Dear Full Tilt,

How about, instead of me trying to qualify for Iron Man, at the beginning of the month, you just bend me over, stick it in my ass again, and then mug me. That way, exactly same effect, but less time consuming.

Sincerely,
LOL@legitimate RNG (wink, wink)

Ok, obviously not sending that. Only because they would have no humor in their reply.

Did however send the following sarcastic one. I already know what their answer will be, but I just want the joy of being able to tell them to go fuck themselves and their stupid Iron Man promotion and that I'm going back to Stars full time.......unless they send me another bonus.

-----------------------

Just concluded my worst day of the month on the worst day for it to happen as I already said. Full Tilt was very accomodating with miracle cards on the river giving me just enough to play off.

Typical Full Tilt EFF ME hands, just enough for everyone to contribute more rake........

1 - Perfect river. Always putting that guy on the case T of course.

$0.1/$0.25 Pot Limit Omaha Hi
6 players
Converted at

Stacks:
UTG ($41.55)
UTG+1 ($88.05)
CO ($49.55)
BTN ($24.50)
SB ($12.90)
Hero ($24.75)

Pre-flop: ($0.35, 6 players) Hero is BB [Ac][Th][Kd]
UTG calls $0.25 ($41.30), 1 fold, CO calls $0.25 ($49.30), 2 folds, Hero raises to $1 ($23.50), UTG calls $0.75 ($40.55), CO calls $0.75 ($48.55)
63.10% (EV = $0.96)
36.90% (EV = $0.14)

Flop: [4h][7s] ($3.1, 3 players)
Hero bets $2.5 ($21.25), UTG calls $2.5 ($38.05), 1 fold
32.30% (EV = $0.12)
67.70% (EV = $2.98)

Turn: ($8.1, 2 players)
Hero bets $5.5 ($15.75), UTG calls $5.5 ($32.55)
51.20% (EV = $4.28)
48.70% (EV = $3.80)

River: ($19.1, 2 players)
Hero checks ($15.75), UTG bets $19.1 ($13.45), Hero calls $15.75 ($0.00)
0.00% (EV = -$15.75)
100.00% (EV = $31.50)

Final Pot: $50.60
Hero shows: [Ac][Th][Kd]
UTG shows: [6h][Tc][Ah]

UTG wins $51.45 ( won +$23.35 )
CO lost -$1.00
Hero lost -$24.75


2 - Hmm, surely he didn't call me down for the running straight draw? Ah, well placed Full Tilt. Perfect turn and river. Artistry with the only card I'd pay off with.

$0.1/$0.25 Pot Limit Omaha Hi
6 players
Converted at

Stacks:
UTG ($25.45)
UTG+1 ($12.30)
Hero ($22.30)
BTN ($40.90)
SB ($78.05)
BB ($49.90)

Pre-flop: ($0.35, 6 players) Hero is CO [Qh][8d][6h]
2 folds, Hero raises to $0.85 ($21.45), 1 fold, SB calls $0.75 ($77.20), 1 fold
50.40% (EV = $0.13)
49.60% (EV = $0.12)

Flop: [4c][2s] ($1.95, 2 players)
SB checks ($77.20), Hero bets $1.5 ($19.95), SB calls $1.5 ($75.70)
58.20% (EV = $1.38)
41.80% (EV = $0.57)

Turn: ($4.95, 2 players)
SB checks ($75.70), Hero bets $3 ($16.95), SB calls $3 ($72.70)
57.50% (EV = $3.30)
42.50% (EV = $1.65)

River: ($10.95, 2 players)
SB bets $5.45 ($67.25), Hero calls $5.45 ($11.50)
0.00% (EV = -$5.45)
100.00% (EV = $16.40)

Final Pot: $21.85
Hero shows: [Qh][8d][6h]
SB shows: [9c][Jd][Ad]

SB wins $20.8 ( won +$10 )
Hero lost -$10.80

Stunningly, my PT stats are telling me that the I am winning money from CO, UTG, and BB. My losing comes from SB, MP, and BTN. The BTN is my biggest loser.

Something about a short stack with a Q

An amazing amount of effort and energy went into a $7.45 profit today. The 2 hour NLHE session was demoralizing at times. The 1 hour PLO session was a struggle.

In just 372 hands of NLHE I was dealt:
AA 4x
AKs 3x
AKo 9x
QQ 2x
JJ 5x
and then throw in TT and 99 2x each.

Sounds like a great session.
The Bad: AA cracked 2x all-in preflop vs AQ (QxQ flop) and KQ (QxxQ turn).
The Good: They were short stacks

The Good: I flopped broadway with AK and a set of 6's in a raised pot.
The Bad: Both were on monotone flops and the turn was the same suit both times. I ended up having to turn my hand into bluffs both times.

The Good: AK 12x with raises in front of me most times.
The Bad: They stopped believing my re-raise after a while and beat me down with middle pocket pairs.

The Good: I flopped the nut flush draw + 2 overs on a 732 4-way flop.
The Bad: Obviously up against a set of 3's.

Most of this all took place on 2 tables:
First table -
Raise and a cold call. I re-raise AKs - everyone folds.
Raise and a cold call. I re-raise AKs - everyone folds.
Raise from MP, I 3-bet from BB with AK - he folds.
4th time, CO open-raises, I re-raise AK OTB - he calls. 26264 board I just give up on the turn. He shows down a pair of 7's good.

After a while, they're gonna look you up. Which is good, because the next time I had AA OTB. But BB had a short stack and AQ. Trip Queens.

But then on the other table I get a chance at redemption about a minute later. AA in the BB. 3 limps and BTN shoves his short stack. I double his bet. He has KQs. Trip Queens.

I get AA AGAIN very next hand. Steal the BB.

Table was c/r crazy too. Finished up minus 1/2 stack.

PLO 6-max, immediately down a stack. Got it in 50/50 and lost. Struggled for most of the rest of the session, but then went on a rush. Got a nice pot with KK35 on 3K359 board in a 3-way pot.

Then there was the genius who called me "lucky" after he just calls my flop bet on a [5h][Qd] flop. I hold [9c][8s][7d]. Turn is and I c/r all-in. River . Yeah, I was so lucky that he decided to slow play on this very drawy board and I turned 17 outs making me a little less than a coinflip (43%) and certainly correct to c/r all-in there. Slowplayers in PLO are my favorite people so far.

A couple of days ago, I had finally pulled even for the month. Then the very next day I got drubbed and was in the hole for a couple of buy-ins again. Today, I just beat the crap out of the $25 PLO games for 3+ stacks in only 122 hands to the point where I was just $10 from being even again for the month and also just 53 FPP's from SilverStar on Stars.

I played an hour and a half session of $50 NLHE to make up the FPP's. On the 2nd hand I played I flopped trip 3's (43s SB limped pot) and was out-kicked (A3) by the BB. He played it very cautiously after my c/r though and I only lost $15. Made that back fairly quickly and I pretty much hung around even until I was only about 3 FPP's away and about to quit.

That was when all hell broke loose.
1 - I limp AA UTG at a fairly LAG table, but it doesn't get raised this time. 1 limper and both blinds. Flop is Q25 and one of the fishies (BB) min-c/r's on the flop. I min-raise a 4 turn and he just calls. Check down a 6 river. He flips Q2o. This will happen every once in a while when you limp AA. It's the chance you take and I take full responsibility for it. I'm sure he would have called down with just a pair too though.

2 - Very next hand I have A7o in the BB. The biggest nut (43/12) limps UTG+1 and it's just me and him. Flop is AJ7 all spades. I bet $1 and call a raise to $5. Turn is a rag and I check call another $10. River is another rag and I check call another $10 bet. He shows 52 of spades. I had a feeling he had a flush but thought he could do this with an Ace + a spade or a pair with the .

Anyway, I had now just blown off a stack just before I was about to quit which really ticked me off.

I did pick a bit of it back up with a set of 6's just before I left though.

So in total a $50 profit on the day.

Some interesting situations though:
This one came up at the table I was just talking about.
There are 2 limps and I limp 77 UTG+2.
Limp behind and 44/12 raises to $3 (6xBB)
CO calls, SB calls, BB calls, UTG calls, UTG+1 folds.
There is now $16.50 in the pot when it gets back to me. There is a very good chance that the raiser is just on overs and I considered shoving here as the dead money in the pot probably justifies it against this player. Instead, I just call practically getting odds to flop my set already.
UTG+2, a very tight player 10/8/5 - 6 WTSD - 192 hands shoves for $37.15 total and everyone folds around to me.

I know have to call $34.15 to win $55.65. It is so possible that UTG+2 is thinking the same thing I'm thinking. He limped in after 3 limpers so I'm ruling out AK/JJ+. His best hands are overcards (AT+ or KQs) which I'd love to see or TT-88. I took up all of my time before deciding to fold. This was such a close decision though. I think I probably would have called with 99.

