River Palms ... Walking Back to Texas

OK, last week I was able to report that I finally cashed in one of the local tournaments for the first time in a while. Last night, we played the $40 tourney again, this time I didn't cash... but some interesting stuff happened, so I'm blogging about it anyway :-D

As an aside, I got 2nd in one of those freerolls that I play on Intertops--just $15 since it was the $100 prize pool, but out of a large field--so that made me feel good. Of course, the same day, I made the money a 2nd time--for pennies in another $100, lol--but was out very quickly in the $10,000 prize pool freeroll they offered! Ouch! I laid down top two in a big pot after a large raise, thinking the other guy turned a straight. Later in chat, he says "two pair", ugh!! I ended up all-in w/ TT or JJ on a low board, and someone chased and got their overcard :p

Since in the Palms tournament, we start w/ 3K in chips (after the dealer add-on), I thought I'd play some more hands like I do in the freerolls that I'm always cashing in. I kept getting suited connectors to limp with (I was at a nice passive table without much raising) but never got any flop. In the BB during the 50/100 level, this kid makes it 200 to go after a few limpers. He successfully knocks out people behind him, but I knew all the limpers would call one more BB raise...so with T9o in the BB I called. Flop is 9-high rainbow, and it gets checked to the kid. He chucks in another 200. I'm thinking, OK, he's got AK or AQ and missed but is shooting anyway. So I check-raise to get out the others in between to 600. I got everyone out, then the kid looks at his cards again and calls. On the turn is another little card and I lead out for 1000 (this is leaving me with only another 1K and change, but I'm not expecting a call. Kid looks at his hand again and he doesn't seem happy. Suddenly, he shoves all-in. Oh, boy...did I step into it? I call "time" and start to think. I don't want to give up the pot, that will really leave me short and I don't want to have to do my one rebuy already. Remembering how he didn't seem happy on the turn, I stated that I was going to make a loose call and put in my stack. Kid turns over T9o! LOL! Same hand. River is inconsequential, and we split the pot. Made a couple hundred, and saved myself almost 2K...whew!

I end up getting moved before it's my BB to another table, to take the BB, missing a hand (ugh). I get moved to a table with Pat to my direct right, a local whom we've played with many times before. Good player, can be aggressive, doesn't need to have hit the flop to bet it. Right away she raises from the SB with KQs. I muck my junk, but she gets several calls from the many limpers. ATx on the flop, two spades (her suit), so she bets--less than what she raised, can you say "missed?"--and she gets a couple callers. J on the turn gives her the nut straight and she goes all-in. She gets called by another local who knows how she plays and shows AQ for TPEK (top pair, excellent kicker). K on the river makes it a split pot. Pat was not happy, lol.

When it got to my button, again there were several limpers, Pat was one, and I found AKs. I was debating how much to raise and thinking about I'd probably get callers either way, so I shoved. One of the early limpers, I'm going to call "Sly-older-guy" or SOG, for reasons you'll find later, says "all-in, 'eh?". I replied, "the pot's big enough", and smiled. All fold to Pat, who thought about it and called. I thought for sure she must have a pair. Instead, so turned over ATo! I've played with her enough times that she should have known that no matter what I had, I dominated her hand! She says "you got me", after seeing my hand, like she went all-in and I called with the better hand. Weird. No help to on the board for her and I double up with AK-high.

Break hits, I take the optional $40 rebuy/add-on for 5K chips, bringing me up to 10,500.

During the now 200/400 level, Pat open-raises in late position and I find KK. Not wanting her to call, having an Ace flop and have her outplay me, I just shoved in. All fold to Pat and she's acting like she's having a minor fit. I say to her "I have much better than last time", and she goes "so do I". She was having such a fit and didn't seem like she was going to call, so I guess that's why I said that. Plus, I guess I didn't want to get sucked out on by an Ace. She flashes me 99 and folds. I do a courtesy show of the KK.

