Building the Bankroll

Useful

2008-10-22T19:07:00.000-07:00

This old blog came in handy today. I'm in my usual position of being both money starved and wanting a new job, so I was updating my resume. I needed specific dates, and came here on a hunch.
I was able to learn when I got hired at Child Support Enforcement and when I got fired! I didn't put it on my resume, but I also found when I got hired at Carrabba's Italian Grill.
For shits and giggles, I got hired at Posados Cafe in early September, 2008. Just in case I forget later.
I still suck at poker.

OT: Thumbs Up for Rudeness

2008-04-24T06:34:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it feels so good to be rude.
Tuesday I was sitting in a cramped lecture hall. Robert Rodriguez, a former UT film student, was speaking, and he drew quite a crowd. I had gotten there early, and there was a classmate on my left. To her left, was an empty seat.
Well, things are about to get started when a chick comes strolling down the aisle. I pull up my feet to let her pass, but she elects to sit in the empty seat on my right. A few minutes later,, she turns to me.
"Maybe we should scoot down so people won't have to stand in the aisles," she says.
"Maybe," I allow.
But I shrug it off. They can make their way down the aisle to the seat just like the girl got to hers if they really want to sit. Whatever, no big deal.
So Rodriguez gets started, and he's really interesting. I hate celebrity worship, but he's worth listening to. Anyway, I'm in my own little listening zone, when tap*tap*tap
"Hey," the girl says. "Can you do me a really big favor and just scoot over so someone else can sit down. They're all having to stand."
I smile.
"No. I don't care," I say. "No."
She looks at me in disgusted shock. (At least, that's what I think I saw out of the corner of my eye. I was looking straight ahead, trying to pretend she didn't exist.)
Scooting over will entail asking my classmate to scoot over and then being part of a whole row's disorderly shift as Rodriguez tries to speak. Fuck that.
And it got me to thinking.
I bet she's a liberal.
I don't mean that as an insult to liberals, but the whole situation seemed like a microcosm of the liberal/conservative rift. So, for argument's sake. I'm a conservative.
She was the bleeding heart that wanted me to go out of my way to help people whom I have no obligation to help. She could have crossed past me in the very beginning, sat in the row's middle seat and left open a more accessible seat, but she chose to sit at the first available seat. Then she started asking me to better the overall situation.
Me, I got there early, sat where I wanted to sit and had my shit together. There were probably 30 people sitting or standing in the aisles, and they all had one thing in common: They got there late. So I was the typical uncompassionate conservative. I had no interest in going out of my way, and asking my classmate to go out of her way just so that one person out of 30 might win a surprise game of musical chairs and wind up with a seat.
Seems fair enough to me.

Live Blogging a $30+3 DS - Game Over

2008-04-05T04:16:00.000-07:00

Me sucking at poker caught up with me.
That second AK hand really hurt me. He says he had 99, and I believe him. I didn't push PF because I'm... silly...

I lost on this hand, which I don't hate too much, truth be told.

PokerStars Game #16499819242: Tournament #83434420, $30+$3 Hold'em No Limit - Level X (400/800) - 2008/04/05 - 07:14:41 (ET)
Table '83434420 11' 9-max Seat #3 is the button
Seat 1: fnriverrat (51553 in chips)
Seat 2: snakey814 (12085 in chips)
Seat 3: Nevr2LTE (25070 in chips)
Seat 4: JJ Half Dome (10632 in chips)
Seat 5: BurntOrnge (10710 in chips)
Seat 6: wmcattee (10841 in chips)
Seat 7: Tuna227 (34045 in chips)
Seat 8: Dbelgiumboy (18345 in chips)
Seat 9: LiMa171 (72346 in chips)
fnriverrat: posts the ante 75
snakey814: posts the ante 75
Nevr2LTE: posts the ante 75
JJ Half Dome: posts the ante 75
BurntOrnge: posts the ante 75
wmcattee: posts the ante 75
Tuna227: posts the ante 75
Dbelgiumboy: posts the ante 75
LiMa171: posts the ante 75
JJ Half Dome: posts small blind 400
BurntOrnge: posts big blind 800
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Ts Qh]
LiMa171 said, "9 9"
wmcattee: folds
Tuna227: folds
Dbelgiumboy: folds
LiMa171: raises 1600 to 2400
fnriverrat: folds
snakey814: folds
Nevr2LTE: folds
JJ Half Dome: folds
BurntOrnge: calls 1600
*** FLOP *** [9h Jh 6c]
BurntOrnge: bets 8235 and is all-in
LiMa171: calls 8235
*** TURN *** [9h Jh 6c] [Th]
*** RIVER *** [9h Jh 6c Th] [2h]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BurntOrnge: shows [Ts Qh] (a flush, Queen high)
LiMa171: shows [Ad Ah] (a flush, Ace high)
LiMa171 collected 22345 from pot
LiMa171 said, "sry"
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 22345 | Rake 0
Board [9h Jh 6c Th 2h]
Seat 1: fnriverrat folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: snakey814 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Nevr2LTE (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: JJ Half Dome (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 5: BurntOrnge (big blind) showed [Ts Qh] and lost with a flush, Queen high
Seat 6: wmcattee folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: Tuna227 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: Dbelgiumboy folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: LiMa171 showed [Ad Ah] and won (22345) with a flush, Ace high

End of the day, I played a few hours of poker, lost more money than my BR appreciates and finished in a meaningless 26th-of-171.
K. Al Terego was nice enough to watch for awhile, and he was running Tournament Indicator.

It tagged me as an "Eagle."

I can fly...

Live Blogging a $30+3 DS

2008-04-04T23:16:00.000-07:00

We're down to 27 players. I'm in 22nd place. I'm feeling nervous because I haven't played a hand in forever, but I need to chillax. Compared to where I've been, I'm doing spectacularly.
Just play poker.

Well there's a hand that could've been my last. I was in the SB with AKo and three limpers. I pushed 20xBB. Everyone folded.

And then I played AK like I was afraid of not making the money and I lost a few thousand chips.

RESET

It's 6:11 a.m.

*******************************************************************

Another break, and I'm still alive.
That was a really slow patch for me though. I stole blinds from MP with KJo on the second-to-last hand before the break, and I'm at 14K.

Since my last post, only one player has been eliminated. The blinds will jump now of course, but I don't think that players are going to fall by the wayside at a quick pace.
Not yet, and not for awhile.

It's 5:37 a.m.

*******************************************************************

By my nonsensical reckoning, we are now half-way to the money.
What that means is, half the remaining players get paid. There are 36 left; 18 places pay.

It's 5:19 a.m.

*******************************************************************

Fear of DeOhGee, a desire to win a hand off him and a fortuitous flop just won me a nice little hand.

The fear came first. I had J8o when it folded to me in the SB. I wanted to just raise, but I've done that to him before and I was afraid he'd play back at me. I wasn't going to fold, partially because I wanted to play him in a HU hand and make an effort to restore some of the dignity he stole from me.
I flopped top pair. He flopped second pair. What can you do? We both played it "right," I think.

PokerStars Game #16499170843: Tournament #83434420, $30+$3 Hold'em No Limit - Level VIII (200/400) - 2008/04/05 - 06:11:54 (ET)
Table '83434420 11' 9-max Seat #3 is the button
Seat 1: fnriverrat (59428 in chips)
Seat 2: snakey814 (17045 in chips)
Seat 3: Nevr2LTE (16160 in chips)
Seat 5: BurntOrnge (14060 in chips)
Seat 6: DeOhGee (27606 in chips)
Seat 7: Nestor-CR (27945 in chips)
Seat 8: Dbelgiumboy (11835 in chips)
fnriverrat: posts the ante 25
snakey814: posts the ante 25
Nevr2LTE: posts the ante 25
BurntOrnge: posts the ante 25
DeOhGee: posts the ante 25
Nestor-CR: posts the ante 25
Dbelgiumboy: posts the ante 25
BurntOrnge: posts small blind 200
DeOhGee: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Jc 8h]
Nestor-CR: folds
Dbelgiumboy: folds
fnriverrat: folds
snakey814: folds
Nevr2LTE: folds
BurntOrnge: calls 200
DeOhGee: checks
*** FLOP *** [Js 7c 3s]
BurntOrnge: bets 600
DeOhGee: calls 600
*** TURN *** [Js 7c 3s] [3d]
BurntOrnge: bets 1200
DeOhGee: calls 1200
*** RIVER *** [Js 7c 3s 3d] [4h]
BurntOrnge: checks
DeOhGee: checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BurntOrnge: shows [Jc 8h] (two pair, Jacks and Threes)
DeOhGee: mucks hand
BurntOrnge collected 4575 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 4575 | Rake 0
Board [Js 7c 3s 3d 4h]
Seat 1: fnriverrat folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: snakey814 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Nevr2LTE (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: BurntOrnge (small blind) showed [Jc 8h] and won (4575) with two pair, Jacks and Threes
Seat 6: DeOhGee (big blind) mucked [Qd 7s]
Seat 7: Nestor-CR folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: Dbelgiumboy folded before Flop (didn't bet)

I should point out though that he has shown himself to be quite the player, so to speak. Having him on my left has not been a blessing.

It is 5:16 a.m.

*******************************************************************

I won a rare hand postflop without seeing a showdown, and it was a doozy.
I was tempted to fold my TT pre-flop, cuz I'm weak like that, but I decided to call. Then the guy on my right called, so I was even more ok with calling.
As long as I flopped a set.

PokerStars Game #16499003753: Tournament #83434420, $30+$3 Hold'em No Limit - Level VII (150/300) - 2008/04/05 - 05:55:00 (ET)
Table '83434420 11' 9-max Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: fnriverrat (44243 in chips)
Seat 2: snakey814 (13770 in chips)
Seat 3: Nevr2LTE (13860 in chips)
Seat 4: ptitevoix (9915 in chips)
Seat 5: BurntOrnge (13685 in chips)
Seat 6: DeOhGee (33156 in chips)
Seat 7: Nestor-CR (19970 in chips)
Seat 8: Big Nucka (7595 in chips)
Seat 9: ethansky (4950 in chips)
fnriverrat: posts the ante 25
snakey814: posts the ante 25
Nevr2LTE: posts the ante 25
ptitevoix: posts the ante 25
BurntOrnge: posts the ante 25
DeOhGee: posts the ante 25
Nestor-CR: posts the ante 25
Big Nucka: posts the ante 25
ethansky: posts the ante 25
Nestor-CR: posts small blind 150
Big Nucka: posts big blind 300
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Tc Th]
ethansky: folds
fnriverrat: folds
snakey814: folds
Nevr2LTE: raises 900 to 1200
ptitevoix: calls 1200
BurntOrnge: calls 1200
DeOhGee: folds
Nestor-CR: folds
Big Nucka: folds
*** FLOP *** [Ah As 8s]
Nevr2LTE: checks
ptitevoix: checks
BurntOrnge: bets 2275
Nevr2LTE: folds
ptitevoix: folds
BurntOrnge collected 4275 from pot
BurntOrnge: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 4275 | Rake 0
Board [Ah As 8s]
Seat 1: fnriverrat folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: snakey814 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Nevr2LTE folded on the Flop
Seat 4: ptitevoix folded on the Flop
Seat 5: BurntOrnge collected (4275)
Seat 6: DeOhGee (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: Nestor-CR (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 8: Big Nucka (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 9: ethansky folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Obviously, I didn't get the flop I wanted but as soon as I saw those aces, I was interested. If it checked to me... surely they won't slowplay an ace with a flush draw out, three-way action and an already sizeable pot.
Surely not. I had to bet at it.

Apparently, TT was good.

It's 5:00 a.m.

*******************************************************************

Let's play some poker.
I played another hand beautifully (by finding KK on the button with a raise and re-raise in front) and I'm up to 14K.
Of course, I'm still below average, but you won't hear me complain.

PokerStars Game #16498896672: Tournament #83434420, $30+$3 Hold'em No Limit - Level VII (150/300) - 2008/04/05 - 05:44:04 (ET)
Table '83434420 11' 9-max Seat #5 is the button
Seat 1: fnriverrat (50823 in chips)
Seat 3: Nevr2LTE (15385 in chips)
Seat 4: ptitevoix (13615 in chips)
Seat 5: BurntOrnge (6580 in chips)
Seat 6: DeOhGee (28181 in chips)
Seat 7: Nestor-CR (17395 in chips)
Seat 8: Big Nucka (8295 in chips)
Seat 9: ethansky (8050 in chips)
fnriverrat: posts the ante 25
Nevr2LTE: posts the ante 25
ptitevoix: posts the ante 25
BurntOrnge: posts the ante 25
DeOhGee: posts the ante 25
Nestor-CR: posts the ante 25
Big Nucka: posts the ante 25
ethansky: posts the ante 25
DeOhGee: posts small blind 150
Nestor-CR: posts big blind 300
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Ks Kh]
Big Nucka: folds
ethansky: raises 600 to 900
fnriverrat: raises 900 to 1800
Nevr2LTE: folds
ptitevoix: folds
BurntOrnge: raises 4755 to 6555 and is all-in
DeOhGee: folds
Nestor-CR: folds
ethansky: folds
fnriverrat: calls 4755
*** FLOP *** [2h 5d 8h]
*** TURN *** [2h 5d 8h] [3c]
*** RIVER *** [2h 5d 8h 3c] [2c]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
fnriverrat: shows [Ah Kd] (a pair of Deuces)
BurntOrnge: shows [Ks Kh] (two pair, Kings and Deuces)
BurntOrnge collected 14660 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 14660 | Rake 0
Board [2h 5d 8h 3c 2c]
Seat 1: fnriverrat showed [Ah Kd] and lost with a pair of Deuces
Seat 3: Nevr2LTE folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: ptitevoix folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: BurntOrnge (button) showed [Ks Kh] and won (14660) with two pair, Kings and Deuces
Seat 6: DeOhGee (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 7: Nestor-CR (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 8: Big Nucka folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: ethansky folded before Flop

For a second I thought the guy to act before me was going to push. I might have folded.

It's 4:47 a.m.

*******************************************************************

I made the third break, but I've bled some more.

I just can't win small pots. I saw a couple flops in a row, neither of them out of line, but I lost chips for it.
Then I had this hand.

PokerStars Game #16498722636: Tournament #83434420, $30+$3 Hold'em No Limit - Level VI (100/200) - 2008/04/05 - 05:25:46 (ET)
Table '83434420 11' 9-max Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: fnriverrat (44970 in chips)
Seat 2: pikecreek (5828 in chips)
Seat 3: Nevr2LTE (12810 in chips)
Seat 4: flubsky (12470 in chips)
Seat 5: BurntOrnge (6680 in chips)
Seat 6: DeOhGee (20546 in chips)
Seat 7: Nestor-CR (17570 in chips)
Seat 8: Big Nucka (4535 in chips)
Seat 9: ethansky (9975 in chips)
Nestor-CR: posts small blind 100
Big Nucka: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Ks Qd]
ethansky: folds
fnriverrat: folds
pikecreek: calls 200
Nevr2LTE: folds
flubsky: folds
BurntOrnge: raises 600 to 800
DeOhGee: folds
Nestor-CR: folds
Big Nucka: folds
pikecreek: raises 600 to 1400
BurntOrnge said, "wow, can't say I like the look of that"
BurntOrnge said, "strange"
BurntOrnge: folds
pikecreek collected 1900 from pot
pikecreek: shows [Qh Qs] (a pair of Queens)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1900 | Rake 0
Seat 1: fnriverrat folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: pikecreek collected (1900)
Seat 3: Nevr2LTE folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: flubsky folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: BurntOrnge folded before Flop
Seat 6: DeOhGee (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: Nestor-CR (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 8: Big Nucka (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 9: ethansky folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Do we hate the raise?
I was trying to be aggro... Eff that today.
The fold is a no-brainer, not because we know he has the goods but because we're in a "WTF, What range of hands does that?! Obviously it should be a monster, and if it's not I'll still hate every flop because I think it is. FUCK THIS!!" mode.
So I just folded.

*******************************************************************

The adrenaline is pumping and my heart is pounding.
I just won a race, and I've got just about as many chips as I ever did.
When I pushed from LP after two early limpers (both who I was sure didn't hold monsters) I pushed in my chips with AQo.
When the action got to Big Nucka, I thought, "he might call me with a questionable hand."
He did, and the race was on.
I outflopped him, he turned an open-ender, and I faded the 10 outs to double through.

PokerStars Game #16498626807: Tournament #83434420, $30+$3 Hold'em No Limit - Level VI (100/200) - 2008/04/05 - 05:15:39 (ET)
Table '83434420 11' 9-max Seat #5 is the button
Seat 1: jakesomethin (1955 in chips)
Seat 2: anakarenina (7291 in chips)
Seat 3: chek - raise (8105 in chips)
Seat 4: flubsky (9470 in chips)
Seat 5: BurntOrnge (3640 in chips)
Seat 6: DeOhGee (15600 in chips)
Seat 7: Nestor-CR (19170 in chips)
Seat 8: Big Nucka (7275 in chips)
Seat 9: ethansky (8775 in chips)
DeOhGee: posts small blind 100
Nestor-CR: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Qs Ad]
Big Nucka: calls 200
ethansky: calls 200
jakesomethin: folds
anakarenina: folds
chek - raise: folds
flubsky: folds
BurntOrnge: raises 3440 to 3640 and is all-in
DeOhGee: folds
Nestor-CR: folds
Big Nucka: calls 3440
ethansky: folds
*** FLOP *** [9s 7s Qc]
*** TURN *** [9s 7s Qc] [8h]
*** RIVER *** [9s 7s Qc 8h] [Kc]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Big Nucka: shows [6h 6s] (a pair of Sixes)
BurntOrnge: shows [Qs Ad] (a pair of Queens)
BurntOrnge collected 7780 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 7780 | Rake 0
Board [9s 7s Qc 8h Kc]
Seat 1: jakesomethin folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: anakarenina folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: chek - raise folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: flubsky folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: BurntOrnge (button) showed [Qs Ad] and won (7780) with a pair of Queens
Seat 6: DeOhGee (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 7: Nestor-CR (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 8: Big Nucka showed [6h 6s] and lost with a pair of Sixes
Seat 9: ethansky folded before Flop

Meanwhile, DeOhGee just won a 21K pot with KK. He's a monster. (I did steal his BB with CBL though. PWNED!)

It's 4:21 a.m.

*******************************************************************

Well this gets a little interesting.
I've got a former online world champ on my left. And he just crippled me.
DeOhGee won the WCOOP in 2003.
His biggest accomplishment was yet to come.

PokerStars Game #16498529542: Tournament #83434420, $30+$3 Hold'em No Limit - Level VI (100/200) - 2008/04/05 - 05:05:23 (ET)
Table '83434420 11' 9-max Seat #8 is the button
Seat 1: jakesomethin (2555 in chips)
Seat 3: chek - raise (12690 in chips)
Seat 4: flubsky (5885 in chips)
Seat 5: BurntOrnge (3845 in chips)
Seat 6: DeOhGee (6525 in chips)
Seat 7: Nestor-CR (18670 in chips)
Seat 8: Big Nucka (8020 in chips)
Seat 9: ethansky (15500 in chips)
ethansky: posts small blind 100
jakesomethin: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Jh Ad]
chek - raise: folds
flubsky: folds
BurntOrnge: raises 400 to 600
DeOhGee: calls 600
Nestor-CR: folds
Nestor-CR is sitting out
Big Nucka: folds
ethansky: folds
jakesomethin: folds
*** FLOP *** [5h 5d Tc]
BurntOrnge: checks
DeOhGee: checks
*** TURN *** [5h 5d Tc] [6c]
BurntOrnge: bets 750
DeOhGee: calls 750
*** RIVER *** [5h 5d Tc 6c] [7h]
BurntOrnge: checks
DeOhGee: bets 800
BurntOrnge: calls 800
*** SHOW DOWN ***
DeOhGee: shows [9d 9h] (two pair, Nines and Fives)
Nestor-CR has returned
BurntOrnge: mucks hand
DeOhGee collected 4600 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 4600 | Rake 0
Board [5h 5d Tc 6c 7h]
Seat 1: jakesomethin (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 3: chek - raise folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: flubsky folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: BurntOrnge mucked [Jh Ad]
Seat 6: DeOhGee showed [9d 9h] and won (4600) with two pair, Nines and Fives
Seat 7: Nestor-CR folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: Big Nucka (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: ethansky (small blind) folded before Flop

Pretty horrible, eh?
On the flop, I thought I'd show weakness by checking, then check-raise all-in. He didn't take the bait, and things went downhill from there.
I'd lost a chunk of chips on the hand before.

PokerStars Game #16498520576: Tournament #83434420, $30+$3 Hold'em No Limit - Level VI (100/200) - 2008/04/05 - 05:04:26 (ET)
Table '83434420 11' 9-max Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: jakesomethin (2555 in chips)
Seat 3: chek - raise (12690 in chips)
Seat 4: flubsky (5885 in chips)
Seat 5: BurntOrnge (5195 in chips)
Seat 6: DeOhGee (6525 in chips)
Seat 7: Nestor-CR (18670 in chips)
Seat 8: Big Nucka (8120 in chips)
Seat 9: ethansky (14050 in chips)
Big Nucka: posts small blind 100
ethansky: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Ts Jc]
jakesomethin: folds
chek - raise: folds
flubsky: folds
BurntOrnge: raises 400 to 600
DeOhGee: folds
Nestor-CR: folds
Big Nucka: folds
Nestor-CR is sitting out
ethansky: calls 400
*** FLOP *** [3c Kh Kc]
Nestor-CR has returned
ethansky: checks
BurntOrnge: bets 750
ethansky: calls 750
*** TURN *** [3c Kh Kc] [8s]
ethansky: checks
BurntOrnge: checks
*** RIVER *** [3c Kh Kc 8s] [9c]
ethansky: bets 1000
BurntOrnge: folds
ethansky collected 2800 from pot
ethansky: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2800 | Rake 0
Board [3c Kh Kc 8s 9c]
Seat 1: jakesomethin folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: chek - raise folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: flubsky folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: BurntOrnge folded on the River
Seat 6: DeOhGee folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: Nestor-CR (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: Big Nucka (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 9: ethansky (big blind) collected (2800)

...

Should've stayed patient. Nothing wrong with patience.

On the bright side, I just doubled up while writing this.

PokerStars Game #16498566197: Tournament #83434420, $30+$3 Hold'em No Limit - Level VI (100/200) - 2008/04/05 - 05:09:16 (ET)
Table '83434420 11' 9-max Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: jakesomethin (2255 in chips)
Seat 2: anakarenina (7591 in chips)
Seat 3: chek - raise (13190 in chips)
Seat 4: flubsky (5385 in chips)
Seat 5: BurntOrnge (1695 in chips)
Seat 6: DeOhGee (8675 in chips)
Seat 7: Nestor-CR (19270 in chips)
Seat 8: Big Nucka (8320 in chips)
Seat 9: ethansky (14900 in chips)
Nestor-CR: posts small blind 100
Big Nucka: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [As Ts]
ethansky: folds
jakesomethin: folds
anakarenina: folds
chek - raise: folds
flubsky: raises 400 to 600
BurntOrnge: raises 1095 to 1695 and is all-in
DeOhGee: folds
Nestor-CR: folds
Big Nucka: calls 1495
flubsky: folds
*** FLOP *** [7c 6c 3c]
*** TURN *** [7c 6c 3c] [5c]
*** RIVER *** [7c 6c 3c 5c] [2d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Big Nucka: shows [Ah 8h] (high card Ace)
BurntOrnge: shows [As Ts] (high card Ace - Ten kicker)
BurntOrnge collected 4090 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 4090 | Rake 0
Board [7c 6c 3c 5c 2d]
Seat 1: jakesomethin folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: anakarenina folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: chek - raise folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: flubsky folded before Flop
Seat 5: BurntOrnge showed [As Ts] and won (4090) with high card Ace
Seat 6: DeOhGee (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: Nestor-CR (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 8: Big Nucka (big blind) showed [Ah 8h] and lost with high card Ace
Seat 9: ethansky folded before Flop (didn't bet)

I'm scrappin'.

It's 4:10 a.m.

*******************************************************************

Still truckin'.
I've played a couple hands, nothing big. Finally won a couple pots without showdown, but I've been largely stagnant. Only legit hand was AK, and a preflop raise yielded only the blinds.

70 players remain. 18 get paid.

It's 3:55 a.m.

*******************************************************************

I've made the second break, and I'm just about right at the starting point in chips with 5,015. Compared to where I was earlier, I'm a high roller.The stats still look alright. That new showdown that I lost was a check-down from the big blind.
Winning a pot without a showdown would be nice, but the kids aren't playing like this is a Deep Stacks tournament, so things get out of hand quick.
I've tried to steer clear of all that.
Really, I haven't had many tough decisions. When I fired up iTunes, I had to figure out which song to start with. I went with "Stereo" by Clearviewkills. Now I'm listening to some Sweeney Todd tunes. But I just flipped it to shuffle, so the RNG will be deciding what I listen to from here on out.
Just as the RNG decides my poker fate.
SEGUE!!!
No actually I don't have much to say about the poker. I'm going to need to play a hand eventually, but people underestimate their stack sizes when playing this format and freak out too soon.
I don't aim to do that.

It's 3:29 a.m.

*******************************************************************

BOOM!
As the kids would say.
I just doubled up again and I'm back over 5K in chips. That's the starting level to be sure, but I'm feeling pretty alive right now.

PokerStars Game #16497813475: Tournament #83434420, $30+$3 Hold'em No Limit - Level III (25/50) - 2008/04/05 - 03:49:44 (ET)
Table '83434420 17' 9-max Seat #8 is the button
Seat 1: fnriverrat (13875 in chips)
Seat 2: tarheels454 (10205 in chips)
Seat 3: subadmiral (5735 in chips)
Seat 5: BurntOrnge (2795 in chips)
Seat 6: snakey814 (12035 in chips)
Seat 7: ardy_speed (11770 in chips)
Seat 8: Tomek.G.1986 (12675 in chips)
Seat 9: lehighlax (4835 in chips)
lehighlax: posts small blind 25
fnriverrat: posts big blind 50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Ah As]
tarheels454: raises 200 to 250
subadmiral: folds
BurntOrnge: raises 2545 to 2795 and is all-in
snakey814: folds
ardy_speed: folds
Tomek.G.1986: folds
lehighlax: folds
fnriverrat: folds
tarheels454: calls 2545
*** FLOP *** [Ad Jh Kh]
*** TURN *** [Ad Jh Kh] [4d]
*** RIVER *** [Ad Jh Kh 4d] [Th]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
tarheels454: shows [Kd Ac] (two pair, Aces and Kings)
BurntOrnge: shows [Ah As] (three of a kind, Aces)
BurntOrnge collected 5665 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 5665 | Rake 0
Board [Ad Jh Kh 4d Th]
Seat 1: fnriverrat (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 2: tarheels454 showed [Kd Ac] and lost with two pair, Aces and Kings
Seat 3: subadmiral folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: BurntOrnge showed [Ah As] and won (5665) with three of a kind, Aces
Seat 6: snakey814 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: ardy_speed folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: Tomek.G.1986 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: lehighlax (small blind) folded before Flop

That might look like an overpush. Probably because it is.
tarheels454 played a lot of hands, and he liked to mix it up. He liked to bully, and I didn't think he'd like the idea of someone trying to push him off a hand preflop. Especially a dinky stack like me.
So I tried.
In hindsight, I'm probably just lucky he had AK and couldn't fold it.

It's 2:54 a.m.

*******************************************************************

I won a two-stage race and tripled up. I call it two-staged because of the way it played out.
With AJcc in the SB, I figured everyone would fold when I pushed for 20xBB after everyone limped. But no, I got two callers.
After a rag turn, a solid bet from the healthier stack led to a fold, and I got to see that I was racing — and behind.
Ace on the turn, and I stay alive.

PokerStars Game #16497700157: Tournament #83434420, $30+$3 Hold'em No Limit - Level III (25/50) - 2008/04/05 - 03:37:59 (ET)
Table '83434420 17' 9-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: fnriverrat (13500 in chips)
Seat 2: tarheels454 (11270 in chips)
Seat 3: subadmiral (6910 in chips)
Seat 4: Dr.Lavin (6485 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 5: BurntOrnge (940 in chips)
Seat 6: snakey814 (4600 in chips)
Seat 7: ardy_speed (11245 in chips)
Seat 8: Tomek.G.1986 (12900 in chips)
Seat 9: lehighlax (6075 in chips)
BurntOrnge: posts small blind 25
snakey814: posts big blind 50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Ac Jc]
ardy_speed: folds
Tomek.G.1986: folds
lehighlax: calls 50
fnriverrat: folds
tarheels454: calls 50
subadmiral: folds
Dr.Lavin: folds
BurntOrnge: raises 890 to 940 and is all-in
snakey814: folds
lehighlax: calls 890
tarheels454: calls 890
*** FLOP *** [4c 2s 6d]
lehighlax: checks
tarheels454: bets 1200
lehighlax: folds
*** TURN *** [4c 2s 6d] [Ah]
*** RIVER *** [4c 2s 6d Ah] [Kh]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BurntOrnge: shows [Ac Jc] (a pair of Aces)
tarheels454: shows [7c 7h] (a pair of Sevens)
BurntOrnge collected 2870 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2870 | Rake 0
Board [4c 2s 6d Ah Kh]
Seat 1: fnriverrat folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: tarheels454 showed [7c 7h] and lost with a pair of Sevens
Seat 3: subadmiral folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: Dr.Lavin (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: BurntOrnge (small blind) showed [Ac Jc] and won (2870) with a pair of Aces
Seat 6: snakey814 (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 7: ardy_speed folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: Tomek.G.1986 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: lehighlax folded on the Flop

Oh, and here's a fold I just made. Easy enough right?
I don't think there would be any reason for calling, unless "I was embracing my TILT" is an excuse for calling.

PokerStars Game #16497762615: Tournament #83434420, $30+$3 Hold'em No Limit - Level III (25/50) - 2008/04/05 - 03:44:26 (ET)
Table '83434420 17' 9-max Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: fnriverrat (13800 in chips)
Seat 2: tarheels454 (10230 in chips)
Seat 3: subadmiral (5960 in chips)
Seat 4: Dr.Lavin (635 in chips)
Seat 5: BurntOrnge (2870 in chips)
Seat 6: snakey814 (11775 in chips)
Seat 7: ardy_speed (11370 in chips)
Seat 8: Tomek.G.1986 (12675 in chips)
Seat 9: lehighlax (4610 in chips)
tarheels454: posts small blind 25
subadmiral: posts big blind 50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Jh Ad]
Dr.Lavin: raises 585 to 635 and is all-in
BurntOrnge: folds
snakey814: raises 865 to 1500
ardy_speed: folds
Tomek.G.1986: folds
lehighlax: folds
fnriverrat: folds
tarheels454: folds
subadmiral: folds
*** FLOP *** [2h Qd 5c]
*** TURN *** [2h Qd 5c] [9d]
*** RIVER *** [2h Qd 5c 9d] [8s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Dr.Lavin: shows [6c Qc] (a pair of Queens)
snakey814: shows [Kh Kd] (a pair of Kings)
snakey814 collected 1345 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1345 | Rake 0
Board [2h Qd 5c 9d 8s]
Seat 1: fnriverrat (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: tarheels454 (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 3: subadmiral (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 4: Dr.Lavin showed [6c Qc] and lost with a pair of Queens
Seat 5: BurntOrnge folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: snakey814 showed [Kh Kd] and won (1345) with a pair of Kings
Seat 7: ardy_speed folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: Tomek.G.1986 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: lehighlax folded before Flop (didn't bet)

It's 2:46 a.m.

*******************************************************************

Well I've made the break.
All I've seen since that last hand are folding hands. So I've folded.
The stats don't look so bad, but that's prett deceiving.
Damn AK.

I'm in 117th of 118.

It's 2:23 a.m.

*******************************************************************

I've doubled up once.
To be sure, I played the hand wrong (probably playing the hand in the first place was wrong). But standing in 152nd place of 153, I think we'll all agree that a gamble or two ain't out of the line.
So I called a min-raise with 9Thh, and saw a 9-hi flop. Fuggit, I'll get them all in here. But once it checked to me, instead of pushing (which I should have done because A. a legit bet commits me to the pot anyway and B. we're 4-way so drawing hands might justifiably call without the proper pot odds.)
At least that's the way I see it.
But I'm greedy and wanted to take away a few hundred measly chips at the risk of my tournament.
It worked out.

PokerStars Game #16497170896: Tournament #83434420, $30+$3 Hold'em No Limit - Level II (15/30) - 2008/04/05 - 02:46:17 (ET)
Table '83434420 17' 9-max Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: fnriverrat (10320 in chips)
Seat 2: SNGWizard (4980 in chips)
Seat 3: subadmiral (9310 in chips)
Seat 4: Dr.Lavin (2190 in chips)
Seat 5: BurntOrnge (570 in chips)
Seat 6: Surf_Pup (5420 in chips)
Seat 7: ardy_speed (11470 in chips)
Seat 8: Tomek.G.1986 (16120 in chips)
Seat 9: lehighlax (3950 in chips)
Tomek.G.1986: posts small blind 15
lehighlax: posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [9h Th]
fnriverrat: folds
SNGWizard: folds
subadmiral: raises 30 to 60
Dr.Lavin: folds
BurntOrnge: calls 60
Surf_Pup: folds
ardy_speed: folds
Tomek.G.1986: calls 45
lehighlax: calls 30
*** FLOP *** [2s 9d 8s]
Tomek.G.1986: checks
lehighlax: checks
subadmiral: checks
BurntOrnge: bets 180
Tomek.G.1986: calls 180
lehighlax: folds
subadmiral: folds
*** TURN *** [2s 9d 8s] [Kd]
Tomek.G.1986: bets 360
BurntOrnge: calls 330 and is all-in
*** RIVER *** [2s 9d 8s Kd] [Ac]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Tomek.G.1986: shows [Jd Td] (high card Ace)
BurntOrnge: shows [9h Th] (a pair of Nines)
BurntOrnge collected 1260 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1260 | Rake 0
Board [2s 9d 8s Kd Ac]
Seat 1: fnriverrat folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: SNGWizard folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: subadmiral folded on the Flop
Seat 4: Dr.Lavin folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: BurntOrnge showed [9h Th] and won (1260) with a pair of Nines
Seat 6: Surf_Pup folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: ardy_speed (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: Tomek.G.1986 (small blind) showed [Jd Td] and lost with high card Ace
Seat 9: lehighlax (big blind) folded on the Flop

It's 1:54 a.m.

*******************************************************************

This might take up my night after all.
UTG+2 had just revealed himself to be a massive dumbass on the hand before and lost most of his chips in the process. He pushed for his last 800 or so and a player in middle position re-raised the min. Whatever he had didn't feel like aces or kings. It felt like he also identified the dumbass, and he was re-raising to isolate.
I had AK and should have folded.
Instead I saw how many chips he had left behind him, did some bad math and wasn't all that impressed. I thought I could survive doubling him up.
I doubt I can.
On the bright side, at least my read was right.
My logic — it's early, go big or go home — didn't look so smart after I lost pretty much all my chips with AK-NOTHING after getting them all in the middle PRE-FLOP!!!!!