--------------
PLO
1 - Always nice to flop the nuts and get action, still have the nuts on the turn and get more action, then have it hold up.

$0.1/$0.25 Pot Limit Omaha Hi
5 players
Converted at

Stacks:
UTG ($64.40)
CO ($109.00)
Hero ($51.80)
SB ($14.25)
BB ($11.25)

Pre-flop: ($0.35, 5 players) Hero is BTN [4h][Ad][Ks]
1 fold, CO calls $0.25 ($108.75), Hero calls $0.25 ($51.55), SB calls $0.15 ($14.00), BB checks ($11.00)
37.40% (EV = $0.12)
24.60% (EV = -$0.00)
38.00% (EV = $0.13)

Flop: [7d][9d] ($1, 4 players)
SB bets $0.95 ($13.05), BB calls $0.95 ($10.05), CO calls $0.95 ($107.80), Hero raises to $3.5 ($48.05), SB calls $2.55 ($10.50), BB calls $2.55 ($7.50), CO folds ($107.80)
68.50% (EV = $5.03)
0.20% (EV = -$3.48)
31.40% (EV = $0.41)

Turn: ($12.45, 3 players)
SB bets $1.25 ($9.25), BB calls $1.25 ($6.25), Hero raises to $13.75 ($34.30), SB goes all-in $9.25 ($0.00), BB goes all-in $6.25 ($0.00)
80.60% (EV = $19.26)
2.80% (EV = -$9.35)
16.70% (EV = -$1.66)

River: ($40.95, 3 players)
100.00% (EV = $40.95)
0.00% (EV = $0.00)
0.00% (EV = $0.00)

Final Pot: $40.95
Hero shows: [4h][Ad][Ks]
SB shows: [Jd][3h][Qd]
BB shows: [2s][9h][5c]

Hero wins $42.2 ( won +$24.7 )
CO lost -$1.20
SB lost -$14.25
BB lost -$11.25


2 - Flopped top set (Kings) + FD + GSSD vs a 1/2 stack who just couldn't let go of his bare Aces with the same GSSD and got it in 91-9 on the flop. Hit my flush on the turn to finish him.

3 - Limped in and flopped a set of Aces. Got 3-way action on Flop and Turn with a FD out there. I checked a rag river on a 3QA92 board to let my opponent bluff and since I didn't believe he had 54, I got another 1/2 pot bet out of him.

4 - This one was just a cooler for my opponent. He had a flush draw + a wrap. I had top 2 pair + a bigger wrap.

$0.1/$0.25 Pot Limit Omaha Hi
5 players
Converted at

Stacks:
UTG ($14.00)
CO ($24.50)
BTN ($19.35)
SB ($95.30)
Hero ($28.25)

Pre-flop: ($0.35, 5 players) Hero is BB [Js][Ks][Ah]
UTG calls $0.25 ($13.75), CO calls $0.25 ($24.25), BTN raises to $1.35 ($18.00), 1 fold, Hero calls $1.1 ($26.90), UTG folds ($13.75), CO calls $1.1 ($23.15)
53.80% (EV = $1.02)
46.20% (EV = $0.68)

Flop: [4s][8s] ($4.4, 3 players)
Hero checks ($26.90), CO checks ($23.15), BTN bets $3.75 ($14.25), Hero raises to $15.45 ($11.45), CO folds ($23.15), BTN goes all-in $18 ($0.00), Hero calls $2.55 ($8.90)
66.20% (EV = $8.74)
33.80% (EV = -$4.34)

Turn: ($40.4, 2 players)
100.00% (EV = $40.40)
0.00% (EV = $0.00)

River: ($40.4, 2 players)
100.00% (EV = $40.40)
0.00% (EV = $0.00)

Final Pot: $40.40
Hero shows: [Js][Ks][Ah]
BTN shows: [Ts][9s][Qd]

Hero wins $38.4 ( won +$19.05 )
UTG lost -$0.25
CO lost -$1.35
BTN lost -$19.35

Another new way to lose a tournament.....

SB had open-limped 2x previously on my BB. First time I raised JJ and he folded. Next time I had A4, checked, flopped an Ace and bet. But he's onto my bullshit now and calling my bluffs.

Anyway, converter not working now, but he open-limps. I raise to 500 (75/150 blinds).
Flop 5Jx he donks 450, I raise to 1350, he snap calls
Turn 9 he pushes, i call for my last 1900.

I have QJo. He has 95o.

And of course, immediately following in my other 2 tournies:
- I lose blind vs blind coinflip vs shortie 66 vs K9 to cripple me
- I raise KQo CO and lose to T8s BB defend on TKAAT board although I'm still on pace for the bubble on that one.

Pay attention boys. This is how you play aggressively, punish weak players, and win tournaments.......


You know what, fuck it. I can't find a damn hand converter that works, but I'm going to post them anyway.....

No Limit Holdem Tournament
$8.00+$0.80
0 players
Converted at

Stacks:
BTN (4450)
SB (8707)
Hero (3795)

Blinds: 75/150

Pre-flop: (225, 0 players) Hero is BB [Qc]

Turn: (-2700, 0 players)

River: (-4050, 0 players)

Final Pot: 7590
SB shows: [5d]
Hero shows: [Qc]

Hero wins 14160 ( won +10715 )

What actually happened in this hand was SB completed for 75.
He bet 450 into 1K pot on the flop. I raised to 1350 and he called.
He bet 2100 on the turn. I called all-in 1945.
The cards are correct.

------------------------

8 players
Converted at

Stacks:
UTG ($0.00)
UTG+1 ($0.00)
MP1 ($0.00)
MP2 ($0.00)
Hero ($0.00)
BTN ($0.00)
SB ($0.00)
BB ($0.00)

Pre-flop: ($0, 8 players) Hero is CO [Kd]
4 folds, Hero raises to $0, 2 folds, BB calls

Flop: [8c][4s] ($0, 2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $0, BB calls

Turn: ($0, 2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $0, BB calls

River: ($0, 2 players)
BB bets $0, Hero goes all-in $0

Final Pot: $1142
BB shows: [6c]
Hero shows: [Kd]

This one is HORSE - LHE. As you can see, I raised and then bet every street. Absolutely no reason to fold T6 there. What can I do? He caught a great flop.

--------------------------------------

No Limit Holdem Tournament
$10+$1
9 players
Converted at

Stacks:
UTG (5535)
UTG+1 (25665)
MP1 (13520)
MP2 (2155)
MP3 (6790)
CO (17090)
BTN (14985)
Hero (2153)
BB (3665)

Blinds: 150/300 Ante 25

Pre-flop: (675, 9 players) Hero is SB [Ks]
6 folds, BTN raises to 600, Hero goes all-in 2128, 1 fold, BTN calls 1528
47.00% (EV = $119.07)
53.00% (EV = $485.43)

Flop: [9h][Ad] (4781, 2 players)
80.60% (EV = $3853.49)
19.40% (EV = $956.61)

Turn: (4781, 2 players)
88.60% (EV = $4235.97)
11.40% (EV = $562.13)

River: (4781, 2 players)
100.00% (EV = $4781.00)
0.00% (EV = $0.00)

Final Pot: 4781
BTN shows: [9d]
Hero shows: [Ks]

BTN wins 4781 ( won +2653 )
Hero lost -2128

This one actually worked. I thought he was raising weak here so I shoved actually thinking there was a good chance I had the best hand or at least live cards. He was getting 2-1 so I can't entirely fault his call, but at least I was right and the correct move is so often rewarded. Another non-cash.
-----------------------------------

Pot Limit Omaha Hi/Lo Tournament
$8.00+$0.80
9 players
Converted at

Stacks:
UTG (4985)
UTG+1 (5039)
MP1 (3075)
MP2 (3497)
MP3 (2552)
CO (965)
BTN (3220)
SB (1302)
Hero (2750)

Blinds: 75/150

Pre-flop: (225, 9 players) Hero is BB [Kh][Js][As]
1 fold, UTG+1 calls 150 (4889), MP1 calls 150 (2925), 5 folds, Hero checks (2600)

Flop: [5d][Jh] (525, 3 players)
Hero bets 300 (2300), 1 fold, MP1 calls 300 (2625)

Turn: (1125, 2 players)
Hero bets 750 (1550), MP1 calls 750 (1875)

River: (2625, 2 players)
Hero checks (1550), MP1 goes all-in 1875 (0), Hero folds (1550), Hero says "worst card in the deck nh" (1550)

Final Pot: 2625

MP1 wins 4500 ( won +1425 )
Hero lost -1200
UTG+1 lost -150

As I said, worst card in the deck. There are three 4's left in the deck and they are the only cards I'm folding to. I promptly went in with AAK6 double suited later and got scooped by A2T4 for the bust.