Later in the same level, Pat limps in early position and I find AQs. Trying to narrow the field, I make it 1600 to go. Loose guy to my left is reaching to call, just as the guy to his left shoves in! Shover notices he acted too early, and takes his chips back. Now, the guy in between knows Shover wants to go all-in, but puts out the chips to call anyway...? Shover shoves. Dude in sunglasses down-table puts all his chips in. The blinds fold, Pat folds. I find that it would be another 6K to me, so I fold, knowing there's already a call and someone else that will probably call too (I don't want to take my chances with AQ, suited or not, in a four way pot!). As expected, Loose-guy to my left calls.

Shover: A7s .. say what?
Sunglasses: KK .. figured as much
Loose guy: Q8s .. asssphinctersayswhat?

River brings Loose-guy a straight with the Q, but then the dealer calls out "flush"; that last card brought the A-high, nut flush for Shover. Pat remarks that she folded QTs and would have made the straight, too. I chuckled and told her I had AQs (partly to let them know that I wasn't raising with "nothing"). Too funny, 3 of us in a row would have made a straight, and lost to a flush had the all-in-fest not occurred.

During Pat's BB, someone down table decides they need to get some chips and shoves with A6o. Pat called from her BB...with J9s. I really don't understand this call, just like with the ATo. Next hand it gets folded to her in the SB and she goes all-in for her last 2K. I find A7o and ask her if she's gambling again. In the recesses of my mind was trying to get thru and say that if she says "yes", she means "no"! But the monkey brain said, "ok, I got an Ace, I call". She flips over KK and I tell her "nice hand". No Ace, flop, turn, river. Dealer says, "3, 4, 5, 6, 7..straight". I didn't even see it. Patty gets up and told her that I was sorry, but she stalked away. I know the feeling.

Then, I lost a large chunk of change. At this point, I had a fairly good stack, still a little ahead of the 10K mark, when Loose-guy to my left desides to go all-in 2 hands in a row (the 2nd being my BB). I could see people being tentative about limping, wondering if Loose-guy will just shove when it's his BB. I find KQs and complete the SB, wondering the same thing, but unable to fold the hand. BB checks, and we see a flop of 522, two diamonds, my suit. I check (probably first mistake). Loose guy fires a min bet of 400 into the pot. Sly-old-guy looks at his cards and calls. I'm wondering what to put him on. I saw him look at Loose-guy before limping. I was thinking that he had an over pair and was trying to trap. Looking at his cards, I'm also thinking that he might also have the diamond draw..AJ or AT diamonds? Lady in between calls, and I call too, wondering if I'm drawing dead.

Turn is no help to my draw, an offsuit J, and I check again. This time Loose-guy puts the rest of his chips in, about 2400. SOG calls, still looking at his cards, and the lady inbetween calls. I ask for time. I'm still wondering if SOG or the lady are also on the flush draw, but I feel that's just playing scared. Plus, if I win this pot, I'll have a ton of chips, and I'm getting my odds. I call.

Diamond on the river. Wondering if I really wanted a diamond verses a K or Q, I checked. Sure enough, SOG bets 2K, just enough to make me call (which I do) to see what I feared (and half expected), the nut flush.

I got moved to another table, this time SOG on my direct left. Blinds go from to 300/600, probably the only time they don't double.

I get AA, try to figure out how much to raise and end up just plunking a bunch in the center. I get no call, of course. Once someone limped in my BB, I find JJ and again shove, and again no call. I probably should have played the AA differently. I needed chips.

In my SB, I have KTo and complete after a couple limpers. Someone should have raised out the BB, but no one did. Then, the BB (SOG) throws his cards forward, remembers its his blind, and takes them back! The dealer doesn't say squat, but some of the players look at each other and don't say anything. I'm going to be working there, so, not wanting to look like I'm taking a shot, I don't say anything either. Flop is K-high, and I check, thinking that someone might have limped with KQ or KJ and I don't want to call if someone else fires. I gets checked around. I bet out on the turn and SOG anounces "raise". He doesn't raise unless he's got the goods, so I muck my top pair/straight draw to a big raise. He tells me he had two pair.

Then, 2 or three people are going at it: "his hand should have been killed", "he threw it forward". They get a ruling, after the fact, that yes, it should have been killed. Thanks guys, too late now! Nice to hear that while seeing him rake in chips that should have been mine.

