retake the chip lead:
Numbers 7, 6 and 5 all went out within the next few minutes and it came down to a brutal four-way duel at 1500/3000 blinds where I had about 80k, and everyone else had an average of 40-50k. After getting up to about 95,000 chips... the blinds go up to 2000/4000 and I go card dead. Will_B_D started stealing every single round because both the other two players were playing scared and folding every hand. So with about 53k left, I'm in the big blind and Will raises to 12,000. I re-raise the pot, making it 38,000 to go... leaving me with only 15,000 behind. Will calls.Now the screenshot of the this hand is below.. but you have to appreciate something.. I pushed all-in on the flop with my remaining 15k and Will_B_D called me with Ace high and no low draw... but I will admit.. there was about 80k in the pot and it was only 15k for him to call... but even so.. he calls with nothing...
So, yea... he cracked an 8 on the river to bust me... but look at how sick this is for this guy to call me in this spot...
I pushed all-in with sevens and they were GOOD! Oh I'm so salty that I finished 4th.. didn't even top three it. I got $97.90 for my troubles.. but I wanted that bracelet baby!!!So, in the past few days... I've gone deep into a Razz and PL Omaha Hi/Lo tourney.. and it's got me thinking.. I should play more non-holdem games. The fields are smaller and I believe my edge is far greater. And without the "All-in" weapon, players simply have to try and actually play their way through a tournament.. not just push all-in like maniacs.
-Rocco
Weekend Update
I've been taking a look at my multi-table tournament game recently, making sure I'm making that I'm doing my best to make all the right decisions at all the right times. I guess most players probably do the same, but I tend to go through stretches where I get into more of a "tournament mode" or a "cash game mode." For most of this year, I've focused on mostly cash games.. but there are some nice scores to be made by going deep and winning the right tournaments. So for all intensive purposes, I've been trying to work on my tournament strategies and hopefully take down a big one.
I was able to freeroll my way into the FTOPS Main Event by placing in the top 72 out of 3600.. which was a tall task.. but I still haven't been able to go deep in a money event and cash for a significant profit so far in my poker career.
According to the pokerdb on Bluff Magazine, on Full Tilt under my screen name roccav, my multi-table tourney results are:
Total Winnings: $240.17
Biggest Cash: $106
Biggest Buy-in: $500 (which was freerolled because I satellited into the Main Event)
Avg. Cash: $30.02
Wins: 0
Seconds: 0
Thirds: 0
Final Tables: 3 (6.98%)
Cashes: 8 (18.60%)
Total Played: 43
Avg. Field Size: 697
Avg. Finish 45/100
Longest Non-Cash Streak: 10
I am slightly frusterated that I have yet to crack the top three in a big tournament. I want to believe it has to do with bad luck.. but I'm not sure yet. My sample is kind of small.. and I am cashing at a solid rate so far.. so it could be that I just haven't gotten the right situations at the right times.
For example, I played in Saturday's $2000 guarantee $24+2 buyin Razz event. There were 92 players and I felt I played very well. I was in the top 10 in chips for most of the tournament.. and when we got down to about 35 players.. my cards went as cold as they go. The best hand I saw that I tried to steal with in the late stages was a 239 with the 9 as my door card. A Queen brought it in, everyone folded to me two seats to his right. There's an 8 up in between us but I raise. The 8-up calls, bring-in folds and I proceed to catch a K and Q on the next to cards (which I saw for one small bet) as my opponent catches an A and 2. I lost 1/4 of my chips because the bets/antes were so high. I ended up placing 17th.. 12 spots were paid.
If anyone has input on my stats, I'd love to hear it. I feel that I play very well in the early stages of any size tournament, playing any game. But I do feel that I can be doing more in the middle stages, where everyone is making basically life or death situations.. If you've been through this kind of cold spell.. or the feeling of it, I would enjoy your ideas on the subject.