-----------------------------------

No Limit Holdem Tournament
Daily Double - A
9 players
Converted at

Stacks:
UTG (3584)
UTG+1 (9857)
MP1 (7080)
MP2 (4410)
MP3 (1360)
CO (3195)
BTN (4033)
SB (3226)
Hero (5480)
[UTG is sitting out]

Blinds: 80/160

Pre-flop: (240, 9 players) Hero is BB [Kh]
7 folds, SB raises to 480 (2666), Hero raises to 1440 (3880), SB goes all-in 3226 (0), Hero calls 1786 (2254)
30.00% (EV = -$1218.40)
70.00% (EV = $1290.40)

Flop: [Jc][Ac] (6452, 2 players)
95.00% (EV = $6357.40)
5.00% (EV = $322.60)

Turn: (6452, 2 players)
93.20% (EV = $6236.94)
6.80% (EV = $438.74)

River: (6452, 2 players)
100.00% (EV = $6692.00)
0.00% (EV = $0.00)

Final Pot: 6452
SB shows: [As]
Hero shows: [Kh]

SB wins 6452 ( won +3226 )
Hero lost -3226

Self explanatory

----------------------------

No Limit Holdem Tournament
Daily Double - B
9 players
Converted at

Stacks:
UTG (2073)
UTG+1 (1925)
MP1 (1725)
MP2 (4330)
MP3 (3372)
CO (1730)
Hero (2455)
SB (4270)
BB (1870)

Blinds: 20/40

Pre-flop: (60, 9 players) Hero is BTN [Jh]
3 folds, MP2 calls 40 (4290), MP3 calls 40 (3332), 1 fold, Hero raises to 220 (2235), 2 folds, MP2 calls 180 (4110), MP3 calls 180 (3152)
37.80% (EV = $52.16)
41.30% (EV = $77.36)
20.90% (EV = -$69.52)

Flop: [Ac][Qh] (720, 3 players)
MP2 checks (4110), MP3 checks (3152), Hero bets 560 (1675), MP2 calls 560 (3550), MP3 goes all-in 3152 (0), Hero calls 1675 (0), MP2 calls 2592 (958)
48.60% (EV = $2269.73)
43.30% (EV = $861.48)
8.10% (EV = -$2402.02)

Turn: (9269, 3 players)
52.40% (EV = $4856.96)
26.20% (EV = $2428.48)
21.40% (EV = $1981.43)

River: (9269, 3 players)
0.00% (EV = $0.00)
100.00% (EV = $9259.00)
0.00% (EV = $0.00)

Final Pot: 9259
Hero shows: [Jh]
MP2 shows: [8c]
MP3 shows: [2h]

MP2 wins 9259 ( won +5887 )
Hero lost -2455
MP3 lost -3372


Remember, we raise to punish limpers and because we probably have the best hand. Then we bet the flop because we still most likely have the best hand. Does anyone here have an effin fold button?

----------------------------------

And this is how we spent 7 hours today. 8 MTT's - 1 cash for just less than double the buy-in.

A rolling Sunday results post.....

$100K Stars
Made a squeeze OTB with AQo after a PFR + call. PFR had AK, I suck out with QQJ flop. Blinds go up so fast in that thing, you have to push marginally. I have biggest stack at table, then Mr. Super Big Stack I Don't Fold inserted to my direct right. I drop 1/2 my stack when river makes board disgusting and he shoves.

Series of preflop shoves from there, mostly called by Mr. SBSIDF with the dog winning each time until I open-shove (6900 - 500/1K blinds) QTo OTB < his 66 SB.

Early Double A Full Tilt
I over-shove the flop on a c/r because I thought my opponent had a draw. Doesn't stop him from calling all-in with [8s] on [6c][7c] board. Yup, he called 1760 all-in for a 2400 pot. I'm 62%, ship his straight on the turn. At least I only wasted 33 minutes in that one.

Early Double B Full Tilt
Card dead first hour, shoved KQs in SB (12BB) after 2 EP limpers. Looked up by AQ.

I've dropped down to playing $10 buy-ins now and nothing bigger than $20 until (or if at all) I get this rut straightened out. Still plan on playing tonight........

$10 HORSE Stars 6:45
$20K Stars 7PM
Daily Double Full Tilt 9PM
+ maybe a satellite or 2 on either site.

More abuse to come....no actually I think I'm going to win one tonight. I'm overdue, but still playing well.

In the Stars $20K, my opponent exhibits superior use of the insta-call button with air after the turn check-raise. In all fairness to him, he was holding a red card and there were 3 red cards on the board. It may have confused him.

No Limit Holdem Tournament
$10+$1
9 players
Converted at

Stacks:
UTG (7745)
UTG+1 (2115)
MP1 (7710)
MP2 (4955)
MP3 (698)
CO (4375)
BTN (4670)
Hero (3225)
BB (2325)

Blinds: 75/150

Pre-flop: (225, 9 players) Hero is SB [6s]
7 folds, Hero calls 75 (3075), BB checks (2175)
41.40% (EV = -$23.32)
58.60% (EV = $29.32)

Flop: [3h][7h] (306, 2 players)
Hero bets 300 (2775), BB calls 300 (1875)
75.50% (EV = $384.03)
24.50% (EV = -$78.03)

Turn: (906, 2 players)
Hero checks (2775), BB bets 150 (1725), Hero raises to 600 (2175), BB calls 450 (1275)
86.40% (EV = $1219.58)
13.60% (EV = -$313.58)

River: (2106, 2 players)
Hero bets 1350 (825), BB goes all-in 1275 (0)
0.00% (EV = -$1350.00)
100.00% (EV = $3381.00)

Final Pot: 4650
Hero shows: [6s]
BB shows: [5s]

Hero wins 75 ( lost -2325 )
BB wins 4650 ( won +2325 )

---------------
Other MTT's:

HORSE - Had OESD on 4th street in back to back Stud hands and whiffed. Then ran AQ into AA in blind vs blind battle in LHE.

PLO8 - Who knew that 98xx was such a big hand against a PFR?

The $10 KO tournament above was the 10th MTT that I played yesterday on a day that I had planned on playing 9. I had whiffed in all of the first 7 that I played and was knocked out fairly early in one of the Full Tilt Daily Doubles. I just decided that I had had enough and tried to ship it in with what I knew was the worst hand quite a few times in the other DD just so I could be done with it. Wouldn't you know that I sucked out a couple of times and ended up stuck in the damn thing almost 2 hours later with a decent stack.

So then I decided to play this tournament since I was still going in the other one. I can't really say that I was focused and that's usually a recipe for further disaster, but oddly the last tournament I won, back in October fell under the same circumstances. It was unplanned and the last tournament I played and I really wasn't even all that into it. So who knows?

The tournament in total went 407 hands with 81 of them (or about 20%) being the HU battle.

The first big hand was about 35 hands in with blinds 25/50 where I flopped a set of 8's in a 3-way min-raised pot. The board was [Ad][7s] and the beautiful thing was UTG shoved the flop with [3d] and the min-raiser [5d] also shoved before it even got to me. I didn't have to even do anything but accept the donation and successfully fend off a diamond unless the board paired.

That hand put me at 5,765 where I just coasted until another 3-way all-in, this time preflop, with blinds 60/120. A 10BB stack open-shoved 44, I min-raised with KK and had the player directly behind me shove with QQ. The flop was a scary [Tc][Jc] and my opponent had , but luckily I had to deny some of his outs. Turn and river were blanks and I was up to 9,805.

I dropped 2500 at the next blind level when KK < AJ, but picked it right back up 2 hands later when QQ > 98s.

It was KK again that put me over 20K for the first time against TT.

I was basically up in the top 9 for the rest of the tournament and cracked the top 3 for the first time when I went from 40K to 80K in back to back hands with AA and then QQ.

Two hands after that though I re-raised an UTG PFR with JJ and folded to his insta-shove. Not only did UTG say that he had Aces, but he would later go on to squeeze his stack so hard that he pretty much just got blinded off at the final table at #9. This was one of the key points of the tournament as it saved me close to 30K and kept me among the chip leaders.

From there until the final table it was pretty uneventful except for a span of 3-hands where I dumped 20K with a preflop re-raise with AJo, but then picked it right back up with K9 flopping top pair when we were down to 10.

THE FINAL TABLE

I started the final table right in the middle of the pack, but was very card dead and had all of the biggest stacks, including the 2 most aggresssive, all lined up to my left so there was little that I could do.

