I Take a Week Off and See What Happens

I’m going to actually write about poker today. It has been a while so stick with me as I bring back a long forgotten aspect of my writing to the top of the page.

I arrived home last night around 10 minutes to 6:00 and chatted with the family as I always do. My oldest had a sore back, the middle child was as usual and my son had soccer practice at 6:00 so Mrs. PE was leaving with him. They had already eaten supper so I threw in a frozen pizza and turned on the Cubs game for an evening of baseball. At around quarter after 6:00 I opened the laptop to see if anyone was playing and made the decision to jump into the PLO tourney that had just started. I figured I would kill some time in between pitches and see if the lemurs could out catch me yet again.

The craziness of this tourney is such that two players at my table had 14K within the first 30 minutes of the tourney. I have one of them tagged as an idiot and I am more than willing to play some connecting hands against him because he doesn’t know how to fold.

Seat 4: numainville (14,472)
Seat 6: pokerenthusiast (1,635)
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to pokerenthusiast [Ks 8c Kc 9h]
numainville calls 60
pokerenthusiast calls 60
*** FLOP *** [Kh 3d 7s]
pokerenthusiast bets 360
numainville calls 360

I figure he is drawing to a straight or maybe flopped two pair.

*** TURN *** [Kh 3d 7s] [6c]
numainville checks
pokerenthusiast bets 1,080
numainville raises to 2,160
pokerenthusiast calls 135, and is all in
numainville shows [4s 6d Ad 3h]
pokerenthusiast shows [Ks 8c Kc 9h]
Uncalled bet of 945 returned to numainville

Now I understand he has a big stack but only has two pair and is drawing dead.

*** RIVER *** [Kh 3d 7s 6c] [Qs]
numainville shows two pair, Sixes and Threes
pokerenthusiast shows three of a kind, Kings
pokerenthusiast wins the pot (3,510) with three of a kind, Kings
*** SUMMARY ***

This was a nice way to get started. And on the very next hand I find something else I wanted to play.

Seat 2: FLOP_IT ONCE (13,498)
Seat 4: numainville (12,837)
Seat 5: Vedda76 (1,068)
Seat 6: pokerenthusiast (3,510)
Seat 8: XBooZeRX (9,323)
Seat 9: usmctop (4,277)
XBooZeRX posts the small blind of 30
usmctop posts the big blind of 60
The button is in seat #7
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to pokerenthusiast [Jd Ts Jc 9s]
FLOP_IT ONCE calls 60
numainville calls 60
Vedda76 calls 60
pokerenthusiast calls 60
XBooZeRX calls 30
usmctop checks

I love this type of hand in PLO. It gives you a lot of options but you can also get away from it.

*** FLOP *** [6c Ad Jh]
XBooZeRX checks
usmctop checks
FLOP_IT ONCE checks
numainville checks
egasVedda76 bets 360
pokerenthusiast calls 360
XBooZeRX calls 360
usmctop folds
FLOP_IT ONCE folds
numainville folds

I have middle set but figure I’m ahead of these guys. I’m not ready to commit all of my chips yet because I don’t have the nut and there is a scary draw.

*** TURN *** [6c Ad Jh] [Ks]
XBooZeRX checks
Vedda76 bets 648, and is all in
pokerenthusiast has 15 seconds left to act
pokerenthusiast calls 648
XBooZeRX calls 648

I’m getting 3-1 on a short stack and 4-1 if the last players calls. I have 4 clean outs to the straight may have boat outs. Not sure if this was the right call here.

*** RIVER *** [6c Ad Jh Ks] [Qh]
XBooZeRX checks
Gopin2nd has returned
pokerenthusiast bets 2,442, and is all in
XBooZeRX has 15 seconds left to act
XBooZeRX calls 2,442

I hit the nut and get called.

*** SHOW DOWN ***
pokerenthusiast shows [Jd Ts Jc 9s] a straight, Ace high
XBooZeRX mucks
pokerenthusiast wins the side pot (4,884) with a straight, Ace high
Vedda76 mucks
pokerenthusiast wins the main pot (3,384) with a straight, Ace high
Vedda76 stands up
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 8,268 Main pot 3,384. Side pot 4,884. | Rake 0
Board: [6c Ad Jh Ks Qh]
Seat 5: Vedda76 mucked [6d 6s 3c 5s] -
Seat 6: pokerenthusiast showed [Jd Ts Jc 9s] and won (8,268) with a straight, Ace high
Seat Seat 8: XBooZeRX (small blind) mucked [7h Ac 3s Qc] - two pair, Aces and Queens

As it turned out I was sitting with gold.

I stayed out of harms way for a while until I found AAxx and called from position. This was another hand with a big stack guy who like to push chips around.

Seat 2: FLOP_IT ONCE (16,031)
Seat 4: brc77 (16,110)
Seat 6: pokerenthusiast (7,258)
pokerenthusiast posts the small blind of 50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to pokerenthusiast [As Ac Ts 7h]
FLOP_IT ONCE raises to 350
brc77 calls 350
pokerenthusiast calls 300

I really just want to see a flop. If it hits me well I stay.