PokerStars Game #16497027131: Tournament #83434420, $30+$3 Hold'em No Limit - Level I (10/20) - 2008/04/05 - 02:33:23 (ET)
Table '83434420 17' 9-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: fnriverrat (9950 in chips)
Seat 2: SNGWizard (4940 in chips)
Seat 3: subadmiral (4590 in chips)
Seat 4: Dr.Lavin (2430 in chips)
Seat 5: BurntOrnge (5230 in chips)
Seat 6: Surf_Pup (4960 in chips)
Seat 7: ardy_speed (9740 in chips)
Seat 8: Tomek.G.1986 (17990 in chips)
Seat 9: eddieseggs (870 in chips)
BurntOrnge: posts small blind 10
Surf_Pup: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Ad Kh]
Tomek.G.1986 said, "you play like an idiot"
ardy_speed: calls 20
Tomek.G.1986: folds
eddieseggs: raises 850 to 870 and is all-in
fnriverrat: folds
SNGWizard: folds
subadmiral: raises 850 to 1720
Dr.Lavin: folds
BurntOrnge: raises 3510 to 5230 and is all-in
Surf_Pup: folds
ardy_speed: folds
subadmiral: calls 2870 and is all-in
*** FLOP *** [3d 2c Qc]
*** TURN *** [3d 2c Qc] [8c]
*** RIVER *** [3d 2c Qc 8c] [Jc]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BurntOrnge: shows [Ad Kh] (high card Ace)
subadmiral: shows [Kd Ac] (a flush, Ace high)
subadmiral collected 7440 from side pot
eddieseggs: shows [3c Js] (a flush, Queen high)
subadmiral collected 2650 from main pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 10090 Main pot 2650. Side pot 7440. | Rake 0
Board [3d 2c Qc 8c Jc]
Seat 1: fnriverrat folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: SNGWizard folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: subadmiral showed [Kd Ac] and won (10090) with a flush, Ace high
Seat 4: Dr.Lavin (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: BurntOrnge (small blind) showed [Ad Kh] and lost with high card Ace
Seat 6: Surf_Pup (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 7: ardy_speed folded before Flop
Seat 8: Tomek.G.1986 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: eddieseggs showed [3c Js] and lost with a flush, Queen high

FUCK ME.
And this one's on me, not poker.

It is 1:42 a.m.

*******************************************************************

Well I fired up Poker Stars to see what tourneys might be coming up, and lo and behold, it's a Deep Stacks tournament. So, I threw caution (and BR management rules) to the wind and registered. So now I'm locked in to like 8 unrewarding hours of poker and a bubble finish.
Why wouldn't I be excited?
Though Blogger lacks the proper software (as far as I know) I've decided to live blog my experience.

Of course, I was dealt AA on the first hand. I decided to try that old second-hand low gag, and it worked out ok.

PokerStars Game #16496810807: Tournament #83434420, $30+$3 Hold'em No Limit - Level I (10/20) - 2008/04/05 - 02:15:00 (ET)
Table '83434420 8' 9-max Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: flubsky (5000 in chips)
Seat 2: ITS ME FOO (5000 in chips)
Seat 3: remispjr (5000 in chips)
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (5000 in chips)
Seat 5: Kirk_Stromgr (5000 in chips)
Seat 6: alkimtg (5000 in chips)
Seat 7: WilEKoyotee (5000 in chips)
Seat 8: pikecreek (5000 in chips)
Seat 9: coolspaz (5000 in chips)
ITS ME FOO: posts small blind 10
remispjr: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Ah Ac]
BurntOrnge: calls 20
Kirk_Stromgr: calls 20
alkimtg: folds
WilEKoyotee: folds
pikecreek: folds
coolspaz: folds
flubsky: folds
ITS ME FOO: raises 80 to 100
remispjr: folds
BurntOrnge: raises 220 to 320
Kirk_Stromgr: folds
ITS ME FOO: calls 220
*** FLOP *** [Kc Jc Th]
ITS ME FOO: checks
BurntOrnge: bets 500
ITS ME FOO: calls 500
*** TURN *** [Kc Jc Th] [Ts]
ITS ME FOO: checks
BurntOrnge: checks
*** RIVER *** [Kc Jc Th Ts] [5c]
ITS ME FOO: checks
BurntOrnge: checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
ITS ME FOO: shows [Qs Js] (two pair, Jacks and Tens)
BurntOrnge: shows [Ah Ac] (two pair, Aces and Tens)
BurntOrnge collected 1680 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1680 | Rake 0
Board [Kc Jc Th Ts 5c]
Seat 1: flubsky (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: ITS ME FOO (small blind) showed [Qs Js] and lost with two pair, Jacks and Tens
Seat 3: remispjr (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 4: BurntOrnge showed [Ah Ac] and won (1680) with two pair, Aces and Tens
Seat 5: Kirk_Stromgr folded before Flop
Seat 6: alkimtg folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: WilEKoyotee folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: pikecreek folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: coolspaz folded before Flop (didn't bet)

But now I've lost the bulk of those chips, but check out this great fold.

PokerStars Game #16496869200: Tournament #83434420, $30+$3 Hold'em No Limit - Level I (10/20) - 2008/04/05 - 02:19:49 (ET)
Table '83434420 8' 9-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: flubsky (5000 in chips)
Seat 2: ITS ME FOO (5370 in chips)
Seat 3: remispjr (4710 in chips)
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (5820 in chips)
Seat 5: Kirk_Stromgr (4380 in chips)
Seat 6: alkimtg (5000 in chips)
Seat 7: WilEKoyotee (4860 in chips)
Seat 8: pikecreek (5000 in chips)
Seat 9: coolspaz (4860 in chips)
Kirk_Stromgr: posts small blind 10
alkimtg: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Kh Kd]
WilEKoyotee: calls 20
pikecreek: folds
coolspaz: folds
flubsky: folds
ITS ME FOO: calls 20
remispjr: folds
BurntOrnge: raises 150 to 170
Kirk_Stromgr: folds
alkimtg: folds
WilEKoyotee: calls 150
ITS ME FOO: calls 150
*** FLOP *** [5c Th 8c]
WilEKoyotee: checks
ITS ME FOO: checks
BurntOrnge: bets 400
WilEKoyotee: calls 400
ITS ME FOO: calls 400
*** TURN *** [5c Th 8c] [6c]
WilEKoyotee: checks
ITS ME FOO: bets 580
BurntOrnge: folds
WilEKoyotee: calls 580
*** RIVER *** [5c Th 8c 6c] [Ad]
WilEKoyotee: checks
ITS ME FOO: bets 2120
WilEKoyotee: raises 1590 to 3710 and is all-in
ITS ME FOO: calls 1590
*** SHOW DOWN ***
WilEKoyotee: shows [7d 9d] (a straight, Six to Ten)
ITS ME FOO: shows [Ac 8h] (two pair, Aces and Eights)
WilEKoyotee collected 10320 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 10320 | Rake 0
Board [5c Th 8c 6c Ad]
Seat 1: flubsky folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: ITS ME FOO showed [Ac 8h] and lost with two pair, Aces and Eights
Seat 3: remispjr folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (button) folded on the Turn
Seat 5: Kirk_Stromgr (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 6: alkimtg (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 7: WilEKoyotee showed [7d 9d] and won (10320) with a straight, Six to Ten
Seat 8: pikecreek folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: coolspaz folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Technically, that might be a weak fold. But I was thinking, early in a deep stacks, high pocket pair ain't worth a big pot. Maybe I'm wrong, or maybe I'm learning how to play poker again.

It is now 1:24 a.m.

Oh so close

2008-04-02T15:34:00.000-07:00

I played some poker last night, my first MTT in forever to be more accurate.
My first PL Omaha Hi/Lo tournament in ages to be even more accurate. There were 276 runners, and I finished in 12th place. I can't take any credit for that though. It was a turbo, and after the first few levels I think every hand I played was either all-in preflop or fold. So basically the whole tournament was a coin-flipping competition for everyone involved.
If I'd just gotten things to go my way on the last hand, I would've been just about a lock for a final table.
Like I said though, I wouldn't be able to calim much credit for it. Every hand I played after a certain, early point was decided by one of three simple circumstances.
1. I'm about to be blinded out. This is a half-way decent hand. Push.
2. I'm too low to be picky, and the price is right. Call.
3. I'm too low to be picky, and at least I still have a bit of fold equity. Push.
I didn't win every hand I played, but I won the ones that counted, up until the end.

That last hand still bothers me a little bit. I was in the big blind, and posting it left me with 2xBB. Getting all-in can't be that bad here right? Getting all-in with A2XX can't be that bad right?
Surely not.
But, at two players on my table had less than a small blind. One was already all-in. The other would have had his stack demolished by antes before he even got blinded in. Outlasting them puts me in 11th place automatically (I only jumped one spot, because one of those shorties lost in my final hand, taking 13th place in the process).
As much as I love making any PS Final Table, it seems like playing to win makes this an obvious decision. The winner took home $750. Ninth place awarded $46.92.
With as little as I play these days, that was probably as good a chance as I'm going to get to win an MTT any time soon. But I always could've folded, lost 25% of my stack to the small blind on the next hand and prayed.
Surely gambling was the only way to go.

Here it is, that final hand for your consideration.

*********** # 77 **************
PokerStars Game #16428284948: Tournament #83141792, $10+$1 Omaha Hi/Lo Pot Limit - Level XVII (2500/5000) - 2008/04/02 - 03:57:57 (ET)
Table '83141792 28' 9-max Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: RNuOVR (1815 in chips)
Seat 2: Y@CKM@N (2852 in chips)
Seat 3: jallahore (26041 in chips)
Seat 4: Oscar13 (6974 in chips)
Seat 6: yeeaah135 (51211 in chips)
Seat 7: e4f9j3l3 (54869 in chips)
Seat 9: BurntOrnge (15969 in chips)
RNuOVR: posts the ante 500
Y@CKM@N: posts the ante 500
jallahore: posts the ante 500
Oscar13: posts the ante 500
yeeaah135: posts the ante 500
e4f9j3l3: posts the ante 500
BurntOrnge: posts the ante 500
e4f9j3l3: posts small blind 2500
BurntOrnge: posts big blind 5000
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Ah 6s 2s 8s]
RNuOVR: calls 1315 and is all-in
Y@CKM@N: folds
jallahore: folds
Oscar13: folds
yeeaah135: raises 17315 to 22315
e4f9j3l3: folds
BurntOrnge: calls 10469 and is all-in
*** FLOP *** [Kd 5d Td]
*** TURN *** [Kd 5d Td] [Qs]
*** RIVER *** [Kd 5d Td Qs] [8c]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BurntOrnge: shows [Ah 6s 2s 8s] (HI: a pair of Eights)
yeeaah135: shows [Kh Kc Jc 3d] (HI: three of a kind, Kings)
yeeaah135 collected 29493 from side pot
RNuOVR: shows [5c Qc 3s As] (HI: two pair, Queens and Fives)
yeeaah135 collected 8760 from main pot
No low hand qualified
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 38253 Main pot 8760. Side pot 29493. | Rake 0
Board [Kd 5d Td Qs 8c]
Seat 1: RNuOVR showed [5c Qc 3s As] and lost with HI: two pair, Queens and Fives
Seat 2: Y@CKM@N folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: jallahore folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: Oscar13 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: yeeaah135 (button) showed [Kh Kc Jc 3d] and won (38253) with HI: three of a kind, Kings
Seat 7: e4f9j3l3 (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 9: BurntOrnge (big blind) showed [Ah 6s 2s 8s] and lost with HI: a pair of Eights

Pokah

2008-03-29T01:12:00.000-07:00

HOUSTON -- See that thing on the left? Yeah, that's a dateline. I use it in my stories when I'm out of town and in my Longhorn sports blog too.
I'm I'm in Houston covering Texas' basketball team. The Longhorns won today, and they're now in the Elite 8.
That is neither here nor there.
I'm playing a HU poker match. Exciting, huh?
Only cuz I'm drunk (I keep on backspacing and editing myself otherwise you'd be able to tell.)
Well I went through my blog, checking out the old stuff. It used to be a pretty good blog. Maybe it inspired me to play more poker and write a more better blog.
We'll see.

Poker Pasttime

2008-03-02T17:30:00.000-08:00

Hey no one. (No one's the only person who reads this worthless blog anymore.)
What do you do while you play poker?
I usually surf the internets and generally bore myself. I feel convinced that at any given time I've read the entire contents of ESPN.com, TheBigLead.com, WithLeather.com, Slate.com and I frequent a bunch of other sites. I've found a new way to keep myself occupied though.
The New Yorker magazine offers short stories in MP3 form. I've downloaded the ten stories that were available on the site, and I subscribed to the free podcast on iTunes. I like reading, writing and words in general much more than I like poker. (I still hate poker.) So, this is a great way to feel like I'm doing something productive while working at the masochistic task of playing poker.

Check out the Fiction Podcasts here.

My favorites so far are "Bullet in the Brain" by Tobias Wolff and "I Bought a Little City" by Donald Barthelme.
"Reunion" by John Cheevers, "Graven Image" by John O'Hara and "How to Date a Brown Girl (Black Girl, White Girl or Halfie)" by Junot Diaz are also quite good.

Monotony

2008-02-15T20:05:00.000-08:00

That's the name of the game lately.
After suffering quite the setback, I've developed a recovery plan that isn't going anywhere quick. On the bright side, it's bound to come to fruition eventually — it's based on playing small buy-ins until I reach a certain threshold, then playing a higher one aiming for a bigger score.
$5+.25 4-man HU SnGs are a nice moneymaker, and I've been relying on them to float around when things get dicey.
It's a grind, as always.

Blegh

2008-01-22T04:18:00.000-08:00

I hate poker as much as ever.
After my quick start, nothing's been going right for about two weeks. I get the sinking feeling that it has less to do with bad luck and more to do with me playing like shit.
Part of the problem might be the hours I play and my mindset. Instead of playing in the evening or afternoon I'm playing at 4-5-6 a.m when I'm tired and pissed off that I can't sleep.
I have an 8 a.m. class. It's 6:20, and nevermind. I just busted.
So frustrating. I push for 560 on the turn with an 800-chip pot. My opponent calls with A-hi and a Q-hi flush draw. He turned the flush draw and, of course, he rivered the flush.
Maybe I should have pushed on the flop when he bet out. But really, I got all my chips in the middle in a pretty good spot and it didn't pan out.
So frustrating.
And now I'm just ranting.

On the bright side, I did win 4 4-man HU SnGs in a row. That's 8 straight HU matches if you're keeping score at home. It helped my BR some, but not enough.
It spirals downward, and I hate poker.

Chuggin' Along

2008-01-06T16:02:00.000-08:00

Well I hit $601, and I knew I should take a break to enjoy that mark. Instead I jumped into a pair of tourneys and lost both. Now I've been up and down between $500 and $545, unable to make headway but not losing too much either.
Today has been more of the same. I won a $13 6-handed SnG. Then moments later I lost a race that would have ensured me a $55 tourney seat. By the way, be careful with those rebuy sats. I put $26 into that losing effort. That's fine if you win, and if luck wasn't involved, I'd certainly win every one. Unfortunately, luck is involved, so I lost.
My motivation right now is those little emails from PS letting me know that I placed in an event. So for that reason I've been playing a fair amount of micros. Right now I'm in a 50 FPP and $5.50 6-handed MTT. I'm looking alright in both, and hoping for two PS emails informing me that I've made some money.
The problem with this is that I'm not necessarily making a lot of money. The upside is that I'm feeling unlucky, and playing small keeps the losses small.
Right before I hit the post button, I've gotten to the bubble of the FPP tourney with 6,990 chips and 100/200 25 blinds. Hooray.

Onward and Upward

2008-01-03T21:22:00.000-08:00

Well I'm off to a good start. I won about $150 in a 180-man SnG. by finishing fourth. I've won each of my last two 6-handed SnGs and two of three micro sats.
Stars is running $2.20 sats to a $11 event constantly, and it's just almost free money. I've played a few MTT-style and one 45-man SnG-style. I finished in the top 6 to win SnG sat, and I've won one of the MTT-style ones. Another I took the cash and bubbled. I'm still more angry about missing out on that T$11 then I am happy about winning $150. I had it made but called a raise with AK, and lost on a K-high flop to KK. All I had to do was post and fold, and I would have won but I didn't realize how deep into the event I was. It was sad, and I'm still bitter.

I'm absolutely broke in real life, but I can't cash out because Netteller is done for and I don't have any other system set up. I plan on using ePassporte eventually, but first I'll have to use it to deposit $25, and I don't even have that much.

Poker Stars for Mac

2007-12-29T16:18:00.000-08:00

It's here.
At long last.
I can play Poker Stars on my Mac Book Pro.
The primary reason for my failure to update this blog has been an extended break from poker. The primary reason for my break from poker was switching to a Mac.
Out of desperation, I bought Parallels, so I could run Stars on my Mac by using Windows XP. The day I installed it, I discovered that a beta version of PS for Mac was already out.

I'll certainly be play online poker again. Hopefully that means I'll pull this blog out of its hibernation. For the record, I won a HU SnG and then a 6-handed SnG to start my comeback, so maybe I haven't lost it.
We'll see.

Back? We'll see

2007-05-20T18:58:00.000-07:00

So I'm trying to get back into poker again.
I've played 4 SnGs in the last two days, bubbled twice and won once. It's been fairly costly, because the win was a $12+1 while the losses were a pair of $23+2s and a $36+3, but I feel as good as ever.
I don't think that means I'm playing as good as I ever did, but it all feels right. The $36+3 that I bubbled got to 600/300 blinds before I busted, and I was playing great. Then I won the $12+1 today in dominating fashion.
It was one of those games where you feel like anything but a win would be bullshit. But I got the win with a lot of well-timed aggression and no suck outs either way.

I have a Mac now, a 17" Mac Book Pro to be exact, which sucks because I can't play PS on it and is pretty fucking cool in just about every other regard. So I've been playing poker on my roomie's laptop. He's still out of town, so I can play more tonight, if I feel like it.

New laptop

2007-04-12T21:46:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I got a new one. It's a Mac.

Supposedly PokerStars is coming out with a Mac version....
get on the ball guys.
All the kids are switching over. Don't leave us out.

Poker and... Baseball Cards?

2006-12-28T15:42:00.000-08:00

So, I'm broke.
Not online of course, just in my bank account. Obviously I need to play more poker.
I played an $11 36-man turbo last night and after a guy chased a flush draw for all his chips and hit on the river, I found myself down to 140 chips. There were still 36 left and blinds were at 15/30.
But I started getting lucky and wound up finishing 7th for $22.
Whatever.

On to my baseball card hobby.
Would you believe I have 564 Will Clark cards? That's a ton; I just finished counting them.
I also have 161 different Scott Rolens, 110 Darin Erstads and a measely 70 Alex Rodriguezes...

$T Exhausted

2006-12-11T23:29:00.000-08:00

Well I zipped through those T$162, and I'd say it went pretty well. I had no success in MTTs, but I did alright in SnGs and won just about every HU match I played.
I'm back over $300, and I'm pretty convinced that finding the right satellites is the best way to build back up the BR. I can't really afford the $36+3 sats to the $215 that I love so much. We'll see what happens.

I have money stuck on Party Poker that I'm not sure what to do with. It's just like $16, but they won't accept my wagers. It's less than the minimum Neteller amount (plus, my Neteller account is mysteriously defunct). So I'm trying to figure out how to just get that money back, let it amount to a couple free $8 dinners.
I got reminded about the money when PP emailed me to say they'd withdrawn a $5 maintenance fee because I'd left my account dormant for so long. That's such a fucking stupid policy. You're not going to have customers return after long stays away from the game if they're coming back to less money than they had before.
It just has a shady feel to it.
Anyway, I spit out a quick email to 'em and you can bet I got that $5 back.

Thepokerdb.com has expanded a ton since I've been there. I haven't registered a score on there since February. That's crazy.
Well no on the PokerStars side anyway. On the Bodog side I ITM'd an MTT a couple days ago. 27 paid; I finished 27th. But that's not so bad, I was card dead as hell. Plus, early I went through a 45-hand stretch where I didn't win once. So it was pretty nice to come through with anyting to show for it.

Update: I was playing a $12+1 6-handed SnG while I wrote that entry and ended up getting heads up. We both started with 40+ BBs, so there was a lot of play. I knew early that I was being really predictable, and so he got an accurate read on me pretty quickly I think. I started slowly changing my game hand by hand, and by the final two hands, he had no clue what I was doing.
See?

PokerStars Game #7408145795: Tournament #37888125, $12+$1 Hold'em No Limit - Level V (75/150) - 2006/12/12 - 02:57:54 (ET)
Table '37888125 1' 6-max Seat #6 is the button
Seat 5: nolan24 (3470 in chips)
Seat 6: BurntOrnge (5530 in chips)
BurntOrnge: posts small blind 75
nolan24: posts big blind 150
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [8s 9s]
BurntOrnge: raises 300 to 450
nolan24: calls 300
*** FLOP *** [9d 2h Qd]
nolan24: checks
BurntOrnge: bets 425
nolan24: calls 425
*** TURN *** [9d 2h Qd] [2c]
nolan24: checks
BurntOrnge: bets 875
nolan24: calls 875
*** RIVER *** [9d 2h Qd 2c] [2d]
nolan24: checks
BurntOrnge: bets 500
nolan24: calls 500
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BurntOrnge: shows [8s 9s] (a full house, Deuces full of Nines)
nolan24: mucks hand
BurntOrnge collected 4500 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 4500 | Rake 0
Board [9d 2h Qd 2c 2d]
Seat 5: nolan24 (big blind) mucked [Jc Kd]
Seat 6: BurntOrnge (button) (small blind) showed [8s 9s] and won (4500) with a full house, Deuces full of Nines

and then

PokerStars Game #7408153622: Tournament #37888125, $12+$1 Hold'em No Limit - Level V (75/150) - 2006/12/12 - 02:59:09 (ET)
Table '37888125 1' 6-max Seat #5 is the button
Seat 5: nolan24 (1220 in chips)
Seat 6: BurntOrnge (7780 in chips)
nolan24: posts small blind 75
BurntOrnge: posts big blind 150
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [9c 4c]
nolan24: calls 75
BurntOrnge: checks
*** FLOP *** [9h 2c 7h]
BurntOrnge: checks
nolan24: checks
*** TURN *** [9h 2c 7h] [5s]
BurntOrnge: checks
nolan24: checks
*** RIVER *** [9h 2c 7h 5s] [5c]
BurntOrnge: checks
nolan24: bets 1070 and is all-in
BurntOrnge: calls 1070
*** SHOW DOWN ***
nolan24: shows [8s 3s] (a pair of Fives)
BurntOrnge: shows [9c 4c] (two pair, Nines and Fives)
BurntOrnge collected 2440 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2440 | Rake 0
Board [9h 2c 7h 5s 5c]
Seat 5: nolan24 (button) (small blind) showed [8s 3s] and lost with a pair of Fives
Seat 6: BurntOrnge (big blind) showed [9c 4c] and won (2440) with two pair, Nines and Fives

Hooray Poker

2006-12-10T07:05:00.000-08:00

Basically I still hate this game, but I'm trying to play it more often still. After blowing through like $60 a few days ago, I came back and posted a nice win that made up for it and then some.

Ok, so it's not exactly big, but it was a nice way to spend my afternoon before running off to San Marcos to party. Being able to mention you won $150 in the two hours before coming to visit is always nice.

Right now I'm only awake because some guy was beating on my door for about an hour. That means, since 4 a.m. last night I've had two different people slamming on my door three different times. Each one bruised their knuckles for more than 30 minutes before giving up. Who the fuck does that?

After awaking just shy of 7 a.m., I tried to sleep for a couple hours then gave in, and decided to pull up PokerStars. I started with a 27-man 500 FPP sat to the $215 but was bounced in 20th after flopping a nut-flush draw with a straight draw, and a straight flush draw. I also had two overcards and they were each clean outs. Instead of me getting lucky, some douchebag hit their gutshot straight draw that gave him a higher straight than my wheel.

Now I'm in a $12+1 6-handed SnG. Five left and I have 2,495 chips. Not bad. Turning my $T into cash is the big goal right now. I want to at least break even and turn it into $162. So far, after losing a $10 HU match and winning a $20, I'm doing just fine.

A Bit O Poker

2006-12-02T06:52:00.000-08:00

I'm trying to get back into poker, because even with how bad it's been to me, it's been too good overall for me to reject it. But it's still very trying. I feel like I'm in the same rut I was in was in when I took my break.
I played a $10+1 180-man SnG and lost a huge hand early as a huge favorite, but overcame that to finish 11th. I was card dead from around three tables on and died on an impatient re-steal attempt from the BB. The guy was the right guy to snap back at, but my stack was probably too short to get him to fold much of anything. He had a monster, so it was irrelevant.

After not being able to sleep after getting an accidental wake-up call from a girl I called last night, I decided to play a $5 NL HE tournament and a FPP sat to PokerStar's huge freeroll December 9.

I lost in the $5 MTT when a dumbass entered the pot by callling a big re-raise with JTcc. The initial raiser also called, and I pushed on the T-hi flop. Of course, he called and hit a third T on the turn.

That let me concentrate on my satellite, I guess. It's a double shoot-out, and I obliterated my first table with one good play and lots of good hole cards.
Just now, I pushed after an EP raise got two quick callers. I had QQ in MP and figured only one person wins anything, might as well get a bunch of chips or lose early.

They all folded, and I demonstrated my incredible prowess at shit talking.
Dealer: Game #7266162252: BurntOrnge wins pot (530)
BurntOrnge: All your base are belong to me

Poker

2006-06-10T12:13:00.000-07:00

Work and partying has kept me busy and my lack of poker success has kept me unmotivated, but I got back in the saddle long enough to play a $25 live tournament with my once-and-former boss Scott and a couple of other old co-workers. Two other Austinites rounded out the six-person affair.
It was a really fun laid back atmosphere, and I played well but not well enough. Or maybe I played well enough but AT was no match for A6 and then I got myself in with the worst of it a couple of times in unavoidable situations. Regardless, I was out in 4th with two spots paying.

A .25/.50 cash game opened up after that, and only the firt hand was of any interest to me. With several limpers, I raised from the SB to $2 -- marginal play, I know, but we were 5-handed at that point. April (of the ThisIsNotAPokerBlog poker blog) limp-called from UTG and we saw a J-hi flop. I bet $3.50 on the flop and she called after just a wee bit of thinking. TT seemed most likely. Hopefully she held a pocket pair that I had beat, but I felt behind. The turn was a rag and we checked. Then came a river K.
This was quite welcome. I bet out $7 confidently.
On my left, Matt, laughed out loud at her predicament as soon as I bet. I'd put her in a tough spot, and she folded. UTG+1 remarked that it "sure looked like AK."
That's what I was thinking!!

Then a girl called and I made my leave. You would have too.

Roots

2006-05-02T08:23:00.000-07:00

This blog / my poker career may be going back to their roots.
My student loans ran out early this year and I have no rent or car note money. With my job, I should be able to pay both, but I'm going to try to make the car payment with poker winnings each month.
It wouldn't be hard, I just need $290, but it would necessitate actually playing poker sometimes...

Funny story, last night was crazy. But I made it to class, well the second one. I slept through 3 alarms and missed my 8am, but there was no homework to turn in, so I'm ok.

Finals are coming up. I have two on May 10th -- the day after my 21st birthday. Another final is Thursday, and I'm turning in a final project very soon.
YIPPEE

School Sucks...

2006-04-25T23:19:00.000-07:00

...and i suck at it.
But fuck it, there's always next semester.

I got a job at Carrabba's and tomorrow I have a huge food test. It will suck.
I haven't been playing much poker lately due to the afforementioned school and the fact that I have a girlfriend now. She's pretty as can be, and I'd rather hang out with her than piss myself off at the tables.

But, I do have a poker-related reason for posting. www.PSCrew.com has been revamped a couple of times, and in it's current form -- as a phpBB forum -- I'm one of three administrators.

It's still getting off the ground, but old regulars are trickling back, we have a kickass new logo and there's some upside.
So I recommend you stop by if you're looking to browse a poker bulletin board.

WSOP Close Call

2006-04-12T15:20:00.000-07:00

After crashing and burning in a $16DS for $650 last night, I decided to jump in the $5r for $160. The rebuy period was awful, a mix of me tilting and getting unlucky. I ended the rebuy period $40 in and with just about the min possible chips. From there I pushed as needed, and found myself hand for hand. The BB jumped to 20K right as it hit my 16K stack, but someone else was eliminated (I doubled on the hand anyway).
1001001 also won shortly after winning the $16DS I'd suggested to him. Out of the kindness of hist heart, he sent me $50W. I'm too broke to turn that down, so I said "thanks."
Automatically registered for the $160 DS, I decided to play it. My first table had 4 players with over 100K in career winning including dabest247, Davin Anderssen. Three-handed I was stuck with him and another big winner, and they were playing each other softer than a down comforter. When dabest finally called an all-in with KQ, he typed "well at least one of us will get the chips."
Ridiculous, but whatever.
HU was tough, I started with a big chip lead and it went back and forth. I played two hand horribly, one of which I won without a showdown. The other I got frisky with BPBK... I'd had him down to the felt and doubled him up. I was impatient, and 'hoping' he had a flush draw. He had two pair.
But in general, I outplayed him and I won.
At the final table of the DS with a WSOP seat 9 people away, I played poorly. tsoprano and a few other mentionables were there and I think I was too intent on not being pushed around.
It was embarassing.
Out in 8th for $0.

State of the Union

2006-03-30T13:24:00.000-08:00

The union between me and that harlot poker, of course.
Unlike presidents, I won't make this a long drawn out tirade where I lie to myself and paint a rosy picture.
My BR is shot, but I'm not worried about that. I'm just going to set a couple unreasonable goals and move on from there.
I want to make $500 in April.
I want to win a WSOP seat.

Goal 1: This SHOULD be easy, but nothing is anymore. At this rate, I'll go broke in April. But I set that goal in December, nearly met it and had a lot of fun. This one is smaller, but seems more daunting.

Goal 2: Yeah right, but it's a goal. Maybe it won't make me try any harder, but I'm pretty goal-oriented, so I think it will. Afterall, with this now stated as a goal, failure to be in the WSOP is FAILURE.
I accept failure, nothing crazy going on there, but I don't love it. Now when I'm not playing at this year's WSOP I'll keep in mind that it's only because I failed.

I Hate Poker

2006-03-27T04:35:00.000-08:00

Well I'm just checking in. I've been running poorly and none to interested in writing about it. According to my plan, the road to recovery will be 215 sats.
Wish me luck.

March Madness is awesome. Of course, just when I thought I'd been underappreciating UT basketball, they go and lose in the fashion they did to LSU. Sometimes, they are unwatchable; that was one of those times. Nice shooting...
George Mason is incredible and fun to watch.
My bracket's no good. My Final Four consisted of UConn, Duke, UCLA and BC. UConn and Duke choked, while Villanova -- who I knew would choke -- lasted a game too long, saving it for Florida instead of BC.

My IM softball team played their first game a coupla weeks ago and our raggedy band of sportswriters -- and one page designer -- took down ODPhi's finest. That was the day Kirby Puckett died. We dedicated the game to him, fell behind 6-0 after the top of the first, then came back, finally winning 12-9.
I sucked at the plate and shone in the field.
Whatever.

Nice Job ESPN.com

2006-03-08T20:39:00.000-08:00

Spot the error, kiddies.

Someone screwed the pooch on that one, lol.
Well done, ESPN.

Speaking of sports jour- nalism, I was in Dallas yesterday to cover the women's basketball Big 12 tournament. Of course, Texas lost in the first round, so I didn't get to stick around.

Ain't that always the way. Here's what I wrote for it. You can find my story at dailytexanonline.com

Thus ends basketball season for me, so I should have even more time on my hands. Just what I need.

I guess that means more time for poker, right?
I hate poker though. I played a $12+1 6-handed SnG a couple days ago. With 6 remaining, I had 80 chips. I tripled up twice by winning races, and eventually took a chip lead with 5 left. With three left, I had a huge lead with over 5K in chips. Of course, my KK lost to 77 with all the chips in preflop, and when we got HU, I was outchipped.
Then my opponent caught every fuckin' flop and I eventually lost after a tough battle. It was gay.

I've now played 4 live sessions. I made $35 the first, lost $15 the second, won $255 the third and another $15 the fourth.
Of course I got lucky in my one big winning session, but that's cool. Now my live BR consists of two buy-ins...
My ROR is so high...

Thepokerdb.com comes in handy

2006-02-24T02:28:00.000-08:00

So, I jumped in a $50 HU match because I've been up 35.5 of the last 40 hours and it seemed like a good idea.
Plus, going in, I'd won 8 of these in a row.
My opponent is keke22. I look him up in the DB and see 8 cashes and 7 final tables.
Damn...

So I decide to play him as if he's damn good...
(that's ok, so am I)

The early action convinces me he's pretty good. Lots of firing and folding. Aggressive but tight, both of us.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?253100

The eighth hand goes down like this.
I'd raised with aces from the button, he'd folded and I'd shown. I decide i'll raise possibly outplay him if he calls anyway.

*********** # 8 **************
PokerStars Game #4080195865: Tournament #20277081, Hold'em No Limit - Match Round I, Level I (10/20) - 2006/02/24 - 04:41:47 (ET)
Table '20277081 1' One on One Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: keke22 (1500 in chips)
Seat 2: BurntOrnge (1500 in chips)
BurntOrnge: posts small blind 10
keke22: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Kd 3h]
BurntOrnge: raises 40 to 60
keke22: calls 40
*** FLOP *** [Js 8d 5h]
keke22: checks
BurntOrnge: bets 60
keke22: calls 60 He calls my standard (for this match) continuation bet of half the pot. I think he'd raise with a made hand based on the tight aggressive nature of our game thus far. A-hi is possible, I suppose, but I put him semi-squarely on a draw (with intent to outplay me if he misses).
*** TURN *** [Js 8d 5h] [3s]
keke22: checks
BurntOrnge: checks I could prolly take this down with an aggressive bet, but as much as I like my read, I've got no real basis for it. Let's keep the pot small and open him up to bluff...
*** RIVER *** [Js 8d 5h 3s] [8c]
keke22: bets 100
BurntOrnge: calls 100 I like the river, but that bet is convincing as hell. This guy is good, his game plan was to outplay me if he misses, right? But I've got a gameplan, and a pair to go with it.
*** SHOW DOWN ***
keke22: shows [7d Td] (a pair of Eights)
BurntOrnge: shows [Kd 3h] (two pair, Eights and Threes)
BurntOrnge collected 440 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 440 | Rake 0
Board [Js 8d 5h 3s 8c]
Seat 1: keke22 (big blind) showed [7d Td] and lost with a pair of Eights
Seat 2: BurntOrnge (button) (small blind) showed [Kd 3h] and won (440) with two pair, Eights and Threes

So that gives me the early edge.