Once we got down to 5 players though, the chips looked like this:
Seat 1: 115K
Me: 47K
Seat 4: 195K
Seat 6: 155K
Seat 8: 216K
With blinds 3K/6K, I was just praying for a hand to push.

95, 83, J2,.....pushed A3 uncontested, and then 4 more unplayable hands had me at 42K. I picked up 22 UTG and had to go with it and I thought I was going to get away with it, until the tightest player at the table, the BB called with KQ. I was praying just to hold up, but got even better when I flopped a set and he was drawing dead on the river.

8 more unplayable hands had me just about tied for the low stack again, but I doubled through again with AK vs 77 against the chip leader.

I was now 3rd in chips and an orbit later we were down to 4 handed which lasted all of 5 hands, very beneficial to me.
Hands 1+2 = fold
Hand 3: I picked up 50K from the worst player left who hadn't folded his BB the entire time I'd played with him. I had KQ and flopped top pair and got a c-bet out of him too before he folded the turn.
Hand 4: I stole the blinds with A9 and was up to 2nd in chips which is crucial because it allowed me to knock out both player on the next hand.
Hand 5: This was the biggest hand of the tournament......

No Limit Holdem Tournament
$10 + $1 Knockout
4 players
Converted at

Stacks:
CO (298508)
BTN (76854)
SB (175462)
Hero (176676)

Blinds: 4000/8000 Ante 1000

Pre-flop: (16000, 4 players) Hero is BB [As]
1 fold, BTN goes all-in 75854 (1000), SB goes all-in 174462 (0), Hero calls 166462 (2214), CO says "he is playing on ub right now" (298508)
26.70% (EV = -$56774.27)
45.90% (EV = $24183.10)
27.40% (EV = -$9118.01)

Flop: [3s][Jd] (432778, 3 players)
16.40% (EV = $72287.59)
81.20% (EV = $351418.17)
2.30% (EV = $5601.93)

Turn: (432781, 3 players)
7.10% (EV = $31295.24)
92.90% (EV = $402053.55)
0.00% (EV = $0.00)

River: (432781, 3 players)
CO says "wow" (298508)
0.00% (EV = $0.00)
100.00% (EV = $428778.00)
0.00% (EV = $0.00)

Final Pot: 428778
SB shows: [Qd]
Hero shows: [As]
BTN shows: [Th]

Hero wins 428778 ( won +254316 )
SB lost -174462
BTN lost -75854

----------------------------

HEADS UP

The 81 hand HU battle started with 4K/8K blinds.

I had 400K vs his 298K.

As I already mentioned in my last post, he seemed to not want to even play his button, but re-raise almost every time I raised my button.

After he had re-raised 3 of my PFR's in a row and 3 out of 4 in total, I shoved with AQ. He had AA and I was crippled with 102K left and 4k/8k blinds still.

After reviewing, I raised my button 19x and was re-raised by him 9x including 7 of the first 11x until I showed him I was willing to shove with a hand like K8 if I thought he was getting out of line (which was also wrong as it turned out, but lucky).

In contrast, he only ended up raising 16x out of 40x on his button and open-folding the other 24x.

I hobbled along for a while, actually pulling myself back over 150K until the next big hand came up where I shoved 44 over his button raise with AQ. Again I was lucky enough to flop a set and we were virtually tied at 357K to 370K.

We went along further with him folding his button and continually re-raising mine until I took another stand with K8 as I said. He had AQ and called the shove, but I flopped a K and took a massive chip lead 635K - 93K.

He doubled up to 200K A9 over A3 and then came back to take the chip lead again on this hand which I had actually thought I had won for a moment....

No Limit Holdem Tournament
$10 + $1 Knockout
2 players
Converted at

Stacks:
Hero (522524)
BB (204976)

Blinds: 5000/10000 Ante 1000

Pre-flop: (17000, 2 players) Hero is BTN [Qs]
Hero raises to 25000 (492524), BB calls 15000 (179976)
55.60% (EV = $5024.00)
44.40% (EV = -$1024.00)

Flop: [9s][7s] (54000, 2 players)
BB checks (179976), Hero bets 40000 (457524), BB goes all-in 178976 (1000), Hero calls 138976 (318548)
50.80% (EV = $30302.73)
49.20% (EV = $23704.38)

Turn: (411966, 2 players)
22.70% (EV = $93516.28)
77.30% (EV = $318438.90)

River: (411966, 2 players)
Hero says "gg" (318548)
0.00% (EV = $0.00)
100.00% (EV = $411952.00)

Final Pot: 409952
Hero shows: [Qs]
BB shows: [7c]

BB wins 409952 ( won +205976 )
Hero lost -203976


I took back the lead with a 176K profit when I called yet another of his re-raises with QT, flopped top pair and shoved over his 2/3 pot c-bet on a Q63 board. If he had me beat it would have been over there, but he folded and I had regained a 517K to 211K lead.

The blinds went up to 6K/12K and the next big pot we played was on hand 81, the final hand, where I couldn't have picked a better flop....

No Limit Holdem Tournament
$10 + $1 Knockout
2 players
Converted at

Stacks:
Hero (435048)
BB (292452)

Blinds: 6000/12000 Ante 1500

Pre-flop: (21000, 2 players) Hero is BTN [Ks]
Hero raises to 30000 (399048), BB calls 18000 (262452)
65.00% (EV = $12900.00)
35.00% (EV = -$6900.00)

Flop: [3c][Kd] (66000, 2 players)
BB checks (262452), Hero bets 35000 (370048), BB goes all-in 260952 (1500), Hero calls 225952 (144096)
87.10% (EV = $251121.96)
12.90% (EV = -$185112.38)

Turn: (587915, 2 players)
95.50% (EV = $561458.82)
4.50% (EV = $26455.68)

River: (587915, 2 players)
Hero says "gg" (144096)
100.00% (EV = $584904.00)
0.00% (EV = $0.00)

Final Pot: 584904
Hero shows: [Ks]
BB shows: [8d]

Hero wins 584904 ( won +293952 )
BB lost -290952


I took today off from poker as I usually after a final table and a significant cash. In other words, I haven't taken too many days off in a while. Let's hope the next Final Table is far less time in between than the previous one.

A particularly frustrating NLHE session (or 2) tonight. I had some very good hands and hit some very good flops, but only profited $4.50 on the day. It was frustrating because I thought I played every hand except for 1 well and that was a tilt hand on which I picked up half a stack. So most of my losses came from my best decisions, but a lot of my profit came from a mistake. Although, I do believe I saved myself some money in a couple of spots by not allowing them to get in a river c/r.

All the unfortunate hands, with a couple of fortunate ones mixed in......

A lot of these losers took place on the same table.

Hand 1: I made the pefect turn bet to cut off his odds for making the flush. Didn't stop him from calling, but that's ok because I want him to call. I could then properly double him on the river and his call was still incorrect, which I did in case he had a Jack. Hit and run artist of course.

$0.25/$0.5 No Limit Holdem
9 players
Converted at

Stacks:
UTG ($53.95)
UTG+1 ($79.40)
MP1 ($58.70)
Hero ($50.00)
MP3 ($15.00)
CO ($62.90)
BTN ($48.75)
SB ($13.25)
BB ($49.50)

Pre-flop: ($0.75, 9 players) Hero is MP2 [Jc]
1 fold, UTG+1 calls $0.5 ($78.90), 1 fold, Hero calls $0.5 ($49.50), MP3 calls $0.5 ($14.50), CO calls $0.5 ($62.40), BTN calls $0.5 ($48.25), SB calls $0.25 ($12.75), BB checks ($49.00)
63.30% (EV = $1.72)
36.70% (EV = $0.78)

Flop: [8h][6d] ($3.5, 7 players)
SB checks ($12.75), BB checks ($49.00), UTG+1 checks ($78.90), Hero bets $3 ($46.50), MP3 calls $3 ($11.50), 2 folds, SB folds ($12.75), BB folds ($49.00), UTG+1 folds ($78.90)
60.20% (EV = $2.72)
39.80% (EV = $0.78)

Turn: ($9.5, 2 players)
Hero bets $6.75 ($39.75), MP3 calls $6.75 ($4.75)
79.50% (EV = $11.54)
20.50% (EV = -$2.04)

River: ($23, 2 players)
Hero bets $5 ($34.75), MP3 goes all-in $4.75 ($0.00)
0.00% (EV = -$5.00)
100.00% (EV = $27.75)

Final Pot: $32.50
Hero shows: [Jc]
MP3 shows: [4h]

Hero wins $0.25 ( lost -$15 )
MP3 wins $30.95 ( won +$15.95 )
BB lost -$0.50
UTG+1 lost -$0.50
CO lost -$0.50
BTN lost -$0.50
SB lost -$0.50

------------------

Hand 2: Same table. Here I just really thought, against a loose opponent, that I had the best hand on the turn. I figured he definitely would have raised me by then with a straight and I even thought he had a flush draw which is why I gave him the chance to bluff on the river. He actually saved me some money by playing this so passively.