*** FLOP *** [Ah 9h Qd]
pokerenthusiast checks
FLOP_IT ONCE bets 575
brc77 calls 575
pokerenthusiast calls 575

I have the best hand but many cards that will kill me hand. I call in hopes that the board pairs.

*** TURN *** [Ah 9h Qd] [Kc]
pokerenthusiast checks
FLOP_IT ONCE bets 2,875
brc77 folds
pokerenthusiast has 15 seconds left to act
pokerenthusiast calls 2,875

I’m thinking he has a possible straight but maybe betting a draw.

*** RIVER *** [Ah 9h Qd Kc] [9d]
pokerenthusiast checks
FLOP_IT ONCE bets 8,625
pokerenthusiast calls 3,458, and is all in
Uncalled bet of 5,167 returned to FLOP_IT ONCE
*** SHOW DOWN ***
FLOP_IT ONCE shows [3h Kh Ks 3c] a full house, Kings full of Nines
pokerenthusiast shows [As Ac Ts 7h] a full house, Aces full of Nines
pokerenthusiast wins the pot (15,541) with a full house, Aces full of Nines

*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 15,541 | Rake 0
Board: [Ah 9h Qd Kc 9d]
Seat 2: FLOP_IT ONCE showed [3h Kh Ks 3c] and lost with a full house, Kings full of Nines
Seat 6: pokerenthusiast (small blind) showed [As Ac Ts 7h] and won (15,541) with a full house, Aces full of Nines

His set of kings was unlucky and he did have the heart redraw. I’ll take the chips.

As the rest of the second hour went by, I bled some chips and started the 3rd hour with just under 12K

Time started to slip away. I was looking for some hands to play that would help me chip up but they avoided me. I slowly drifted down into the 8K zone before seeing a free flop from the BB.

Seat 3: TwoPairTim (8,736)
Seat 4: sdrapak (24,230)
Seat 6: CommanderDan (4,791)
Seat 7: pokerenthusiast (7,971)
CommanderDan posts the small blind of 500
pokerenthusiast posts the big blind of 1,000
The button is in seat #5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to pokerenthusiast [Kh Qs 4d Jd]
TwoPairTim calls 1,000
sdrapak calls 1,000
WideOn has 15 seconds left to act
CommanderDan calls 500
pokerenthusiast checks

I can work with hand I’m hoping to hit good.

*** FLOP *** [Tc Qd 5s]
CommanderDan checks
pokerenthusiast checks
TwoPairTim checks
sdrapak bets 1,000
CommanderDan folds
pokerenthusiast calls 1,000
TwoPairTim calls 1,000

I’m not running from this hand
*** TURN *** [Tc Qd 5s] [Kc]
pokerenthusiast checks
TwoPairTim checks
sdrapak checks

Free cards are good.

*** RIVER *** [Tc Qd 5s Kc] [Kd]
pokerenthusiast bets 4,000
TwoPairTim raises to 6,736, and is all in
sdrapak has 15 seconds left to act
sdrapak folds
pokerenthusiast calls 1,971, and is all in
Uncalled bet of 765 returned to TwoPairTim

I hit the nut and get paid.

*** SHOW DOWN ***
TwoPairTim shows [2c Ad Js Jh] a straight, Ace high
pokerenthusiast shows [Kh Qs 4d Jd] a full house, Kings full of Queens
pokerenthusiast wins the pot (18,942) with a full house, Kings full of Queens

He waited to get his money in behind. I’m not sure I fold if he bests the turn.

So now I have chips again and we approach the final table. I have good reads on the players at my table as well as a couple from the other table so I just want to be in a position get deeper…and I’m there. As we get to the final table bubble, I bust the 10th place guy and have 35K as the final begins.

Early on I limp in with a nice connecting hand.

Seat 3: pokerenthusiast (35,858)
Seat 6: oraslerapas (84,334)
Seat 7: ilvolpe (12,004)
Seat 8: WideOn (42,104)
ilvolpe posts the small blind of 800
WideOn posts the big blind of 1,600
The button is in seat #6
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to pokerenthusiast [Jh 9c Tc Jd]
unit15 has 15 seconds left to act
unit15 folds
EVIL YODA folds
CR_ROC folds
pokerenthusiast calls 1,600
tylaur folds
oraslerapas calls 1,600
ilvolpe calls 800
WideOn checks
*** FLOP *** [Ac Qs Kc]
ilvolpe checks
WideOn bets 1,600
pokerenthusiast calls 1,600
oraslerapas calls 1,600
ilvolpe calls 1,600

I flop the nut. Now my hand is vulnerable to combinations of two pair but I want to build up the pot a little so I only call. I probably should have raised.

*** TURN *** [Ac Qs Kc] [3d]
ilvolpe checks
WideOn bets 1,600
pokerenthusiast calls 1,600
oraslerapas calls 1,600
ilvolpe calls 1,600

I still have the best of it and wait for a little more money to get into the pot…should have raised it here.