I hate good hands out of position.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?253110

*********** # 11 **************
PokerStars Game #4080198677: Tournament #20277081, Hold'em No Limit - Match Round I, Level I (10/20) - 2006/02/24 - 04:42:44 (ET)
Table '20277081 1' One on One Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: keke22 (1310 in chips)
Seat 2: BurntOrnge (1690 in chips)
keke22: posts small blind 10
BurntOrnge: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [As Qc]
keke22: calls 10
BurntOrnge: raises 60 to 80 As much as I hate being out of position, I figue this guy is likely a better player than me. Additionally, I'm likely ahead right now in the hand. So I should get all the chips in the middle that I can while I've got the best of it right?
keke22: calls 60
*** FLOP *** [Ah 8c 3h]
BurntOrnge: bets 80 still standard
keke22: raises 80 to 160
BurntOrnge: calls 80 silly of him anway, I call. If he has the ace, I'd like to raise, but he's good. So there's a good chance he has total snow. I don't want to end this hand just yet.
*** TURN *** [Ah 8c 3h] [Jd]
BurntOrnge: checks give him his chance to bluff [b]
keke22: checks
*** RIVER *** [Ah 8c 3h Jd] [8h]
BurntOrnge: checks [b] I don't think he has the ace, and I don't think I stand to gain much, if anything, by betting (maybe I was wrong). I figure I'll just let him bet (plus I don't want to get caught with my pants down if he has that 8, very possible based on his play)
keke22: bets 120
BurntOrnge: calls 120
*** SHOW DOWN ***
keke22: shows [Jc Kh] (two pair, Jacks and Eights)
BurntOrnge: shows [As Qc] (two pair, Aces and Eights)
BurntOrnge collected 720 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 720 | Rake 0
Board [Ah 8c 3h Jd 8h]
Seat 1: keke22 (button) (small blind) showed [Jc Kh] and lost with two pair, Jacks and Eights
Seat 2: BurntOrnge (big blind) showed [As Qc] and won (720) with two pair, Aces and Eights

So now my lead is 2:1. I can B-E Agressive

Next hand...

http://www.pokerhand.org/?253112

*********** # 12 **************
PokerStars Game #4080200449: Tournament #20277081, Hold'em No Limit - Match Round I, Level I (10/20) - 2006/02/24 - 04:43:19 (ET)
Table '20277081 1' One on One Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: keke22 (950 in chips)
Seat 2: BurntOrnge (2050 in chips)
BurntOrnge: posts small blind 10
keke22: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [4d 5s]
BurntOrnge: raises 40 to 60
keke22: calls 40
*** FLOP *** [4c 4s Jd]
keke22: checks
BurntOrnge: bets 60 keeping it standard
keke22: raises 60 to 120
BurntOrnge: calls 60 I feel like he's really got it this time. Surely he doesn't want to get in another big pot with nothing after the previous one.
*** TURN *** [4c 4s Jd] [8c]
keke22: bets 140 Honestly, I was hoping he'd bet more than this. The small bet left me doubting my best course of action. I certainly still thought he had it, and figured if he'd good, there's no way he's folding (I mean that, as backward as it sounds). The question was, should I push or raise? They both seemed really obvious, but a call seemed worse because I wanted this to be the final hand. Call and I give him a chance to keep the pot small. Surely he can't put me on a 4 anyway... so after prolly 35 seconds...
BurntOrnge: raises 240 to 380
keke22: raises 390 to 770 and is all-in
BurntOrnge: calls 390
*** RIVER *** [4c 4s Jd 8c] [3s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
keke22: shows [Jh Ks] (two pair, Jacks and Fours)
BurntOrnge: shows [4d 5s] (three of a kind, Fours)
BurntOrnge said, "gg"
BurntOrnge collected 1900 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1900 | Rake 0
Board [4c 4s Jd 8c 3s]
Seat 1: keke22 (big blind) showed [Jh Ks] and lost with two pair, Jacks and Fours
Seat 2: BurntOrnge (button) (small blind) showed [4d 5s] and won (1900) with three of a kind, Fours

Disclaimer: I know I got lucky, hit every flop, hit a turn that let me make a call etc...
But I think I played each of those hands (and every hand in the match for that matter) perfectly, so while I'm not saying I proved I'm better than this guy, I was able to peg him damn accurately because I knew he was good and then outplay him from there.

In other news, I played another session of live 1/2NL. This was a different raked game. This time I found myself on the southern end of Austin. Despite my few live game experiences in Austin, I found myself playing against three different people I've played with at various times. Two from Adam Seyer's house and one from the AEPi charity tourney.

This game was much tougher than the first. I missed flop with big cards, then had continuation bets called. Or I raised pf with a big pair, got a caller than couldn't get wanted action on the flop (except once early).
So I ended up getting down around $100.
Finally I got lucky, hitting a semi-free two-outer on the river to boat up and take down a fella's flopped trips.
I bet the flop, he flat-called. The turn went check-check, and then I hit, so I didn't feel bad.
That pot put me close to even, but I still ended the night with $15 less than I started with.
Dropping $15 hours in six hours of play didn't seem so bad after being down $100.

The guy I sucked out on was a Jordanian that spoke with a thick accent. A nice, innocent, affable, personality combined with a loose table imagekept him the focus of the table's attention. But it turns out, under the friendly exterior he was a prick.
As evidenced by the colossal slow-roll he pulled on some poor guy from TX State.
On a JJx flop, TX State guy overbets and the Jordanian check-raises all in.
"Do you have the jack?"
The other guy answers in the affirmative as he calls and flips over JT. He says something to the effect that he thinks he's up against a flush draw and that he doesn't want to see any clubs.
Jordan nods, "no clubs."
And no clubs fall.
Then Jordan flips over AJ.
"Ace kicker," he proclaims happily as he rakes in a $200+ pot.

I was floored.
If that was me he'd slow-rolled...

Hey, I don't put it past myself. I once threw a deck of cards in a guy's face and went around the table and after him for laughing at me after a hand.

He was like 230 and more cool-headed than me, so I got lucky. My ass shoulda been grass.

Anyway, point is, when I'm seeing red, there's no telling.
But now that I know he likes to pull that shit, I'll just tell myself he's doing it every time if I ever play against him again.

Poker Stars support is The Shit

2006-02-19T22:37:00.000-08:00

After my recent third place finish in that $30 PLO MTT I was feeling kinda sick about how it ended (not my run as much as the tourney in general; after I was eliminated the two guys got all-in with crap after playing each other tight all day).

So I spit out a letter to the guys over there.

>Ok, I'm prolly just imagining things, but the play 3-handed in this
>MTT as really bothered me.
>Maybe I was just so aggressive, that both players felt like they
>needed to just wait for me to overdo it. So they stayed out of each
>other's way.
>But I'd like someone to please look at it, because sometimes I got the
>feeling they already had some deal in place. Then I was eliminated and
>the big stick won on the next hand or the hand after (and both players
>had trash).
>
>So for my peace of mind, could you give it a once over? Only
>3-4-handed play would be necessary.
>
>Also, I forgot to copy and paste the last hand of the MTT from the
>hand history box. Could I see it?
>
>Thanks.
>-Ryan Killian
>BurntOrnge

After a few days I thought I'd been ignored, but they guys were just working thourougly.

Thank you once again for reporting your concerns to us. Although we do
monitor the games for collusion, we always appreciate vigilant players such
as yourself reporting any strange or unusual play to us for review. I have
completed my investigation into the accounts of the players "BOT84"
and "TotalScience".

The first thing that we look for in such cases is a relationship between
the two players. In this instance, they live toth live in the St. Louis
metro area. They have also logged in from a common computer or internet
connection.

I then look for frequency of play together. I am looking to see if these
players seem to be seeking each other out. Although a high frequency of
play is not necessarily an indictment, it can be a harbinger of unethical
play. In this case, they have not played at the same ring game table any
time in the past month, and this is the first tournament that they have
played at the same table. We also contacted the players, and they admitted
to knowing each other, and even sharing a computer from time to time, but
have avoided playing with each other at the same table.

With that said, the real question comes in the play of the tournaments. One
of the advantages of online poker is that there is a full record of every
hand, and after the fact, we can look through the hands with all cards face
up; as a result, cheaters cannot hide what they are doing.

I reviewed this tournament with all cards face up, looking for any forms of
collusion. First of all, the players were playing from distinct locations
when this event was played. Most of the play in this event was consistent,
and there didn't really appear to be plays that were maliciously or
intentionally collusive. However, as an experienced PLO player, I can tell
you that there were some hands in which I felt that they were avoiding
confrontation. This was reviewed by 4 other specialists as well, and the
consensus was at worst, they avoided confrontation a couple times, as most
of their play was consistent, including several confrontation hands which
were exonerating. There were several perfect stack balancing opportunities
which passed without incident, as well as many pot building opportunities
that were not taken advantage of. It very unclear if this even was affected
by the possible lack of confrontation, but in your position I can certainly
understand why you had your suspicions. In fact, we are not comfortable
with any possibility existing that this event was affected. It is our
policy to compensate those that are affected by unethical play, and even
though I can't really conclude that unethical play occurred, we feel a need
to compensate you because it was possible that this event was affected.

Therefore, we have advanced you from 3rd to 2nd in this event, and credited
your account with $194.40. We do this at our expense, just because the
possibility exists, and the integrity of our games must be maintained.

Furthermore, we have restricted the accounts of the two players so that
they can not play in SnG tournaments together, or share a table in a ring
game. They will also not be able to play in small MTT events, in which
there is a likelyhood that they can share a table.

As you can see, we have a lot of tools at our disposal which help us keep
our games honest and fair. In addition, the thousands of honest, vigilant
players who point out situations that merit investigation are an important
part of our arsenal. Thank you for doing your part to protect the integrity
of our games.

Regards,

Randy
PokerStars Support Team

Pretty cool, but I felt robbed still. I want to be on top of a damn tournament, and I felt like i was the cream of the remaining crop. But I was facing players who wouldn't confront each other, and I couldn't dodge a suckout...

Rounders

2006-02-17T14:37:00.000-08:00

I'm seriously trying to go the way of Matt Damon in Rounders. After getting fired a few days ago, I decided to try out a local 1/2NL game.
Pet Monster deals at one, and he got me pointed in the right direction. I was impressed when I showed up. It was like 11:00 there were cars all outisde the house. Per instructions, I went around to the back and knocked. There I was met by an appropriately suspicious host in a fur Russian hat. He let me in, called PM to check me out, and that was that.
Looking around, I saw two guys at an otherwise-empty poker table watching TV. Another TV faced me. It featured shots from security cameras around the property. These guys take their security seriously. I walked through the kitchen to get to the poker room. On my right was a free buffet and a fridge stocked with free beer, water, soda and Red Bull.
Music played in the poker room and another big screen TV sat along the wall. The TV featured picture-in-picture, and the mini screen was - you guessed it -- a security camera shot covering the back door. (Ok, maybe you didn't guess it.)
My first stop was the bathroom. There was no pat-down, so I wondered what if someone in my shoes took a gun thinking he'd rob the place. The guys seemed friendly, but I got the feeling if I waltzed back out there with a gun in hand thinking I'd rob the place I'd be dead before I coul tell 'em to reach for the sky.
I'm fairly certain the guy in Seat 6 would have shot me dead.

After waiting for a seat to open and talking with a couple other fellas, I was finally placed in Seat 2. PM's twin brother was dealing and he was an affable bloke. The game was loose, and after a slow start, there seemed to be kill pots once per four hands. ($5 kill when the pot reacjed $100.)
I played TAG-boring. When I raised pre-flop, I hit the flop. I bet the flop and people folded. That's how it was all night. I pulled off one bluff with a dinky pair when I saw a flop with J7 from the BB, but that was it.
The flop was A7x and it checked around (4 players). The trun was another A. The SB and I checked, an aggro player in seat 8 bet $7 and I was the lone caller. I fumbled with chips, looking like I might raise but I wasn't acting, just fumbling. On the blank river I bet $15 and the guy folded without much thought, so my hand was probably good anyway.

I was card dead but never in tricky spots and after three hours, with homework to get done for my 8 a.m. class, I called it quits up $35. It was a good, get-my-feet-wet kinda experience.
I hope to do it regularly, but my BR has no flexibility, sink or swim.

DON'T YOU LOVE MY HILAAARIOUS RE-ARTICULATION OF THE MOVIE POSTER!?!?

The Good Old Days

2006-02-15T18:59:00.000-08:00

Ok, some guys at DBPoker.com were remeniscing about their good old days and bemoaning kids today. I don't know if I'm from the same generation as kids these days, but my recollections of the whole thing weren't too bad.

Me and Eric (ekillian) had our bike path in the woods complete with jumps and dips. One jump we dug a concealed pit in the landing zone for the next user.
We also had a pair of huge sirt mounds near a construction site which we molded a bike path into and stairs to walk to the top. We gave it a name and thought we'd charge admission.
"R.P Down" or some such (we live in River Plantation.)

We also had woods behind our house. We didn't build the treehouses and forts; we tore them down. That got us into at least one rock/acorn fight Johnny Pfifer, plus poor old Justin got beat up.

Football and tennisball-baseball were played year round. And as long as Chase Bergfeld's sister wasn't tanning in the drive-way, the focus was 100% on the game.
Lauren didn't turn out bad at all.
http://www.laurenbergfeld.net/
One game, I still remember sliding into home -- on the asphalt. I bled. The catcher did too, and he wasn't too happy. But I was safe. A homerun was over the branch that hung over the road, mine were always of the inside the park variety.

Once we were driving the fun didn't stop. A skateboard behind a car at 25-30 MPH was typical. Making turns on the skateboard at that speed wasn't easy. Just ask Eric, he took a nasty fall in the middle of the road. That same day we were out jumping 4-wheelers. I got some good air, but one of my friends, Shane, wasn't so fortunate. He gunned it right as he reached the lip causing it to jump vertical. He fell off the back, and it almost fell on him. Another, Lonnie, hit the landing with the wheels turned. It rolled left, and he took a spill. The ATV rolled over his leg before crashing nto the brush, but the muddy conditions saved him from harm (unlike the time when he was 12 and his girlfriend shot him with a BB gun loaded with a pair of needles -- no one was sued).

Lonnie was often hurt. It's just the way things worked out. We had a rock war of our own, a few years earlier, until his injury spoiled the fun. On hilly terrain, the battle began with fist-sized rocks thrown from on hilltop to another. They rained down like mortars, and as you scrambled for another rock you kept your eye skyward to dodge the falling projectiles. My sister was on of the first casualties. Lance (Lonnie's twin) heaved a rock 40 yards or so and she never saw it coming. She suffered a hematoma but the battle only intensified. Lance and I decided to get tricky and stealthily worked our way behind enemy lines. We launched a surprise bombardment and eventually took a small, scraggly knoll. Defending the knoll was wild as the antes had gone up. Word of the battle spread quickly and there were probably 20 combatants involved. I found myself in the unfortunate position of being assaulted by a band of girls. I danced skittishly about, dodging rocks. For the most part I was succesful. But I couldn't hardly throw a rock back, not at these close quarters, so I just yelled at them to reconsider. They didn't listen and I was cannon fodder. Moments later, when the girls had run out of rocks and pulled back, I heard a yell of "Charge." I turned and saw Lonnie storming the opposite side of the hill. Apparently, he was leading two others but they declined to follow him in this suicide attack. We had two athletically inclined sentries posted there and they immediately opened up. The first rock struck Lonnie in the mouth, chipping a tooth. I saw his head duck down and another rock struck him in the forehead. He went down, bleeding everywhere. The next 30 minutes were spent trying to carry him over the rough terrain around 350 yads to civilzation. A shirt from one of the guys helped stem the bleeding, but his boony hat was stained with what I called his "red badge of courage." He didn't appreciate the literary reference.

Train-hopping was a short-lived pasttime. We did it twice witout incident. The third was the charm. That day, Lance, Eric and I were out at the tracks. We took a few running starts at this one, but the thing was just moving to fast.
Eric would not be denied. He backed up, took off at a run and leapt, arms outstretched. His fingers grasped the ladder for a moment, just long enough for him to be thrown into the air like a rag doll. He landed in the rocks as the trained rolled on, indifferent to his pain.
The numerous scratches and abrsions couldn't be hidden and there was hell to pay for that one.

WHEEEEE!!!!!

2006-02-12T23:46:00.000-08:00

Pet Monster swears by the cashout curse, and some days I believe him.
After cashing out $170, I've lost 7 consecutive $20+2 SnGs -- three of them of the 180-man variety.
It's been no fun at all. Three I lost early by getting aggro with AK. I pushed with plenty of fold equity but had calls made against me and failed to outrace my opponents' 44, TT and QQ. I lost another with set over set. That sucked too. Another two were fairly late in 20/20s and game as a function of short stack and rising blinds.

But I did just play a $20 HU match and emerge the victor. That chat made it special.
MrBlonde6 over at PSCrew suggested I use pokerhand.org to display my hands. It makes sense to me. So here is the second hand of the SnG.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?243269

Pre-flop is nothing to speak of. On the flop, I thought that large bet might just be an aggressive continuation bet. I called to see if he'd slow down.
He didn't slow down, but I nailed trips on the turn. Now I thought he had an overpair and I pretty much knew his chips were mine. He didn't like it too much.

nuspine said, "nice raise preflop"
BurntOrnge said, "lol, ty, lucky me"
nuspine said, "ya think?"
BurntOrnge said, "pretty much"

We battle for a bit, and here's the best part. His chat costs him the game.

nuspine said, "you gotta grow a pair sooner or later"

I'm not really sure what prompted this comment. I'd called an all-in with Q3 and doubled up his 56o. I'd pushed with K8o (called by his K8o) and I'd been winning my fair share of hands.
But the cards were dealt for the next hand and I limped my A3o. He pushed, his last bit of chat still hanging in the chat box.
lol
I call. He has KJcc, and my hand holds up.

Then he called me a tool, and I thanked him for the nice chat. It was fun.

It's 2am, and I'm doing laundry.

Let me know if you like the changes Adobe PhotoShop has allowed me.

You know how I know poker's gay?

2006-02-11T14:37:00.000-08:00

Because people make calls like this and win:

PokerStars Game #3938932801: Tournament #19572262,
Hold'em No Limit - Match Round I, Level II (15/30) - 2006/02/11 - 17:32:56 (ET)
Table '19572262 1' One on One Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: ec-BigE (2170 in chips)
Seat 2: BurntOrnge (830 in chips)
ec-BigE: posts small blind 15
BurntOrnge: posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Jc 2h]
ec-BigE: calls 15
BurntOrnge: checks
*** FLOP *** [Js Kc 8c]
BurntOrnge: checks
ec-BigE: bets 90
BurntOrnge: raises 180 to 270
ec-BigE: calls 180
*** TURN *** [Js Kc 8c] [Qh]
BurntOrnge: checks
ec-BigE: checks
*** RIVER *** [Js Kc 8c Qh] [6d]
BurntOrnge: checks
ec-BigE: checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BurntOrnge: shows [Jc 2h] (a pair of Jacks)
ec-BigE: shows [Qc 9d] (a pair of Queens)
ec-BigE collected 600 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 600 | Rake 0
Board [Js Kc 8c Qh 6d]
Seat 1: ec-BigE (button) (small blind) showed [Qc 9d] and won (600)
with a pair of Queens
Seat 2: BurntOrnge (big blind) showed [Jc 2h] and lost with a pair of Jacks

What's the deal here? I've been playing him tight, letting him run me over. There's a fine line between aggro and douchebag, and this guy is on the wrong side of it.

Don't believe me? Look at this hand.

PokerStars Game #3938950242: Tournament #19572262,
Hold'em No Limit - Match Round I, Level II (15/30) - 2006/02/11 - 17:34:30 (ET)
Table '19572262 1' One on One Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: ec-BigE (2440 in chips)
Seat 2: BurntOrnge (560 in chips)
ec-BigE: posts small blind 15
BurntOrnge: posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [6c 7c]
ec-BigE: raises 60 to 90
BurntOrnge: raises 470 to 560 and is all-in
ec-BigE: calls 470
*** FLOP *** [9d Tc 2c]
BurntOrnge said, "nc, lol"
*** TURN *** [9d Tc 2c] [Ks]
*** RIVER *** [9d Tc 2c Ks] [4h]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BurntOrnge: shows [6c 7c] (high card King)
ec-BigE: shows [Jh Td] (a pair of Tens)
ec-BigE collected 1120 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1120 | Rake 0
Board [9d Tc 2c Ks 4h]
Seat 1: ec-BigE (button) (small blind) showed [Jh Td]
and won (1120) with a pair of Tens
Seat 2: BurntOrnge (big blind) showed [6c 7c] and lost with high card King

JTo, what does he think he's up against? Sure, if he loses he's still ahead 2:1 and my push might well be 88-99. But I've played TIGHT. I haven't fucked with him. And I do one time, and he calls with JT?!?!
I agree, my play was bad. Impatient, and I should have known he'd call with a wide range of hands. I just wanted to take a break from being run over.
Notice the flop; I simply had too many outs.

I also played a $50+5 MTT. I was completely dead and went out in the first hand of 200/400 blinds. It was ridiculous. I only got that far because my 69o sucked out on a QK with a 9 on the flop.

But today isn't all bad. That girl called. The plan is to see When A Stranger Calls tonight.
Scary movies with with girls are +EV.
She's supposed to call me later...

More good news. I got Adobe Photoshop CS2 today. That should be fun. Next I need Adobe InDesign CS2.

B.purdy has tried in vain to get a certain avatar on Stars. repeatedly it has been deemed offensive, too sexual. They wanted a face on it at least.
I tried to help.

Hunchback of PokerStars.

Obviously, I still have a lot to learn. I could do it 100% better right now. I'm still learning the commands.

Lame Night

2006-02-11T00:42:00.000-08:00

Friday night, and what'd I do?
I stayed home, read a book and played some poker. It was as boring as it sounds. The worst part was, I was expecting a call at which point I would make plans for the night. So, I didn't plany any MTTs or anything, hardly played at all actually.
It sucked. I lost a $20 NL HE HU SnG to an aggressive lucksack and won two $50 HU matches.
If my counting is right, that's 8 wins in a row.

Tonight had all the chance in the world to be a good night. Not only was I supposed to meet up with a girl, I had my choice of 3 parties. One was in West Campus. My friend there never called me either.
The other two were in North Austin and San marcos respectively. I didn't want to leave for either one until I had talked to this girl, because if she called while I was gone it'd prolly be too much of a hassle to meet up.
bleh
The North Austin party was UH Big Tex's homewarming/birthday bash. I really wanted to meet that guy. But no...
fuck

Final Table, Odd Ends

2006-02-09T18:37:00.000-08:00

So I had a cheap final table. It's only saving grace, besides the fact that any PokerStars final table is legit, is that it was Deep Stacks, so i really had to work for it.
It was $30 PLO

You finished in 3rd place (eliminated at hand #3902491377).

547 hands played and saw flop:
- 32 times out of 93 while in small blind (34%)
- 57 times out of 95 while in big blind (60%)
- 71 times out of 359 in other positions (19%)
- a total of 160 times out of 547 (29%)

Pots won at showdown - 23 out of 36 (63%)
Pots won without showdown - 69

My bust-out hand sucked. I made a great call. It turned out we were in a race, and I lost.

*********** # 547 **************
PokerStars Game #3902491377: Tournament #19347347,
Omaha Pot Limit - Level XVI (3000/6000) - 2006/02/08 - 11:02:05 (ET)
Table '19347347 6' Seat #5 is the button
Seat 3: BurntOrnge (100448 in chips)
Seat 5: TotalScience (228472 in chips)
Seat 7: BOT84 (76080 in chips)
BOT84: posts small blind 3000
BurntOrnge: posts big blind 6000
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Qc Qd 2c Td]
TotalScience: raises 12000 to 18000
BOT84: folds
BurntOrnge: calls 12000
*** FLOP *** [8s 5c Jh]
BurntOrnge: bets 18000
TotalScience: raises 75000 to 93000
BurntOrnge: calls 64448 and is all-in
*** TURN *** [8s 5c Jh] [Kh]
*** RIVER *** [8s 5c Jh Kh] [5d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BurntOrnge: shows [Qc Qd 2c Td] (two pair, Queens and Fives)
TotalScience: shows [9h 7c 4d 5s] (three of a kind, Fives)
thehempy [observer] said, "eurgh"
TotalScience said, "sry"
TotalScience collected 203896 from pot
DJQ11 [observer] said, "ugh"
DJQ11 [observer] said, "gg"
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 203896 | Rake 0
Board [8s 5c Jh Kh 5d]
Seat 3: BurntOrnge (big blind) showed [Qc Qd 2c Td] and lost with two pair,
Queens and Fives
Seat 5: TotalScience (button) showed [9h 7c 4d 5s] and won (203896) with
three of a kind, Fives
Seat 7: BOT84 (small blind) folded before Flop

pokenum  -o qc qd 2c td  - 9h 7c 4d 5s  -- 8s 5c jh
Omaha Hi: 820 enumerated boards containing 8s 5c Jh
cards          win   %win  lose  %lose  tie  %tie     EV
Qc 2c  Qd  Td  429  52.32   391  47.68    0  0.00  0.523
5s 7c  4d  9h  391  47.68   429  52.32    0  0.00  0.477

I had a better pair, and as best I can tell a better draw. It seems like he
must've had a double-gutter to make that play but I don't see it.

Then on the next hand they got all in with shit, tourney over.

I missed a class to finish it. Started at 2am ended at 9 or so.

Check out this monster, insane bluff. I liked it...


PokerStars Game #3901837593: Tournament #19347347, Omaha Pot Limit -
Level XI (600/1200) - 2006/02/08 - 08:21:14 (ET)

Table '19347347 6' Seat #5 is the button

Seat 1: LakersRule (75240 in chips)

Seat 3: BurntOrnge (45387 in chips)

Seat 4: Twinstwice (62500 in chips) is sitting out

Seat 5: TotalScience (80637 in chips)

Seat 6: FlyingSumo (23760 in chips)

Seat 7: BOT84 (64970 in chips)

Seat 9: kokomojm (52506 in chips)

FlyingSumo: posts small blind 600

BOT84: posts big blind 1200

*** HOLE CARDS ***

Dealt to BurntOrnge [Kh Ac Td 9s]

kokomojm: calls 1200

LakersRule: folds

BurntOrnge: raises 3600 to 4800

Twinstwice: folds

TotalScience: folds

FlyingSumo: folds

BOT84: folds

kokomojm: calls 3600

*** FLOP *** [Jc 7h 7s]

kokomojm: bets 1200

BurntOrnge: calls 1200

*** TURN *** [Jc 7h 7s] [5h]

kokomojm: bets 1200

BurntOrnge: raises 8400 to 9600

kokomojm: calls 8400

*** RIVER *** [Jc 7h 7s 5h] [4h]

kokomojm: checks

BurntOrnge: bets 29787 and is all-in

kokomojm: folds

BurntOrnge collected 33000 from pot

BurntOrnge: doesn't show hand

*** SUMMARY ***

Total pot 33000 | Rake 0

Board [Jc 7h 7s 5h 4h]

Seat 1: LakersRule folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Seat 3: BurntOrnge collected (33000)

Seat 4: Twinstwice folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Seat 5: TotalScience (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Seat 6: FlyingSumo (small blind) folded before Flop

Seat 7: BOT84 (big blind) folded before Flop

Seat 9: kokomojm folded on the River

Earlier, the previous day, I learned I'd have to spend $1100 on a car I won't use
and I got a ticket. It was not a good day...
You always know I've saved up some money or am about to get some money because I
a ticket.

Right now I'm playing a $36+3 sat. I haven't chatted much, but this was funny.

hoop7300: he he desperation :-)
habssuck1: yup
BurntOrnge: desperation is me getting with Noodle's sister
hoop7300: loooooooool

(Noodles69 was a completely innocent shortstack in seat 4.)

I made the money in a $20+2 6-handed limit HE tourney recently. Pay-level bubbled
after crippling myself with a bad misclick.
I also made the money in a $3 MTT. 20% pay-out. That was goofy.

My goal is 1000 TLBs this month. I average less than an MTT a day. That won't be
easy.

EDIT:

I semi-bubbled the sat. It felt better than that third place finish.

PokerStars Tournament #19196820, No Limit Hold'em
Super Satellite
Buy-In: $36.00/$3.00
94 players
Total Prize Pool: $3384.00
Target Tournament #18784049 Buy-In: $215.00
15 tickets to the target tournament

Tournament started - 2006/02/09 - 21:45:00 (ET)

Dear BurntOrnge,

You finished the tournament in 16th place.
A $159.00 award has been credited to your Real Money account.

FUCK Technology, Superbowl Commercials

2006-02-05T18:54:00.000-08:00

Here we go, running commentary on the Super Bowl commercials.

Wild animals are in.

That FedEX commercial as well as the following Bud Light commercials were pure gold.
"Magic Fridge"

That bi-lingual, Toyota hybrid commercial was stupid. If you're going to have a bi-lingual guy, make sure the dumb fuck can speak English without sounding like a retard.

5:51
Movie Trailers suck, I won't comment on them.

Jay Mohr, and P-Diddy R&B Diet Pepsi, gay.
"That was the worst commercial I've seen," says Lonnie.

5:58

"Right down the middle" Hawks up 3-0

Aleve = gay - Start Trek and what not

Ameriquest, hilaaaarious - "That killed him." Right as the mom and daughter walk in to the hospital room.

Bud Light - cleanin' the gutters
This one was alright, the slapstick violence was nice

6:04
Diet Coke stands in as Diet Pepsi's stunt double, per Jay Mohr's request. Funny, but w/e. Jackie Chan plays opposite the can.

6:12

More animals - Budweiser. Funny but I"m not sure what jsut happened

ESPN Mobile - awesome commercial conceptually and carried out perfectly.
At first I was thinking the guy was gay for not checking out the action around him. Then I realized he's a badass because that's exactly what he's checking out -- on his phone.

6:17

Careerbuilder.com , once again, we see that animals = funny. Especially when it's money burning money and smoking cigars while celebrating the apparent succes of the company.

2007 Escalade - eh, someone paid too much for that commercial. Cool in it's way, I guess.

The Steelers offense is looking like shit. Big Ben has a big problem. He doesn't seem to mind.

Dove - self-esteem fund, for girls of course. Girls have low self-esteem, whoop di shit, so do guys. We don't need a fund. GAY

YUM YUM, time for wings

Randle El just got owned, ouch

Toyota hybrid - I wish I could sing like Kermit. "It's not that easy being green" Dumb -payoff

Michelobe Ultra - You were open, now you are CLOSED!!" funny stuff, girl gets slammed to the turf. In the name of polical corectness, the guys gets his come-uppance.

6:35
GoDaddy time - GoDaddy girls, they look so trashy :( but their heart was in the right place
Eric informs me this day has more domestic violence than any other. Oops

6:39

GiletteFusion - It's traditional for Gillette to introduce new products at major sporting events. 5- blades, lol.

FUCK, Firefox crashed. My constant copying to paste just in case, didn't work because... not sure why... no paste option. The autosave function for Blogger.com fucked me in the ass.

OMG, I'm pissed. I hate technology. I was only running three windows and AIM. WTF.

:27 to go in the game, PIT will win. Fuck this.

lol, game over. Seahawks fucked up. lol 21-10 gg

Spring Semester Nears

2006-01-16T01:25:00.000-08:00

It's almost time to get back in the academic saddle. Tuesday's the big day. I waited until January 12th to register for classes.
My schedule sucks the 8:00 a.m. German class four days a week will hurt my poker schedule I'm sure. Then I'm taking a visual design class taught by Darling that I've been specifically planning on not taking... that sucks.
I'm taking Psychology of advertising. It'll fulfill a requirement and sounds interesting. It's probably the class that I am most excoted about.
Second on that list will be my upper-division history class, Witches, Workers and Wives.
Yes, it's about women. I expect to see a bunch of chicks. History major chicks... I'm taking a gamble here.

That class will signify the completion of a history minor. I have a history minor for absolutely no reason. I hope I at least get a certificate or something to say that I did it.

I have now made the money in 4 20/20s in 8 attempts. I still have 0 final table. It's making me really, really want to straight up win one.

R.I.P Customer Service

2006-01-13T21:59:00.000-08:00

I didn't believe it until today. But it's true. Customer service is dead.
I walked into Circuit City today as the ideal customer. Because of my recent withdrawal snafu, I had money to spend. Instead of it disappearing into my bank account, I wanted something specific to show for it. Sure, $300 isn't a ton of money, but I think Circuit City probably appreciates it when customers come in looking to spend that much.
Anywa, my focus is car audio. I know I can't get exactly what I want, but this could be a good chance to feel out this whole project, cost-wise.
I see a Verizon booth mini-store. Now I hate my Verizon phone, and this could be just what he doctor ordered. I walk over adn start looking over the merchandise. The two employees, a skinny Asian and short fat girl are both helping one customer. I decide to let them be and head over to the car audio. That's when I start slipping into this surreal world in which customer service does not exist.
The two Hispanic employees are in the middle of the floor. They aren't working with customers. But one is on the phone and the other is haning on to every word trying to hear what's going on. I walk around waiting while they fool around. They walk in and out to the install bay dicking around and I start growing irate.
I decide I'll complain to the manager. I find him quickly. He's the guy in the black shirt flirting with the female clerk while two other "workers" stand by chatting.
I'm going insane.
I walk back to the Verizon booth in a stupor. In front of a big-screen TV, two employees stand watching it, their backs to me as they watch.
No one is working in this place.
Meanwhile, our two capable Verizon employees have managed to anger their lone customer. I sigh and return to the car audio section. Finally, I ask for help. I explain my situation and they tell me they can't help me. One guy gives me the phone number of a friend of his.
I go back to the Verizon booth. The fat girl is staring out into space. She's got a damn ear piece, one of those "I'm a bad ass, but I have no friends" cell phones and she's busy. I stand right in front of the Asian fellow and he asks if he can help me. I ask a simple question.
"What's the best phone you've got?"
He looks about.
"Well it depends what you're looking for. This one's good," he says, "and this one. The Razor is also really popular."
He then goes back to doing whatever the hell he'd been doing before, leaving me to the phones having not told me how they're different or why I might like one over the other.
I'm fuming but bemused now. I walk outside, then come back in. I head straight for tubby.
"Are there any free-standing Verizon stores around here?" I ask.
She answers quickly with the location. Then suddenly looks perplexed.
"Why don't you want to use this? We have all the same stuff."
I don't have the heart to tell her that she and her buddy suck at their jobs, and I don't want to deal with them.
I leave her slack-jawed in my wake, thinking I'm an idiot, I'm sure.

I step into Verizon full of hope and intent on getting a phone and working with real Verizon sales reps.
No such luck.
The stor has two sections. The front is for sales, while the back is for tech and customer service. Once again I find two employees helping one guy. I mill around waiting for them to finish. It takes awhile. Finally, Angela walks from behind the counter towards me.
Finally.
She's interupted but it's cool. She saw me and will soon be helping me. I'm sure of it. As she helps this fella with the intelligence of a gifted brick, she introdcues herslef to other customers telling them she'll help them next. This isn't looking good.
Sure enough, upon finishing with Einstein, who didn't buy anything, she turns to help an older couple.
The fact that I'm 20 and look 17 can't be helping me, and that's quite bothersome.
Another sales rep comes from the back. I make eye contact with him.
"One second, I help you, bud." he says.
He definitely called me "bud"...
But hey, I'm about to be helped right?
Then the cute red-head chick walks in.
Pretty soon he's helping her. Oh sure, her problem is technical and he does sales, but that's no problem he assures her. As he heads into the back another employee pokes his head in to say something, apparently something humorous. I'm sure it had absolutely nothing to do with the girl...
It's now been probably 20 minutes. I take off my glasses because the steam from my ears has fogged them up.
"So what exactly do you want anyway?" asks the guy behind the counter.
I blink and look up. He's talking to me. I wouldn't believe except he asks so rudely.
"I want to buy a new phone." I answer simply, not wanting to complicate things for him. I walk over to the counter.
He asks if I have a Verizon plan, and I answer that I do. And he asks what phone I have.
"This piece of shit," I say humorlessly, pulling out my phone.
He asks me if the account is under my name, and I tell him it's a family plan. He then tells me I can't by a phone without my parents present.
Deep breaths. fireworks are going off in my head. bright lights flash. Somewhere over the mountains, a cat meows.
I explain that I live in Austin and the live a couple hundred miles away. Then he tells me they can ok it by phone or internet. He then asks me if I'm in the last two months of my plan....
"I don't know."
"If you're not in the last two months of your plan, you can't buy a new phone," he says.
He tells me that even if I pay full price, I can't buy a new phone. This is making no sense. I look him straight in the eye and ask with a straight face if that would still be the case if my current phone were to break.
The obvious implication is that I'm about to walk outside and throw the damn thing around.
Anyway, he babbles some about insurance that I could have got when I got the plan and a warranty, blah blah blah.
I don't really hear anything now.