$0.25/$0.5 No Limit Holdem
8 players
Converted at

Stacks:
UTG ($55.65)
UTG+1 ($50.45)
MP1 ($48.50)
MP2 ($51.70)
CO ($74.95)
BTN ($9.50)
Hero ($49.00)
BB ($54.65)

Pre-flop: ($0.75, 8 players) Hero is SB [7c]
UTG calls $0.5 ($55.15), 3 folds, CO says "he never learns" ($74.95), CO calls $0.5 ($74.45), 1 fold, Hero calls $0.25 ($48.50), BB checks ($54.15)
65.60% (EV = $0.81)
34.40% (EV = $0.19)

Flop: [6c][7h] ($2, 4 players)
Hero bets $1.5 ($47.00), 1 fold, UTG calls $1.5 ($53.65), 1 fold
29.20% (EV = -$0.04)
70.80% (EV = $2.04)

Turn: ($5, 2 players)
Hero bets $4 ($43.00), UTG calls $4 ($49.65)
22.70% (EV = -$1.05)
77.30% (EV = $6.05)

River: ($13, 2 players)
Hero checks ($43.00), UTG bets $6 ($43.65), Hero calls $6 ($37.00)
0.00% (EV = -$6.00)
100.00% (EV = $19.00)

Final Pot: $25
Hero shows: [7c]
UTG shows: [4c]

UTG wins $23.8 ( won +$11.8 )
CO lost -$0.50
Hero lost -$12.00
BB lost -$0.50

-----------------

Hand 3: Again same table, just 2 hands later. Ok, so I lied. I played the hell outta this one. I had planned on raising a safe turn, but I thought there was too much I fold out on that flop. I was right, he wouldn't have called a flop bet, but of course there were too many bad cards that could come on the turn (16 that could beat me and a few more that could kill my action) too and that was one of them. But christ, if you can't slowplay as a 97% favorite on the flop, what the hell can you slowplay?

$0.25/$0.5 No Limit Holdem
8 players
Converted at

Stacks:
UTG ($50.45)
UTG+1 ($48.50)
MP1 ($51.70)
MP2 ($74.45)
CO ($9.50)
Hero ($37.00)
SB ($54.15)
BB ($67.45)

Pre-flop: ($0.75, 8 players) Hero is BTN [5h]
2 folds, MP1 raises to $2 ($49.70), 2 folds, Hero calls $2 ($35.00), 1 fold, BB calls $1.5 ($65.45)
61.90% (EV = $1.87)
38.10% (EV = $0.38)

Flop: [Qh][Jh] ($6.25, 3 players)
BB checks ($65.45), MP1 checks ($49.70), Hero checks ($35.00)
3.10% (EV = $0.19)
96.90% (EV = $6.06)

Turn: ($6.25, 3 players)
BB checks ($65.45), MP1 bets $4.5 ($45.20), Hero calls $4.5 ($30.50), BB folds ($65.45)
22.70% (EV = -$1.04)
77.30% (EV = $7.29)

River: ($15.25, 2 players)
MP1 checks ($45.20), Hero checks ($30.50)
100.00% (EV = $15.25)
0.00% (EV = $0.00)

Final Pot: $15.25
MP1 shows: [As]
Hero shows: [5h]

MP1 wins $14.55 ( won +$8.05 )
Hero lost -$6.50
BB lost -$2.00

-----------------

Hand 4: Sometimes you can get a read that a player is just a total clown on as few as 15 hands. I'd already seen this guy re-raise with QJo preflop and then call off when he hit top pair (other player actually was bluffing), but he just seemed to be going nuts everytime he flopped a pair. The difference here is that on Full Tilt I expect to see a set or 2 pair, but here I was pretty confident I had the best hand.....even when he shoves.

$0.25/$0.5 No Limit Holdem
7 players
Converted at

Stacks:
UTG ($48.50)
UTG+1 ($49.25)
MP ($100.35)
Hero ($50.90)
BTN ($49.25)
SB ($47.75)
BB ($50.00)

Pre-flop: ($0.75, 7 players) Hero is CO [Ac]
2 folds, MP calls $0.5 ($99.85), Hero raises to $2.25 ($48.65), 3 folds, MP calls $1.75 ($98.10)
35.80% (EV = -$0.37)
64.20% (EV = $1.12)

Flop: [2c][Qc] ($5.25, 2 players)
MP bets $5 ($93.10), Hero calls $5 ($43.65)
19.80% (EV = -$1.98)
80.20% (EV = $7.23)

Turn: ($15.25, 2 players)
MP bets $10 ($83.10), Hero raises to $30 ($13.65), MP raises to $50 ($33.10), Hero goes all-in $13.65 ($0.00)
11.40% (EV = -$38.31)
88.60% (EV = $47.21)

River: ($102.55, 2 players)
0.00% (EV = $0.00)
100.00% (EV = $102.55)

Final Pot: $102.55
MP shows: [Jd]
Hero shows: [Ac]

MP wins $6.35 ( lost -$50.9 )
Hero wins $99.55 ( won +$48.65 )

----------------------

Hand 5: And this is the start of the 2nd session. Where as the last few months I've had trouble flopping sets, that hasn't really been much of a problem to start off March. The problem has been in winning with them. 7 for 34 in sets so far this month for -$99. Set over set twice and then this one against the fish. I smelled something wrong on this river and avoided the river c/r, although I guess it's possible the clown just calls with his 3rd nuts too.

$0.25/$0.5 No Limit Holdem
8 players
Converted at

Stacks:
UTG ($23.95)
UTG+1 ($58.45)
MP1 ($49.25)
MP2 ($7.95)
Hero ($48.00)
BTN ($53.15)
SB ($29.45)
BB ($1.00)

Pre-flop: ($0.75, 8 players) Hero is CO [5h]
4 folds, Hero raises to $1.75 ($46.25), 1 fold, SB calls $1.5 ($27.70), 1 fold
33.70% (EV = -$0.40)
66.30% (EV = $0.90)

Flop: [Td][3h] ($4, 2 players)
SB checks ($27.70), Hero bets $3 ($43.25), SB calls $3 ($24.70)
26.50% (EV = -$0.35)
73.50% (EV = $4.35)

Turn: ($10, 2 players)
SB checks ($24.70), Hero bets $6.5 ($36.75), SB calls $6.5 ($18.20)
77.30% (EV = $11.28)
22.70% (EV = -$1.28)

River: ($23, 2 players)
SB checks ($18.20), Hero checks ($36.75)
100.00% (EV = $23.00)
0.00% (EV = $0.00)

Final Pot: $23
SB shows: [2d]
Hero shows: [5h]

SB wins $21.9 ( won +$10.65 )
Hero lost -$11.25

---------------------

Hand 6: Exactly 1 orbit before this, there was an EP raise to $2.50, this guy re-raised to $4.50, and I re-raised to $12 with AA. The 2nd raiser called and folded to a 1/2 pot bet on a J9x two tone flop. Now I get in the incredibly lucky position to not only be a rare 90% preflop favorite, but have him call another re-raise, this time with a trash hand like KTo. Here's the hand of the day:

$0.25/$0.5 No Limit Holdem
8 players
Converted at

Stacks:
UTG ($57.40)
UTG+1 ($52.45)
MP1 ($33.15)
MP2 ($50.00)
CO ($24.80)
Hero ($63.15)
SB ($34.45)
BB ($94.50)

Pre-flop: ($0.75, 8 players) Hero is BTN [Kd]
4 folds, CO raises to $1.5 ($23.30), Hero raises to $5.5 ($57.65), 2 folds, CO calls $4 ($19.30)
10.10% (EV = -$4.31)
89.90% (EV = $5.06)

Flop: [Js][Td] ($11.75, 2 players)
CO checks ($19.30), Hero bets $8 ($49.65), CO calls $8 ($11.30)
89.30% (EV = $16.78)
10.70% (EV = -$5.03)

Turn: ($27.75, 2 players)
CO checks ($11.30), Hero bets $12 ($37.65), CO goes all-in $11.3 ($0.00)
97.70% (EV = $37.89)
2.30% (EV = -$10.84)

River: ($50.35, 2 players)
100.00% (EV = $50.35)
0.00% (EV = $0.00)

Final Pot: $50.35
CO shows: [Tc]
Hero shows: [Kd]

CO wins $47.9 ( won +$23.1 )
Hero wins $0.7 ( lost -$24.8 )

-------------------

Hand 7: So now I tried an elaborate bluff with 77 and cost myself $20 after that KK hand. So here is my tilt hand. And of course I'm on terrible shape on the flop where I'm actually looking for a c/r because I believe there is NO way my opponent could have a flush. And that is where I would be wrong and my stupidity gets rewarded on the turn where my good decisions could not earlier.