Later, Felicia gets knocked out when SOG traps her. It's folded to him in the cutoff and he looks and sees Felicia in the BB and another woman in the SB. He's debating what to raise. Then puts in double the BB, 2K. Oh boy, I'm thinking, that's just begging for a call. JJ, a local on the button, flat calls the 2K. SB folds, and Felicia goes all-in. I'm thinking, OK, if she has AA, what's the other guy got? SOG calls, JJ folds. Felicia turns up AK, and SOG .. AA. Felicia put him on a steal and shoved. Felicia gets no help and she's out. :(

After paying blinds and the KT debacle, I'm down to 6K at 1K/2K blinds. In my BB, lady that was the SB above goes all-in, and gets called in TWO places; one being the SB, who I noticed folding and folding. I find 23s in the BB, laugh and fold. Of course, I would have made another straight :p

SB, gets folded to me and I find AKs. "Thank you", I said, and follow with: "All-in!". SOG goes, "all-in? Oh, it's only 2000 more?". I said, "that's all, you can call and double me up or," at this point I flip up my cards as he put in the call, "I'm walking back to Texas!"

SOG turns up Q9s, diamonds again; again, getting the flush.

Indeed, I'm walking home -grin-

Glenn

Posted by Glenn

River Palms Cash (4th)

I finally got in the money at the River Palm's! This weekend Felicia and I played the $40 buy-in tournament at the Palm's and I managed to get 4th :-)

Felicia wanted to get out of the house with all the bad weather that was coming our way, so we ended up getting a room at the Palm's for a couple nights. We played one of the morning $10 tournaments ($15 with the dealer add-on) and I was reeling with the "crap-shoot" quality of the amount of chips/blinds/time-per-level. It was awful! Not to mention, that the first 3 levels were limit hold'em; waiting till after the break to turn to NL. Needless to say, I didn't make the money ;-)

On Sunday, Felicia reminded me about the $40 tournament. At first I thought, "oh, no, not another tournament with a terrible structure." Then she reminded me about the T2K in chips and the 30 minute levels. {The blinds were actually 20 minutes for the first hour, but then 30 minutes after that.} Plus, with, again, a dealers' add-on for $5, you could chip up to a total of T3K. Finally, although not technically a rebuy, you could add-on at any time within the first hour of the tournament for an additional $40 for T5K in chips. So you can either try to play on $40 for T2K, $45 for T3K, or $85 for T8K altogether.

Our table seemed to be more conservative and didn't do the add-on until the break after the first hour. Felicia told me that most her table did the add-on right away so they could have the full T8K to play with.

Being a conservative table, there was a lot of folding and not a lot of crazy play. I'll have to say that this helped me. A few times I was able to limp with a marginal holding to see what developed. Nothing really did, so I never got any good chip lead or anything. First decent hand was AKo during the 25/50 level; raised 2 limpers to T200. I was able to knock out the blinds, but both limpers called. After a flop of Kxx, two suited, I took down the pot with a T600 bet after I was checked to. This held me for a while.

One nice thing about being tight, they tend to believe you when you steal. I had A2s in the cutoff, raised to 3xBB and was folded to. After this, I pretty much had to sit on my chips as I got absolutely nothing. I probably should have stolen more, but I like to have something to steal with ;-)

Another time the it was folded to me in the cutoff, I had KJo and raised to T1000. This time I got a cold call from the button, a min-reraise from the SB to T2000, and a cold call from the BB. If I was HU, I would have just mucked it, knowing that I was beat. However, knowing that the button would call (and seeing that the SB actually only had 400 left after the raise), I called getting 7-1. Predictably, it was all little on the flop. The BB called the SB's all-in (so I didn't have to after missing the flop ;) and we got to see that the SB held TT. The BB was on a draw, that got there, and the SB was out.

The BB was an Asian guy that I played with in the side games twice. I knew his MO. He'd bet draws, but if he had absolutely nothing, he would check. This was good for me. He knew that I was tight and would fold if he had nothing playable. Also, I knew that I could probably take him off a hand if he had nothing.