Another rant. Sometimes, you're in a situation where you want to be sold something. Anytime you go into a cell phone store you should have that outlook.
When I used to be with Cingular I'd love going in there. Knowledgable salespeople would always come out show me thoe phone and try to sell them all.
That's their job. It's how it works.
If I'm in your store, sell me something. Don't just watch me walk around. I don't know what I want. I have an idea sure. But that's not the same thing.
This joker at Circuit City, what the hell was he trying to accomplish?
He pointed out three phones and left me to it.
That's not going to cut it.
I want some slick willy that calls himself Maverick selling me a phone. When I ask what the "best" phone is. He should, without blinking, show the most expensive phone in the place and tell me why it costs so much and how incredibly useful it's 238 funtions are. Don't insult me by deciding what I can or can't afford by the fact that I look like a kid. Don't pretend you think you know what I need. Just sell me the most expensive phone you've got. When I say that's too expensive step down to the next bracket.
"Yeah that phone is pretty expensive. We don't sell to many of those. Most people are really happy with this one. It's a little cheaper and the camera is only 1.3 megapixels but it looks real sharp and gets the job done."
Some shit like that.
I hate salespeople as much as anyone. But I hate people who can't sell shit more. I walked into a car audio store the other day. I was straight to the point.
"I want to put two 12"s in my 2002 Ford F150 SupercrewCab truck."
"Oh you can't do that," he says.
WTF. I know I can. A little bit later....
"I'd have to do a seat riser kit, blah blah blah."
(This is pissing me off all over again as I type, not because I wanted to do business at that shady, ghetto operation, but because the simple concept of selling is lost on these morons.) Don't fucking tell me I can't do what I want to do when I CAN do it, and you can be the guy that gets it done.
Say "Oh man, those are some big subs for that truck. I'll have to get you set up with a seat riser kit and it'll still be a snug fit. Here's what we're looking at..."

Does this make sense?
It makes perfect sense to me.

/rant

So then I went and spent $90 at Barnes & Nobles on books. Pet Monster, from PokerStars and me talk on the phone sometimes, and I called him up and he made some suggestions. I got everything he suggested.

The Great Books of Amber by Roger Zelazny
Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay
American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Then he told me about the book he was reading. As he talked about it, I happened to see it on the shelves and added it to my geek-stack of books in my arms.

Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson

Perusing the shelves on my own, I came across one more. I very literally judged the book by it's cover and grabbed it.

The President's Assassin by Brian Haig

Hopefully these books will be as good as I expect. Now it's time to buy text books. We'll see how much time I have for fiction when the school semester begins.

Dreams Don't Come True

2006-01-13T12:48:00.000-08:00

Last night I had a really vivid dream. Besides the fact that I had just escaped prison in this dream, it was really mundane and believable.
So anyway, in this dream, I was at McDonalds with some friends. I stood in line forever and ordered a buffalo chicken sandwhich (just like Subway recently introduced). Then I waited for it forever. It finally came, and I sat down to eat.
It looked damn good.
Then I woke up.

So today, I wait and wait for lunch. I'm going to Subway to get this sandwhich, obv.
Finally I go.
The Subway near my work doesn't have it.
A Cold Cut Trio never tasted so depressing.

Yesterday wasn't a good poker day.

KK is my Bitch

2006-01-12T17:49:00.000-08:00

In the span of 4 hands over three different tables I had KK once and beat it twice. When I had it, I beat aces with it. This is some funny stuff.

First a $50 NL HE match

PokerStars Game #3616917850: Tournament #17953239, Hold'em No Limit - Match Round I, Level IV (50/100) - 2006/01/12 - 20:39:01 (ET)
Table '17953239 1' One on One Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: BurntOrnge (2240 in chips)
Seat 2: Dacak89 (760 in chips)
Dacak89: posts small blind 50
BurntOrnge: posts big blind 100
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [As 2s]
Dacak89: raises 100 to 200
BurntOrnge: raises 1200 to 1400
Dacak89: calls 560 and is all-in
*** FLOP *** [Qc Ad Td]
BurntOrnge said, "nh"
*** TURN *** [Qc Ad Td] [Ac]
*** RIVER *** [Qc Ad Td Ac] [3s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BurntOrnge: shows [As 2s] (three of a kind, Aces)
Dacak89: shows [Kd Kc] (two pair, Aces and Kings)
BurntOrnge collected 1520 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1520 | Rake 0
Board [Qc Ad Td Ac 3s]
Seat 1: BurntOrnge (big blind) showed [As 2s] and won (1520) with three of a kind, Aces
Seat 2: Dacak89 (button) (small blind) showed [Kd Kc] and lost with two pair, Aces and Kings

Then in the $3r

*********** # 10 **************
PokerStars Game #3616924573: Tournament #17676798, Hold'em No Limit - Level II (15/30) - 2006/01/12 - 20:39:36 (ET)
Table '17676798 151' Seat #5 is the button
Seat 1: ROLE17 (2645 in chips)
Seat 2: BurntOrnge (2695 in chips)
Seat 3: thorco (9035 in chips)
Seat 4: TomasQ (4420 in chips)
Seat 5: jimbo91300 (2330 in chips)
Seat 6: pongo25 (1260 in chips)
Seat 7: jdbethels (2180 in chips)
Seat 8: beerbelly911 (720 in chips)
Seat 9: kylepaul (2915 in chips)
pongo25: posts small blind 15
jdbethels: posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Kd Ks]
beerbelly911: folds
kylepaul: folds
ROLE17: raises 2615 to 2645 and is all-in
BurntOrnge: raises 50 to 2695 and is all-in
thorco: folds
TomasQ: folds
jimbo91300: folds
pongo25: folds
jdbethels: folds
*** FLOP *** [Qs Kh 9h]
BurntOrnge said, "hold"
*** TURN *** [Qs Kh 9h] [5h]
*** RIVER *** [Qs Kh 9h 5h] [8d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
ROLE17: shows [Ah As] (a pair of Aces)
BurntOrnge: shows [Kd Ks] (three of a kind, Kings)
jdbethels said, "nh"
BurntOrnge collected 5335 from pot
ROLE17 re-buys and receives 1500 chips for $3.00
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 5335 | Rake 0
Board [Qs Kh 9h 5h 8d]
Seat 1: ROLE17 showed [Ah As] and lost with a pair of Aces
Seat 2: BurntOrnge showed [Kd Ks] and won (5335) with three of a kind, Kings
Seat 3: thorco folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: TomasQ folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: jimbo91300 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: pongo25 (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 7: jdbethels (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 8: beerbelly911 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: kylepaul folded before Flop (didn't bet)

And finally in a $5 NL HE MTT

PokerStars Game #3616916041: Tournament #17676797, Hold'em No Limit - Level II (15/30) - 2006/01/12 - 20:38:52 (ET)
Table '17676797 41' Seat #8 is the button
Seat 1: goccia49 (1320 in chips)
Seat 2: hymo1234 (1290 in chips)
Seat 3: Chilean14me (2765 in chips)
Seat 4: fatty14216 (4230 in chips)
Seat 5: pirosfriend (1230 in chips)
Seat 6: BurntOrnge (1345 in chips)
Seat 7: ffsjr (1335 in chips)
Seat 8: stevecor (2395 in chips)
Seat 9: Dave23 (1575 in chips)
Dave23: posts small blind 15
goccia49: posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [6h 6d]
hymo1234: raises 30 to 60
Chilean14me: folds
fatty14216: folds
pirosfriend: calls 60
BurntOrnge: calls 60
ffsjr: folds
stevecor: folds
Dave23: folds
goccia49: calls 30
*** FLOP *** [8h 6c Ad]
goccia49: checks
hymo1234: bets 120
pirosfriend: folds
BurntOrnge: calls 120
goccia49: folds
*** TURN *** [8h 6c Ad] [Js]
hymo1234: checks
BurntOrnge: bets 250
hymo1234: calls 250
*** RIVER *** [8h 6c Ad Js] [8s]
hymo1234: checks
BurntOrnge: bets 700
hymo1234: calls 700
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BurntOrnge: shows [6h 6d] (a full house, Sixes full of Eights)
hymo1234: mucks hand
BurntOrnge collected 2395 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2395 | Rake 0
Board [8h 6c Ad Js 8s]
Seat 1: goccia49 (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 2: hymo1234 mucked [Kd Kh]
Seat 3: Chilean14me folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: fatty14216 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: pirosfriend folded on the Flop
Seat 6: BurntOrnge showed [6h 6d] and won (2395) with a full house, Sixes full of Eights
Seat 7: ffsjr folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: stevecor (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: Dave23 (small blind) folded before Flop

Slam bam thank ya mam, eh boy?

I've won my last 6 $50 NL HE matches. That's pretty great.
MTTs are going well, except for the fact that I can't do shit in them. I finished 10th in a 20/20 an hour or so ago. Lost a race... to 88 of course, which is currently the bane of my existence.

That means I've earned TLBs in 4 straight events. I love TLBs.
This is a very choppy blog entry.

Today I also cleared my PS bonus for a free $126. That was much appreciated, and I'll prolly pull out $100 because I'm a pansy and I could use an extra $100 in the ole bank account.

Speaking of the bank account. I received a $230 check in the mail from Noble Poker today. It seems I cashed out through a less-than-desirable method which leaves me in a quandary.
$200 of that was meant to go reload Interpoker. Now It'll be in my bank. I don't want money from my bank going into my poker account. That would be a bad habit to get into (for me). So I think I'm going to have to eat the $200 poker-wise. Maybe I can use it for my truck...

I'm currently in two MTTs and plan on playing the $36 sat. Wish me luck.

Dabbling once More in MTTs

2006-01-11T21:32:00.000-08:00

I've played 4 MTTs over the last two days and 3 MTT Sats. So far I've struck out in all of the sats, but I've made the money in my last 3 MTTs.
For awhile, I didn't really have time to play MTTs, but now I think it's something I can do again. They're poker's biggest rush, in my opinion but they are also a source up much grief and anguish.
Today was a classic example.
First, in a $36+3 sat to the $215 I mis-click min-raise from MP with AK. An idiot in the CO calls and the SB pushes for 3K. Now the blinds are 50/100 and I have 1900 behind me. I can easily fold, and I don't like calling off my chips with AK any more than the next guy. But I figured under the circumstances, I was almost certainly racing at worst. There was a chance I was dominating, and a 5-6K pot at that stage of the $36+3 could be huge. SO I called. The idiot called.
He had KJdd. The SB had 88 and won, eliminating me in like 70th place.

I also played a $3r.
Dear BurntOrnge,

You finished the tournament in 168th place.
A $27.19 award has been credited to your Real Money account.

You earned 48.31 tournament leader points in this tournament.
For information about our tournament leader board, see our web site at
http://www.pokerstars.com/tlb_tournament_rankings.html

I got lucky to get that far, but the ending was still extremely dissappointing. Once again, it was with AK. The blinds were 1,500/3,000 and I had 35K. UTG+1 raised, a lucky, aggressive player called in MP.
I pushed.
EP player called with 88.
Lucky aggro player called with AQ.

The flop was AQX, and I lost a 100K pot that would have done wonders for my confidence.
Based on this post and my last one, it seems like AK is out to get me. Maybe it is. But, I can guarantee you that flat-calling from the BB is just bad.
The only hands I'm really worried about will most likely still have me by the balls if I hit the flop hard. Unless it's KK and an A flops. Then, good luck getting chips from that guy anyway. If I miss the flop, as I'll usually do I'm really in an awkward position with like 29K, holding AK out of position and a 20K pot.

IMO, 88 should have laid his hand down. AQ prolly calls anyway and I'm still elminated, but I really can't justify the play of EP with 88.

In other news, I stayed up all night playing poker. After posting on this blog, I played a $30+3 MTT. Dissappointing finish, but it always is when you don't win (and I only have done that once).

Only 162 entered.

Dear BurntOrnge,

You finished the tournament in 14th place.
A $58.32 award has been credited to your Real Money account.

You earned 84.39 tournament leader points in this tournament.
For information about our tournament leader board, see our web site at
http://www.pokerstars.com/tlb_tournament_rankings.html

Angry Poker

2006-01-11T02:36:00.000-08:00

Poker in a bad mood costs me so much money. Maybe Pet Monster's theory about how thinking affects the cards is right. When I play poker, and I'm pissed off, I might as weel just buy in and sit out. Today, I couldn't sleep because I had shit on my mind. I don't want to play poker, but I want to spend the time doing something I'm good at.
Fuck it. I'll play poker.

So far, I've played 5 SnGs and one MTT.
$20 SnG, I went nowhere, quickly gone.
$12 6-handed SnG, second place.
$5 LHE SnG, no luck.
$12 6-handed SnG out in 6th.

I still have a SnG and MTT running. Of course, my connection has timed out 4 times so far. I continue to grow more angry.

My losses are just stupid. $20 SnG, I push for 800 with AK from the SB, 2300ish stack in BB calls in a shot with Q9cc, flops two pair.
$12 SnG, I raise with AJ. The flop is JT8. I bet and get min raised. I think and push. He calls in a shot with J9, 7 on the turn, and I'm out.
Limit, well Limit Is Gay.

My connection is still timed out. I can feel the anger in my stomach. I wonder what the fuck that really is, physically.

So, now I'm sitting at my desktop, using my laptop. It can get Stars. Fuck me.
I plan on being at work at 8 in the morning, leaving at 11 and fucking crashing. We'll see how that goes. I was going to take a nap before work, but I'm too agitated.

Ok, now my laptop connection has timed out. I was able to fold one hand...

Sometimes I feel like life is God's movie and I'm the clueless poor sap chosen to play the role of the hapless dope.

Edit:
PokerStars Tournament #17852096, No Limit Hold'em
Buy-In: $3.00/$0.30
527 players
Total Prize Pool: $1581.00
Tournament started - 2006/01/11 - 04:30:00 (ET)

Dear BurntOrnge,

You finished the tournament in 66th place.
A $3.79 award has been credited to your Real Money account.

You earned 42.72 tournament leader points in this tournament.

"Now this is what we call a moral victory. It's not as good as winning, but it's pretty nice!"

Poker is Gay

2006-01-10T22:01:00.000-08:00

So I decided to play a 60 FPP sat. I've never really played an MTT sat, but I've heard they're easy enough. When there are 613 entrants, and 8 paying spots, it can't be too easy though.
So I finished 12, of course.
Literally two minutes later, they broke to the final table.
There were a few interesting hands.

But first, the stats:
During current Hold'em session you were dealt 194 hands and saw flop:
- 12 out of 22 times while in big blind (54%)
- 8 out of 24 times while in small blind (33%)
- 9 out of 148 times in other positions (6%)
- a total of 29 out of 194 (14%)
Pots won at showdown - 7 of 9 (77%)
Pots won without showdown - 12

Looks good to me.

I won the second hand. It took a couple of bad calls to do it...

*********** # 2 **************
PokerStars Game #3597397266: Tournament #17571623, Hold'em No Limit - Level I (10/20) - 2006/01/10 - 21:31:08 (ET)
Table '17571623 37' Seat #3 is the button
Seat 1: bettheranch (1460 in chips)
Seat 2: BurntOrnge (1500 in chips)
Seat 3: let's play 9 (1490 in chips)
Seat 4: SkunkMom (1460 in chips)
Seat 5: BillDance (1500 in chips)
Seat 6: dh101 (1280 in chips)
Seat 7: buckskinpt (1500 in chips)
Seat 8: supreme502 (2030 in chips)
Seat 9: Wagz12 (1280 in chips)
SkunkMom: posts small blind 10
BillDance: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [5c 6h]
dh101: raises 20 to 40
buckskinpt: folds
supreme502: folds
Wagz12: folds
bettheranch: calls 40
BurntOrnge: calls 40
let's play 9: folds
SkunkMom: calls 30
BillDance: calls 20
*** FLOP *** [Qh 4s 8h]
SkunkMom: checks
BillDance: checks
dh101: checks
bettheranch: bets 20
BurntOrnge: calls 20
SkunkMom: folds
BillDance: folds
dh101: folds
*** TURN *** [Qh 4s 8h] [Th]
bettheranch: bets 60
BurntOrnge: calls 60
*** RIVER *** [Qh 4s 8h Th] [Ah]
bettheranch: checks
BurntOrnge: checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
bettheranch: shows [Qd Jd] (a pair of Queens)
BurntOrnge: shows [5c 6h] (a flush, Ace high)
BurntOrnge collected 360 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 360 | Rake 0
Board [Qh 4s 8h Th Ah]
Seat 1: bettheranch showed [Qd Jd] and lost with a pair of Queens
Seat 2: BurntOrnge showed [5c 6h] and won (360) with a flush, Ace high
Seat 3: let's play 9 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: SkunkMom (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 5: BillDance (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 6: dh101 folded on the Flop
Seat 7: buckskinpt folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: supreme502 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: Wagz12 folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Meh, I wanted to see if I could accumulate early. Then he gave me a nice price on the flop to draw for the straight that never hits. Then, I felt like a heart might be outs, so I drew again. i hit the dinky flush, and it was golden.

Here's another silly hand. I was playing goofily at this point.

*********** # 9 **************
PokerStars Game #3597486838: Tournament #17571623, Hold'em No Limit - Level I (10/20) - 2006/01/10 - 21:38:18 (ET)
Table '17571623 37' Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: AC_TILE (840 in chips)
Seat 2: BurntOrnge (1640 in chips)
Seat 3: let's play 9 (2500 in chips)
Seat 4: SkunkMom (1280 in chips)
Seat 5: BillDance (3200 in chips)
Seat 6: dh101 (2015 in chips)
Seat 7: buckskinpt (2535 in chips)
Seat 8: supreme502 (220 in chips)
Seat 9: Wagz12 (110 in chips)
let's play 9: posts small blind 10
SkunkMom: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Ks Js]
BillDance: folds
dh101: folds
buckskinpt: folds
supreme502: calls 20
Wagz12: raises 90 to 110 and is all-in
AC_TILE: folds
BurntOrnge: calls 110
let's play 9: calls 100
SkunkMom: folds
supreme502: raises 110 to 220 and is all-in
BurntOrnge: raises 1420 to 1640 and is all-in
let's play 9: folds
*** FLOP *** [6c 8h 8d]
*** TURN *** [6c 8h 8d] [Kh]
*** RIVER *** [6c 8h 8d Kh] [Td]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
supreme502: shows [Qs Ah] (a pair of Eights)
BurntOrnge: shows [Ks Js] (two pair, Kings and Eights)
BurntOrnge collected 220 from side pot
Wagz12: shows [Kc Jd] (two pair, Kings and Eights)
Wagz12 collected 230 from main pot
BurntOrnge collected 230 from main pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 680 Main pot 460. Side pot 220. | Rake 0
Board [6c 8h 8d Kh Td]
Seat 1: AC_TILE folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: BurntOrnge (button) showed [Ks Js] and won (450) with two pair, Kings and Eights
Seat 3: let's play 9 (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 4: SkunkMom (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 5: BillDance folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: dh101 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: buckskinpt folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: supreme502 showed [Qs Ah] and lost with a pair of Eights
Seat 9: Wagz12 showed [Kc Jd] and won (230) with two pair, Kings and Eights

I figured he'd likely push with crap, so it was a chance to pick up some chips. Didn't count on AQ limping. The push was well-thought out, IMO. No way he should call there, I don't think. So it gets some dead money in the pot, spices it up.

Anyway, I got lucky and netted some chips there.

And I stayed loose.

*********** # 17 **************
PokerStars Game #3597594398: Tournament #17571623, Hold'em No Limit - Level II (15/30) - 2006/01/10 - 21:46:52 (ET)
Table '17571623 37' Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: AC_TILE (2450 in chips)
Seat 2: BurntOrnge (1780 in chips)
Seat 3: let's play 9 (1680 in chips)
Seat 4: SkunkMom (840 in chips)
Seat 5: BillDance (3120 in chips)
Seat 6: dh101 (1855 in chips)
Seat 7: buckskinpt (2685 in chips)
Seat 8: Trumper (1440 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 9: Jarsonis (1470 in chips)
BurntOrnge: posts small blind 15
let's play 9: posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Qs Kc]
SkunkMom: folds
BillDance: folds
dh101: folds
buckskinpt: folds
Trumper: folds
Trumper has returned
Jarsonis: calls 30
AC_TILE: calls 30
BurntOrnge: calls 15
let's play 9: raises 90 to 120
Jarsonis: calls 90
AC_TILE: calls 90
BurntOrnge: calls 90
*** FLOP *** [9c Kh 7c]
BurntOrnge: checks
let's play 9: bets 210
Jarsonis: folds
AC_TILE: calls 210
BurntOrnge: raises 1450 to 1660 and is all-in
let's play 9: folds
AC_TILE: folds
BurntOrnge collected 1110 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1110 | Rake 0
Board [9c Kh 7c]
Seat 1: AC_TILE (button) folded on the Flop
Seat 2: BurntOrnge (small blind) collected (1110)
Seat 3: let's play 9 (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 4: SkunkMom folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: BillDance folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: dh101 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: buckskinpt folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: Trumper folded before Flop (didn't bet)

I almost folded on the flop. Then said fuck it.
Plenty of worse hands would call me. But I knew I might
be smoked. It was a litle wild.

Aces are beautiful when there's action in front.
*********** # 25 **************
PokerStars Game #3597709737: Tournament #17571623, Hold'em No Limit - Level II (15/30) - 2006/01/10 - 21:56:08 (ET)
Table '17571623 37' Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: AC_TILE (5480 in chips)
Seat 2: BurntOrnge (2530 in chips)
Seat 3: marylaemmle (1410 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 4: Jsworld1 (1725 in chips)
Seat 5: BillDance (6825 in chips)
Seat 6: dh101 (1465 in chips)
Seat 7: buckskinpt (3255 in chips)
Seat 8: Trumper (1170 in chips)
Seat 9: roheeleo (1625 in chips)
BurntOrnge: posts small blind 15
marylaemmle: posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Ad Ah]
Jsworld1: folds
BillDance: raises 90 to 120
dh101: raises 90 to 210
buckskinpt: calls 210
Trumper: calls 210
roheeleo: folds
AC_TILE: calls 210
BurntOrnge: raises 2320 to 2530 and is all-in
marylaemmle: folds
BillDance: folds
dh101: calls 1255 and is all-in
buckskinpt: folds
Trumper: calls 960 and is all-in
AC_TILE: folds
*** FLOP *** [8h 5d 9d]
*** TURN *** [8h 5d 9d] [4s]
*** RIVER *** [8h 5d 9d 4s] [6s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BurntOrnge: shows [Ad Ah] (a pair of Aces)
dh101: shows [Jh Kh] (high card King)
BurntOrnge collected 590 from side pot
Trumper: shows [Ac 4c] (a pair of Fours)
BurntOrnge collected 4080 from main pot
farrot22 is connected
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 4670 Main pot 4080. Side pot 590. | Rake 0
Board [8h 5d 9d 4s 6s]
Seat 1: AC_TILE (button) folded before Flop
Seat 2: BurntOrnge (small blind) showed [Ad Ah] and won (4670) with a pair of Aces
Seat 3: marylaemmle (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 4: Jsworld1 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: BillDance folded before Flop
Seat 6: dh101 showed [Jh Kh] and lost with high card King
Seat 7: buckskinpt folded before Flop
Seat 8: Trumper showed [Ac 4c] and lost with a pair of Fours

Here's a lovely, scary continuation bet at work.

*********** # 91 **************
PokerStars Game #3598751469: Tournament #17571623, Hold'em No Limit - Level VII (100/200) - 2006/01/10 - 23:18:03 (ET)
Table '17571623 67' Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: fortylove (28940 in chips)
Seat 2: yayo37 (2950 in chips)
Seat 3: rodon (6163 in chips)
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (7050 in chips)
Seat 5: Thyla (25136 in chips)
Seat 6: Pocket Rocke (8788 in chips)
Seat 7: YoungMarc (13340 in chips)
Seat 8: sinkonenow (14420 in chips)
Seat 9: zeekidd (5301 in chips)
fortylove: posts the ante 25
yayo37: posts the ante 25
rodon: posts the ante 25
BurntOrnge: posts the ante 25
Thyla: posts the ante 25
Pocket Rocke: posts the ante 25
YoungMarc: posts the ante 25
sinkonenow: posts the ante 25
zeekidd: posts the ante 25
Thyla: posts small blind 100
Pocket Rocke: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [As Kh]
YoungMarc: folds
sinkonenow: folds
zeekidd: folds
fortylove: folds
yayo37: folds
rodon: folds
BurntOrnge: raises 400 to 600
Thyla: calls 500
Pocket Rocke: calls 400
*** FLOP *** [Th Qh Tc]
Thyla: checks
Pocket Rocke: checks
BurntOrnge: bets 900
Thyla: folds
Pocket Rocke: folds
BurntOrnge collected 2025 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2025 | Rake 0
Board [Th Qh Tc]
Seat 1: fortylove folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: yayo37 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: rodon folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (button) collected (2025)
Seat 5: Thyla (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 6: Pocket Rocke (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 7: YoungMarc folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: sinkonenow folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Here's a play I like. It's the 'really, now who's going to call me?' play.
*********** # 120 **************
PokerStars Game #3599135432: Tournament #17571623, Hold'em No Limit - Level IX (300/600) - 2006/01/10 - 23:50:53 (ET)
Table '17571623 67' Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: fortylove (33815 in chips)
Seat 2: paulatinum (23158 in chips)
Seat 3: Dmal711 (22733 in chips)
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (7800 in chips)
Seat 5: Thyla (61614 in chips)
Seat 6: buff306 (16700 in chips)
Seat 7: YoungMarc (7790 in chips)
Seat 9: zeekidd (13402 in chips)
fortylove: posts the ante 50
paulatinum: posts the ante 50
Dmal711: posts the ante 50
BurntOrnge: posts the ante 50
Thyla: posts the ante 50
buff306: posts the ante 50
YoungMarc: posts the ante 50
zeekidd: posts the ante 50
Dmal711: posts small blind 300
BurntOrnge: posts big blind 600
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Th Qc]
Thyla: folds
buff306: folds
YoungMarc: calls 600
zeekidd: folds
fortylove: folds
paulatinum: calls 600
Dmal711: calls 300
BurntOrnge: raises 7150 to 7750 and is all-in
YoungMarc: folds
paulatinum: folds
Dmal711: folds
BurntOrnge collected 2800 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2800 | Rake 0
Seat 1: fortylove folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: paulatinum (button) folded before Flop
Seat 3: Dmal711 (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (big blind) collected (2800)
Seat 5: Thyla folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: buff306 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: YoungMarc folded before Flop

I get very lucky to survive.

*********** # 141 **************
PokerStars Game #3599323794: Tournament #17571623, Hold'em No Limit - Level X (400/800) - 2006/01/11 - 00:07:52 (ET)
Table '17571623 67' Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: fortylove (29865 in chips)
Seat 2: yehaw1967ss (10230 in chips)
Seat 3: Dmal711 (20838 in chips)
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (7450 in chips)
Seat 5: Thyla (73864 in chips)
Seat 6: buff306 (19950 in chips)
Seat 7: YoungMarc (22886 in chips)
Seat 9: zeekidd (31754 in chips)
fortylove: posts the ante 50
yehaw1967ss: posts the ante 50
Dmal711: posts the ante 50
BurntOrnge: posts the ante 50
Thyla: posts the ante 50
buff306: posts the ante 50
YoungMarc: posts the ante 50
zeekidd: posts the ante 50
zeekidd: posts small blind 400
fortylove: posts big blind 800
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Ad Td]
yehaw1967ss: folds
Dmal711: folds
BurntOrnge: raises 6600 to 7400 and is all-in
Thyla: folds
buff306: calls 7400
YoungMarc: folds
zeekidd: folds
fortylove: folds
*** FLOP *** [Ks 7d Kd]
*** TURN *** [Ks 7d Kd] [9d]
*** RIVER *** [Ks 7d Kd 9d] [4s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BurntOrnge: shows [Ad Td] (a flush, Ace high)
buff306: shows [Kh Ac] (three of a kind, Kings)
BurntOrnge collected 16400 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 16400 | Rake 0
Board [Ks 7d Kd 9d 4s]
Seat 1: fortylove (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 2: yehaw1967ss folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Dmal711 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: BurntOrnge showed [Ad Td] and won (16400) with a flush, Ace high
Seat 5: Thyla folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: buff306 showed [Kh Ac] and lost with three of a kind, Kings
Seat 7: YoungMarc (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)

And here was a silly hand.
*********** # 145 **************
PokerStars Game #3599359706: Tournament #17571623, Hold'em No Limit - Level X (400/800) - 2006/01/11 - 00:11:08 (ET)
Table '17571623 67' Seat #3 is the button
Seat 1: fortylove (28465 in chips)
Seat 2: yehaw1967ss (8430 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 3: Dmal711 (22238 in chips)
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (15450 in chips)
Seat 5: Thyla (73664 in chips)
Seat 6: buff306 (11550 in chips)
Seat 7: YoungMarc (25886 in chips)
Seat 9: zeekidd (31154 in chips)
fortylove: posts the ante 50
yehaw1967ss: posts the ante 50
Dmal711: posts the ante 50
BurntOrnge: posts the ante 50
Thyla: posts the ante 50
buff306: posts the ante 50
YoungMarc: posts the ante 50
zeekidd: posts the ante 50
BurntOrnge: posts small blind 400
Thyla: posts big blind 800
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Tc Jd]
buff306 said, "ty"
buff306: calls 800
YoungMarc: folds
zeekidd: folds
fortylove: folds
yehaw1967ss: folds
Dmal711: calls 800
BurntOrnge: calls 400
Thyla: checks
*** FLOP *** [8h 9h 3d]
BurntOrnge: checks
Thyla: checks
buff306: checks
Dmal711: checks
*** TURN *** [8h 9h 3d] [Qh]
BurntOrnge: bets 2400
Thyla: calls 2400
buff306: folds
Dmal711: folds
*** RIVER *** [8h 9h 3d Qh] [2c]
BurntOrnge: bets 3200
Thyla: raises 9600 to 12800
BurntOrnge said, "oops"
BurntOrnge said, "wow I am bad"
BurntOrnge: calls 9000 and is all-in
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Thyla: shows [Ts Js] (a straight, Eight to Queen)
BurntOrnge: shows [Tc Jd] (a straight, Eight to Queen)
BurntOrnge collected 16400 from pot
Thyla collected 16400 from pot
BurntOrnge said, "lol, nh"
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 32800 | Rake 0
Board [8h 9h 3d Qh 2c]
Seat 1: fortylove folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: yehaw1967ss folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Dmal711 (button) folded on the Turn
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (small blind) showed [Tc Jd] and won (16400) with a straight, Eight to Queen
Seat 5: Thyla (big blind) showed [Ts Js] and won (16400) with a straight, Eight to Queen
Seat 6: buff306 folded on the Turn
Seat 7: YoungMarc folded before Flop (didn't bet)

He was the type to call a river bet with a worse hand. But he was also in the blind and could have a monster.
I almost folded to his river push, and was kicking myself for the river bet.

Here's some more luck.

*********** # 162 **************
PokerStars Game #3599509542: Tournament #17571623, Hold'em No Limit - Level XI (600/1200) - 2006/01/11 - 00:25:19 (ET)
Table '17571623 67' Seat #5 is the button
Seat 1: fortylove (26015 in chips)
Seat 2: shwnlw (43123 in chips)
Seat 3: Dmal711 (32713 in chips)
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (16400 in chips)
Seat 5: Thyla (72214 in chips)
Seat 6: buff306 (3500 in chips)
Seat 7: YoungMarc (22836 in chips)
Seat 8: KONightmare (52618 in chips)
Seat 9: zeekidd (32229 in chips)
fortylove: posts the ante 75
shwnlw: posts the ante 75
Dmal711: posts the ante 75
BurntOrnge: posts the ante 75
Thyla: posts the ante 75
buff306: posts the ante 75
YoungMarc: posts the ante 75
KONightmare: posts the ante 75
zeekidd: posts the ante 75
buff306: posts small blind 600
YoungMarc: posts big blind 1200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [As Ks]
KONightmare: folds
zeekidd: folds
fortylove: folds
shwnlw: raises 1200 to 2400
Dmal711: folds
BurntOrnge: raises 13925 to 16325 and is all-in
Thyla: folds
buff306: folds
YoungMarc: folds
shwnlw: calls 13925
*** FLOP *** [Js 9s Ah]
*** TURN *** [Js 9s Ah] [3c]
*** RIVER *** [Js 9s Ah 3c] [6s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
shwnlw: shows [Ac Kd] (a pair of Aces)
BurntOrnge: shows [As Ks] (a flush, Ace high)
BurntOrnge collected 35125 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 35125 | Rake 0
Board [Js 9s Ah 3c 6s]
Seat 1: fortylove folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: shwnlw showed [Ac Kd] and lost with a pair of Aces
Seat 3: Dmal711 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: BurntOrnge showed [As Ks] and won (35125) with a flush, Ace high
Seat 5: Thyla (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: buff306 (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 7: YoungMarc (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 8: KONightmare folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: zeekidd folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: zeekidd folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: zeekidd (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 9: zeekidd folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: zeekidd folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: roheeleo folded before Flop (didn't bet)

And I lose. This guy played his hand incredibly well.
(not really, moron)

*********** # 195 **************
PokerStars Game #3599842314: Tournament #17571623, Hold'em No Limit - Level XIII (1500/3000) - 2006/01/11 - 01:00:02 (ET)
Table '17571623 66' Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: fortylove (77160 in chips)
Seat 3: jbreets (50836 in chips)
Seat 4: appletini4me (49756 in chips)
Seat 6: Dmal711 (37711 in chips)
Seat 8: Thyla (200339 in chips)
Seat 9: BurntOrnge (32150 in chips)
fortylove: posts the ante 150
jbreets: posts the ante 150
appletini4me: posts the ante 150
Dmal711: posts the ante 150
Thyla: posts the ante 150
BurntOrnge: posts the ante 150
Thyla: posts small blind 1500
BurntOrnge: posts big blind 3000
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [As Kh]
fortylove: folds
jbreets: folds
appletini4me: calls 3000
Dmal711: folds
Thyla: calls 1500
BurntOrnge: raises 29000 to 32000 and is all-in
appletini4me: calls 29000
Thyla: folds
*** FLOP *** [4d 7s 4c]
*** TURN *** [4d 7s 4c] [7c]
*** RIVER *** [4d 7s 4c 7c] [2h]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BurntOrnge: shows [As Kh] (two pair, Sevens and Fours)
appletini4me: shows [8c 8d] (two pair, Eights and Sevens)
appletini4me collected 67900 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 67900 | Rake 0
Board [4d 7s 4c 7c 2h]
Seat 1: fortylove folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: jbreets folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: appletini4me showed [8c 8d] and won (67900) with two pair, Eights and Sevens
Seat 6: Dmal711 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: Thyla (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 9: BurntOrnge (big blind) showed [As Kh] and lost with two pair, Sevens and Fours

Stunning Realization

2006-01-10T15:48:00.000-08:00

The title has nothing to do with this post. It's an inside joke, and only I get it.
ha

First things first. I failed to accomplish my goal. I wasn't particularly close, as a matter of fact. The goal was $800 in December. I made and cashed out $540 after setting the goal.
Now, if I was a generous, I could tell myself that I came alot closer to accomplishing the goal than that. I came up with the goal mid-way through December. I had cashed out $80 on December 5th that doesn't get counted. Additionally, I won like $280 in a live tournament in December. That $360 would put me at $900 total, exceeding the goal. Alas, I failed. That money didn't count.
That said, $900 extra dollars in a month because of poker really kicks ass.