$0.25/$0.5 No Limit Holdem
9 players
Converted at

Stacks:
UTG ($52.55)
Hero ($47.85)
MP1 ($56.80)
MP2 ($43.70)
MP3 ($49.50)
CO ($21.75)
BTN ($51.55)
SB ($66.95)
BB ($30.20)

Pre-flop: ($0.75, 9 players) Hero is UTG+1 [Ad]
1 fold, Hero calls $0.5 ($47.35), 3 folds, CO raises to $2 ($19.75), 2 folds, BB calls $1.5 ($28.20), Hero calls $1.5 ($45.85)
43.30% (EV = $0.71)
56.70% (EV = $1.54)

Flop: [Ah][5h] ($6.25, 3 players)
BB checks ($28.20), Hero checks ($45.85), CO checks ($19.75)
82.50% (EV = $5.16)
17.50% (EV = $1.09)

Turn: ($6.25, 3 players)
BB bets $3 ($25.20), Hero calls $3 ($42.85), CO raises to $8 ($11.75), BB calls $5 ($20.20), Hero raises to $20 ($22.85), CO goes all-in $11.75 ($0.00), BB folds ($20.20)
0.00% (EV = -$19.75)
100.00% (EV = $33.75)

River: ($53.75, 2 players)
0.00% (EV = $0.00)
100.00% (EV = $53.75)

Final Pot: $53.75
CO shows: [Qh]
Hero shows: [Ad]

Hero wins $51.35 ( won +$29.35 )
CO lost -$21.75
BB lost -$10.00

Poker has been going decently this week. Could be better, but definitely could be worse. I've won a little bit each day and cleared a $50 bonus this week. I've also played less this week than any week this year, unless I end up playing 9+ hours tomorrow (which is possible as I logged 10+ hours last Sunday). Last week was the most hours I've put in so far this year (31 hrs). This will probably be my 1st week under 20 hrs.

PLO - The $25 6-max games on Stars are going GREAT! I've been able to win while learning the game. These players are so bad and exploitable, they may as well play with their cards face up. PLEASE keep slowplaying and also calling down with your non-nut flushes and then checking them on the river anyway. And please keep folding the nuts on the turn when the board pairs on the river and I bet into you for 2/3 pot.

It's great that I can raise, flop top set, bet the flop and turn and still get paid by weak flush draws. I never feel the need to slowplay unless I flop quads.

I have 4,753 hands so far at +13.53 BB/100. I want to get in 10K hands before moving up to $50 though, so probably the end of the month if things continue to go well.

NLHE - I've only playe 1K hands in March, but I'm down 1 stack. That's basically all on the 2 set over set hands on 3/1 though. That cost me 2.5 stacks. Reverse that and I'd be way up. So far, I've been hitting a decent # of sets, but still either losing or not getting paid.

Other games
Played some HORSE today for the 1st time in a couple of weeks. Broke even. Ran into quads 2 hands in a row in LHE. Both times (on 33A3x board and 444Ax board) I had an Ace for a full house and both times my opponents slowplayed their way to a checked down river. Thank you very much again.

Sucks that there are really no HORSE tables running higher than 1/2. They are REALLY bad though. I get called down regulary in Razz by players with JT or J9 lows. Sometimes they don't even know what game they're playing.

Tried some LO8 6-max on the speed tables the other day. The action went way to fast for me 3-tabling and my brain felt fried after only 20 minutes. Sucks that the FR tables are 10 handed, but if you want a game more frustrating than LHE, try this one. Several times you'll say to yourself that there is no way this clown is calling with a hand that hits that river and then more often than not, you'll get raised and quartered anyway.

MTT's - Haven't played in any since the $10 KO win last Sunday. Hoping for another nice MTT cash/final table tomorrow.

After a short interuption last weekend with a rare tournament win, we now return to our normal program.......I Run Like Shit Sundays brought to you by the world famous comedy team of Full Tilt and Pokerstars.

Wrecked a nice week of work today. For some reason, I just have never been able to run even halfway decently in the Full Tilt $26 or Stars $27.50 MTT's. QQ+ 8x today. Won 2 small pots, lost 6 big ones.

$10+1 HORSE on Stars - This is why you 3-bet QQ on the button. So you can have K4s call the 3-bet from the SB. Would be a candidate for hand of the week if this were more than just a small nuisance early on. Coverter doesn't work for LHE HORSE hands, but BB called the 3-bet too with KJ. Only 2 Kings left in the deck. Ship 1 on the flop please.

$20K ($10+1) on Stars - Was able to turn a possible very big cash into a small 3x buy-in 1 in my only cash of the day. Could't win with the best hand when it counted and couldn't interest anyone in folding their trash when I needed to.

I'm gonna limp in with these Queens because there's a guy behind me who loves to limp and I know the aggressive button is short-stacked and is gonna shove a very wide range. Serves me right for being right.

No Limit Holdem Tournament
$10+$1
9 players
Converted at

Stacks:
UTG (22672)
Hero (16105)
MP1 (4315)
MP2 (10670)
MP3 (18962)
CO (9170)
BTN (1230)
SB (3990)
BB (18003)

Blinds: 200/400 Ante 25

Pre-flop: (825, 9 players) Hero is UTG+1 [Qd]
1 fold, Hero calls 400 (15705), 1 fold, MP2 calls 400 (10270), 2 folds, BTN raises to 1200 (30), 2 folds, Hero raises to 3600 (12105), MP2 folds (10270), BTN goes all-in 5 (25)
28.60% (EV = -$279.79)
71.40% (EV = -$1004.61)

Flop: [Jc][5h] (3635, 2 players)
13.50% (EV = $436.73)
86.50% (EV = $3144.28)

Turn: (3635, 2 players)
11.40% (EV = $368.79)
88.60% (EV = $3220.61)

River: (3635, 2 players)
100.00% (EV = $3235.00)
0.00% (EV = $0.00)

Final Pot: 3635
BTN shows: [Kc]
Hero shows: [Qd]

BTN wins 3635 ( won +2430 )
Hero wins 2395 ( lost -1205 )
MP2 lost -400

----------------

Same tournament. This is the only non-big pair hand I'm posting, but only because it was so frustrating and absolutely the reason I didn't have a bigger cash. What do I have to do to interest you in folding those 5's? I knew he had a middle pocket pair that he didn't want to fight with too. Oh...and we were right on the bubble with this hand too which is why I thought he might even consider folding. All the ridiculous suckouts and coolers today and THIS was the hand that aggrivated me the most. My reward for aggression in the right spots....

No Limit Holdem Tournament
$10+$1
9 players
Converted at

Stacks:
UTG (5957)
UTG+1 (19712)
MP1 (7070)
MP2 (7786)
MP3 (10632)
CO (25078)
BTN (26257)
Hero (21178)
BB (17861)

Blinds: 300/600 Ante 50

Pre-flop: (1350, 9 players) Hero is SB [As]
4 folds, MP3 raises to 2400 (8232), 2 folds, Hero goes all-in 21128 (0), 1 fold, MP3 goes all-in 8182 (50)
51.50% (EV = $1012.71)
48.50% (EV = -$5093.90)

Flop: [8d][Jd] (22214, 2 players)
94.30% (EV = $21230.70)
5.70% (EV = $1884.42)

Turn: (22214, 2 players)
100.00% (EV = $22514.00)
0.00% (EV = $0.00)

River: (22214, 2 players)
100.00% (EV = $22514.00)
0.00% (EV = $0.00)

Final Pot: 22214
MP3 shows: [5c]
Hero shows: [As]

MP3 wins 22214 ( won +11632 )
Hero wins 10546 ( lost -10582 )

---------------------

$25K ($25+2.50) on Stars - I'd been playing a lot of $10 - $15 MTT's to get the confidence back lately. Ok, I'm ready to attack the $25's again with new confidence. 5th hand of the tournament. Quick and painful. Evidently, I still play badly in these.