All that is well and good if circumstances go your way; unfortunately, they don't always!! -grin-

Once again, our table was on the tight side for most of the night (as people were busted, there were some that got moved to our table that weren't so much). But I remember one guy in seat-1, I'll have to name "Bulldog". No, it wasn't because he wore those silly T-shirts regarding stupid attitude stuff (like the don't have enough people with attitude problems), but that the poor man had such an under-bite that it gave him a bulldog appearance. So, watching Bulldog fold-fold-fold, I fully expected him to fold to my open-raise in mid-position when I held ATo. I got cold called by the Asian guy, and then by Bulldog in the BB! Ouch...Probably dominated here. Flop was KsQsX. Bulldog checked (he was an opponent that would check-raise..so), I checked, Asian bet. While I know that he bets draws, Bulldog called all-in (being tight he was constantly short-stacked). Knowing that I was beat in at least one spot, I folded. Asian had As4s for the flush draw; Bulldog had AQo for 2nd pair. Asian misses the flush, Bulldog takes down the pot that I might have knocked him out in with a J on the river for the straight! I'm not sure that Bulldog would have checked again, thinking that I might have checked a set of K's on the flop... We'll never know :-p

Anyway, I got short-stacked later in the tournament. I had only 2 1/2 the BB; there were like 2 or 3 limpers, and I look to see AA in late position! I chuckled, tossed my remaining chips all-in, knowing there was no way I was getting anyone to fold. Then I even get an over-call, also all-in, from the button! Oh boy, I really didn't want a multiway pot with AA...or did I?? They stood up with a final board something like KQJ-K-x. On the flop, the Asian shoved in having flopped two pair with QJ, but I resucked with the K on the turn :) Now I had some chips!

I actually got AA another time in the tournament. Spinnerman (one of those guys that have the round-metal card cappers that they spin) open-min-raised UTG in the 10-seat). Bulldog cold called for 2/3's of his chips (?why not just stick them all in?) and I have AA again and shove. SB thinks about it for a little...this guy was moved to our table and was definitely NOT a conservative player, he saw most flops and stayed about even...he eventually called all-in with K8s. While I didn't want a multiway pot again, it saved me. Spinnerman chucked his (what we learned later) medium pocket pair, Bulldog put the rest in with 77, and we saw a board of Q7x-x-8. So, SB only made a pair of 8's with his K8s, Bulldog pulled down the nice main pot with his set on the flop, and after I pulled in the side pot, I found that I only lost T1500; phew!

I mostly sat on my chips as we came to the bubble and I was finally in the money for the first time in a while :-D.

I stole some here and there, putting my chips in with AK and TT and KK.

Once at the final table I got a whole bunch of nothing. Short-stacks were taken out here and there. Bulldog finally got the boot. Asian guy got short and shoved in twice; no call once, another he got a call, and his KQo made a one-card flush on the river for him to double up. Spinnerman was still (he had a huge stack when he got moved to our table, and with selective aggressive play, kept it...plus, sucking out on QQ TWICE with AK helped!).

One of the people that got moved to our final table, directly to my right, was a guy that I've played with before that makes me look loose! Only one limper, he's short-stacked, so doesn't complete the SB with A3o. He didn't like his kicker, so he didn't play, even though there was only one limper, a dealer, who was very loose (dealer and loose.. Aren't they synonymous?). Board was something like A35xx and the dealer never bet. I won with a pair of 5's and he showed QTo. Tightguy tells the Spinnerman, to his direct left (after the seat redraw for the final) that he would have had two pair with his A3 but didn't play it. Brother! If she had an ace, she would have raised!

Tight guy, of course, got himself blinded out after a while. He did get AK once, but Spinnerman had already raised with AK himself, and they just split the blinds.

OK, we get down to 6 players, I'm still getting no hands and I just had to give up my BB. In the SB, the guy to my left had about as many chips as me, so I can't really wait him out unless the blinds change. Only one limper and I see KJo in the SB. If I complete, I only have T3K more, and the blinds are now T3K/T6K. I know there's no way to raise out the limper, and possibly not even the BB, since he only has a few chips left too. But he'll be all-in in the SB. So, I complete, hoping that he won't go all-in (watching him play, seemed he was just trying to reach a higher spot, so felt he wouldn't). No raise from BB and we see the flop, turn and river cheap. Limper bets the river when a possible flush gets there. I can't see him bluffing in this position, being that either of us short-stacks would probably call with any piece of the board as we had no chips left. Since I just had K-high, I mucked and held onto my 3 remaining chips. (From a high of T45K, to T3K...Wow).