I need to get back to bank roll management basics though. I'd been on something of a roadtrip and only had access to PokerStars. Plus, my playing time came in small snippets. That means, HU matches.
I did pretty well playing drunk HU. 4-0 in $50 matches, not so hot in $20 matches, but my bankroll is sitting fine and I netted a profit.

Apparently, I accidentally cashed out $230 from Noble via check... That sucks.

I've put 1500+ miles on my truck since Christmas. Driving to and from Louisiana will do that.

My Biggest Pot to Date

2005-12-28T12:24:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I was chasing on Noble and I ran up my $200 to $285 quickly. I was bullying, winning with aggression, running big bluffs one hand then making nice calls the next.
Then seats 1 and 2 got occupied my calling station morons that were cramping my style, and I went turtle. Next thing I knew I was below $250.
I sighed, and decided to get above $250 and just stop. I shouldn't be playing this anyway. Shortly afterward, I got to $255. My mouse slid to unclick the auto-post button, but I was too late. I posted the SB and was dealt KK.
I felt a little sick.

The hand history is ugly, but look at my pf-raise. I was trying to get them to fold so I could leave. It didn't work out like that.

GAME #355124967: NLH $1/$2 (6 max) - 2005-12-28 05:10:45
Table Aintree (6 max)
Seat 1: JJHooks ($239.90 in chips)
Seat 2: shipit17 ($256.53 in chips)
Seat 3: mikie2 ($157.70 in chips)
Seat 4: TMichael ($104.20 in chips)
Seat 5: dml300 ($204.23 in chips)
Seat 6: tycoons ($29.70 in chips)
shipit17: Post SB $1.00
mikie2: Post BB $2.00
*** HOLE CARDS ***Dealt to shipit17 [CK HK]
TMichael: Call $2.00
dml300:Call $2.00
tycoons: Fold
JJHooks: Call $2.00
shipit17: Raise $20.00
mikie2: Call $19.00
TMichael: Call $19.00
dml300: Fold
JJHooks: Fold
*** FLOP *** [H3 CQ C6]
shipit17: Bet $50.00
mikie2: Call $50.00
TMichael: Fold
*** TURN *** [H3 CQ C6 D8]
shipit17: Allin $185.53
mikie2: Allin $86.70
*** RIVER *** [H3 CQ C6 D8 SJ]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
shipit17: shows () [CK HK] (Pair)
mikie2: shows (mucked) [D9 HQ] (Pair)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $436.23 Rake $3.00shipit17: wins $436.23

So I finished that cash session up $30 after losing $200 at Interpoker. Like I wrote yesterday, I'm grounded from being stupid. I think my unreasonable goal is making me stupid. It's still the goal, but I'm not going to kill my BR to try to accomplish it, and it's basically out of reach anyway now.

OMG

2005-12-27T23:24:00.000-08:00

What the fuck?
When it wants to be bad, it will fucking be bad.
I decided before going to bed, I'd play .5/1 NL HE until I got up $10.
Whoop dee shit, lofty goal

Anyway, the day was already goofy. My QQ lost to AT in a PS 20/20. That would have put me in great position, but instead I was hurting. Then my AK lost to AT with a river T and it was over.

Then I played a HU match. My turned set, was squashed by a turned flush.

OMG, something fucked up just happened, in keeping with the night. But I'll go in chronological order.

I'm talking to a friend, Hop, online and I tell him that this is a fucked up night. Then this happens.

SPECOPS85: ----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to BurntOrng [8d 8c]
angel1234: calls $1
mikey88: folds
BurntOrng: raises to $4
Venars: calls $3
angel1234: calls $3
----- FLOP ----- [7d 9h Tc]
BurntOrng: bets $5
Venars: folds
angel1234: calls $5
----- TURN ----- [7d 9h Tc][7h]
BurntOrng: checks
angel1234: bets $7
BurntOrng: calls $7
SPECOPS85: ----- RIVER ----- [7d 9h Tc 7h][Ac]
BurntOrng: checks
angel1234: bets $9
BurntOrng: folds
Returned uncalled bets $9 to angel1234
----- SHOW DOWN -----
angel1234: shows [2c 7c] (Three of a kind, Sevens, Ace high)
angel1234 collects $34.25 from Main pot
----- SUMMARY -----
Total pot $36 Main pot $34.25 Rake $1.75
Board [7d 9h Tc 7h Ac]
Seat 2: mikey88 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: BurntOrng (small blind) folded on the River
Seat 4: Venars (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 6: angel1234 showed [2c 7c] and won ($34.25) with Three of a kind, Sevens, Ace high

Winning that hand would have put me above $90.
No dice...
This hand would've done the trick too.

SPECOPS85: ------Seat 1: TPC07 ($50 in chips)
Seat 2: mikey88 ($15.75 in chips)
Seat 3: BurntOrng ($79.75 in chips)
Seat 4: mimse ($8.50 in chips)
Seat 6: angel1234 ($65.74 in chips)
angel1234: posts small blind $0.50
TPC07: posts big blind $1
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to BurntOrng [Ad Ac]
mikey88: folds
BurntOrng: calls $1
mimse: folds
angel1234: calls $0.50
TPC07: checks
----- FLOP ----- [3d 6s Qd]
HopDawg29: dont gfeel bad, i was in a 30 SNG andhad QQ guy calls three reraises and i push and he has AJ and cathes a J high str8
HopDawg29: knocked meout
SPECOPS85: angel1234: bets $2
TPC07: folds
BurntOrng: raises to $6
angel1234: calls $4
----- TURN ----- [3d 6s Qd][4s]
angel1234: checks
BurntOrng: bets $9
angel1234: calls $9
----- RIVER ----- [3d 6s Qd 4s][7h]
angel1234: checks
BurntOrng: checks
----- SHOW DOWN -----
angel1234: shows [Qc 4h] (Two Pairs, Queens and Fours, Seven high)
BurntOrng: mucks hand [Ad Ac]
angel1234 collects $31.50 from Main pot
----- SUMMARY -----
Total pot $33 Main pot $31.50 Rake $1.50
Board [3d 6s Qd 4s 7h]
Seat 1: TPC07 (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 2: mikey88 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: BurntOrng mucked [Ad Ac]
Seat 4: mimse folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: angel1234 (small blind) showed [Qc 4h] and won ($31.50) with Two Pairs, Queens and Fours, Seven high

I limped because that donk tried to raise with shit out of the blinds. It didn't happen here, and my aces were cracked, perhaps justly.
Then this happened:

SPECOPS85: TPC07: posts small blind $0.50
mikey88: posts big blind $1
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to BurntOrng [Ah Th]
BurntOrng: raises to $3
Nomiz: folds
agger: calls $3
TPC07: folds
mikey88: calls $2
----- FLOP ----- [7c 9c Ad]
mikey88: checks
BurntOrng: bets $6
agger: folds
mikey88: calls $6
HopDawg29: =-O
SPECOPS85: ----- TURN ----- [7c 9c Ad][8s]
mikey88: bets $4.50 and is all-in
BurntOrng: calls $4.50
----- RIVER ----- [7c 9c Ad 8s][Jh]
----- SHOW DOWN -----
mikey88: shows [Tc Qc] (A Straight, Queen high)
BurntOrng: shows [Ah Th] (A Straight, Jack high)
mikey88 collects $29 from Main pot
----- SUMMARY -----
Total pot $30.50 Main pot $29 Rake $1.50
Board [7c 9c Ad 8s Jh]
Seat 1: TPC07 (small blind) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: mikey88 (big blind) showed [Tc Qc] and won ($29) with A Straight, Queen high
Seat 3: BurntOrng lost
Seat 4: Nomiz folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: agger folded on the Flop

Then very next hand, this occured.

----HAND 3------
Game #1202701524: Hold'em NL ($0.50/$1) - 2005/12/28 - 02:16:33 (ET)
Table "Purple" Seat 1 is the button.
Seat 1: TPC07 ($35.50 in chips)
Seat 2: mikey88 ($29 in chips)
Seat 3: BurntOrng ($66 in chips)
Seat 4: Nomiz ($91 in chips)
Seat 5: agger ($155 in chips)
Seat 6: Quinn324 ($40 in chips)
mikey88: posts small blind $0.50
BurntOrng: posts big blind $1
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to BurntOrng [6h Tc]
Nomiz: folds
agger: calls $1
Quinn324: folds
Quinn324 sits out
TPC07: folds
mikey88: folds
BurntOrng: checks
----- FLOP ----- [Td Th 9d]
BurntOrng: bets $2
agger: raises to $5
BurntOrng: calls $3
SPECOPS85: ----- TURN ----- [Td Th 9d][7c]
BurntOrng: checks
agger: bets $7
BurntOrng: raises to $22
agger: calls $15
----- RIVER ----- [Td Th 9d 7c][Jd]
BurntOrng: checks
agger: bets $13
BurntOrng: calls $13
----- SHOW DOWN -----
agger: shows [Kc Qh] (A Straight, King high)
BurntOrng: mucks hand [6h Tc]
agger collects $79.50 from Main pot
----- SUMMARY -----
Total pot $82.50 Main pot $79.50 Rake $3
Board [Td Th 9d 7c Jd]
Seat 1: TPC07 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: mikey88 (small blind) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: BurntOrng (big blind) mucked [6h Tc]
Seat 4: Nomiz folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: agger showed [Kc Qh] and won ($79.50) with A Straight, King high
Seat 6: Quinn324 folded before Flop (didn't bet)

So now I'm down to $20 or whatever the fuck. Then, as I mention above something else fucked up happened. I was dealt AA in the SB. My connection went down when the action got to me. Instead of folding me, I sat there unable to do anything, looking at my AA as the hand was checked down.
A-hi won, but I wasn't awarded any all-in protection side pot... so why the fuck wasn't my hand folded? What the fuck?

I press on...

------HAND 25------
Game #1202728744: Hold'em NL ($0.50/$1) - 2005/12/28 - 02:34:15 (ET)
Table "Purple" Seat 6 is the button.
Seat 1: TPC07 ($13.50 in chips)
Seat 2: mikey88 ($17.50 in chips)
Seat 3: BurntOrng ($15.75 in chips)
Seat 4: NewSlang ($19 in chips)
Seat 5: Edna ($59.25 in chips)
Seat 6: Quinn324 ($71 in chips)
TPC07: posts small blind $0.50
mikey88: posts big blind $1
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to BurntOrng [8d Qd]
BurntOrng: raises to $3
NewSlang: folds
Edna: folds
Quinn324: folds
TPC07: calls $2.50
mikey88: calls $2
----- FLOP ----- [4s Qs 9s]
TPC07: checks
mikey88: checks
BurntOrng: bets $12.75 and is all-in
TPC07: folds
mikey88: calls $12.75
----- TURN ----- [4s Qs 9s][Kh]
----- RIVER ----- [4s Qs 9s Kh][As]
----- SHOW DOWN -----
BurntOrng: shows [8d Qd] (A Pair of Queens, Ace high)
mikey88: shows [Kc 9c] (Two Pairs, Kings and Nines, Ace high)
mikey88 collects $33 from Main pot
----- SUMMARY -----
Total pot $34.50 Main pot $33 Rake $1.50
Board [4s Qs 9s Kh As]
Seat 1: TPC07 (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 2: mikey88 (big blind) showed [Kc 9c] and won ($33) with Two Pairs, Kings and Nines, Ace high
Seat 3: BurntOrng lost
Seat 4: NewSlang folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: Edna folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: Quinn324 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Fuck this, let's play 1/2 NL and see if I can lose my whole Interpoker bankroll.

Update: yes I'm tilting. Yes I should have folded. Yes AA just lost again, yes that's the biggest pot I've ever played...

------HAND 1------
Game #1202746814: Hold'em NL ($1/$2) - 2005/12/28 - 02:47:04 (ET)
Table "Alshain" Seat 4 is the button.
Seat 1: ThePPlaya ($82.99 in chips)
Seat 2: Jonas666 ($662.79 in chips)
Seat 3: BurntOrng ($116.75 in chips)
Seat 4: rem000 ($68.75 in chips)
Seat 5: Snowcone ($81.75 in chips)
Seat 6: puerto ($29.01 in chips)
Snowcone: posts small blind $1
puerto: posts big blind $2
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to BurntOrng [Ac Ad]
ThePPlaya: folds
Jonas666: calls $2
BurntOrng: raises to $8
rem000: folds
Snowcone: calls $7
puerto: folds
Jonas666: calls $6
----- FLOP ----- [8s 4d 2d]
Snowcone: bets $4
Jonas666: folds
BurntOrng: raises to $20
Snowcone: raises to $73.75 and is all-in
BurntOrng: calls $53.75
----- TURN ----- [8s 4d 2d][Ks]
----- RIVER ----- [8s 4d 2d Ks][7s]
----- SHOW DOWN -----
Snowcone: shows [8c 8h] (Three of a kind, Eights, King high)
BurntOrng: shows [Ac Ad] (A Pair of Aces, King high)
Snowcone collects $170.50 from Main pot
----- SUMMARY -----
Total pot $173.50 Main pot $170.50 Rake $3
Board [8s 4d 2d Ks 7s]
Seat 1: ThePPlaya folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: Jonas666 folded on the Flop
Seat 3: BurntOrng lost
Seat 4: rem000 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: Snowcone (small blind) showed [8c 8h] and won ($170.50) with Three of a kind, Eights, King high
Seat 6: puerto (big blind) folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Edit Number 2: I lost my whole BR on Interpoker. That's the bad news. The good news is I refused to quit and made it all back at Noble and I'll be reloading $200 very soon.
I am an idiot. I won't argue that.
I'm grounded from being an idiot though.

Anyway, that $170 pot I lost is no longer my biggest pot every.
Try $436
OMG, I'm insane and I'm going to bed.

(I requested the HH from Noble)

Interpoker is a tease

2005-12-25T23:49:00.000-08:00

I really should put more money on this site or play micro stakes. I won't be playing micro stakes anytime soon.
Anyway, after my $200 fell to $75 playing limit, I decided to put it all on $.5/1 NL. My goal was to get back to $200 that night and I quickly did.
Now I decided I need to make some money today, and played .5/1 NL again. I dropped a whole buy-in. The worst hand came when I flopped two pair from the BB with KJ. The flop was KJ3 and I check-raised. Another player got all my money with a well-played 33.
Then I bought in my last $100. It dipped to $80 then rocketed to $191. But of course, I couldn't be satisfied.
So it was soon below $130.
Then came this nice hand.
Game #1183384954: Hold'em NL ($0.50/$1) - 2005/12/26 - 02:44:07 (ET)
Table "Orchid" Seat 8 is the button.
Seat 1: Nickwin ($49.75 in chips)
Seat 2: JD18ag ($40.25 in chips)
Seat 3: wigglebum ($90.50 in chips)
Seat 4: KAJS ($14.31 in chips)
Seat 5: Certified ($85.78 in chips)
Seat 6: BurntOrng ($127.55 in chips)
Seat 7: Daveydave ($85.63 in chips)
Seat 8: indsdress ($29 in chips)
Seat 9: Armpit ($17 in chips)
Seat 10: poney ($138.25 in chips)
Armpit: posts small blind $0.50
poney: posts big blind $1
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to BurntOrng [6d 8d]
Nickwin: folds
JD18ag: raises to $3
wigglebum: folds
KAJS: folds
Certified: calls $3
BurntOrng: calls $3
Daveydave: folds
indsdress: folds
Armpit: folds
poney: folds
----- FLOP ----- [9d 5s 7d]
JD18ag: bets $8
Certified: folds
BurntOrng: raises to $22
JD18ag: raises to $37.25 and is all-in
BurntOrng: calls $15.25
----- TURN ----- [9d 5s 7d][4h]
----- RIVER ----- [9d 5s 7d 4h][6h]
----- SHOW DOWN -----
JD18ag: shows [Tc Th] (A Pair of Tens, Nine high)
BurntOrng: shows [6d 8d] (A Straight, Nine high)
BurntOrng collects $82 from Main pot
----- SUMMARY -----
Total pot $85 Main pot $82 Rake $3
Board [9d 5s 7d 4h 6h]

As the hand was starting, the pf raiser chided someone for "playing with fire," and I decided I'd play with fire by calling the raise. Of course, i flopped the straight with an open-ended straight flush draw, and we were off.
This was one of those hands where the flop was strong enough to slow play without fear. But that would make it hard to get all of my opponent's chips. He'd opened the pot and he'd come out strong. I figured I needed to get more money in the pot before a possible scare card could hit on the turn and kill my action.
Mission accomplished.

I'm still playing, if anything exciting or devestating happens I'll make a note of it.

Bonuses are Nice

2005-12-20T18:25:00.000-08:00

I finally cleared $100 in bonus at Interpoker. With this ridiculous goal of mine, it's much appreciated.
I had a fair day on the way to clearing it, so I was able to go ahead and withdraw $120 from Interpoker. I think I'm on pace (considering the fact I really gave myself half a month to do this).

Interpoker is having the "12 Days of Christmas" promotion right now, and today they offered $10 free for every time you're dealt pocket aces. Earlier, they did the same thing for pocket kings. I had aces twice and queens once then, but never cowboys. Of course, after midnight, I was dealt KK twice.

Today I was luckier. I've gotten rockets once already, and even made a full boat with the hand.
That means, I've won $110 free today.

I love free money.

Doing Good

2005-12-17T18:07:00.000-08:00

Today was nice. I'min Waco, but I brought my laptop on the off-chance I'd have playing time. Adn I've played a bunch. Regretfully, I don't have my Interpoker or Noble info here, so it's just been PokerStars. That's ok, because I have an uncleared bonus there that I've not worked much on. Clearing it during December would give me 12.5% of goal right there.
Anyway, I thought I'd just fiddle around at low limit... limit.
LIG
Limit Is Gay

PokerStars limit owns me.
I can't seem to beat it. Playing 1/2, I lost around $30.

But I started play heads up matches again. I played four. 3 $20 matches and one $10 match. I also played a $20 9-handed SnG.

With 8 left, I had 500 chips.

But I had big hands at nice times and quickly got back in the game. My luck held up. Here's the last hand. it's interesting because it looks right, but it really isn't.

*********** # 1 **************
PokerStars Game #3362249369: Tournament #16658076, Hold'em No Limit - Level VII (100/200) - 2005/12/17 - 21:02:48 (ET)
Table '16658076 1' Seat #5 is the button
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (8705 in chips)
Seat 5: MIZE52 (4795 in chips)
BurntOrnge: posts the ante 25
MIZE52: posts the ante 25
MIZE52: posts small blind 100
BurntOrnge: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Ah 7s]
MIZE52: raises 200 to 400
BurntOrnge: calls 200
*** FLOP *** [5s 8s 6c]
BurntOrnge: checks
MIZE52: bets 1000
BurntOrnge: raises 7280 to 8280 and is all-in
MIZE52: calls 3370 and is all-in
*** TURN *** [5s 8s 6c] [2h]
*** RIVER *** [5s 8s 6c 2h] [9c]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BurntOrnge: shows [Ah 7s] (a straight, Five to Nine)
MIZE52: shows [Ac Qh] (high card Ace)
BurntOrnge collected 9590 from pot
BurntOrnge [observer] said, "gg"
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 9590 | Rake 0
Board [5s 8s 6c 2h 9c]
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (big blind) showed [Ah 7s] and won (9590) with a straight, Five to Nine
Seat 5: MIZE52 (button) (small blind) showed [Ac Qh] and lost with high card Ace

See, when he bet that flop I "knew" he had ace-big. How can he call? If he does, I have 11 outs.
Seems okay, but I knew he wouldn't fold. I was just impatient and thought it was ok because he should fold.
Plays like this that don't work out are one of my weak points. I have a read, make a play based on what my opponent "should" do, then kick my own ass when he doesn't cooperate.
I think I'd be a better player if I try not to be so "good".

But fuck it, I won, and I deserved to win. That guy deserved to lose for calling.

I've accomplished over 25% of my goal, cashing out $210 all told in the last few days.

"So you're telling me there's a chance?"

So the Truck...

2005-12-15T15:20:00.000-08:00

I haven't gotten around to putting up pics.
So I figured that I should do that.
This is the truck. (I took the pictures right outside Support Kids where I work.)

Anyway, I was on the computer the other day when a goal hit me.
That's how I usually come by goals. I don't really like this one. It'll be tough because I haven't been playing, but I'll keep it in mind. Publishing here makes it a true goal, anyway.
I want to make $800 in December.
Yesterday I made the first $90, a good start.
I played 3/6 on Interpoker, got down $100 in 10 minutes then up $20 in 10 more minutes. It was ridiculous. Then I played some other limit games. Then I played 25-ound NL HE and lost a buy-in (most of it in a race).
Then I got it all back playing more limit.
At the same time I was playing a $2 NL HE MTT and finished second for a whopping $20.
It was a weird session, but I enjoyed it.

$150 Live Tourney

2005-12-13T13:03:00.000-08:00

I played my first Dogbrown game, and it was a $150. That's the biggest buy-in tourney I've ever played.
Hosted by Adam Seyer, it was again well-run. Everything was done efficiently and professionally.
The structure was gorgeous, with 45 minute levels and blinds that didn't feel the need to double too often. We started with T5000, with 25/50 blinds.
I lasted around 7 hours, and finished 4th of 24 for $412.
It makes my wallet look fat; I like it.

The name of the game for me was survival. I was chronically short-stacked, and expected always to be out next. But then we were at the final table. Two players, including our unfortunate host, were eliminated. On the bubble I had a huge hand.
I call it my "Degree All-in Moment."
I was ridiculously short (I swear I was trying to push) and found 25% of my stack invested into the pot with the big blind. Eriv Vogelstein (Vogman42) raise in LP and the button (tight player) called. I looked down and saw T7hh.
Sweet, not that it mattered much.
"All-in," I said, and both quickly called.
I was getting like 4:1. Bad cards, good spot, and I looked like a prime bubble candidate.
Then came the flop.
First I saw a T and 7. About that time, I realized I just might triple up. Then the dealer fanned out the flop. Lo and behold, there was another 7 and I'd flopped a boat.
-Cue hopeful, victorious music -
The other six weren't happy to see my T7, but I was.
Come to think of it, I acted pretty cool about it. That's nice.

I also acted pretty cool when I lost, but I was steaming. I'd worked my stack to around T12000 and felt like I had a nice chance. Had QQ stood up to AQ, I already would have been in the final 3.
With AA UTG, I made it 2400. The LAG BB called and we were off to the flop.
T82, I bet 3K and he check-raised all-in.
I insta-called and he turned over 52dd.
I wasn't surprised.
The 5 on the turn didn't surprose me either, and I heard myself say "nice hand" as soon as it hit.
The river was a blank, and I was done.

gg
ighn

So the 4Runner didn't really work out

2005-11-30T22:39:00.000-08:00

After that thing made itself kaput, I got into a precarious situation. Immobility will get ya killed, just ask the Spanish Armada.
Anyway, push came to shove and I got a loan. Then I got a truck. It's not my dream truck, but it's pretty damn cool.
It's a 2002 Ford F-150 Super Crewcab. The guys were asking 17K but it being the end of the month and them being volume-sellers, they were willing to move. So we (My friend Aaron accompanied me to ask the right questions) got them below $15K and ended up paying $16,085 walk off.
I'll post pictures later when I've got a good one or two.

This kind of present with with a predicament.
Poker money should either go toward insurance (which is significantly higher than before) or accessories.
I know that it sounds frivolous to use it for accessories, but the plan isn't to go hog wild. The insurance will get paid regardless, while if I don't use poker money for accessories, I prolly won't get them at all. But I'd really like a few simple improvements.
We'll see.

So I played this $50 HU match a couple nights ago. I can beat the HU players at Noble but I cannot figure them out. They're weak-passive to an extreme and almost to a man.
This was the same fare. On the first hand he flopped two pair, called my flop and turn bets cold then check behind on the river, after raising pf with like 68s... so weird.

So this game is see saw, I go down prety far then come back and take a nice lead which promptly evaporates. The blinds go up and become sifnificant.
Finally, I'm dealt ducks and he raises (he did raise pf a lot). I push and he calls with K9o...
I really don't understand this type of play, scared but insane...
Anywa, the 9 flops and I'm down to 400 with 30/60 blinds. I push next hand with J9s and he calls with A3, 9 flops again and it's 800 12oo.
I push next hand with 77 and he calls with KT. I win that race, then push next hand with 69o...
He calls with 74o...
9-hi wins it...

So I cashed out another $80. My bank account's nearly been recompensed for the laptop purchase.

Laptop? Check

2005-11-21T11:57:00.000-08:00

I bought a Dell 1150 Inspiron from a PokerStars player, TarDust. It cost $500. So far $250 was paid directly with recent poker money. I plan on pulling out another $250 to fully cover the cost.

In other news, I suck at life.

New Goal

2005-11-13T20:27:00.000-08:00

I've decided I need another goal.
Which is nice, because I also need a laptop computer.
So I will now try to make enough money for a nice laptop from poker.

It's not that I really want a laptop. God knows I'm on the computer too much already. But I need one.
I take my journalism major pretty seriously, and I'm the only writer at the Daily Texan that I know of without one. I'm to cover women's basketball now, and I don't know how I'll get game stories in in a timely manner without a laptop. Plus, I hope to intern with MLB.com in the summer, and I bet a laptop is necessary to do the job.

I'm going to start the laptop fund with the $100 I won yesterday, and the $100 I won when I played 3/6Euro.
So I've got $200 toward it now.

I don't know much about laptops, and it's time to start shopping. Any suggestions?
Let me know in the suggestion box (also known as comments).

Team 'shipit' and the $100 HU Match

2005-11-13T00:46:00.000-08:00

At Noble poker, players without nicknames, have their ids prefixed by the letters 'npr'. The first few times i saw this, I thought it was a bunch of guys who knew each other. I was soon informed otherwise. But I liked the idea.
So I've gather a few of my online poker buddie and we've made names at Noble poker. We're shipit##
For example, shipit53 is my brother (otherwise known as ekillian.) I'm shipit17 (I think) there's been some confusion w/ the name change. I was playing as RSK22shipit last couple of days.

Anyway, I played and won a couple of $10 HU matches. A few hours later, I looked at the HU SnGs again, and there was somone siting in the $100 NL HE HU game.
Damn...

I'd put a whopping $200 on Noble poker, and have worked it up to like $230.
Anyway, it was late. I was bored. I was tired. I had a teensy bit of alchol in me (doens't take much). And I had showtime25 egging me on.

So I played a $100 HU match.
I got JJ on like the second hand, and ended up losing some chips when I turned a set, but there was a 4-flush on the board. He had a 9-hi flush.

At Noble you start with 1000 in chips. I was below 700, and with small blinds, 20/40 (I think) my opponent pushed twice in a row. I folded each time.
Then she pushed a 3rd time. I was holding A6dd...
I decided I prolly had a small edge, and I didn't want to pass it up. So I called.
(Only right after I called, did I think 'I just called off my whole stack with A6s in a $100 match).
My opponent had 33. I flopped a 6 and doubled up.

Then I lost a race to win it, and after awhile she was grinding me back to the felt. I couldn't hit a flop to save my life and was holding on with flop bets and pre-flop raises.
It was sick.

Then the blinds jumped to 50/100. I had around 600 chips and found myself in the SB with KK. She had gone back to open pushing, and had pushed a couple times when I completed.
So I completed. She pushed. I called, and my KK held up vs her 55.
Then I got aggro, and she soon had less than 500 chips. She pushed for like 450 from the SB, and I called with K9dd. She had J8, and I flopped a 9. It was good enough, and (huzzah) I won.

I still feel like HU is my game, but after that run in the $50 Hu matches at Stars, I odn't know what to do with it. Maybe I'll play $20 HU matches and MTTs on Noble.
We'll see.

I Hate Poker

2005-11-06T21:15:00.000-08:00

So While I was writing my last entry, I was engaged in one of those $20+2 20-table SnGs. I ended up finishing an unsatisfying 16th.
My failure to write about it has doomed to me failure ever since.
I'm 0 for my last 8 SnGs. Luckily some of them were real cheapies. Others were $35+3.
So I hate poker.
The definition of self-abuse has to be low boy-in MTTs and I got medieval on my own ass by playing a $2+.20 MTT with a couple of thousand people in it.

We were below 600 less than two hours in, when I had action in front of my pocket kings. I got all in and lost to AsKs when he flopped a flush.
I hate poker.

I've been sick for two weeks now, but it's a functional kind of sick.
Thursday night I went out to a bar, Posse East, with my roommate, Zack, and people from Longhorn Band.
Two band frats were there, the Gourdheads and Beta Bunch. Well, the Gourdheads have this tradition where they walk in a big circle, do a chant and clap their hands.
When they do this, the Beta Bunch has their own tradition. They line up and moon the marching Gourdheads.
Thursday night this took place right outside the bar (in the middle of the street). So you've got a group of like 20 people walking in a circle clapping their hands and about 20 guys mooning them.
These two other guys come walking across the street. They're half-stepping and don't realize what's going on until they're smackdab in between the two groups.
Apparently, they were offended because one guy spreads his arms crucifix-style and flies both groups the bird as he walks through.
You'd think they'd never seen an ass -- or 20 -- before. Me, Chris and Rustin are standing there and we see this. Someone yells at them to get their attention and we all fly 'em the bird back.
"Fuck you!"
They looked real pissed but kept walking. I mean, these two guys seemed to be as disturbed as mormons in a head shop by the wall of asses.
Suddenly, they double back and I'm thinking there might be a fight. Which is ok with me. One of the guys was about my size, and the oyther one wasn't that much bigger. So me Rustin and Chris had them overmatched.
Oh and there were two frats behind us with plenty of guys that could jump in.
Unfortunately, the guys just walked into the bar, got two drinks each and walked back across the street from wherever they'd come.
Each one was carrying to non-alcoholic drinks.
What fags.

Poker Odds and Ends

2005-10-30T22:31:00.000-08:00

I've been playing poker a bit more lately. It started with an 0-5 run in SnGs. When I'm playing bad, I hate leaving it at that.
So I decided to take my tilt out on Interpoker. If I lose the whole roll, so be it.

I tried sitting at 5/10 limit, but no one joined me, so I moved to 3/6 Euro. I made around $110 USD in 25 hands. It was sick.

A few highlights.
A typical hand...

Game #1144127543: Hold'em FL (€3/€6) - 2005/10/25 - 00:48:22 (ET)

Table "Acamar" Seat 6 is the button.

Seat 2: jr_reed (€36.10 in chips)

Seat 3: Amak (€106.20 in chips)

Seat 4: Rogue (€403 in chips)

Seat 5: bdawg31 (€246 in chips)

Seat 6: BurntOrng (€147.50 in chips)

jr_reed: posts small blind €1.50

Amak: posts big blind €3

----- HOLE CARDS -----

dealt to BurntOrng [Kd Qc]

Rogue: folds

bdawg31: folds

BurntOrng: raises €6

jr_reed: calls €4.50

Amak: calls €3

----- FLOP ----- [7h Tc Qd]

jr_reed: checks

Amak: checks

BurntOrng: bets €3

jr_reed: calls €3

Amak: folds

----- TURN ----- [7h Tc Qd][8d]

jr_reed: checks

BurntOrng: bets €6

jr_reed: calls €6

----- RIVER ----- [7h Tc Qd 8d][Ts]

jr_reed: checks

BurntOrng: checks

----- SHOW DOWN -----

jr_reed: shows [6h Ac] (A Pair of Tens, Ace high)

BurntOrng: shows [Kd Qc] (Two Pairs, Queens and Tens, King high)

BurntOrng collected €34.25 from Main pot

----- SUMMARY -----

Total pot €36 Main pot €34.25 Rake €1.75

Board [7h Tc Qd 8d Ts]

Seat 2: jr_reed (small blind) lost

Seat 3: Amak (big blind) folded on the Flop

Seat 4: Rogue folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Seat 5: bdawg31 folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Seat 6: BurntOrng (button) showed [Kd Qc] and won (€34.25) with Two Pairs, Queens and Tens, King high

Three hands later, I flopped the nuts and they stayed that way.

Game #1144127573: Hold'em FL (€3/€6) - 2005/10/25 - 00:49:59 (ET)

Table "Acamar" Seat 4 is the button.

Seat 2: jr_reed (€50.20 in chips)

Seat 3: Amak (€98.70 in chips)

Seat 4: Rogue (€387.40 in chips)

Seat 5: bdawg31 (€231 in chips)

Seat 6: BurntOrng (€166.75 in chips)

bdawg31: posts small blind €1.50

BurntOrng: posts big blind €3

----- HOLE CARDS -----

dealt to BurntOrng [Jd Qc]

jr_reed: calls €3

Amak: calls €3

Rogue: calls €3

bdawg31: folds

BurntOrng: checks

----- FLOP ----- [8d 9c Th]

BurntOrng: checks

jr_reed: checks

Amak: bets €3

Rogue: raises €6

BurntOrng: calls €6

jr_reed: folds

Amak: calls €3

----- TURN ----- [8d 9c Th][As]

BurntOrng: bets €6

Amak: calls €6

Rogue: calls €6

----- RIVER ----- [8d 9c Th As][5c]

BurntOrng: bets €6

Amak: folds

Rogue: calls €6

----- SHOW DOWN -----

BurntOrng: shows [Jd Qc] (A Straight, Queen high)

Rogue: mucks hand

BurntOrng collected €58.50 from Main pot

----- SUMMARY -----

Total pot €61.50 Main pot €58.50 Rake €3

Board [8d 9c Th As 5c]

Seat 2: jr_reed folded on the Flop

Seat 3: Amak folded on the River

Seat 4: Rogue (button) mucked

Seat 5: bdawg31 (small blind) folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Seat 6: BurntOrng (big blind) showed [Jd Qc] and won (€58.50) with A Straight, Queen high

This hand was pretty wild. I only played it this way because of what I'd seen this guy do.

Game #1144127583: Hold'em FL (€3/€6) - 2005/10/25 - 00:50:51 (ET)

Table "Acamar" Seat 5 is the button.