No Limit Holdem Tournament
$25.00+$2.50
9 players
Converted at

Stacks:
UTG (3030)
UTG+1 (3030)
MP1 (3000)
MP2 (2990)
MP3 (3000)
CO (2970)
BTN (3000)
Hero (2980)
BB (3000)

Blinds: 10/20

Pre-flop: (30, 9 players) Hero is SB [Kc]
UTG calls 20 (3010), 5 folds, BTN raises to 100 (2900), Hero raises to 350 (2620), 1 fold, UTG folds (3010), BTN goes all-in 3000 (0), Hero goes all-in 2630 (0)
81.30% (EV = $1886.13)
18.70% (EV = -$1859.87)

Flop: [3h][Qd] (6000, 2 players)
92.40% (EV = $5553.24)
7.60% (EV = $455.24)

Turn: (6000, 2 players)
97.70% (EV = $5871.77)
2.30% (EV = $137.77)

River: (6000, 2 players)
100.00% (EV = $6010.00)
0.00% (EV = $0.00)

Final Pot: 6000
BTN shows: [As]
Hero shows: [Kc]

BTN wins 6020 ( won +3020 )
Hero lost -2980
UTG lost -20

----------------

$32K ($24+2) on Full Tilt - My fault. I obviously wouldn't had limped if I knew he had T4. I would have been entirely content to steal the blinds in that case.

No Limit Holdem Tournament
$32000 Guarantee
9 players
Converted at

Stacks:
Hero (3255)
UTG+1 (2355)
MP1 (7710)
MP2 (11050)
MP3 (3615)
CO (2620)
BTN (2980)
SB (5915)
BB (2710)

Blinds: 100/200

Pre-flop: (300, 9 players) Hero is UTG [As]
Hero calls 200 (3055), 7 folds, BB checks (2510)
12.10% (EV = -$139.50)
87.90% (EV = $239.50)

Flop: [3c][4d] (500, 2 players)
BB checks (2510), Hero bets 400 (2655), BB raises to 1400 (1110), Hero goes all-in 3055 (0), BB calls 1110 (0)
72.90% (EV = $1917.22)
27.10% (EV = -$1411.38)

Turn: (6073, 2 players)
72.70% (EV = $4415.07)
27.30% (EV = $1655.75)

River: (6073, 2 players)
BB says "solid limp" (0)
100.00% (EV = $5520.00)
0.00% (EV = $0.00)

Final Pot: 5520
BB shows: [4s]
Hero shows: [As]

BB wins 5520 ( won +2810 )
Hero wins 545 ( lost -2710 )

------------------

What makes this even better is that I was all-in the next hand 73o vs 88. Ship a 3 on the flop and another on the river for the double up.

Then I was all-in again the next hand with A7o vs JJ. Ship the A on the turn, thank you.

Unfortunately, I eventually had to get it in with the best hand AJs vs K9o and lose.

-------------------

$28K ($24+2) on Full Tilt - I absolutely run worse in this tournament than any other tournament I have ever played consistantly. Sometimes I get teased and then hammered, but most times I just get hammered.

Tonight....looking sweet. 10K stack and 10th out of 1015 just 30 minutes in.

Then a QQ and a KK.....15 minutes later my stack is shit again.

No Limit Holdem Tournament
$28000 Guarantee
9 players
Converted at

Stacks:
UTG (8710)
UTG+1 (3300)
MP1 (1940)
Hero (9016)
MP3 (5355)
CO (3249)
BTN (6525)
SB (2825)
BB (835)

Blinds: 25/50

Pre-flop: (75, 9 players) Hero is MP2 [Qd]
1 fold, UTG+1 calls 50 (3250), 1 fold, Hero raises to 225 (8791), 5 folds, UTG+1 calls 175 (3075)
68.20% (EV = $133.05)
31.80% (EV = -$58.05)

Flop: [7s][2s] (525, 2 players)
UTG+1 checks (3075), Hero bets 400 (8391), UTG+1 calls 400 (2675)
2.80% (EV = -$362.84)
97.20% (EV = $889.84)

Turn: (1327, 2 players)
UTG+1 checks (2675), Hero bets 900 (7491), UTG+1 goes all-in 2675 (0), Hero calls 1775 (5716)
9.10% (EV = -$2067.39)
90.90% (EV = $3394.39)

River: (6677, 2 players)
0.00% (EV = $0.00)
100.00% (EV = $6677.00)

Final Pot: 6675
Hero shows: [Qd]
UTG+1 shows: [Js]

UTG+1 wins 6675 ( won +3375 )
Hero lost -3300

---------------------

To make it even more painful, at the same exact time as this hand, I end up all-in in the Stars $20K (my one cash) in a 77 vs AQ coin-flip. As soon as I see the Queen flop in this hand, I knew I was dead in the other one. Sure enough. QQx flop and I'm gone.

No Limit Holdem Tournament
$28000 Guarantee
9 players
Converted at

Stacks:
UTG (8350)
UTG+1 (1790)
Hero (5716)
MP2 (3370)
MP3 (3209)
CO (6645)
BTN (5180)
SB (2870)
BB (7815)

Blinds: 40/80

Pre-flop: (120, 9 players) Hero is MP1 [Kc]
1 fold, UTG+1 raises to 240 (1550), Hero raises to 840 (4876), 6 folds, UTG+1 goes all-in 1790 (0), Hero calls 950 (3926)
18.10% (EV = -$1120.30)
81.90% (EV = $1240.30)

Flop: [Jh][Qs] (3700, 2 players)
UTG+1 says "nh" (0)
78.60% (EV = $2908.20)
21.40% (EV = $791.80)

Turn: (3700, 2 players)
86.40% (EV = $3196.80)
13.60% (EV = $503.20)

River: (3700, 2 players)
100.00% (EV = $3700.00)
0.00% (EV = $0.00)

Final Pot: 3700
UTG+1 shows: [Qh]
Hero shows: [Kc]

UTG+1 wins 3700 ( won +1910 )
Hero lost -1790

------------------

Recap of the 28K:
30 minutes in: 10th out of 1015
45 minutes in: below average stack
Just after the first break: GONE when I get a raise with JJ called preflop and then on a 678 flop too. I just decided to ship it when the T hit the turn out of frustration for the entire day. The award winning hand that he couldn't lay down to the EP PFR.....A9o.

Interesting last couple of days. Picked up 2+ stacks ($57) in a 1 hour PLO session on Tuesday. Then, on the same night, played a 2.5 hour NLHE session where I felt that I was getting whacked, but fought my way back to close to even. Was happy to find out that I actually profited a 1/2 stack.

Last night, I played 1151 hands of tournament poker on both Stars and Full Tilt. The night was successful, almost a monster, but I still didn't feel that I ran all that well, once again, getting the majority of my big pairs cracked in big situation.

Overall, I cashed in 4 of the 7 MTT's that I played. The bad, I cashed in all 3 of the $10's and just 1 of the $20+.

I had my first double cash in the Daily Double at Full Tilt netting me $58 on top of the $60 for the cashes. Still can't get anyone to fold a damn thing though. Went deep in theBtourny. Finished 36th out of 1145.

I finally broke my cherry in the Stars $25K and came very close to a final table, I was 2nd with less than 100 left, but went card dead at the wrong time. In most $10 touries I play, the players are horrible early, but their is some semblance of competence when you get really deep. In this $25+2.50 buy-in, these motherfuckers got crazier and stupider the deeper we got. Several times I saw 4 way all-ins preflop from deep stacks. Their view of playing the big stack was to get it in the middle as many times as possible and never fold a hand as big as Ace high post-flop.

Key hands and such.....

322nd - 2747 in the Stars $20K
Big hand - Still can't get anyone to fold a pair. I open to 1100 (200/400) in MP. This is the 2nd time in about an hour that I raised this guy's BB. Each time he re-min-raised me. This time I shoved and he insta-called with 44. Flop 278 raibow. J on the turn and my JTs is good.

Went out when I ran AKs into AA. Can't do anything there.

33rd - 1605 in the Stars $25K
As referenced above. Made 3x my by in but I was top 9 in chips most of the way after the 1st hour.

Key spots:
Had someone call a limp-re-raise with ATo. Spikes his Ace of course to cut me in half early, but then I had another guy call a c/r all-in on a Qxx flop with King high. Why can't the fold. Luckily my Q stayed good to double up again.

Here are some absolutely STUNNING hands though.....

No Limit Holdem Tournament
$25.00+$2.50
9 players
Converted at

Stacks:
Hero (16504)
UTG+1 (15647)
MP1 (28375)
MP2 (5191)
MP3 (6252)
CO (10294)
BTN (2915)
SB (2316)
BB (13809)

Blinds: 200/400 Ante 25

Pre-flop: (825, 9 players) Hero is UTG [Qh]
Hero raises to 1100 (15404), 3 folds, MP3 calls 1100 (5152), 4 folds
32.50% (EV = -$116.88)
67.50% (EV = $941.88)

Flop: [4s][3h] (3025, 2 players)
Hero bets 2000 (13404), MP3 calls 2000 (3152)
32.20% (EV = $262.05)
67.80% (EV = $2762.95)

Turn: (7025, 2 players)
Hero bets 3200 (10204), MP3 goes all-in 3127 (25)
22.70% (EV = -$112.67)
77.30% (EV = $7064.67)

River: (13279, 2 players)
0.00% (EV = $0.00)
100.00% (EV = $13279.00)

Final Pot: 13279
MP3 shows: [As]
Hero shows: [Qh]

Hero wins 13352 ( won +7052 )
MP3 lost -6227

------------------

This is the hand that put me 2nd in chips.