*** RIVER *** [Ac Qs Kc 3d] [9s]
ilvolpe checks
WideOn bets 4,800
pokerenthusiast has 15 seconds left to act
pokerenthusiast raises to 31,058, and is all in
oraslerapas folds
ilvolpe folds
WideOn folds
Uncalled bet of 26,258 returned to pokerenthusiast
pokerenthusiast mucks
pokerenthusiast wins the pot (28,800)

Now that I have the nut I re-pop it. It might have been better to call and see if someone else puts money in.

The big stack has been on a mission to bust everyone and has accumulated over half the chips in play. I have not backed off and have chipped up into a nice 2nd place spot but with 100K less chips than him.

Seat 2: CR_ROC (26,728)
Seat 3: pokerenthusiast (73,358)
Seat 5: tylaur (41,859)
Seat 6: oraslerapas (170,055)
oraslerapas posts the small blind of 1,500
CR_ROC posts the big blind of 3,000
The button is in seat #5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to pokerenthusiast [Ah Ad 7s 9s]
pokerenthusiast raises to 10,500
tylaur folds
oraslerapas folds
CR_ROC raises to 26,728, and is all in
pokerenthusiast calls 16,228
CR_ROC shows [7c Js Jd 5h]
pokerenthusiast shows [Ah Ad 7s 9s]
*** FLOP *** [9c 7d 2h]
*** TURN *** [9c 7d 2h] [6s]
*** RIVER *** [9c 7d 2h 6s] [Qd]
CR_ROC shows a pair of Jacks
pokerenthusiast shows two pair, Nines and Sevens
pokerenthusiast wins the pot (54,956) with two pair, Nines and Sevens
CR_ROC is sitting out
CR_ROC stands up

Now I have the ability to put a hurt on the chip leader. The 3rd place guy has been looking for positions to get involved but only with strong hands…he has been very predictable. The chip leader has splashed around a bit and likes to put pressure on you. My plan was to attack the small stack as much as possible but I received a gift from the big stack and took over the chip lead. From there I turned up the aggression a bit and chipped up to about 140K when this hand came up.

Seat 3: pokerenthusiast (139,586)
Seat 5: tylaur (66,859)
Seat 6: oraslerapas (105,555)
oraslerapas posts the small blind of 2,500
pokerenthusiast posts the big blind of 5,000
The button is in seat #5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to pokerenthusiast [2d 3s Th Ah]
tylaur folds
oraslerapas raises to 10,000
pokerenthusiast calls 5,000

This hand is as good as any to call a min-raise.

*** FLOP *** [2s 3c 8d]
oraslerapas bets 10,000
pokerenthusiast calls 10,000

Flopping 2 pair is nice. I feel good about my hand but I’m not ready to commit a ton of chips yet. He keeps the aggression going.

*** TURN *** [2s 3c 8d] [4s]
oraslerapas bets 10,000
pokerenthusiast calls 10,000

I now have a straight draw to go with my two pair. I’m probably ahead but I’m not sure…not willing to commit my stack yet/

*** RIVER *** [2s 3c 8d 4s] [2h]
oraslerapas bets 60,000
pokerenthusiast raises to 109,586, and is all in
oraslerapas has 15 seconds left to act
oraslerapas folds
Uncalled bet of 49,586 returned to pokerenthusiast
InstantTragedy (Observer): Booooooooooooooooooooommm
pokerenthusiast shows [2d 3s Th Ah] a full house, Twos full of Threes
pokerenthusiast wins the pot (180,000)

I hit the boat and he pushes into me. I think he needs 88 or 44 to be in the lead because I just can’t put him on the last two 3s. Funny thing is…he folded my re-push to leave him with 15K.

This is about the time I melted down a bit. I doubled each player and eventually the chip stacks were 70K each for the other two players. But then we got to heads up.

Seat 3: pokerenthusiast (168,562)
Seat 5: tylaur (143,438)

Within 4 hands we had all are chips in the middle.

Seat 3: pokerenthusiast (155,562)
Seat 5: tylaur (156,438)
tylaur posts the small blind of 3,000
pokerenthusiast posts the big blind of 6,000
The button is in seat #5
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to pokerenthusiast [Kd 8h Ks 2h]
tylaur calls 3,000
pokerenthusiast checks

Check with my kings. Hoping to go after a bigger pot.

*** FLOP *** [Kc Jh 6c]
pokerenthusiast checks
tylaur bets 12,000
pokerenthusiast raises to 36,000
tylaur raises to 120,000
pokerenthusiast raises to 149,562, and is all in
tylaur calls 29,562
pokerenthusiast shows [Kd 8h Ks 2h]
tylaur shows [Ah As 5d Th]

I hit the set and he surprises me by betting. When we get it all in I was very happy to see my lead and even more happy that it held up. A few hands later it was over.

*** TURN *** [Kc Jh 6c] [Tc]
*** RIVER *** [Kc Jh 6c Tc] [Js]
pokerenthusiast shows a full house, Kings full of Jacks
tylaur shows two pair, Aces and Jacks
pokerenthusiast wins the pot (311,124) with a full house, Kings full of Jacks

So there you have it…A brag post about a low buy-in game.