Seat 2: jr_reed (€47.20 in chips)

Seat 3: Amak (€83.70 in chips)

Seat 4: Rogue (€366.40 in chips)

Seat 5: bdawg31 (€229.50 in chips)

Seat 6: BurntOrng (€204.25 in chips)

BurntOrng: posts small blind €1.50

jr_reed: posts big blind €3

----- HOLE CARDS -----

dealt to BurntOrng [Th Ah]

Amak: folds

Rogue: raises €6

bdawg31: folds

BurntOrng: calls €4.50

jr_reed: raises €6

Rogue: calls €3

BurntOrng: calls €3

----- FLOP ----- [Qd Tc 7h]

BurntOrng: bets €3

jr_reed: raises €6

Rogue: folds

BurntOrng: calls €3

----- TURN ----- [Qd Tc 7h][2s]

BurntOrng: checks

jr_reed: bets €6

BurntOrng: calls €6

----- RIVER ----- [Qd Tc 7h 2s][8h]

BurntOrng: checks

jr_reed: checks

----- SHOW DOWN -----

BurntOrng: shows [Th Ah] (A Pair of Tens, Ace high)

jr_reed: mucks hand

BurntOrng collected €48.50 from Main pot

----- SUMMARY -----

Total pot €51 Main pot €48.50 Rake €2.50

Board [Qd Tc 7h 2s 8h]

Seat 2: jr_reed (big blind) mucked

Seat 3: Amak folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Seat 4: Rogue folded on the Flop

Seat 5: bdawg31 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Seat 6: BurntOrng (small blind) showed [Th Ah] and won (€48.50) with A Pair of Tens, Ace high

That game is what you'd call beatable.

Then I played the DBPoker TOC Event #4. I played like shit. Today I played Event #5 and brought my 'A' game.
... my 'A' stud game that is.
Actually, I seem to do well in Stud and felt like I was playing as good as anyone at my table.
I was probably a little tight; you can be the judge of that.

You finished in 7th place (eliminated at hand #2935951283).

249 hands played:
- saw fourth street 33 times (13%)
- saw fifth street 20 times (8%)
- saw sixth street 14 times (5%)
- reached showdown 9 times (3%)

Pots won at showdown - 4 out of 9 (44%)
Pots won without showdown - 27

Seventh place of 41. It was good for some money ($13 profit) and some TOC points, my first.

Quads helped me out.

Seat 1: wrmahaff (5166 in chips)
Seat 2: roctorious7 (4734 in chips)
Seat 4: brian_il (7303 in chips)
Seat 5: UConn2004 (7459 in chips)
Seat 7: BurntOrnge (1349 in chips)
Seat 8: duquedelsol (2906 in chips)
wrmahaff: posts the ante 25
roctorious7: posts the ante 25
brian_il: posts the ante 25
UConn2004: posts the ante 25
BurntOrnge: posts the ante 25
duquedelsol: posts the ante 25
*** 3rd STREET ***
Dealt to wrmahaff [7s]
Dealt to roctorious7 [Ks]
Dealt to brian_il [9s]
Dealt to UConn2004 [Ad]
Dealt to BurntOrnge [6h Js Jc]
Dealt to duquedelsol [Kd]
wrmahaff: brings-in low 50
roctorious7: raises 150 to 200
brian_il: calls 200
UConn2004: folds
BurntOrnge: raises 200 to 400
duquedelsol: folds
wrmahaff: folds
roctorious7: calls 200
brian_il said, "hat n"
brian_il: calls 200
*** 4th STREET ***
Dealt to roctorious7 [Ks] [2d]
Dealt to brian_il [9s] [5s]
Dealt to BurntOrnge [6h Js Jc] [Jd]
Pair on board - a double bet is allowed
BurntOrnge: bets 400
roctorious7: raises 400 to 800
brian_il: folds
BurntOrnge: raises 124 to 924 and is all-in
roctorious7: calls 124
*** 5th STREET ***
Dealt to roctorious7 [Ks 2d] [Qs]
Dealt to BurntOrnge [6h Js Jc Jd] [Jh]
*** 6th STREET ***
Dealt to roctorious7 [Ks 2d Qs] [Th]
Dealt to BurntOrnge [6h Js Jc Jd Jh] [8s]
UConn2004 said, "lol"
UConn2004 said, "nh burnt"
*** RIVER ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [6h Js Jc Jd Jh 8s] [2h]
roctorious7 said, "nh"
*** SHOW DOWN ***
roctorious7: shows [8h Kc Ks 2d Qs Th 4h] (a pair of Kings)
BurntOrnge: shows [6h Js Jc Jd Jh 8s 2h] (four of a kind, Jacks)
wrmahaff said, "BAAM"
wrmahaff said, "vnh"
BurntOrnge said, "ty"
BurntOrnge collected 3248 from pot
UConn2004 said, "thats just twisting the knife"
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 3248 | Rake 0
Seat 1: wrmahaff folded on the 3rd Street
Seat 2: roctorious7 showed [8h Kc Ks 2d Qs Th 4h] and lost with a pair of Kings
Seat 4: brian_il folded on the 4th Street
Seat 5: UConn2004 folded on the 3rd Street (didn't bet)
Seat 7: BurntOrnge showed [6h Js Jc Jd Jh 8s 2h] and won (3248) with four of a kind, Jacks
Seat 8: duquedelsol folded on the 3rd Street (didn't bet)

But that hand is actually pretty interesting. If roctorious7 raises me again before 4th, I fold. I know he has Ks or aces. Instead, he let me see fourth on my terms and I pulled ahead.

Here's an interesting hand from earlier in the tournament. I'd been stealing duque's bring in when ever I got the chance and knew he'd tire of it. I played this hand accordingly.

*********** # 65 **************
PokerStars Game #2934830228: Tournament #12830313, 7 Card Stud Limit - Level III (50/100) - 2005/10/30 - 21:59:33 (ET)
Table '12830313 1'
Seat 1: Tom Fornelli (1212 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 2: rjs162 (1400 in chips)
Seat 3: dbtony (619 in chips)
Seat 4: brian_il (3004 in chips)
Seat 5: UConn2004 (2614 in chips)
Seat 7: BurntOrnge (1169 in chips)
Seat 8: duquedelsol (1754 in chips)
Tom Fornelli: posts the ante 10
rjs162: posts the ante 10
dbtony: posts the ante 10
brian_il: posts the ante 10
UConn2004: posts the ante 10
BurntOrnge: posts the ante 10
duquedelsol: posts the ante 10
*** 3rd STREET ***
Dealt to Tom Fornelli [Ts]
Dealt to rjs162 [Qc]
Dealt to dbtony [5s]
Dealt to brian_il [7h]
Dealt to UConn2004 [6s]
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Ac Jd Qd]
Dealt to duquedelsol [4s]
UConn2004 said, "they?"
dbtony said, "if this was 3 card stud, id never lose"
duquedelsol: brings-in low 15
Tom Fornelli: folds
AceLove007 [observer] said, "Bob - O good run yourself"
rjs162: folds
dbtony: folds
rjs162 said, "ty"
brian_il: folds
UConn2004: folds
BurntOrnge: raises 35 to 50
duquedelsol: calls 35
*** 4th STREET ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Ac Jd Qd] [8s]
Dealt to duquedelsol [4s] [Ah]
duquedelsol: bets 50 [b] after he calls, I figure he'll come out swinging so I call
without a thought. [/b]
BurntOrnge: calls 50
*** 5th STREET ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Ac Jd Qd 8s] [8c]
Dealt to duquedelsol [4s Ah] [5d]
rjs162 said, "im proud of that one"
AceLove007 [observer] said, "Al still in?"
BurntOrnge: bets 100 [b] then when I make a hand, I bet out and he folds, as expected [/b]
rjs162 said, ":)"
duquedelsol: folds
rjs162 said, "just busted"
UConn2004 said, "just busted out"
BurntOrnge collected 270 from pot
dbtony said, "no, just went down"
BurntOrnge: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 270 | Rake 0
Seat 1: Tom Fornelli folded on the 3rd Street (didn't bet)
Seat 2: rjs162 folded on the 3rd Street (didn't bet)
Seat 3: dbtony folded on the 3rd Street (didn't bet)
Seat 4: brian_il folded on the 3rd Street (didn't bet)
Seat 5: UConn2004 folded on the 3rd Street (didn't bet)
Seat 7: BurntOrnge collected (270)
Seat 8: duquedelsol folded on the 5th Street

Blogger's Tournament.

2005-10-23T23:11:00.000-07:00

First off, congratulations to Scott McMillan for his 14th place finish in this thing. That'll be good for an X-Box 360, which I'd prefer of the flat-screen monitor anyway.

My tournamnet started like a roller coaster, then I flatlined. I went out in like 226th, after more than two hours of play. Seeing as how it was my first MTT in a while, I had to concentrate on keeping my focus. My goal was to not call an bet that got me all-in dominated. Whether I accomplished that goal is debateable.

*********** # 176 **************
PokerStars Game #2875680814: Tournament #13081516, Hold'em No Limit - Level IX (300/600) - 2005/10/23 - 18:12:49 (ET)
Table '13081516 85' Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: All_In_Mrs (2830 in chips)
Seat 2: StiffKing (14790 in chips)
Seat 3: Reamer (12005 in chips)
Seat 4: iggy38 (20163 in chips)
Seat 5: Roswell (4200 in chips)
Seat 6: BurntOrnge (2400 in chips)
Seat 7: mroy19 (3254 in chips)
Seat 8: CaptainLen (4970 in chips)
Seat 9: jerge88 (3819 in chips)
All_In_Mrs: posts the ante 50
StiffKing: posts the ante 50
Reamer: posts the ante 50
iggy38: posts the ante 50
Roswell: posts the ante 50
BurntOrnge: posts the ante 50
mroy19: posts the ante 50
CaptainLen: posts the ante 50
jerge88: posts the ante 50
StiffKing: posts small blind 300
Reamer: posts big blind 600
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Ad Jh]
iggy38: folds
Roswell: raises 3550 to 4150 and is all-in
BurntOrnge: calls 2350 and is all-in
mroy19: folds
CaptainLen: folds
jerge88: folds
All_In_Mrs: folds
StiffKing: calls 3850
Reamer: folds
*** FLOP *** [2h 6s 8d]
*** TURN *** [2h 6s 8d] [Kd]
BurntOrnge said, "nh"
Ribs [observer] said, "ding"
*** RIVER *** [2h 6s 8d Kd] [7s]
Roswell said, "omg"
simply3 [observer] said, "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAQQQQQQ"
*** SHOW DOWN ***
StiffKing: shows [Qs As] (high card Ace)
Roswell: shows [8s 8h] (three of a kind, Eights)
Roswell collected 3600 from side pot
BurntOrnge: shows [Ad Jh] (high card Ace)
Roswell collected 8100 from main pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 11700 Main pot 8100. Side pot 3600. | Rake 0
Board [2h 6s 8d Kd 7s]
Seat 1: All_In_Mrs (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: StiffKing (small blind) showed [Qs As] and lost with high card Ace
Seat 3: Reamer (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 4: iggy38 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: Roswell showed [8s 8h] and won (11700) with three of a kind, Eights
Seat 6: BurntOrnge showed [Ad Jh] and lost with high card Ace
Seat 7: mroy19 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: CaptainLen folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: jerge88 folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Anyone fold there? I honestly did put him on a mid-pair, though I think he plays AQ the
same way. Maybe I should have folded only because there were so many left to act
behind me.

I did have a couple of highlights. Here's an early hand.

*********** # 9 **************
PokerStars Game #2874678919: Tournament #13081516, Hold'em No Limit - Level I (10/20) - 2005/10/23 - 16:07:50 (ET)
Table '13081516 85' Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: All_In_Mrs (1665 in chips)
Seat 2: jimismits (1640 in chips)
Seat 3: dabrat76 (3480 in chips)
Seat 4: desolace (1970 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 5: Roswell (1970 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 6: BurntOrnge (2295 in chips)
Seat 7: mathwise (3090 in chips)
Seat 8: gdshaffer (1890 in chips)
dabrat76: posts small blind 10
desolace: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Ah As]
Roswell: folds
BurntOrnge: raises 40 to 60
mathwise: folds
gdshaffer: calls 60
All_In_Mrs: folds
jimismits: folds
dabrat76: calls 50
desolace: folds
*** FLOP *** [9c 2s 3s][b] nice flop for me [/b]
dabrat76: checks
BurntOrnge: bets 175
gdshaffer: raises 325 to 500 [b] I start thinking overpair here, with an outside chance of A9[/b]
dabrat76: folds
BurntOrnge: calls 325 [b] I think a re-raise could push him off an overpair,
and I know if I'm beat I'll get called. So raising doesn't seem smart. [/b]
*** TURN *** [9c 2s 3s] [4s]
BurntOrnge: checks
Finalkut is connected
gdshaffer: bets 400
BurntOrnge: raises 1335 to 1735 and is all-in [b] maybe I shouldn't have done it like this.
It gives him a chance to fold thinking flush, but I wanted him to put in some more chips before
making my move.
gdshaffer: calls 930 and is all-in
*** RIVER *** [9c 2s 3s 4s] [6d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BurntOrnge: shows [Ah As] (a pair of Aces)
gdshaffer: shows [Jd Jh] (a pair of Jacks)
BurntOrnge collected 3860 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 3860 | Rake 0
Board [9c 2s 3s 4s 6d]
Seat 1: All_In_Mrs folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: jimismits (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: dabrat76 (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 4: desolace (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 5: Roswell folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: BurntOrnge showed [Ah As] and won (3860) with a pair of Aces
Seat 7: mathwise folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: gdshaffer showed [Jd Jh] and lost with a pair of Jacks

My stats for this thing sucked.
You finished in 262nd place (eliminated at hand #2875680814).

176 hands played and saw flop:
- 5 times out of 20 while in small blind (25%)
- 12 times out of 20 while in big blind (60%)
- 8 times out of 136 in other positions (5%) [b] tight? [/b]
- a total of 25 times out of 176 (14%)

Pots won at showdown - 2 out of 6 (33%) [b] that's a problem. [/b]
Pots won without showdown - 16

Once the blinds got significant, I only had one premium hand (aces) and I took the blinds with them. It sucked.

Bloggers' Tournament

2005-10-18T23:21:00.000-07:00

I have registered to play in the
Online Poker Blogger Championship!

This event is powered by PokerStars.

Registration code: 6382733

In other news, it suddenly appears things will work out with the Honda Accord after all. So, once again, I appear to have a free $17K car. My parents want me to drive it for 6 months, then decide if I want the truck instead.
That sounds fair to me. During the 6 months, I'll be putting $350 aside each month to simulate making a payment, and to help me make a down payemnts hwen the time comes.
I'm not sure what I'll do with the Accord. Hopefully I can keep it in the family.

Help

2005-10-17T00:59:00.000-07:00

Here's the situation.
I know what vehicle I want to buy.
I know I can afford it.
My parents have to co-sign, and I don't want to make a major purchase without their blessing anyway.
They've agreed that I can make payments on something.
They want me to buy a fuel-efficent car.
They're probably thinking in the 8-9K range.

I want an '01-'03 Ford F150 King Ranch Edition truck.
Sure, it sounds like I'm being a moron, but I've done my research and know I can afford it. I've wanted one for years, so it's not like I'd be upset that I got it. It's a gorgeous truck that I'd love to own.

So how do I convince them to go along with it?
I need to compose a sensible argument.
Here's what I got so far:
A.) It'll help me establish good credit paying a regular payment for a long period of time.
I don't ever want a credit card. I'll put off getting one as long as humanly possible. But I need some way to get credit, and this could be a good opportunity. Not many other ways to establish credit.

B.) It's expensive, but I can afford it.
Right now I make around $900 a month. Bills are taken care of with student loans, so making a $350 payment would be a breeze. If it got tough, I still have poker. I could easily make the payment with poker earnings if needed.
C.) I'd be set for years.
This is a truck that adults would be happy to own, you can bet your ass that I'd be happy with it. I've wanted it for years, so I won't tire of it.

D.) I won't be immediately beset with maintenance troubles.
significantly less than 100K miles on it would beWe saw how long the 4Runner lasted, may it burn in hell. If I spend 8-9K, I feel like I'm driving a ticking timebomb. Buy a car just a few years old with awesome.
Z.) That leather is gorgeous.

Any more good reasons to give my parents? Let me know.

What a Day in Sports

2005-10-15T17:48:00.000-07:00

What a day. What a bittersweet day.
But first, what's the deal with this stupid caption? Since when does a double-digit avorite 'stun' the opposition with a win?
Sure the ending was stunning, but that had nothing to do with Bush's TDs.
Stunning was Matt Leinart's boneheaded play -- the biggest in college football this year.
Stunning was the 7 seconds put on the clock after the boneheaded play. Less time, and they don't have the flexibility to fake a spike.
That cutline is just stupid.

Moving on, so many teams got close to pulling off upsets only to fall short.
Boston College should have lost, and Alabama should have lost. Wisconisn should have lost, but I was glad to see them pull off the "upset." Unranked Michigan beat an unbeaten, overrated Penn State team, and Ohio State "upset" Michigan Stae after falling well behind.

By the way, the Astros and Longhonrs both won. I really can't complain.
While USC looks less impressive each week and gets more media coverage, UT continues to roll and may find themselves ranked 3rd in the BCS polls.
Fuck that.

Bonus Whoring

2005-10-15T00:32:00.000-07:00

I moved $507 to PokerStars to capitalize on the depoit bonus. Since then, I've played two SnGs so far. I had a mixture of good luck and bad on my wat to 7th place and 2nd place finishes.
Luckily, the 7th place finish came in a $6.50 turbo. There wasn't a whole lot I could do about it, IMO.
I raised with AxKh, got a caller in the BB. The flop was 345hhh, he bet silidly and I pushed. He called with 44, and the A on the river wasn't enough help.

Then I moved to a $35+3 6-handed SnG. I decided to fuck around this time, at least with my opponents.

BurntOrnge said, "Let me win guys."
BurntOrnge said, "I'll think about donating 100% of it to cancer research."

Only one guy plays along. 

yogurt said, "gl  to me"
yogurt said, "u can have 2nd"

Can you guess who'll be heads up?

BurntOrnge said, "How about we chop when it gets heads up? I get 100% of the prize pool."
BurntOrnge said, "*does two fist pumps*"

And the battle was on.
We both won some hands early, and I steadily accumulated chips.

BurntOrnge said, "ca caw! ca caw!"
BurntOrnge said, "{That's how birds celebrate)"

BurntOrnge said, "Did you hear that OU's library went up in flames?"
BurntOrnge said, "It's so sad, the books are gone... both of them!"
BurntOrnge said, "They hadn't even finished coloring one of them."

No one laughs, and play continues.
This hand isn't too ghot. Only hand I played weak because I'd been out of comission so long.

*********** # 27 **************
PokerStars Game #2807235248: Tournament #13808199, Hold'em No Limit - Level II (15/30) - 2005/10/15 - 01:34:59 (ET)
Table '13808199 1' Seat #3 is the button
Seat 1: BurntOrnge (1860 in chips)
Seat 2: yogurt (2375 in chips)
Seat 3: crazydif (1285 in chips)
Seat 4: Roto77 (1855 in chips)
Seat 8: baseball0417 (605 in chips)
Seat 9: ll mitsu ll (1020 in chips)
Roto77: posts small blind 15
baseball0417: posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Ac 4c]
ll mitsu ll: calls 30
BurntOrnge: calls 30
yogurt: calls 30
crazydif: calls 30
Roto77: calls 15
baseball0417: checks
*** FLOP *** [4d 7s 4h]
Roto77: checks
baseball0417: checks
ll mitsu ll: checks
BurntOrnge: bets 100
yogurt: calls 100
crazydif: folds
Roto77: folds
baseball0417: folds
ll mitsu ll: folds
*** TURN *** [4d 7s 4h] [6h]
BurntOrnge: checks
yogurt: bets 210
BurntOrnge: calls 210
*** RIVER *** [4d 7s 4h 6h] [Qd]
BurntOrnge: checks
yogurt: checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BurntOrnge: shows [Ac 4c] (three of a kind, Fours)
yogurt: mucks hand
BurntOrnge collected 800 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 800 | Rake 0
Board [4d 7s 4h 6h Qd]
Seat 1: BurntOrnge showed [Ac 4c] and won (800) with three of a kind, Fours
Seat 2: yogurt mucked [5c 6d]
Seat 3: crazydif (button) folded on the Flop
Seat 4: Roto77 (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 8: baseball0417 (big blind) folded on the Flop

BOO

yogurt said, "n"
BurntOrnge said, "Thanks Brah"
yogurt said, "k dawg"

Down to 4, yogurt triples up, crippling both opponents. Then I get fairly lucky.

*********** # 71 **************
PokerStars Game #2807399437: Tournament #13808199, Hold'em No Limit - Level V (75/150) - 2005/10/15 - 01:59:16 (ET)
Table '13808199 1' Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: BurntOrnge (3595 in chips)
Seat 2: yogurt (4125 in chips)
Seat 3: crazydif (750 in chips)
Seat 4: Roto77 (530 in chips)
yogurt: posts small blind 75
crazydif: posts big blind 150
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Kc Th]
Roto77: folds
BurntOrnge: raises 300 to 450
yogurt: folds
crazydif: raises 300 to 750 and is all-in
BurntOrnge: calls 300
*** FLOP *** [3s Ts Jh]
*** TURN *** [3s Ts Jh] [8h]
*** RIVER *** [3s Ts Jh 8h] [6d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
crazydif: shows [Ac 9d] (high card Ace)
BurntOrnge: shows [Kc Th] (a pair of Tens)
BurntOrnge collected 1575 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1575 | Rake 0
Board [3s Ts Jh 8h 6d]
Seat 1: BurntOrnge (button) showed [Kc Th] and won (1575) with a pair of Tens
Seat 2: yogurt (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 3: crazydif (big blind) showed [Ac 9d] and lost with high card Ace
Seat 4: Roto77 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: ll mitsu ll folded on the Flop

Next hand, I don't have lady luck; I have CBL, and I'm not laying down.

*********** # 72 **************
PokerStars Game #2807402923: Tournament #13808199, Hold'em No Limit - Level V (75/150) - 2005/10/15 - 01:59:48 (ET)
Table '13808199 1' Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: BurntOrnge (4420 in chips)
Seat 2: yogurt (4050 in chips)
Seat 4: Roto77 (530 in chips)
Roto77: posts small blind 75
BurntOrnge: posts big blind 150
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Jd 3c]
yogurt said, "turns out itwas agood play in that y had aover cards"
yogurt: folds
yogurt said, ":)"
Roto77: raises 380 to 530 and is all-in
BurntOrnge: calls 380
yogurt said, "y had outs"
*** FLOP *** [9d 5c 6d]
*** TURN *** [9d 5c 6d] [Jc]
yogurt said, "nh"
*** RIVER *** [9d 5c 6d Jc] [4c]
Roto77 said, "****"
yogurt said, "woops"
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Roto77: shows [6s Kd] (a pair of Sixes)
BurntOrnge: shows [Jd 3c] (a pair of Jacks)
BurntOrnge collected 1060 from pot
BurntOrnge said, "CBL"
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1060 | Rake 0
Board [9d 5c 6d Jc 4c]
Seat 1: BurntOrnge (big blind) showed [Jd 3c] and won (1060) with a pair of Jacks
Seat 2: yogurt (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: Roto77 (small blind) showed [6s Kd] and lost with a pair of Sixes

We battle, I get him down to 6xBB, but can't put him away, and he come back. Then this occurs.

*********** # 148 **************
PokerStars Game #2807557532: Tournament #13808199, Hold'em No Limit - Level VII (100/200) - 2005/10/15 - 02:25:25 (ET)
Table '13808199 1' Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: BurntOrnge (3250 in chips)
Seat 2: yogurt (5750 in chips)
BurntOrnge: posts the ante 25
yogurt: posts the ante 25
yogurt: posts small blind 100
BurntOrnge: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Kd Kh]
yogurt: raises 400 to 600
BurntOrnge: raises 2625 to 3225 and is all-in
yogurt: calls 2625
*** FLOP *** [6d 9c 6h]
yogurt said, "wow"
BurntOrnge said, "lol"
yogurt said, "gg"
*** TURN *** [6d 9c 6h] [Qc]
BurntOrnge said, "gg"
*** RIVER *** [6d 9c 6h Qc] [2d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BurntOrnge: shows [Kd Kh] (two pair, Kings and Sixes)
yogurt: shows [Ah Ac] (two pair, Aces and Sixes)
yogurt collected 6500 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 6500 | Rake 0
Board [6d 9c 6h Qc 2d]
Seat 1: BurntOrnge (big blind) showed [Kd Kh] and lost with two pair, Kings and Sixes

Should have folded preflop, I guess.
Seat 2: yogurt (button) (small blind) showed [Ah Ac] and won (6500) with two pair, Aces and Sixes

Odds and Ends

2005-10-13T02:35:00.000-07:00

What's worse, not posting a new entry in far too long, or posting several consecutve non-poker entries in a poker blog?
This is still a poker blog, but I hope you chose the latter option.
This is not a poker post.

I'm sitting here at 2 in the morning after beoing cooped up in the Daily Texan office for 10 hours. I have a one-page pape to write, but I can' only do that after I read the story I'm writing the pape on. And I have German homework to do. The seven hours of sleep I got was the most I've gotten in a long time, and I won't be able to take a nap tomorrow.
I'm tired.

But a lot has happened, and I'll update this before moving on with my exhausting existence.

I think the 4Runner has had it. I'm not such a bad ass. After driving it to Waco, it got stuck in third gear. So it accelerates very slowly and won't get into reverse.
A week before that, I drove it to College Station and got an $800 ticket on my way there.
Speeding, check. 61 in a 45 (oh noes!)
Rigistration out, check. Expired in August.
No proof of insurance, check. Where is that anyway?

So I was hit with an $800 ticket. Heart be still.

I called the insurance company and they faxed my proof of insurance to the court house; that should get the worst charge dismissed.
But then things went downhill. I took the 4Runner to get inspected because I had 10 working days to do that and still get the ticket dismissed. The guy at the desk smiled and informed me that nowhere does it say a car needs to be able to get into reverse to pass inspection. But there it sits still, because their tool for emissions testing is broken. It should be fixed by now, they say.
It was there I learned the extent of my transmission's troubles. An employee had the exact same thing happen to his Pathfinder, and he said it would cost over a grand to fix.
Between that and the $1000+ engine job it needs, I think it's time to cut my losses.

Which brings me to the useless Accord in my driveway.
It has a lien on it. The DMV won't tell me by whom, so i don't know how to get it resolved. Fuck the DMV. They are idiots. I'd like to buy out the lien and drive that sumbitch, but we'll see.

In the meantime, my parents told me it'd be ok for me to buy a car, and make payments on it (something my parents had never allowed me to do). Thanks, if you'd decided that before I bought the 4Runner, I could probably have saved some money. But bygones are bygones, and I may be car shopping again.

Shopping, that's always fun.
But bad things happen when I'm bored, and decide to browse eBay.
I spent $550 on a digital camera (and accessories) two days ago. It's a Konica Minolta DiMAGE z3, and I'm pretty excited about it. It has 12x zoom, which is as good as yu can get for the price range. It also has built in anti-shake technology that allows you to use the 12x zoom effectively.

It also came with a wide angle lense and a telphoto lense, just two items in a bevy of useful (and unuseful accessories). The MSRP for all of it is supposed to be $2K. The MSRP for all of it can be $550 for all I care, just so long as it's quality stuff.

I think it is.

I talked to Mason Crosby on the phone today. he seemed like a good kid. For the ignorant, he's Colorado's place kicker, best known for his 58-yard field goal against Miami. He says he's nailed one from 72 yards in practice.
Wow.

Partying has been treating me well.
If by well I mean, curled up on the bathroom floor-clutching the toilet-puking my guts out-and not rembering it two hours later-kind of well.
And I do.

College Station was great. I got two see my friends' place. Matt and Tony have a nice bachelors' pad and we partied two nights there.
The first night was drama filled. It was on my way there that I got the ticket. Then as soon as i got there, me and my friend, Shane, had to run off to the emergency room to check on a friend of ours. She'd just wrecked her car after leaiving the party. Alcohol was not a factor.
The next night was more of a party-atmosphere. I had way too much Everclear and spent from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. in a haze that I have only brief, fleeting memories of.
Holding on to the toilet, someone rubbing my back (best thing anyone can do for me when i'm sick-drunk), and then waking up with the party still in full swing. I made an incredible recovery, got back into the thick of things. I was walking around asking people if I had been throwing up. I had (in the bathroom, in the kitchen, in the other bathroom, and outside.) At least I chose my spots well.

Last weekend I was in Denton while Texas beat the shit out of OU. The first night was great. We were visiting Lance and Shane, seeing their apartment for the first time. People there were friendly, even though some real losers came later in the night.
I'm not an asshole, they really were losers.
(Ok, maybe I'm an asshole [but thy were still losers]).

The next day was spent getting drunk playing volleyball, and losing evey game terribly. But I played well individually, and my team was in no shape to win anyway. So I had fun.

Rita comes

2005-09-23T16:07:00.000-07:00

Here it comes, 8 hours from landfall.
Rita - "She's a vicious life-sucking bitch from which there is no escape."
Ok, so that was Dottie in Armageddon (1998), and it's only a Category 3 'Cane now so let's not get too excited. The freeway right in front of my Conroe home (not to be confused with my Austin apartment) was shown on CNN last night. It's taking like 12 hours to go 45 miles.
Yeesh.
All those people on the run, and their running right by my family. Nothing comforting about that thought, but my family insists they're prepared and expect only 75-80 MPH winds.
I'm all alone in Austin. My roommate headed to San Angelo to see his family. In the unliekly event the weather gets ugly here, I've got my water and batteries. Ok, make that two bottles of gatorade, fruit-flavored water and some double-As. I'd be screwed.

Dallas is freaking out for some reason, and I hear they're out of gas. I guess they just felt like panicking about something.

School tomorrow is canceled here. Yes, by tomorrow I mean Saturday. Baylor and TAMU had the good sense to cancel classes today, but we're hardcore here. We went to school despite today's gorgeous weather.

A Katrina Story

2005-09-20T20:38:00.000-07:00

I wrote this for a calss and thought I'd share. It's for a feature writing class.

By Ryan Killian

Dottie Harris lifts a hand to heaven and looks upward as she sings. One of a quartet, they lead the congregation in praise and worship. The four musicians outnumber the congregation two to one. This is Sunday afternoon church at the Austin Convention Center. Torn from their homes by Hurricane Katrina, Gerard McDougle and Cornelius Bottley sit and listen.

The pastor, David Bush sits with his arm around Cornelius. Over the last few days the two have become friends and now they talked in hushed tones and even break into muted laughter. The music provides a backdrop for their conversation.

Charlie Tuttle, a bespectacled man in jeans and work boots plays an acoustic guitar. A new song starts with him singing lead. His tenor rises above the guitars.

“It’s dark and lonely and the path is unclear,” he sings.

The relevance is lost on no one.

Cornelius once lived in New Orlean’s 9th Ward. At the age of 55, the retired construction worker planned on coasting through the rest of his life. He thought he had it made.

On August 29, 2005 his plans were interrupted. Katrina hit the city as a Category 5 storm and Cornelius found himself the lone swimmer in a submerged community. For two days they suffered with no food and water. He decided he had to do something.

So he swam.

He swam for seven blocks until he found someone in a boat. After explaining his community’s predicament, the two broke into a store and gathered as much canned goods as they could. He then returned to his neighbors.

For four days this was the routine. Cornelius braved the water, consciously knowing he was risking his life for people he didn’t even know.

“I always thought that was a sucker’s play,” he said. “Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t risk my life for nobody that’s not my blood.”

But the horror he witnessed motivated him to action. Despite his courageous actions, he wonders if could have done more to help. The dead haunt him.

“I don’t sleep at night; I can hear them scream,” he said.

One of his neighbors had nine children. After the storm, he saw her with seven of them. She explained that her sister had come and gotten the other two.

“I knew in my heart that they were gone,” he said.

He said it would have been impossible for the two to have been evacuated before the storm.

The children weren’t faceless. He’d been accosted by them countless times. Every day they’d ask him for candy, and he was an easy mark always ready to provide.

“I can hear those two hollering in my heart,” he said.

David, the family pastor at High Point Fellowship in Cedar Park, steps in front of the seats to deliver his sermon. Thirty-seven seats overlooking Cesar Chavez Street in downtown Austin and three of them are occupied. Don Harris, an elder, sits in the back row with Gerard.

David stands as close as he can, one foot rests on a chair in the front row as he preaches about having faith in hard times. The congregation may be small, but he knows that he is needed.

“Where else would a Christian be?” he asked rhetorically before the service started.

He said the first few days were packed but now, attendance has tapered off. But as long as Cornelius and Gerard need him, he’ll be there, every day.

“God brings me out here,” he said.

With the sermon delivered, the musicians start playing again. They follow their pastor’s lead and move in close. The legs of their music stands are under the front row of chairs. After three songs, the Pastor asks them to surround Cornelius and Gerard. They lay hands on the men and each other and form a circle of prayer. Inside the circle, affirmations and praises to God are whispered as Bill Lee, a musician, prays. The seven are huddled tightly beseeching God for faith and peace.

When the last amen is uttered the circle remains. Gerard and Cornelius are invited to church; Charlie says if they need a ride, it will be there.

Gerard, who seemed distant when he arrived now smiles and compliments the quartet. He asks for a CD and calls them the best he’s ever heard.

He didn’t plan on being here today. He didn’t even know about the service.

“I was going to Wal-Mart, and I was just drawn to here,” he said. “I guess the Holy Spirit drew me here.”

Walking past the Convention Center, he saw the doors. Yellow caution tape was stretched over them. He ignored the tape, breaking through it as he opened the door.

Then he heard the singing.

“I got DVDs to play… this was much better,” Gerard said.

He found the source of the music and sat down. They were merely warming up, but he stayed.

Forty-seven years old, Gerard was staying with his mom after being made to leave New Orleans’ Central Business District area. He’d been in Austin 14 days, but this was the first time he’d found himself at church. Almost embarrassed, Gerard revealed that the music had caused him to break into tears. The invitations to visit the church were well-received.

“I’ll be checking in,” he said.

Meanwhile, Cornelius stands with Pastor David and speaks quietly. The last few days have meant a lot to him. By his own admission he was “all broke up” when he met the pastor. Things are turning around now.

“It opened up a door in my heart,” he said.

Now he’s coming out of the sudden, deep depression he’s been mired in since Katrina struck. His plans to live at ease for the rest of his years have been literally washed away. The screams still echo in his dreams. The memories will never leave him. But he plans to rebuild, to start anew. His presence in church is the first step, and perhaps the most important.

He points out repeatedly that he comes from a rough background.

“I’m not no Christian,” he said. “I’m not no angel.”

But he’s coming to see Pastor David as often as he can. He thinks the pastor can help him in his search.

“I’m just trying to find a little peace,” he said.

In other news, I've recovered $400 of the $500 slide, but have been playing very little. I've placed in 3 of my last 4 PS SnGs, which was nice.
Hurricane Rita could be inbound, and my family lives just north of Houston, as you can imagine, that place is going crazy. Wal*Mart is sold out of water, most fruits and veggies, all kinds of non-perishable food.
I guess people learned from Katrina, and they'd rather be safe than sorry.

Another New Car...