No Limit Holdem Tournament
$25.00+$2.50
8 players
Converted at

Stacks:
UTG (20308)
UTG+1 (28433)
MP1 (90735)
MP2 (11183)
Hero (56018)
BTN (57126)
SB (32076)
BB (30154)

Blinds: 800/1600 Ante 150

Pre-flop: (3600, 8 players) Hero is CO [Qs]
2 folds, MP1 raises to 4800 (85935), 1 fold, Hero raises to 12800 (43218), 3 folds, MP1 calls 8000 (77935)
28.50% (EV = -$4478.00)
71.50% (EV = $8078.00)

Flop: [Ts][Th] (29200, 2 players)
MP1 goes all-in 77785 (150), Hero goes all-in 43068 (150)
14.40% (EV = -$56177.37)
85.60% (EV = $55659.62)

Turn: (115336, 2 players)
6.80% (EV = $10203.60)
93.20% (EV = $107493.15)

River: (115336, 2 players)
0.00% (EV = $0.00)
100.00% (EV = $115336.00)

Final Pot: 115336
MP1 shows: [Jd]
Hero shows: [Qs]

MP1 wins 34717 ( lost -55868 )
Hero wins 115336 ( won +59468 )

----------------------

Would have been the chip leader by far if I had called. I don't regret the fold at all, but what a bitch on the river.

No Limit Holdem Tournament
$25.00+$2.50
8 players
Converted at

Stacks:
UTG (241770)
UTG+1 (120120)
MP1 (26219)
MP2 (61184)
CO (76665)
BTN (28488)
Hero (141366)
BB (78704)

Blinds: 1500/3000 Ante 300

Pre-flop: (6900, 8 players) Hero is SB [Jd]
UTG raises to 9000 (232770), UTG+1 goes all-in 119820 (300), 2 folds, CO goes all-in 76365 (300), 1 fold, Hero folds (139866), 1 fold, UTG folds (232770), UTG says "99" (232671)
15.70% (EV = -$51067.59)
17.70% (EV = $28347.51)
66.60% (EV = $16433.61)

Flop: [5c][7h] (168630, 2 players)
Hero says "JJ" (139866), UTG says "nh" (232671)
10.00% (EV = $16113.00)
90.00% (EV = $184126.50)

Turn: (168630, 2 players)
4.50% (EV = $7250.85)
95.50% (EV = $195378.67)

River: (168630, 2 players)
0.00% (EV = $0.00)
100.00% (EV = $204585.00)

Final Pot: 168630
CO shows: [Ts]
UTG+1 shows: [Ad]

UTG+1 wins 212085 ( won +92265 )
CO lost -76365
UTG lost -9000

-------------------

My demise came about with 120K and 3K/6K blinds. In a 5 hand stretch I raised ATs and got my c-bet shoved on when I whiffed the flop, called a short stack open shove (30K) from the BTN with A3 in the BB - he had AA, then ran 66 into JJ for my last 40K.

Full Tilt $32K
This is the 23rd hand of the tournament. I have shown interest in only 1 other hand so far and folded the rest.

No Limit Holdem Tournament
$32000 Guarantee
9 players
Converted at

Stacks:
UTG (2625)
UTG+1 (3073)
MP1 (5380)
MP2 (2415)
MP3 (5316)
CO (1432)
BTN (6210)
SB (3809)
Hero (3055)

Blinds: 25/50

Pre-flop: (75, 9 players) Hero is BB [Kc]
3 folds, MP2 calls 50 (2365), 3 folds, SB calls 25 (3759), Hero raises to 300 (2705), MP2 goes all-in 2415 (0), SB folds (3759), Hero calls 2115 (640)
9.70% (EV = -$1939.21)
90.30% (EV = $1991.64)

Flop: [7c][4c] (4880, 2 players)
0.40% (EV = $19.62)
99.60% (EV = $4864.46)

Turn: (4884, 2 players)
0.00% (EV = $0.00)
100.00% (EV = $4888.00)

River: (4888, 2 players)
0.00% (EV = $0.00)
100.00% (EV = $4880.00)

Final Pot: 4880
MP2 shows: [Ks]
Hero shows: [Kc]

Hero wins 4880 ( won +2465 )
MP2 lost -2415
SB lost -50

------------------

Hand #39 is the next hand I show interest in. UTG raise, UTG+1 re-raise of course TT is an instashove against the rock.

No Limit Holdem Tournament
$32000 Guarantee
8 players
Converted at

Stacks:
Hero (5315)
UTG+1 (2345)
MP1 (2833)
MP2 (6496)
CO (6130)
BTN (5465)
SB (3155)

Blinds: /60

Pre-flop: (60, 8 players) Hero is UTG [Ad]
Pustolaz raises to 180 (4506), Hero raises to 600 (4715), 6 folds, Pustolaz goes all-in 4686 (0), Hero calls 4086 (629)
19.30% (EV = -$2865.62)
80.70% (EV = $2925.62)

Flop: [9c][8s] (9432, 2 players)
13.20% (EV = $1245.02)
86.80% (EV = $8193.92)

Turn: (9440, 2 players)
22.70% (EV = $2141.06)
77.30% (EV = $7303.30)

River: (9448, 2 players)
100.00% (EV = $9432.00)
0.00% (EV = $0.00)

Final Pot: 9432
Pustolaz shows: [Tc]
Hero shows: [Ad]

Pustolaz wins 9432 ( won +4746 )
Hero lost -4686

-------------------

Exit hand. Again, if I play 4 hands in 52, I must be full of shit each time.

No Limit Holdem Tournament
$32000 Guarantee
9 players
Converted at

Stacks:
UTG (5976)
UTG+1 (7030)
MP1 (5145)
MP2 (7135)
MP3 (2365)
CO (11203)
Hero (1018)
SB (2135)
BB (1993)

Blinds: 50/100

Pre-flop: (150, 9 players) Hero is BTN [Ks]
2 folds, MP1 calls 100 (5045), 1 fold, MP3 calls 100 (2265), CO calls 100 (11103), Hero goes all-in 1018 (0), 2 folds, MP1 goes all-in 5145 (0), MP3 calls 2265 (0), CO folds (11103)
40.80% (EV = -$1604.38)
25.70% (EV = -$108.54)
33.50% (EV = $55.34)

Flop: [7d][Kc] (8780, 3 players)
9.20% (EV = $798.38)
5.90% (EV = $518.43)
84.90% (EV = $2720.20)

Turn: (8787, 3 players)
4.80% (EV = $416.54)
16.70% (EV = $1467.43)
78.60% (EV = $2518.34)

River: (8787, 3 players)
0.00% (EV = $0.00)
100.00% (EV = $5998.00)
0.00% (EV = $0.00)

Final Pot: 5998
MP1 shows: [2s]
MP3 shows: [Qh]
Hero shows: [Ks]

MP1 wins 2780 ( lost -2365 )
MP3 wins 5998 ( won +3633 )
CO lost -100
Hero lost -1018
----------------------------

Full Tilt $28K
Another stunner. Do the math. Another player doesn't know he needs 4 to 1 on the turn with a flush draw.......except on some sites where it's obviously even money.....kinda like a pair vs overpair.

No Limit Holdem Tournament
$28000 Guarantee
9 players
Converted at

Stacks:
UTG (4705)
UTG+1 (14920)
MP1 (10989)
MP2 (7346)
Hero (4818)
CO (11900)
BTN (14910)
SB (8717)
BB (8030)

Blinds: 120/240 Ante 25

Pre-flop: (585, 9 players) Hero is MP3 [Qc]
2 folds, MP1 calls 240 (10749), 1 fold, Hero raises to 800 (4018), 4 folds, MP1 calls 560 (10189)
41.00% (EV = $188.10)
59.00% (EV = $621.90)

Flop: [2d][Qh] (2410, 2 players)
MP1 checks (10189), Hero bets 1680 (2338), MP1 calls 1680 (8509)
34.90% (EV = $334.43)
65.10% (EV = $2077.57)

Turn: (5772, 2 players)
MP1 checks (8509), Hero goes all-in 2313 (25), MP1 calls 2313 (6196)
18.20% (EV = -$418.93)
81.80% (EV = $6192.56)

River: (10407, 2 players)
100.00% (EV = $10171.00)
0.00% (EV = $0.00)

Final Pot: 10171
MP1 shows: [9h]
Hero shows: [Qc]

MP1 wins 10171 ( won +5378 )
Hero lost -4793