- Rocco
I was able to freeroll my way into the FTOPS Main Event by placing in the top 72 out of 3600.. which was a tall task.. but I still haven't been able to go deep in a money event and cash for a significant profit so far in my poker career.
According to the pokerdb on Bluff Magazine, on Full Tilt under my screen name roccav, my multi-table tourney results are:
Total Winnings: $240.17
Biggest Cash: $106
Biggest Buy-in: $500 (which was freerolled because I satellited into the Main Event)
Avg. Cash: $30.02
Wins: 0
Seconds: 0
Thirds: 0
Final Tables: 3 (6.98%)
Cashes: 8 (18.60%)
Total Played: 43
Avg. Field Size: 697
Avg. Finish 45/100
Longest Non-Cash Streak: 10
I am slightly frusterated that I have yet to crack the top three in a big tournament. I want to believe it has to do with bad luck.. but I'm not sure yet. My sample is kind of small.. and I am cashing at a solid rate so far.. so it could be that I just haven't gotten the right situations at the right times.
For example, I played in Saturday's $2000 guarantee $24+2 buyin Razz event. There were 92 players and I felt I played very well. I was in the top 10 in chips for most of the tournament.. and when we got down to about 35 players.. my cards went as cold as they go. The best hand I saw that I tried to steal with in the late stages was a 239 with the 9 as my door card. A Queen brought it in, everyone folded to me two seats to his right. There's an 8 up in between us but I raise. The 8-up calls, bring-in folds and I proceed to catch a K and Q on the next to cards (which I saw for one small bet) as my opponent catches an A and 2. I lost 1/4 of my chips because the bets/antes were so high. I ended up placing 17th.. 12 spots were paid.
If anyone has input on my stats, I'd love to hear it. I feel that I play very well in the early stages of any size tournament, playing any game. But I do feel that I can be doing more in the middle stages, where everyone is making basically life or death situations.. If you've been through this kind of cold spell.. or the feeling of it, I would enjoy your ideas on the subject.
- Rocco
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Been a Minute - Upcoming Tournament!
It's been a while since my last post.. life has been busy as hell..
As for all things poker in my life, here's the update. Haven't been playing live hardly at all recently.. I played Kori's $80 rebuy tournament and one cash game at AltronIV's place two weeks ago. Didn't do particularly well in either one.
Online, however, things are going pretty well. Now in my 4th month back on Full Tilt, I'm $500 in the green.
Now, one more new thing that I'd like everyone who reads this blog to know: Following in thebmorekid's footsteps, I will be hosting a weekly tournament on Full Tilt.
The game will be called Rocco's Rumble and it is a HA (Holdem/Omaha) Pot Limit, $10+1 buy-in, starting with 3,000 chips (Double Stack). It will be a Knockout Tournament
For this weekly event, I will be keeping track of a Money Leaderboard, Knockout Leaderboard and several other minor stats depending on turnout..
As of now, I've put in a request to FTP about doing the tourney on Saturday nights at 8:00pm. When it goes through and becomes official.. I'll post the date on the blog.
As for all things poker in my life, here's the update. Haven't been playing live hardly at all recently.. I played Kori's $80 rebuy tournament and one cash game at AltronIV's place two weeks ago. Didn't do particularly well in either one.
Online, however, things are going pretty well. Now in my 4th month back on Full Tilt, I'm $500 in the green.
Now, one more new thing that I'd like everyone who reads this blog to know: Following in thebmorekid's footsteps, I will be hosting a weekly tournament on Full Tilt.
The game will be called Rocco's Rumble and it is a HA (Holdem/Omaha) Pot Limit, $10+1 buy-in, starting with 3,000 chips (Double Stack). It will be a Knockout Tournament
For this weekly event, I will be keeping track of a Money Leaderboard, Knockout Leaderboard and several other minor stats depending on turnout..
As of now, I've put in a request to FTP about doing the tourney on Saturday nights at 8:00pm. When it goes through and becomes official.. I'll post the date on the blog.
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