2005-09-09T19:54:00.000-07:00

Yes, I'm in possession of another car. Supposedly, it's mine. That's what they told me at the mpound.
Curious yet?
(If not, I suck.)

I was at work Wenesday, and my cell phone rang. I didn't recognize the phone number and answered to see who it was.
"Hi, this is the Austin Police Department," came a female voice.

My first thoughts were predictable. "Damn, I meant to pay that parking ticket yesterday. They get on you quick in this town..."

But that wasn't it. Instead, the woman was aksing if I had a friend named Kyu (I do). And if I knew where he was (In Korea.)
I gave her this information and let her know he'd be there for a couple of years, and his family also resides. there.

Then she told me a story about how Kyu's 2003 Honda Accord was abandoned on 41st street, tagged as such by the APD, and eventually impounded.

Sehr interessant.

But what's that got to do with me?

"Well it's scheduled to be sold in an auction tomorrow. Because you're his only friend that we can locate, you can come down here and sign a 'Righ ot Possession" form to claim the car. Otherwise it's gone."

...

Ok...

"How much will that cost me?"

"You only have to pay impound fees," she says. Then she asks somebody to run the numbers. I sit in my cubicle feeling disoriented.

"$530" she said, awakening from my stupor.

I tell her to hold on, let me get in touch with my parents and she said she'd hold off the auction. 15 minutes later I was off the phone with my mom, and of course I was getting the car.

Within an hour I was at the impound filling out a form with my friend Dan who was nice enough to drive me there. 45 minutes after I got there, I was driving of in an '03 Accord.

I plan on getting it legal to drive, license, registration, etc. but when my friend comes back I'll turn it over to him, unless he was really trying to abandon it.

It's the damndest thing. the car was loaded with his stuff, suitcases of clothes, a tuxedo, and open bag of sunflower seeds.
I threw that last item away; I hope he doesn't mind.

Austin Bloggers tournament

2005-09-03T22:05:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Adam Seyer for hosting the Austin Bloggers' tournament at his house today. It was very nice and very well-run.
The buy-in was $30 and we had three tables of players. Several of them were Austin bloggers. I'll try to get a comprhensive list of who attended.
Anyway, I started out playing very well.
The starting stacks were 1500 and we had 10/20 blinds.
I was dealer first hand and had A6o. It folded to me, and I raised. The SB, a player who admitted rarely playing, called the raise. He checked the Q-hi flop and I made a continuation bet of 100. He called, but didn't seem to like it. After he checked the turn, I bet 200 and he gave up his hand, thankfully.

Had this been further in the tournament, I would not have tried this. He was a bit of a calling station, and did not like to be bluffed.

I won another hand after raising with 88 from EP. ScottMc called, and I bet the flop. He called and we checked it down; 8s were good.

I steadily chipped up, but had no huge hands as play progressed. At the break we'd only lost 3 playes and my stack was healthy. But fortune quit smiling on me, as far as poker was concerned.
(As far as college football was concerned, fortune was grinning and laughing with me. TCU knocked off OU in Norman during the break. Clemson beat A&M later in the day.)

I stole some blinds at my new table, and stay even. With blinds at 50/100 I had close to 1900 chips probably, and raised it up with TT. Our host was in the SB and fairly short. He pushed, and I quickly called. He showed A8, and the river was an A. After that my focus started to wane.

I was around 10xBB and if I busted soon I could easily make it to the Texas/UL-Lafayette game. A few minutes later I announced this to the table--a -EV statement if you can ever make one, especially because I wasn't lying.

A few hands later, a deep stack limped. Scoot had moved back to my table, and he limpd as well. I had 12xBB and pushed from the big blind with 68o. Now this play was fine, except my stack was possibly a little too deep to do it with. I showed eventually, after they folded which got a funny reaction but ruined my image.

With around 15xBB, I made my big mistake. The LAG player on my left limped (we were down to 10 at this time). Scott called in the SB, and I looked down to see AQs. I popped it to 400, and both called.

That was my first mistake, I should have really comitted myself to the pot with the raise, and made it bigger. The flop wasn't exactly ragged, and I felt like pushing on it would look phony. So mistake 1 set me up for mistake two; I checked the flop. Both players checked behind me and a 7 hit the turn.

I decided to bet weak, hoping that it would like like I had slowplayed the flop and was looking for a call. I bet 450, and got a call from the lag player. I shut it down. We checked the river, and he showed A7. I think I threw up in my mouth a little.

Scott had flopped second pair, but had folded to the turn action and said he would have folded to a push on the flop.

I really should have pushed that flop...

A few hands later, I got a call from an old family friend Aaron. He was telling me that he had an extra ticket to the game. With this my concentration was shot. Sure, I had a ticket, but I only know one guy in my group and the seats aren't supposed to be that good. Now I had a chance to go to the game with an old friend. I pushed pre-flop with Q8 while I was on the phone with him, looking to bust but no one called. That was the last hand of the break, and I decided to give my chips to a busted player. For the first time in my life, I cut a tourney short. Sure I only had 900 chips and the blinds were about to be 75/150, but I was a double away from being a force.
No worries.

Kind of a shame to leave such a great game, but staying would have been worse. My mind was not in the game, and my play had gotten borderline embarrassing.

The game was awesome. We had to walk 20 minutes from my apartment to the stadium, but it wasn't bad. Besides Richmond McGee's 3 missed PATs, Texas looked awesome. The final score was 60-3, meaning Texas covered the 39.5-point spread.

I don't do sports gambling, but am on of 6 pick 'em participants for the Daily Texan. We had 5 games tp oick, and we picked straight and then against the spread. I did pretty well, but unfortunately I didn't pick Texas to cover.
I also totally missed the Pitt vs ND game.
I nailed the Colorado Colorado St game, picking the Buffs to win,, but not to cover the scant 3.5 point spread; they won by 3.
I picked Clemson to "upset" Texas A&M and they did, by one. I guess it was a push as far as the spread was concerned.
I picked Georgia to beat Boise St and cover the spread, and that's exactly what happened.
Not bad, a total of three wrong, both ND vs Pitt possibilites and the UT vs UL-Laf spread pick.

In other news, I got Matt Matros's book finally. We've been exchanging e-mails, so I was very excited to get his book. I'm still not sure 100% how it came about.
I ordered the book with FPPs on PS, so I was expecting it. And it came from PS. Here's the odd part.
It was signed, and there was a personal inscription from Mr. Matros--which was very cool. But I always figured PS had a bunch of the books in storage somewhere, they get an order and they grab the pook, package it and ship it.
I'd mentioned to Matt that I'd purchased his book, and he was able to get his hands on the very one they were sending me and sign it for me...
Apparently, the system doesn't work quite like I thought it did. And that'd pretty cool.
Once again PS comes up big, and even bigger kudos to Mr. Matros for the thoughtful guesture.

A book review will be forthcoming.

Back to School

2005-09-01T14:00:00.000-07:00

The dreaded day has arrived. Yesterday I was back in class at the Univsity of Texas campus.
It's no fun, but I'm ready to get to it.
I'm taking four classes. German, Narrative Strategies, Feature Writing and Sports Journalism.

German should suck. I like learning the language, but I hate getting graded on my progress. My professor is like Jim Carrey in The Cable Guy, but he doesn't want to be your friend. The first quiz is tomorrow, the third day of class...

Narrative Strategies should be fun. It's an R-T-F class, that's radio-television-film--one of my majors.

My other major is journalism, and to that end I'm taking the feature writing class and sports-J. Sports-J is supposed to be an awesome class. Guest speakers have included Rick Reilly and Mike Tirico.

That and my two jobs are cutting into my poker time though. In addition to working at Child Support Enforcement, I'm on P-Staff at the Daily Texan. There I work the desk one night a week and cover Big 12 football.
It's a blast.

One of my stories ran today.

Like I said, this throws a wrench into my poker playing, but not at an especially bad time. After the swing I've taken and still not recovered from, less play will do me good.
I did play in the WPTFan/DBPoker FIAB tourney two nights ago. We had a pretty good field with 5 spots paying. I got lucky once, played great and got 3-handed with a chip lead. Unfortunately a bold-semi bluff flopped and I was below 10xBB.
On the next hand the other guy was crippled as well, and left with a BB or two less than me. I had the button, and the table was very tight, so I pushed with 75o. The play is +EV, I'm sure of that.
But my timing was off and the new shorty had 77. I flopped an open-ended straight draw but couldn't get lucky and was out soon afterward.
I was pretty pissed off with third place because when I reshuffled my bankroll, I left a scant $200 on Stars. I bought into the FIAB with $105 in my account. (Tilting through $6.50 turbos adds up). With a first or second place finish, I would have been back to even since the transfer of funds, but it was not to be, and I'm still -$50, at $150. But the $50 is better than nothing. I was despairing when I saw that $105; I can handle $150 better.

Interpoker MTTs

2005-08-26T18:34:00.000-07:00

I've found these to have good structures and very weak players.
The lone drawback to them is the small prize pools, but that has its advantages.
For example, I've final tabled 3 of the 4 MTTs I've played here. Inconsequential as the money may be, it's nice for the psyche. The only one that I failed to make the money in, I decided I didn't want to play in the first level and re-raised all-in with second pair, no kicker. I was out, and I went on to go to bed.
I tend to play these very late at night, which accounts for the small size of the fields.
Regardless, they're fun. You can do a lot by just waiting for good hands, because of the tournament's great structure. And when you do win a hand, you'll often double through because of the weak caliber of players that you're up agianst.
Last night I made $40 US in a 5lb tourney. I finished in 5th, and played fairly well. I got lucky twice, but neither hands would have knocked me out, or ruined my chances (though the second would have hurt).
An interesting thing about the site. If you raise to 300, and someone goes all-in for 350, that doesn't close the betting for you. So if an EP limper calls the push, and then you push, he's caught in a pickle. I had this happen with AK vs the shortie's 88, and the big stack's QJ. He was a moron, and I won a huge sidepot. The fella with 8s made quads though, so he tripled up.

In Which Ryan Gets Ugly

2005-08-24T21:52:00.000-07:00

Ok, by now I'm sure you've learned of the girl murdered on 'West Campus,' a high-density residential area next to the Univeristy of Texas campus.

Here's a Daily Texan link to the story.

I don't want to write the gory details; go ahead and read it. Now that you're up to date, allow me to say this.

After being found guilty, Colton Pitonyak should be summarily executed. Appeals weren't meant for savage animals like this, and if they were... fuck 'em.

Both Pitonyak and his naive, misguided friend, Laura Hall, have profiles on thefacebook.com, just like me and most every other UT student.
Pityonak's is pretty typical.
For music, he'll take "anything but country."
Some of his interests are drinking and women.
The first movie he lists among his favorites is "Boondock Saints." I have a poster of the movie on my wall.

The quotes he adorns his profile with are the typical semi-profound fare found on every profile of this sort. Only one seems chilling now, but were it on my profile or anyone else's no one would think twice about it.

"You can get a lot farther with a kind word and a gun than a kind word alone." - Al Capone

Pitonyak's comrade in Mexico is a dumb bitch and her profile exhibits this fact nicely.
Her 'About Me' section reads as follows:
"Colton's innocent. He's the most generous, kindest person that I have even been blessed to spend time with. There is no way he is anything but innocent. If anything has anything to say to the contrary, I dare you to say it to me."

Well I can't say anything to her, but if she reads it over this medium I'll be pleased.
He's guilty as can be.
His bath tub.
His date.
His hack saw.
His lie to her mother.
His sudden trip to Mexico.

Give me a break bitch. Was this some elaborate frame-up?
With reasoning as poor as yours, it's a wonder you got into UT.
You're nothing short of a moron, and I don't pity you. I despise you.

Hall lists her location as "Deported?"
And in the most infuriating aspect of her profile says "Police ruined my summer."

You selfish bitch, how dare you?
A girl is dead and you're blaming the police for ruining your summer!
Don't blame the police, blame your sick lover, Colton.

Furthermore, you're lucky to be alive and capable of bitching about your ruined summer.

This bimbo is so repulsive. Just abut every one else at UT would agree to have a "ruined summer" if it meant that one of their peers might live, but you...

I'm disgusted in this pair.

May he be sentenced to death, and her lead a miserable existence.

I Give 'Em Too Much Credit

2005-08-21T00:55:00.000-07:00

Son of a bitch.
I feel like I should have won my second MTT tonight. Down to 3 and I had a healthy stack. I also felt like I was the best player left (and in the whole fucking tournament for that matter.)
But on player impressed me early, and is also in the top 3.
Lindy.
He has respected my raises, and I his. We've gotten into some small pots, but nothing to make me believe that he's at least a half-blooded donk.

I would be proven wrong.

------HAND 5------
Game #897686613: Texas Hold'em No Limit (600/1200) - 2005/08/21 - 03:45:55 (ET)
Table "Tourney 963786 - 1" Seat 7 is the button.
Seat 2: BurntOrng (22239 in chips)
Seat 7: lindy11 (36005.50 in chips)
Seat 9: KentSo (7755.50 in chips)
KentSo: posts the ante 150
BurntOrng: posts the ante 150
lindy11: posts the ante 150
KentSo: posts small blind 600
BurntOrng: posts big blind 1200
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to BurntOrng [Ts Th]
lindy11: raises to 3600 he raised my blinds a few times, not time to fuck around.
KentSo: folds
BurntOrng: raises to 22089 and is all-in insta-raise
lindy11: calls 18489 insta-call
----- FLOP ----- [7c Jc 5h]
----- TURN ----- [7c Jc 5h][Qd] was there ever any doubt?
----- RIVER ----- [7c Jc 5h Qd][Jd]
----- SHOW DOWN -----
BurntOrng: shows [Ts Th] (Two Pairs, Jacks and Tens, Queen high)
lindy11: shows [Kh Qh] (Two Pairs, Queens and Jacks, King high)
lindy11 collected 45228 from Main pot
----- SUMMARY -----
Total pot 45228 Main pot 45228 Rake 0
Board [7c Jc 5h Qd Jd]
Seat 7: lindy11 (button) showed [Kh Qh] and won (45228) with Two Pairs, Queens and Jacks, King high
Seat 9: KentSo (small blind) folded before Flop (didn't bet)

The two remaining players get all-in next hand with 92 and 33 respectively, and it's over.

Yay for Drunk Poker

2005-08-20T02:31:00.000-07:00

I'm writing this drunk, but I'll pay attention to spelling and punctuation; I promise.

I came from from a great party feeling terribly unfulfilled poker-wise. So I hit the tables. I've said before that I'm a good drunk player, and I truly believe it.

I started with a $1 SnG becuase it was about full. Eventually, I push with AJ am called by A2, and I lose.
During the SnG, I open up a .25/.50 NL table because I want to get some of the 100% bonus cleared.
Right out of the gate I lose $10 when I'm in the BB with K9hh. The SB min raises. I call and the flop is QJA-rainbow. We go check check and I bet when it's checked to me on the turn. He mn-raises and I call the river bet.
The river was a 9 to give me two pair, but my opponent has QT and I'm sunk.

I float around there, and start up a $20 6-handed SnG.
I get JJ UTG+1 in the ring game and UTG limps. I make it $2 and the guy on my left makes it $4.
UTG limper calls like the donk he is, and I call.
The flop is T-high and I figure I'm winning or losing a big pot.
It's checked to me and I decide that if i bet here and the re-raiser raises, chances are I'm losing a big pot. If I check and he bets, and I raise, I may win a big bot. So that's my line.
He bets $13, and the EP guy calls. I sigh and push.
Both call and I figured I'm fucked 6 ways to Sunday.
The turn is a T and both get all-in, now AK is kicking my ass and I... actually I don't really care. I'm like "screw it, never had a chance". But the river gives me a dinky straight, and I have renewed hope.

The UTG limper turns over K9 for two pair, and the re-raiser mucks. I take down a $110 pot.
I was sucked out on by the turn but redrew on the river, beautiful.

I decide to close that window and concentrate on the SnG, which has reached the bubble. I end up pushing with AJ, and getting called by A5. Evil doesn't strike and I'm in the money.
Then the chip leader knocks out the other guy and we're HU.

I got super aggressive and quite lucky after that. I'd make a standard >10xBB push and he'd call with an A. I'd make a pair and double through. I even won with Q8ss vs AQo.
The poker gods were taking away my bitching rights but I wasn't about to complain. I doubled him up, then doubled off him, then took him out.

When it was all over, I'd made like $90 in one drunk hour, so I shut down.

Just when I thought I was out of the woods

2005-08-19T18:48:00.000-07:00

Apparently, that tourney win was just a bump in the road to ruin.

I've played a couple more tourneys on Noble. In a $15r I made the final table with a stack that was close to average. Only 5 spots paid, so I still had a lot of work today. My cards had been ice the whole tournament and the only reason that I'd come that far was because I'd made a goofball play with 63o and gotten lucky.
I'd gotten KK once, but only took the blinds. I'd pushed on consecutive hands with Q4o and K7s to take blinds just prior to the final table.
With 10xBB I found AhQh two off the button and I shoved it in.
The SB made a gutsy call for 10K of his 11K in chips with 99. I flopped a flush draw, and turned a wheel draw.
Too many outs. The river was a brick, and I was out.
Me and Duquedelsol had a little chat about this on Yahoo messenger and decided his call was possibly bad by a very slim margin, but I'm not complaining about this one.

Today was ugly. I decided to stay home, play poker and work on some stories for the Daily Texan. I played a $15 freeze out and before I knew it, we were down to 13. 10 spots paid and I had an 11th place stack. My stack was 11th place because the hand before, I'd raised with AK.
The SB called and checked. I bet on the 8J7 flop, but weakly (because of his play in past hands). He called and pushed when a T hit. I folded and he showed A9.

I stuck around and pushed with my favorite hand, AhQh. A bad player with a nice stack had limped UTG and he insta-called with AJo. A J on the river ended my run.

I got puissed and played a $50 6-handed SnG. With 4 left, everyone had around 5xBB. It was sick. One player bluffed a dry side-pot and kept seat 1 in the game, which infuriated me and sealed my fate. The next hand, seat 3 limped. I had JKdd and decided he might well fold like a jackass if I pushed. So I did.
The BB, seat 1 of course, called. And the idiot limper folded. The BB had AJ and I was out.

On another bubble, I pushed with AJ and got called by a UTG limper with QTdd. The flop had an ace and two diamonds, the turn gave him his flush.

In a PLO SnG, I was knocked to 90 chips after flopping the nuts and getting all-in vs a set, the board paired and I lost the hand. But I survived and on the bubble I was CL at one point. Then I lost tow all-in pre-flop hands to the same guy. I was a favorite in both. With the the first hand he doubled, and the second he knocked me out.

So I played a $20 6-handed. My opponents were nothing short of god-awful and I quickly got it heads up.

With a slim chip lead, I had T2o. The SB completed and I checked. The flop was T24 rainbow. I checked and he bet 900 into the 200 pot, like I thought he could based on previous play. I decided to let him bluff off the rest of his chips, so I flat-called. The turn was a 5 and he pushed for 1600. I called.
He showed AK. The 3 on the river gave him the flush and crippled me.

So I've lost $100+ since that tournament. But it's not all bad news. I started with $400 on Noble and I have $536 right now. That's plenty.

Victory at Last

2005-08-18T00:03:00.000-07:00

I won my first real MTT last night. I was on Noble, and as ScottMc said, the play was soft.
I decided to play a little $5r while I battled Scott on a .10/.20 table. Showtime25 also showed up and we had a grand old time.
Through it all, I half-paid attentionto the $5r. Twice I timed out because I was ignoring it.
I added on after the first hour and was in for $10. Eventually, I realized we were down to two tables. I kep multi-tabling. I was hanging on with between 7x and 10xBB this whole time. But my timing was perfect and I was picking up blinds.
On the bubble, I raised with KcQx. To my chagrin I had 3 callers. One of them was all in. The other was the chip leader and the other had a few more chips than me.
The flop was beautiful. QcXcXc. The guy that called from the BB pushed, I called and the chip leader folded. When the dust had cleared I was at the final table with a huge chip lead.

Basically, I owned the final table. I threw my weight around just right and took blinds while people were knocked out. Down to 4 a fish one a huge pot after calling someone down on the flop and turn with K-hi and rivering a pair.
That put me in second.
With three left i had the great fortune of a superpassive, weak-tighty to my right. She folded her SB constantly saving me thousands of chips per orbit. But i lost a big pot to her right off the bat, and was in a solid third for awhile.
Like I said, it was her passivity that kep me alive and I caught some nice hands at the right time. I doubled after raising with JJ in the SB. The BB (our fish from earlier) pushed with A4. I was happy to call, and even happier when I took down the pot.

With my renewed life I continued stealing blinds. I doubled up the BB when my 77 lost a race to his A9o. but finally he tangled with the weak-tighty and knocked her out.
We were heads up, and he had a 2:1 CL. After going back and forth with a few blinds, I pushed with Q8 after he limped 44. He called and I won the race. Now I was 2:1.
A few hands later, I pushed with J7. He called with T7, somehow, and flopped a T. At this point I had about 35K to his 125K and I was pissed. I almost started pushing every hand, but was able to reign in my emotions.
I doubled with AQ vs A4.
When we got even, I push with AQ. He called in a flash with Kx and flopped a pair. I was feeling pretty low until a beautiful A landed on the turn. When the river fell he was left with barely enough to cover the SB.
Of course he doubled up the next hand. Then he was all-in with 72o vs my Kx. he hit a 7 on the turn, but as soon as i sighed with annoyance, a K spiked on the river.

My mind set at that final table was very weird. A few minutes before making it that far, while still at the final table I typed in the chat box for Scott that I wouldn't mind a baby cash at all. But before I sent it along, I erased. I decided that I'd be asking to bubble and that my mindset was sorry.

At the final table my mind was on that $249 for first the whole time. I kept thinking about how it would affect my recent slide (cut it in half). Only when I got HU did I realize that I hadn't won the $249 yet. But it just felt like it was mine for the taking. Very strange.

Thanks to you two who commented in the 'I Suck' post. Always nice to read words of encouragment.

I suck

2005-08-12T16:02:00.000-07:00

Well I'm down in a big way. -$500 in 3 horrible days. It's taken a few days just to get the nerve to write about it here.
Pretty discouraging stuff...

I'm moving $500 to Noble Poker. My boss Scott wants me to try it over the weekend and report back to him.
So that's what I'll do.
I'm hoping to have a big weekend, and feel able to show my face online once more.

Sot it's off to Noble.

Thank Tilt

2005-08-06T01:38:00.000-07:00

I came home from a friend's apartment just a little drunk...
So I decided it wa time to play some poker. Usually I play well drunk, but I was not playing well HU. Maybe drunk HU is different. I sucked.
After lsoing the first match, I got pretty far down in match #2. About that time I relized that when I woke up in the morning I'd have to face the fact that Id come home drunk after midnight and woke up the next morning more thn $100 poorer.
That was not a desirab;e feeling, so I resolved to play better.
My opponent seems to have decided to play worse at about the same time.
It was lovely.

Here are some of the drunk hands:

*********** # 6 **************
PokerStars Game #2274265973: Tournament #10962262, Hold'em No Limit - Match Round I, Level I (10/20) - 2005/08/06 - 03:20:57 (ET)
Table '10962262 1' One on One Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: pumaman00 (1410 in chips)
Seat 2: BurntOrnge (1590 in chips)
BurntOrnge: posts small blind 10
pumaman00: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [9d 5s]
BurntOrnge: calls 10
pumaman00: raises 20 to 40
BurntOrnge: calls 20 [b] He min raises out of position, after completing, I'll almost always call that. [/b]
*** FLOP *** [4c Ts Js]
pumaman00: checks
BurntOrnge: bets 60 [b] shot at the pot, not bad[/b]
pumaman00: calls 60
*** TURN *** [4c Ts Js] [3s]
pumaman00: checks
BurntOrnge: bets 120 [b]hmm, prolly not to smart, but not so bad[/b]
pumaman00: calls 120
*** RIVER *** [4c Ts Js 3s] [4s]
pumaman00: bets 60
BurntOrnge: calls 60 [b]I call with my flush, I suppose I should call there, but that hand is bad, no doubt about it . He didn't play it well either, IMO [/b]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
pumaman00: shows [Ad Ks] (a flush, King high)
BurntOrnge: mucks hand
pumaman00 collected 560 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 560 | Rake 0
Board [4c Ts Js 3s 4s]
Seat 1: pumaman00 (big blind) showed [Ad Ks] and won (560) with a flush, King high
Seat 2: BurntOrnge (button) (small blind) mucked [9d 5s]

*********** # 27 **************
PokerStars Game #2274301083: Tournament #10962262, Hold'em No Limit - Match Round I, Level I (10/20) - 2005/08/06 - 03:28:50 (ET)
Table '10962262 1' One on One Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: pumaman00 (1770 in chips)
Seat 2: BurntOrnge (1230 in chips)
pumaman00: posts small blind 10
BurntOrnge: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [4c 9h]
pumaman00: raises 20 to 40
BurntOrnge: calls 20
*** FLOP *** [Qc 3c 9s]
BurntOrnge: bets 60
pumaman00: raises 60 to 120
BurntOrnge: calls 60
*** TURN *** [Qc 3c 9s] [7s]
BurntOrnge: checks
pumaman00: bets 20 [b] This guy is so bad, it's hilarious. but i wasn't playin any better.[/b]
BurntOrnge: calls 20
*** RIVER *** [Qc 3c 9s 7s] [Kc]
BurntOrnge: checks
pumaman00: bets 100
BurntOrnge: calls 100 [b] This cll is plain bad. [/b]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
pumaman00: shows [Ah Ac] (a pair of Aces)
BurntOrnge: mucks hand
pumaman00 collected 560 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 560 | Rake 0
Board [Qc 3c 9s 7s Kc]
Seat 1: pumaman00 (button) (small blind) showed [Ah Ac] and won (560) with a pair of Aces
Seat 2: BurntOrnge (big blind) mucked [4c 9h]

That dropped me to 950 in chips and it was time to get smart.

Two hands later.
*********** # 29 **************
PokerStars Game #2274304579: Tournament #10962262, Hold'em No Limit - Match Round I, Level II (15/30) - 2005/08/06 - 03:29:38 (ET)
Table '10962262 1' One on One Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: pumaman00 (2065 in chips)
Seat 2: BurntOrnge (935 in chips)
pumaman00: posts small blind 15
BurntOrnge: posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [As Jd]
pumaman00: calls 15
BurntOrnge: raises 90 to 120
pumaman00: calls 90
*** FLOP *** [Ad 7s 4s]
BurntOrnge: checks
pumaman00: bets 120
BurntOrnge: raises 300 to 420
pumaman00: raises 1525 to 1945 and is all-in
BurntOrnge: calls 395 and is all-in
*** TURN *** [Ad 7s 4s] [9h]
*** RIVER *** [Ad 7s 4s 9h] [4c]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BurntOrnge: shows [As Jd] (two pair, Aces and Fours)
pumaman00: shows [7c 3c] (two pair, Sevens and Fours)[b] HAHAHAHA, he limp calls with 73cc out of position, then pushes after flopping middle pair and I check-raise the flop. HA![/b]
BurntOrnge collected 1870 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1870 | Rake 0
Board [Ad 7s 4s 9h 4c]
Seat 1: pumaman00 (button) (small blind) showed [7c 3c] and lost with two pair, Sevens and Fours
Seat 2: BurntOrnge (big blind) showed [As Jd] and won (1870) with two pair, Aces and Fours

Then he starts playing very poorly pushing preflop to open etc.
On one of these pushes he shows Q4. Was that supposed to put me on tilt? He's pushing with garbage! Who would have guessed?!
I had folded Kx that hand.

In the end it comes down to a race. Lose that and I most liekly lose the match. But I can't fold 77 here.
*********** # 51 **************
PokerStars Game #2274343909: Tournament #10962262, Hold'em No Limit - Match Round I, Level II (15/30) - 2005/08/06 - 03:38:57 (ET)
Table '10962262 1' One on One Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: pumaman00 (1115 in chips)
Seat 2: BurntOrnge (1885 in chips)
pumaman00: posts small blind 15
BurntOrnge: posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [7h 7c]
pumaman00: raises 1085 to 1115 and is all-in
BurntOrnge: calls 1085
*** FLOP *** [Qd 8c 4s]
*** TURN *** [Qd 8c 4s] [Tc]
*** RIVER *** [Qd 8c 4s Tc] [3d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BurntOrnge: shows [7h 7c] (a pair of Sevens)
pumaman00: shows [Kd 9c] (high card King)
BurntOrnge collected 2230 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2230 | Rake 0
Board [Qd 8c 4s Tc 3d]
Seat 1: pumaman00 (button) (small blind) showed [Kd 9c] and lost with high card King
Seat 2: BurntOrnge (big blind) showed [7h 7c] and won (2230) with a pair of Sevens

I left him with a parting question.

BurntOrnge[observer]: Tilt Much?

The New Job

2005-08-03T17:02:00.000-07:00

I have a cubicle.

That still seems funny to me. I got hired to work as a "locate specialist" for Child Support Enforcement. Pretty cool job, I track people down. When I find them, I call them.
We have a chat.
It's fun.

They pay is good, and the hours are chosen by me. I would have to try real hard to get a better job than this.

Now I'll have to spruce up the old cubicle. Interestingly enough it's in the building where Office Space was filmed. So my cubicle is, by default, the epitome of a cubicle.

Yesterday, my boss invited me to play in a home game with him and some pals of his. A few Austin-American Statesman sportswriters were there, including one I met in Oxford, MS. I busted him in the second or third level when my KK met his AQ on a Q-hi flop.

I played tight while the blinds were small, then really opened it up in the late stages. My live game was rusty in terms of chip handling and counting but my reads were spot on. With around 10xBB I got HU. I was outchipped about 2:1 and tried to steal the first HU hand. When he came over the top I was priced in to call for all my chips and found myself way behind with 67hh to his 66. A beautiful 7 peeled off on the flop, and I took a commanding chip lead.
My opponent pushed with J2o on the next hand and I insta-called with A4o. The community helped no one and I won the tournament.
7 people played and 3 spots paid. The buy-in was $20 and I won $80. I was happy with it.

We played another tournament and I busted fairly early when my AQss couldn't outrace A8dd. An 8 on the turn ejected me from contention and onto the rail.

The Money-Making Challenge

2005-07-31T10:25:00.000-07:00

I was me versus the real world two nights ago, to see who could make the most money. I'm in Waco, visiting some friends and they both had to leave to work a late shift at Red Lobster.
My friend Ryan let me download PokerStars on his computer, and we decided to see who could make more money.
About an hour into my session I was down $150, and was more concerned with breaking even than winning the challenge.
I did break even and then some, after going on a nice run and finishing the night an unimpressive, 7-5. I lost another $30 in a rebuy sat because of 3 big hands that I should have won, and so my profit came out to about $40.
Over at Red Lobster, by friend had a bad night. One table ran up a $90 bill on him and tipped $2. Sometimes foreigners simply don't know what's going on.
But he still beat me by about $20.

While I'm here in Waco me and Ryan are rigging my car's car audio system. We now have 2 12"s and one 10"in it, and we will spend today wiring in speakers.
Should be fun.
Should be Loud.

Pot Limit What?

2005-07-26T14:16:00.000-07:00

I went to sleep last night with !230 in my PS account. That extra $30 was begging to be used for WCOOP satellites, so that's just what I resolved to do today.
When I got up a $5r sat was seating. I don't like $5 rebuys that much, but I can't always wait for something better. There's no reason I can'e beat 10-11 people and get a seat. So I registered.
I quickly rebought to 3000, and was dealt the first hand.
All four cards of it.
I look at the blue bar bordering the window, Pot Limit Omaha....
Well, I wouldn't have registered had I known that.
Oh well, time to play cards.
The first hour is pretty good, and I'm around 8-10K at the break. Then I get card dead.
I suffer through no cards and find myself at 10xBB when everyone else is still deepstacked.
I call a min raise from the BB with Ac3cXxXx and flop a flush draw. The BB bets out and is called by the LP raiser. I check-raise all-in with the nut flush draw and both call.
I miss the flush draw, but the turn is an A and the river a 3, giving me two pair.
It's enough to triple me up.
But I stay card dead. With Kc9c9xXx in the BB, a player raises my blind from LP. It's the second time he's done it, so I jam. He calls with A-rag-rag-rag and I double through him.
Then the cards heat up, and I do a bit of roller-coastering.
After limping AQQx from EP I have to fold on a QK9 rainbow flop. Both of the other players in the hand had JT; I would have turned a boat and won a huge pot.

A knock out a nice guy at my table who had let himself get way too shortstacked. He was a bit confused why he'd lost the hand.

mikerocks [observer]: there were 4 hearts on the board right
BurntOrnge: yeah
mikerocks [observer]: i had k or hearts
mikerocks [observer]: y didnt i win

Poor guy hadn't play much Omaha. We straightened him out, and bid him good game. He'd gone out in like 15th, not a bad showing at all.
With 108 players registered, we were playing for a mere 7 seats. Which was not what I'm looking for. ut for $15, it's what you get. (I was in for the min. $15 after the break, rare for me in a rebuy)

I had my ups and downs, but by the time we got to the FT I was looking good. I was pretty tough on the blinds, especially when the button and SB because those two guys had plenty of chips and had gone turtle.
Of course, the idiot on my left decides when I open from UTG that with TTxx he needs to play. I have AKQx and flop top two. I bet out, he calls on the TKQ flop. The turn is an A and we check it down from there.
NH Bub, I lose a 50K pot.
But from there it is smooth sailing. I steal more blinds, and don't see another flop.
The 9th player was elimnated shortly after we went to the final table and number 8 went out after a battle.

With the win, I registered for the $215 HU Matches, event no. 3 on Sep. 6th.
With a guaranteed prize pool of $200K and a bracelet at stake, I'd really like to make something happen there.
Wish me luck.

Hired

2005-07-25T20:24:00.000-07:00

Thanks to one of my readers, I've been offered a job. I'm not sure exactly what I'll be doing, but I'm excited. It's a part time job paying $10/hr.
Right up my alley.
The job interview was awesome. We talked poker.
My new boss has played some big games and has been playing poker for years.
Like any true online player, he's also a blogger. Check his out, it's funny and well-written.
http://deadmoneyinc.blogspot.com/
It's possible you know him as WPTfanner, ScottMc.

Anyway, I don't forsee this cutting to much into my poker playing. But it could. That wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing.
It could also mean that I'll start playing in some of Austin's home games.
I'd like that, and I'd write them up.

Last night, I decided to play 10 HU matches today.
I stopped at 6.
My record today is 5-1. In the match I lost, my opponent pushed 1300 in PF with T4dd. I called with AK. The K on the flop looked good, but running diaonds crippled me.
After that flop, I had a 93% chance of winning the hand, but it was not to be.
I won my next match in 3 hands.
After calling a riase with KTs, I check-raised the T-hi flop. As soon as I did, I got the feeling that my opponent might jam with a wide range of hands. I prepared myself to call.
He jammed, and my mind made up beforehand, I called. He showed QT and the match was over when a K hit on the river.

The next match lasted 1 hand. I had AK on the button and decided to be a jack ass. I pushed all-in.
The play is bad and laughable. I won't argue with that.
But it has it's redeeming factors.
Call or fold, this guy has me pegged as a jackass goofball. If he holds an A, he knows that it's better than my average starting hand. Wining in one hand would be as desirable for him as it is for me, so he could decide to take the percieved likely edge and go with it.
Afterall, maybe I always push the first hand of HU SnGs.
In this case, my opponent called with ATcc. The T on the flop was disheartening, but the Q on the turn filled my gutshot, and I was the winner.