Very next hand, blinds go up to T5K/T10K, guaranteeing that the guy on my left is all-in in the SB. He doesn't survive and there's only 5 left. Spinnerman is UTG and raises, I fold, the SB calls, BB (other large stack) goes over the top all-in and Spinnerman folds to the big reraise. SB calls all-in with AQo. BB has AKs and makes a nut flush on the river! (Spinnerman said he had a pocket pair.)

There I am, sitting with a mere 3 chips, and the SB, who could have waited me out, gets knocked out instead! I, of course, get knocked out in the BB with 43o, but end up getting $360! (They paid the full final table, so was a little spread out, but still top heavy with about $980 going to first.) Spinnerman ended up winning after having his QQ hold-up in a final all-in battle.

I still need to be more aggressive to try to get to the higher money, but either way, I'm happy for the cash in this otherwise dry spell!

Posted by Glenn

Yes I'm still here..here's a hand for the ages:

Yes, I'm still here. As you heard, Felicia and I had a bad run at Commerce and we've been licking our wounds, trying to grind our bankrolls back.

While playing some Draw on Paradise, I just had a monster hand that Felicia told me to remember for all those times that I want to complain about bad beats. While I did NOT put a bad beat on seat1 (I had the best hand all along) it's one of those hands that would definitely qualify for a bad beat jackpot, if there was one.

So, posted for posterity:

Game #xxxx - $1/$2 5-Card Draw - 2005/02/18-12:49:(CST)
Table "Lalona" (real money) -- Seat 3 is the button
Seat 1: seat1 ($47.25 in chips)
Seat 3: seat3 ($73.25 in chips)
Seat 5: seat5 ($17.00 in chips)
Seat 7: seat7 ($40.00 in chips)
Seat 9: DOMIT ($36.50 in chips)
seat5: Post Small Blind ($0.50)
seat7: Post Big Blind ($1)
Dealing...
Dealt to DOMIT [ Qs ]
Dealt to DOMIT [ Qc ]
Dealt to DOMIT [ Qd ]
Dealt to DOMIT [ 3h ]
Dealt to DOMIT [ Qh ]
DOMIT : Call ($1)
seat1 : Raise ($2)
seat3: Call ($2)
seat5: Fold
seat7: Call ($1)
DOMIT : Raise ($2)
seat1 : Raise ($2)
seat3: Call ($2)
seat7: Call ($2)
DOMIT : Call ($1)
Discarding...
Dealing...
Discarded by DOMIT [ 3h ]
Dealt to DOMIT [ Ks ]
Discarding...
Dealing...
Discarding...
Dealing...
seat7: Check
DOMIT : Bet ($2)
seat1 : Raise ($4)
seat3: Fold
seat7: Fold
DOMIT : Raise ($4)
seat1 : Raise ($4)
DOMIT : Call ($2)
*** SUMMARY ***
Pot: $31.50 Rake: $1
seat1 lost $12 (showed hand) [ 6h 6c 4d 6d 6s ] (four of a kind, sixes)
seat3 lost $4 (folded)
seat5 lost $0.50 (folded)
seat7 lost $4 (folded)
DOMIT bet $12, collected $31.50, net +$19.50 (showed hand) [ Qs Qc Qd Ks Qh ] (four of a kind, queens)

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Quote of the day:

"Pokeris a 'group awareness program'...play accordingly."

http://pokerworks.com/blog/blogger.html
Linda Geenen -- Poker Works

Posted by Glenn

River Palm's Room Rates (say that 5x fast ;)

FYI: The Poker Room Manager at the River Palm's is trying to get $10 room rates for poker players!

He's been having some great turnouts lately for tournaments... close to 100 people in their $500 added $10 tournament last couple nights. $10 buyin, $5 dealer add-on; rebuys ($10 1st couple levels--$20 next 2 levels) and $30 add-on at break. But, potentially, you can play the tournament for $10, only. With the $$ added, not a bad deal ;)

PS: I haven't written anything up regarding Commerce since there wasn't much truly notable (and I didn't want it to sound like a whine feast -grin-).

Posted by Glenn