My next match lasted a bit longer, 16 hands. I realized quickly that my opponent had three big bullets in his bluff gun. I didn't actually see a bluff, but I felt it. Rapid fire, big bets got me to fold a dinky pair.
He had a chip leader when this hand came up:
PokerStars Game #2186225228: Tournament #10501200, Hold'em No Limit - Match Round I, Level I (10/20) - 2005/07/25 - 19:10:59 (ET)
Table '10501200 1' One on One Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: BurntOrnge (1320 in chips)
Seat 2: DonWally (1680 in chips)
BurntOrnge: posts small blind 10
DonWally: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [8d 4d]
BurntOrnge: raises 40 to 60
DonWally: raises 40 to 100
BurntOrnge: calls 40[b]I put him on hi cards, and there's no way I'm folding to that pathetic re-raise[/b]
*** FLOP *** [4h Tc Td]
DonWally: bets 240 [b]ok, I put him on high cards, and he bet out just like I thought he would. If my 4 is good the only reason to raise would be to protect my hand. But he's got 6 outs and he'll continue to fire. If an AK or Q hits I can reevaluate the situation. If not, I can let him bluff off his chips.[/b]
BurntOrnge: calls 240
*** TURN *** [4h Tc Td] [Jh]
DonWally: bets 220
BurntOrnge: calls 220
*** RIVER *** [4h Tc Td Jh] [3c]
DonWally: bets 480 [b]gut check, third barrel of the bluff? Is my pair really good? I think fold, but what;s a read worth if you can't go with it? Calling and losing leaves me below 400 in chips... [/b]
BurntOrnge: calls 480
*** SHOW DOWN ***
DonWally: shows [Qd Kd] (a pair of Tens)
BurntOrnge: shows [8d 4d] (two pair, Tens and Fours)
BurntOrnge collected 2080 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2080 | Rake 0
Board [4h Tc Td Jh 3c]
Seat 1: BurntOrnge (button) (small blind) showed [8d 4d] and won (2080) with two pair, Tens and Fours
Seat 2: DonWally (big blind) showed [Qd Kd] and lost with a pair of Tens

Game ovuh, I won when I rivered a two-card flush and he rivered a one card straight.

I decided to play one more match.
I was the first to sit, and was joined by Vogman42.
This was hardly desirable. Vogman is an Austin player. He played in the WSOP, and had beaten me HU on our only previous meeting.
When he sat, I typed "boo" in the chat box. Then I typed his real last name. He was a bit surprised by this, because A. he'd forgotten that we'd played and B. he never told me his name.
I learned his name from my new boss, which brings this whole entry full circle.
They'd played in live games before and I mentioned him during the interview. He told me his name, and his WSOP history.
I'd like to say that my win over him was a result of my incredible play, but I can't.
He'd gotten a small lead on me when I raised from the button with TT. He called and the flop came JQ2.
He checked. He likes to check-raise and I walk into them a lot. Not today, I feel the check-raise and I check. A beautiful T peels off on the turn.
Vogman bet 140 into the 120 pot and I make it 355. He pushes, and I grimace and call.
He has a set of ducks.

"A set of deuces is like a mackerel in the moonlight. One minute it's real shiny.
The next it stinks."
-Tilt

So I'd caught a two-outer. Lucky me.
But I'm not happy about the hand I took him out with. I played it like a donk, sorta...
*********** # 1 **************
PokerStars Game #2187890184: Tournament #10509340, Hold'em No Limit - Match Round I, Level I (10/20) - 2005/07/25 - 22:21:44 (ET)
Table '10509340 1' One on One Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: BurntOrnge (2540 in chips)
Seat 2: vogman42 (460 in chips)
vogman42: posts small blind 10
BurntOrnge: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [6d 5d]
vogman42: calls 10
BurntOrnge: checks
*** FLOP *** [3h 8s 7d]
BurntOrnge: checks
vogman42: bets 40[b]hmmm, I like my draw, but I don't want to just try to hit it, especially when the odds aren't right. I do have fold equity though, and a push isn't overdoing it. With A8 I probably play it the same way.[/b]
BurntOrnge: raises 440 to 480
vogman42: calls 400 and is all-in[b] but with A8 at least I'd be ahead. Instuincts are big in HU, and I felt like he was going to call. So my play was nothing short of bad. If I had 9T it would have been a lot better, but with 56, it's pretty bad.
BurntOrnge said, "oops"
*** TURN *** [3h 8s 7d] [4c]
*** RIVER *** [3h 8s 7d 4c] [7s]
vogman42 said, "i knew it"
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BurntOrnge: shows [6d 5d] (a straight, Four to Eight)
vogman42: shows [Ts 8c] (two pair, Eights and Sevens)
vogman42 said, "gg"
BurntOrnge collected 920 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 920 | Rake 0
Board [3h 8s 7d 4c 7s]
Seat 1: BurntOrnge (big blind) showed [6d 5d] and won (920) with a straight, Four to Eight
Seat 2: vogman42 (button) (small blind) showed [Ts 8c] and lost with two pair, Eights and Sevens

Beating him took 25 hands.

The Big Game

2005-07-24T19:07:00.000-07:00

Last night saw me sitting at a cash game table. A rare occurence to be sure, but this game was too big to miss.
ActionJeff, a 10/20 NL player; N8, the owner of PS Crew; N!LE, a very succesful PS MTT player; and a few other guys all got together on a .01/.02 NL table.
By the time we were really going, the average pot was $7. I'd lost a $50 pot, and then got back to even a few minutes later without utilizing the re-buy glitch. It was sick.
I lost the pot to ActionJeff, when I tried to put him on a semi-bluff, going against my first read. My first read was two pair. I chenged it to flush-draw, and went wild with my top pair. He had two pair, and I was felted.
I got KK all-in and lost it once. But then I won a huge, 4-way all-in pot with it for my second $25 pot of the night.

I sucked at poker today. No need to go into it. I was shafted all day long.
Right before the break in a $10r sat I lost a huge pot with TT after getting all in vs 99 and 44 on the 678 flop. Ironically, a river t cost me the hand. It also cost me $30 in rebuys as I tried to scramble to get lucky before the break. I ended up with the minimum 5K in chips as I rebought twice and then added on on the final hand.
It was sick.
Worse, when we were getting semi-close I tried a resteal from a button raise with A7. My opponent had AK and wasn't going anywhere. I flopped a 7. He turned a K, which gave me a flush draw that I missed.
I was pissed and lost my next two $50 HU matches. One due to tilt.
I rarely tilt, but I did today.
Luckily, I've won my last two HU matches. The first win I had to suffer through a 2-outer than a 3-outer against me in big pots.
I hate slowplaying, even HU, but it's so necessary to decieve your opponents. I lost one match after slowplaying KK with a 2:1 lead. Twice when I'd thought and called the BB, my opponent had pushed. So I did that. The fake timing tell didn't work and the flop was 55x. He had 58o and I couldn't get away.

Non-poker Hobby

2005-07-23T21:22:00.000-07:00

I was born with a collector's mentality. So, like a pack rat, I have a lot of junk. Some "collections" I don't tak e seriosuly. Some I do.
I have quasi-collections of PEZ dispenser, Star Wars toys, buttons/pins, etc.
I even buy video games and system with a collection mentality, though I don't fool myself into thinking they'll be worth any money.
I have a Super Nintendo, a Nintendo 64, a Nintendo GameCube, a PlayStation, a PS2, and a dream cast. My original Nintendo broke and my younger brother has an XBox.
I have a fair amount of games, and I never trade them in, no matter how bad they turn out to be.

But my main collection is baseball cards and sports memorbilia in general.
I have tens of thousands of cards and thousands of card depicting players that have played for the San Francisco Giants (my favorite team).
Besides Giants players, my collection focuses on Scott Rolen, Darin Erstad and, to some extent, Alex Rodriguez.
My crown jewel collection is of Will Clark, a former Giant and great player.
I'm posting this because of a nice, but inexpensive, purchase I made on eBay today.
It only ran me $20 after shipping, but this will look nice on my bare walls. While at the Galleria in Houston I visited a store called "Field of Dreams." I was awe-inspired by their selection of autographed photographs and memorobilia. The prices were nothing short of exorbitant, but this stuff was incredible.
Their website can be found here.
The site does not do the store justice by a longshot. They had Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazie autograped boxing gloves. They had numerous gorgeous Tiger Woods autographs, and Texas favorites like Earl Campbell and Warren Moon were also abundant.
But what really struck me was the Nolan Ryan stuff. Growing up it was cliche to love Ryan, so I stayed away from him. But in the last few years, I've become more of a fan. They had autograped pictures of him beating up Robin Ventura and also of him on the mound in his bloody jersey.
That tag on the latter picture reads $400,
I am tempted to save up for it.
If it was $200, I do believe I'd buy it. $400 is a lot for a picture with some ink on it, but that picture would add so much to any room it was in.
Even surrounded by similar items, it took my breath away.
I want it.

A little side bet

2005-07-23T12:46:00.000-07:00

I've played one HU match today. I was quickly chopped to a 2:1 deficit. Then I raised with 33, flopped a boat, played the hand to perfection and took a slight lead.
I lost the lead, as my opponent kept the pressure on. Then came this hand.

*********** # 18 **************
PokerStars Game #2169273540: Tournament #10412090, Hold'em No Limit - Match Round I, Level I (10/20) - 2005/07/23 - 15:39:46 (ET)
Table '10412090 1' One on One Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: maxv2 (1660 in chips)
Seat 2: BurntOrnge (1340 in chips)
BurntOrnge: posts small blind 10
maxv2: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [2h 2d]
BurntOrnge: raises 40 to 60
maxv2: raises 120 to 180
BurntOrnge: raises 1160 to 1340 and is all-in
maxv2: calls 1160
*** FLOP *** [3d 4s 6d]
*** TURN *** [3d 4s 6d] [Jh]
*** RIVER *** [3d 4s 6d Jh] [5d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
maxv2: shows [Qh Ah] (high card Ace)
BurntOrnge: shows [2h 2d] (a straight, Deuce to Six)
BurntOrnge collected 2680 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2680 | Rake 0
Board [3d 4s 6d Jh 5d]
Seat 1: maxv2 (big blind) showed [Qh Ah] and lost with high card Ace
Seat 2: BurntOrnge (button) (small blind) showed [2h 2d] and won (2680) with a straight, Deuce to Six

Pretty wild by me, but a pair is usually good HU and he was very aggressive. He could have always folded the AQ. I was playing passive compared to him.
He was unimpressed.

maxv2 said, "genious"
BurntOrnge said, "yawn"
maxv2 said, "hey tilt monster"
maxv2 said, "calm down"
maxv2 said, "I don't want to see you at the play money tables tommorow"
BurntOrnge said, "uh huh"

I finish him off when I raise with K8cc, flop top pair, and put him all-in on the suited flop. He has middle pair, no kicker and a heart draw. He doesn't connect.
BurntOrnge said, "gg bro"

maxv2 [observer]: see you at the play money tables!
BurntOrnge [observer]: I won't be there
maxv2 [observer]: side bet?
BurntOrnge [observer]: but say hi to the guys
BurntOrnge [observer]: ok
maxv2 [observer]: 1k?
BurntOrnge [observer]: on if I ever end up there?
maxv2 [observer]: I give you 2 months
BurntOrnge [observer]: deal
maxv2 [observer]: bye bye
BurntOrnge [observer]: we need a witness

Remind me in two months to track this guy down and collect my $1K. How exciting.

Day Wrap-Up

2005-07-22T21:01:00.000-07:00

Because I posted the bad start of my day, I thought it only right to wrap it up for you.
I played 3 more heads up matches, and won each won. I also threw $W60 into a $10r sat for the 6-hand PL HE and lost three hands after the break racing for a T15K pot.
At that point one player in five would get a seat, and I started the hand above average in chips. So how'd I get myself in a race for all of them?
Interesting set of circumstances. I have AKdd UTG. I make it 450. As soon as the player on my right folds, I start thinking about the player in the cut off. He's played the last two hands as if we could still re-buy, really maniacal. So I tell myself if he re-raises, I'm jamming.
He does, so I jam. We get the chips in and he shows JJ. The hand is better than I thought it might be, but I can race. The flop brings two diamonds and the race is still on. But he fades my 15 outs, and it's to the rail for me.

The other day I was in Game Crazy. A Mexican fella comes in the store to trade in his PS2. They're going to give him $70 store credit; that's not right. I offer $80 cash, and now I have a PS2.
While I was at the Galleria in Houston, I bought a memory card and Commandos 2. A few days ago I bought SOCOM, so I've been playing those.
SOCOM is all it's supposed to be, great game.
Commanods 2 is a different story. I really want to like this game. But the first level I'm already stuck. For some reason I can't gag and tie workers that I knock out, and I can't even disarm the soldier I knock out. I don't have any lethal weapons, and my sidekick is a rescued dog with out killing capabilities.
WTF?

Plans for the 4Runner

2005-07-22T13:49:00.000-07:00

With the 4Runner now in my possession, and a few miles put on it, it's time to start thinking about, what next?
I'm thinking it neds an auditory upgrade. It's got 1 10" subwoofer with a 500 watt amp and 4 dinky Pioneer speakers. I brought my old car audio system from Conroa back to Austin, and I have 2 12"s, a 500 watt amp, and 6 speakers, including two 6 1/2" Sony Xplodes.
A 10-speaker, 3-sub, 2 amp sytem in that little 4Runner would be pretty cool. But I'm going to want it to look nice. So it's going to take some planning. I want to build one enclosure for the 3 subs. Then I'll put the 6 1/2s in cubby holes on each side of the back seats. That leaves 4 speakers, and I'll have to get creative with thei placing.
Plus, two of the speakers in the car now are lying ghetto-style in the back, wired but not enclosed.
That grates on my nerves and will have to be changed.

I'm still not sold on $50 HU matches. I can't seem to win the first one on any given day, and that always sets me back. Today I'm a big 0-for-2. I was a missed draw away from winning the second one, with all the chips in the middle after I flopped a set with AJ, but he made his straight. Then he limp-called an all-in raise with QJs when I had him barely outchipped and the blinds had gotten high. I had 56o, flopped an open-ended dra, but connect connect with any of my 14 outs after the flop.

The first match was ugly. I couldn't hit a flop. When I flopped two pair, he flopped top two and it was over.

I spent the last three days in Houston, attending Big 12 media days. That was a lot of fun. I got to talk to several football coaches and players, including Texas QB Vince Young, Texas A&M QB Reggie McNeal and many more.

As a member of the media I got a lot of free stuff and I got into a couple 'invite only' receptions, including one held at the Fox Sports Bar and Grill in the Galleria. That one featured a lot of free food, an open bar (no good for 20-yo me) and Houston Texans cheerleader. (They were extraordinarily hot).

Yet Another Change...?

2005-07-18T05:52:00.000-07:00

If you've read my blog long, you know I tend to have a "bread and butter" game that I go with. Lately it's been $35+3 6-handed Sit and Gos. Then there was my two months of hardcore MTT play, which overlapped the SnGs some. Before that was $20 SnGs, I think. And before that was $5 4-man HU shootouts.
You can see the progression in buy-ins.
My BR has been static lately as I've been living off poker money, and unable to really grow my bankroll.
I recently changed my desired balance at $1200 rather than $1000, a small change that gave me additional padding rather than allowing me to play bigger games.
But I'm considering a switch. $100 a day in $35+3 SnGs isn't all that easy, and I'm coming up short too often. I like my goal, though nearly 10% increase in BR a day is lofty, I think it's attainable.
I'm a good HU player, and am considering going back in that direction. But I'll play $50 HU matches. If I can go +2 a day, I'll be accomplishing my goal. That seems like it would be very doable. But I often have unrealistic expectations for myself.
But if I can't win 2 more HU matches than I lose in a day, I'm not a very good HU player...
And I think I'm quite good HU....

I've played two $50 HU mtaches. The first one was about a week ago, and I lost it. With the loss I forgot about them; I only played it on whim.

But after a PSCrewer posted about their softness, it hit me that my goal could become more easily attainable by going this route.

If you read this, I'd like you to weigh in with your thoughts. Think it's a good idea?

The Heads Up Challenge

2005-07-17T02:21:00.000-07:00

One of the PSCrew Bloggers, McLaughlin04 issued a standing challenge to anyone for a best-of-five series of HU matches. I like HU action and was first in line.
The action kicked off last night with a one-hand PLO tournament.
I was deal AxAd9dXx on the first ahnd and raised, out of position. He called an on the flop I was sitting with an overpair and a flush draw. He raised my pot size bet pot, and I took a hard look at the board. I put him on two pair, and figured with my AA I had enough outs to put him to the test. He called with a set of ducks.
I turned the flush, and that was all she wrote.

Today we set to concluding the series. We started with NL HE and then PL HE.
I played poorly in NL HE and the deck hit him squarely in the face. I was felted within the first two levels.
In PL HE we fought back and forth, but he made a good call against me with second pair to end the game.

I felt like the HE events would be my best, and I'd blown both of them. Next was PLO H/L. I must say, that's not a very fun game to play HU with small blinds. I knocked him down immediately, but he came back with two suckouts to get it back to 1750-1250 or so. Eventually I called a raise with the mighty 8d9d5x2x and flopped a 6-hi straight. The flop also gave me a lo, and when the betting took off I figured we'd split.
It turned out, he'd decided to recklessly bluf with KKxx. He din't have a chance for a low and need to hit a set and then fill up to double up.
His luck wasn't that good and we were tied 2-2.
The last game of the day was Stud. Fittingly it was a $10+.5, instead of $5+.25 like all the others.

I don't think he'd played much stud before....
I took a quick lead, and widened it and widened it and widened it. My reads were dead on, and I only lost big pots due to suckouts.
When he was down to 250, the big bet was 50. I was dealt 88x and he limp-raised me before fourth came out. I figured he meant to go with this hand come hell or high water, so I jammed. I was right and we got it all in on 4th or 5th.
He'd chosen AQ8 to go with, and I was way ahead. I kept my eyes glued on his cards and he never improved better than a pair of 8s.

With that hand I had won the HU Challenge.
How dramatic.

But really, I'm very competitive and winning was pretty fun, especially after giving up the HE events. I was really close to tilting after losing the PL HE, and I think the change in games is the only reason I didn't. After I won the PLO H/L, I was determined to win the whole thing, and my previous stud experience, modest as it is, paid off.

I figured the monumental win earns a trophy.

Don't Believe Me

2005-07-17T01:33:00.000-07:00

After flat calling the JKx flop, I check-raise the rag turn.
He folds after some thought...
mclaughlin04: show me
Dealer: Game #2121900945: BurntOrnge wins pot (540)
mclaughlin04: weak
BurntOrnge: sorry, I minimized it, KT
mclaughlin04: gh
BurntOrnge: you have a J?
mclaughlin04: K no kicker
BurntOrnge: nf

If it wasn't for the title of this thread, you'd believe me.

Here's the hand history.
PokerStars Game #2121900945: Tournament #10160361, Hold'em Pot Limit - Match Round I, Level II (15/30) - 2005/07/17 - 04:30:56 (ET)
Table '10160361 1' One on One Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: BurntOrnge (1155 in chips)
Seat 2: mclaughlin04 (1845 in chips)
BurntOrnge: posts small blind 15
mclaughlin04: posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [9s 8c]
BurntOrnge: calls 15
mclaughlin04: raises 60 to 90
BurntOrnge: calls 60
*** FLOP *** [Kd Jc 5s]
mclaughlin04: bets 90
BurntOrnge: calls 90
*** TURN *** [Kd Jc 5s] [5h]
mclaughlin04: bets 90
BurntOrnge: raises 150 to 240
mclaughlin04: folds
mclaughlin04 said, "show me"
BurntOrnge collected 540 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 540 | Rake 0
Board [Kd Jc 5s 5h]
Seat 1: BurntOrnge (button) (small blind) collected (540)
Seat 2: mclaughlin04 (big blind) folded on the Turn

But in all fairness, he's owned me heads up. We're playing a best-of-five challenge. He's up 2-1.
I won the PLO, he took NL HE and PL HE.
But he got hit with the deck like I haven't seen in the NL HE match, and I aggressed my self right of of that one.

Right now we're playing PLO H/L I just took two beats in a row that turned a commanding lead into a slim one.

And I take it down with one ugly hand!
PokerStars Game #2121967573: Tournament #10160141, Omaha Hi/Lo Pot Limit - Match Round I, Level II (10/20) - 2005/07/17 - 04:54:25 (ET)
Table '10160141 1' One on One Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: BurntOrnge (1740 in chips)
Seat 2: mclaughlin04 (1260 in chips)
BurntOrnge: posts small blind 10
mclaughlin04: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [2c 8d 5s 9d]
BurntOrnge: calls 10
mclaughlin04: raises 40 to 60
BurntOrnge: calls 40 I don't like it, but the 89dd looks promising and it has a possible lo
*** FLOP *** [6s 3d 4c] Now the 25 are looking golden, and off we go
mclaughlin04: bets 60
BurntOrnge: raises 240 to 300
mclaughlin04: raises 720 to 1020
BurntOrnge: raises 660 to 1680 and is all-in
mclaughlin04: calls 180 and is all-in
*** TURN *** [6s 3d 4c] [4s]
*** RIVER *** [6s 3d 4c 4s] [6c]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
mclaughlin04: shows [6h Kh Kc 8s] (HI: three of a kind, Sixes)
BurntOrnge: shows [2c 8d 5s 9d] (HI: a straight, Deuce to Six; LO: 6,5,4,3,2)
BurntOrnge collected 1260 from pot
BurntOrnge collected 1260 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2520 | Rake 0
Board [6s 3d 4c 4s 6c]
Seat 1: BurntOrnge (button) (small blind) showed [2c 8d 5s 9d] and won (2520) with HI: a straight, Deuce to Six; LO: 6,5,4,3,2
Seat 2: mclaughlin04 (big blind) showed [6h Kh Kc 8s] and lost with HI: three of a kind, Sixes

WSOP

2005-07-16T02:21:00.000-07:00

Woe is me.
With Andrew Black crippled by a bad beat and Raymer crippled by a bad beat, and Matusow finished off by a fairly bad beat the Final 5 leave a bit too be desired.
I like Tex Barch.
Other than that, I'm not a big fan of the play I've seen.
Joseph Hachem is alright.

As I write this, Barch calls an all-in re-raise from Aaron Kanter. Barch has AQ, Kanter A7.
The flop is 77T and Kanter doubles up off the best player left in this thing.
This is getting sickening.
(Kanter laid the beat on Raymer and now on Barch.)

So I'm sitting here at 4:45 in the morning. I'm eating pizza, listening to the WSOP broadcast with Phil Hellmuth and Chris Ferguson and watching Batman the movie.
It's like a party with myself.

Morons

2005-07-15T01:54:00.000-07:00

How do these people get dressed in the morning?
I was going bananas; the stress factor was high, to say the least.

We'll start from the bubble. Check out these calls.

*********** # 72 **************
PokerStars Game #2107395393: Tournament #10081296, Hold'em No Limit - Level IV (50/100) - 2005/07/15 - 03:44:31 (ET)
Table '10081296 1' Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: Superbernie (2530 in chips)
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (1135 in chips)
Seat 9: jeffsw (5335 in chips)
BurntOrnge: posts small blind 50
jeffsw: posts big blind 100
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [As 9d]
Superbernie: folds
BurntOrnge: raises 1035 to 1135 and is all-in
jeffsw: calls 1035 [b] K6hh [/b]
*** FLOP *** [9h 4c Qh] [b]vomit, just breathe[/b]
*** TURN *** [9h 4c Qh] [7d]
*** RIVER *** [9h 4c Qh 7d] [Js]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BurntOrnge: shows [As 9d] (a pair of Nines)[b] and I fade all those outs to double up [/b]
jeffsw: shows [Kh 6h] (high card King)
BurntOrnge collected 2270 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2270 | Rake 0
Board [9h 4c Qh 7d Js]
Seat 1: Superbernie (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (small blind) showed [As 9d] and won (2270) with a pair of Nines
Seat 9: jeffsw (big blind) showed [Kh 6h] and lost with high card King

Deja Vu All over again

*********** # 48 **************
PokerStars Game #2107425081: Tournament #10081296, Hold'em No Limit - Level V (75/150) - 2005/07/15 - 03:53:38 (ET)
Table '10081296 1' Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: Superbernie (4005 in chips)
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (1595 in chips)
Seat 9: jeffsw (3400 in chips)
BurntOrnge: posts small blind 75
jeffsw: posts big blind 150
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [5d Ac]
Superbernie: folds
BurntOrnge: raises 1445 to 1595 and is all-in
jeffsw: calls 1445 [b] K8ss [/b]
*** FLOP *** [Qc Qs 5s] [b] argh, please... [/b]
*** TURN *** [Qc Qs 5s] [6c]
*** RIVER *** [Qc Qs 5s 6c] [9c]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BurntOrnge: shows [5d Ac] (two pair, Queens and Fives)
jeffsw: shows [8s Ks] (a pair of Queens)
BurntOrnge collected 3190 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 3190 | Rake 0
Board [Qc Qs 5s 6c 9c]
Seat 1: Superbernie (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (small blind) showed [5d Ac] and won (3190) with two pair, Queens and Fives
Seat 9: jeffsw (big blind) showed [8s Ks] and lost with a pair of Queens

Once again I survive vs the flush draw vs overpairs. How the hell am I gettin called with this shit?
Ok, if this was a carazy table that would be one thing, but this is tight, pass the chips back and forth... until I push.

*********** # 45 **************
PokerStars Game #2107429459: Tournament #10081296, Hold'em No Limit - Level V (75/150) - 2005/07/15 - 03:55:02 (ET)
Table '10081296 1' Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: Superbernie (2880 in chips)
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (4390 in chips)
Seat 9: jeffsw (1730 in chips)
BurntOrnge: posts small blind 75
jeffsw: posts big blind 150
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Ah Jc]
Superbernie: folds
BurntOrnge: raises 4240 to 4390 and is all-in
jeffsw: calls 1580 and is all-in [b]KQss... ok, this call is alright. But ya ain't going to get far calling off all your chips with K-hi... as a rule.[/b]
*** FLOP *** [Ad 9c 2c]
*** TURN *** [Ad 9c 2c] [5c]
*** RIVER *** [Ad 9c 2c 5c] [8s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BurntOrnge: shows [Ah Jc] (a pair of Aces)
jeffsw: shows [Qs Ks] (high card Ace)
BurntOrnge collected 3460 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 3460 | Rake 0
Board [Ad 9c 2c 5c 8s]
Seat 1: Superbernie (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (small blind) showed [Ah Jc] and won (3460) with a pair of Aces
Seat 9: jeffsw (big blind) showed [Qs Ks] and lost with high card Ace

So he goes down. We're in the money and my opponent has been much more reasonable....

He plays very tight/passive and I wear him down...

*********** # 36 **************
PokerStars Game #2107438394: Tournament #10081296, Hold'em No Limit - Level VI (100/200) - 2005/07/15 - 03:57:55 (ET)
Table '10081296 1' Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: Superbernie (2480 in chips)
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (6520 in chips)
BurntOrnge: posts small blind 100
Superbernie: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [3c Ah]
BurntOrnge: raises 6320 to 6520 and is all-in
Superbernie: calls 2280 and is all-in [b] JhTc [/b]
*** FLOP *** [Th 2d 7d]
BurntOrnge said, "unreal" [b] Losing the hand wasn't the problem. I was due to, but the call... [/b]
*** TURN *** [Th 2d 7d] [Tc]
*** RIVER *** [Th 2d 7d Tc] [8c]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Superbernie: shows [Ts Jh] (three of a kind, Tens)
BurntOrnge: shows [3c Ah] (a pair of Tens)
Superbernie collected 4960 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 4960 | Rake 0
Board [Th 2d 7d Tc 8c]
Seat 1: Superbernie (big blind) showed [Ts Jh] and won (4960) with three of a kind, Tens
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (button) (small blind) showed [3c Ah] and lost with a pair of Tens

This play of mine may have been done due to slight tilt, or maybe genuis. He'll call with J-hi. What will make him fold?

*********** # 22 **************
PokerStars Game #2107447410: Tournament #10081296, Hold'em No Limit - Level VI (100/200) - 2005/07/15 - 04:00:57 (ET)
Table '10081296 1' Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: Superbernie (3560 in chips)
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (5440 in chips)
BurntOrnge: posts small blind 100
Superbernie: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [4s Ks]
BurntOrnge: calls 100
Superbernie: raises 200 to 400
BurntOrnge: calls 200
*** FLOP *** [7s 5d Js]
Superbernie: bets 1200
BurntOrnge: raises 3840 to 5040 and is all-in
Superbernie: folds
BurntOrnge collected 3200 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 3200 | Rake 0
Board [7s 5d Js]
Seat 1: Superbernie (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (button) (small blind) collected (3200)

Lol, ok. So maybe he'll fold on flops...

*********** # 12 **************
PokerStars Game #2107454584: Tournament #10081296, Hold'em No Limit - Level VI (100/200) - 2005/07/15 - 04:03:33 (ET)
Table '10081296 1' Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: Superbernie (1060 in chips)
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (7940 in chips)
BurntOrnge: posts small blind 100
Superbernie: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Qc 3c]
BurntOrnge: raises 7740 to 7940 and is all-in intentional
Superbernie: calls 860 and is all-in [b] Js8c, Gotta love J-hi [/b]
*** FLOP *** [Kh Ac 5s]
*** TURN *** [Kh Ac 5s] [8s]
*** RIVER *** [Kh Ac 5s 8s] [3h]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Superbernie: shows [8c Js] (a pair of Eights)
BurntOrnge: shows [Qc 3c] (a pair of Threes)
Superbernie collected 2120 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2120 | Rake 0
Board [Kh Ac 5s 8s 3h]
Seat 1: Superbernie (big blind) showed [8c Js] and won (2120) with a pair of Eights
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (button) (small blind) showed [Qc 3c] and lost with a pair of Threes

This one is fine. I get lucky.
*********** # 4 **************
PokerStars Game #2107460447: Tournament #10081296, Hold'em No Limit - Level VII (100/200) - 2005/07/15 - 04:05:45 (ET)
Table '10081296 1' Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: Superbernie (2020 in chips)
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (6980 in chips)
Superbernie: posts the ante 25
BurntOrnge: posts the ante 25
BurntOrnge: posts small blind 100
Superbernie: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Kc 5s]
BurntOrnge: raises 6755 to 6955 and is all-in
Superbernie: calls 1795 and is all-in
*** FLOP *** [Tc Jh 8h]
*** TURN *** [Tc Jh 8h] [9h]
*** RIVER *** [Tc Jh 8h 9h] [7c]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Superbernie: shows [Ac 3d] (a straight, Seven to Jack)
BurntOrnge: shows [Kc 5s] (a straight, Seven to Jack)
Superbernie collected 2020 from pot
BurntOrnge collected 2020 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 4040 | Rake 0
Board [Tc Jh 8h 9h 7c]
Seat 1: Superbernie (big blind) showed [Ac 3d] and won (2020) with a straight, Seven to Jack
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (button) (small blind) showed [Kc 5s] and won (2020) with a straight, Seven to Jack

*********** # 2 **************
PokerStars Game #2107462659: Tournament #10081296, Hold'em No Limit - Level VII (100/200) - 2005/07/15 - 04:06:34 (ET)
Table '10081296 1' Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: Superbernie (2245 in chips)
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (6755 in chips)
Superbernie: posts the ante 25
BurntOrnge: posts the ante 25
BurntOrnge: posts small blind 100
Superbernie: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [Qh 4h]
BurntOrnge: calls 100
Superbernie: raises 200 to 400
BurntOrnge: calls 200
*** FLOP *** [2h 5s Kc]
Superbernie: checks
BurntOrnge: bets 4050 [b] Oops, I meant to bet 450... [/b]
Superbernie: calls 1820 and is all-in [b]A4cc, can't fold A-hi! Especially not with that tasty gut shot [/b]
*** TURN *** [2h 5s Kc] [9s]
*** RIVER *** [2h 5s Kc 9s] [7c]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Superbernie: shows [4c Ac] (high card Ace)
BurntOrnge: shows [Qh 4h] (high card King)
Superbernie collected 4490 from pot
BurntOrnge said, "lol, wrong button"
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 4490 | Rake 0
Board [2h 5s Kc 9s 7c]
Seat 1: Superbernie (big blind) showed [4c Ac] and won (4490) with high card Ace
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (button) (small blind) showed [Qh 4h] and lost with high card King

And I'm pretty close to steaming. I've gone 5-6 ITM finishes with out a first, for variou reasons. It's getting to me.
On the next hand, with my chip lead down to T20.

*********** # 1 **************
PokerStars Game #2107464378: Tournament #10081296, Hold'em No Limit - Level VII (100/200) - 2005/07/15 - 04:07:10 (ET)
Table '10081296 1' Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: Superbernie (4490 in chips)
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (4510 in chips)
Superbernie: posts the ante 25
BurntOrnge: posts the ante 25
Superbernie: posts small blind 100
BurntOrnge: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to BurntOrnge [8d 9c]
Superbernie: calls 100
BurntOrnge: checks
*** FLOP *** [6s 7s Ts] [b] Bingo bango bongo? (last time I got HU I flopped two pair when another guy flopped a flush. My enthusiasm is tempered.[/b]
BurntOrnge: bets 400
Superbernie: calls 400 [b] Drawing [/b]
*** TURN *** [6s 7s Ts] [Tc]
BurntOrnge: bets 3885 and is all-in [b] Fuck this, he's made some crazy calls already. If he flopped it, I'm not getting away from it. If he wants to draw, he can pay.
Superbernie: calls 3865 and is all-in {b] JhJd, no draw[/b]
*** RIVER *** [6s 7s Ts Tc] [2h]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
BurntOrnge: shows [8d 9c] (a straight, Six to Ten)
Superbernie: shows [Jd Jh] (two pair, Jacks and Tens)
BurntOrnge collected 8980 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 8980 | Rake 0
Board [6s 7s Ts Tc 2h]
Seat 1: Superbernie (button) (small blind) showed [Jd Jh] and lost with two pair, Jacks and Tens
Seat 4: BurntOrnge (big blind) showed [8d 9c] and won (8980) with a straight, Six to Ten

It was insane, and after being down $100 on the day, I was happy to break even with this win. I didn't show you all the pre-flop folding that allowd me to wear him down.
And that's the funny thing.
These guys only want to play for all their chips. If they're ahead when the chips go in, that's a bonus. He folded his SB consistently. He folded to SPFRs consistenly. But if I pushed, watch out, here he comes.

I suppose these guys both knew that I'm a better damn player than they are. It's the only thing that makes sense. While I wouldn't especially like being a 60/40 favorite vs. them with all the chips in, they both looked for spots where they were 40/60 dogs.
They wouldn't push, only call.
To say I was left shaking my head would be an understatement. Each time this happened my jaw dropped in my lap, and I just stared at the screen begging silently (or aloud sometimes) to just win the hand.

I decided to do some investigating and find out what their motives might be. I came upon one of them at work....

Ok, I admit. That shot my initial theory to hell.
This guy doesn't think I'm that good a poker player.. He's just a fucking moron.
But at least he's got safety goggles...