Karma is a big itch
A gentleman cut in line yesterday. I don't like that. Kharma worked that out.
I got the dryest run of cards in the tournament. I don't like that. Kharma worked that out too.
Three quick posts (okay maybe not quick, how about three posts: Donkley, Cash Game and Kharma:
Let's start with The Harrahs weekly tournament dubbed the Donkley. I finally found a moment for some live poker. After dropping off the infant at my mother-in-law's I headed over to the Big H with what I would call a good night of sleep (these days 4 hours feels like I hibernated for winter). I was surprised to see a fellow GCPer there. We traded our standard 10 per cent and then the deck whiffed on one of us.
While I enjoyed the breeze I'd rather have been hit by it. In the sixth level I was dismissed and "reported" to the rail. Even if I played every hand I would have won exactly one hand that went to showdown. Also every hand I played I lost. Mostly, I folded garbage offerings.
I was in a tough position. Somewhere to my left was a gentleman who likes to play a lot hands, in fact, I don't think he's ever met a hand he didn't want to play. He's the mother theresa of the room, give him your ugly 7-2, your sickly 8-3 offsuits, and your 10 gappers and he'll give them action. Normally, that's good, problem is he won three big pots early (sidenote all three he could have felted his opponent with a river bet but didn't... leaving three small stacks at the table). That meant I couldn't just generate money as I try to do when the cards aren't cooperating. (i.e. bet, c-bet, and double and triple barrel bet with air.)
Early on, he called me real light on a scary board as he did to everybody and I decided to wait for some cards, because I knew one person who pay me off. The cards never came. His stellar run continued though.
One hand of note, I held J10 suited in the small blind. I had this bad feeling come over me that I shouldn't play it. Then I looked at the table, a small raise, two callers, potentially me, and surely my friend on the left would join the action. The right play is hope the flop nails me, and despite the stomach churning precognition I got involved.
I studied my opponents as the dealer laid out the first three helpings. Preflop raiser checks. Kenny Milam who is one of the best players in the Donkley and has a couple of big buy-in deep runs to his name checked, the next guy shoved the rest of his small stack. Action on me. I look at the board J98. Two spades, one of my suit. The big blind is telegraphing his call. Kenny seems like he's about to call.
Okay, I'm dealing with what one spade draw, two spade draws? No sets, because no one looks like they are going to bet out the flush. I can probably rule out a straight too for the same rationale. I make the call and they both follow suit. (preflop raiser folded).
The turn is an 8. It pairs the board possibly making full houses of two pairs and sets. I thinking Kenny is on the flush draw. The other gentleman, who knows what, but not a made hand. He could have 76, my hand, or say K10. I check. Caller checks, Kenny fires out 2k. At this point my stack is a little under 4k. Hmmm. I don't have enough to really get anybody off their hand. Kenny's bet gives him the pot odds to call my raise, the call station always has the right odds to call, so I look over the main pot and decide to call. If both miss their draws my jacks could be good. I'd rather hit my straight, but I think I have to call here. Guy to my left calls also.
River is a 7. Just the card I wanted to hit. Problem is it's a spade. I check. Call station shoves (umm mr. IonlyCall has to have a hand... this may be the first time he's put all his chips at risk), Kenny shoves over the top and I fold.
Kenny's Ace high flush beats the K high flush. All in had AJ. That hand sums up my tournament for me. I surveyed the casino and mulled over the Donkley. It's hard to win when you have one of those days. I think it was John Calipari who once said, I can give you a bucket of horse poop and a bucket of ice cream, I put a little horse poop in the bucket of ice cream and you don't have any ice cream, I put a little ice cream in bucket of horse poop you still got a bucket of horse poop. That's a bit like tournament poker. One little bit of horse poop will hurt you, a whole bucket of it and you just want to forget it.
Still, I readied myself to recognize I hadn't done anything wrong and to go play cash and not chase my buy-in. That was my day's poker strategy anyways.
www.gulfcoastpoker.net
I got the dryest run of cards in the tournament. I don't like that. Kharma worked that out too.
Three quick posts (okay maybe not quick, how about three posts: Donkley, Cash Game and Kharma:
Let's start with The Harrahs weekly tournament dubbed the Donkley. I finally found a moment for some live poker. After dropping off the infant at my mother-in-law's I headed over to the Big H with what I would call a good night of sleep (these days 4 hours feels like I hibernated for winter). I was surprised to see a fellow GCPer there. We traded our standard 10 per cent and then the deck whiffed on one of us.
While I enjoyed the breeze I'd rather have been hit by it. In the sixth level I was dismissed and "reported" to the rail. Even if I played every hand I would have won exactly one hand that went to showdown. Also every hand I played I lost. Mostly, I folded garbage offerings.
I was in a tough position. Somewhere to my left was a gentleman who likes to play a lot hands, in fact, I don't think he's ever met a hand he didn't want to play. He's the mother theresa of the room, give him your ugly 7-2, your sickly 8-3 offsuits, and your 10 gappers and he'll give them action. Normally, that's good, problem is he won three big pots early (sidenote all three he could have felted his opponent with a river bet but didn't... leaving three small stacks at the table). That meant I couldn't just generate money as I try to do when the cards aren't cooperating. (i.e. bet, c-bet, and double and triple barrel bet with air.)
Early on, he called me real light on a scary board as he did to everybody and I decided to wait for some cards, because I knew one person who pay me off. The cards never came. His stellar run continued though.
One hand of note, I held J10 suited in the small blind. I had this bad feeling come over me that I shouldn't play it. Then I looked at the table, a small raise, two callers, potentially me, and surely my friend on the left would join the action. The right play is hope the flop nails me, and despite the stomach churning precognition I got involved.
I studied my opponents as the dealer laid out the first three helpings. Preflop raiser checks. Kenny Milam who is one of the best players in the Donkley and has a couple of big buy-in deep runs to his name checked, the next guy shoved the rest of his small stack. Action on me. I look at the board J98. Two spades, one of my suit. The big blind is telegraphing his call. Kenny seems like he's about to call.
Okay, I'm dealing with what one spade draw, two spade draws? No sets, because no one looks like they are going to bet out the flush. I can probably rule out a straight too for the same rationale. I make the call and they both follow suit. (preflop raiser folded).
The turn is an 8. It pairs the board possibly making full houses of two pairs and sets. I thinking Kenny is on the flush draw. The other gentleman, who knows what, but not a made hand. He could have 76, my hand, or say K10. I check. Caller checks, Kenny fires out 2k. At this point my stack is a little under 4k. Hmmm. I don't have enough to really get anybody off their hand. Kenny's bet gives him the pot odds to call my raise, the call station always has the right odds to call, so I look over the main pot and decide to call. If both miss their draws my jacks could be good. I'd rather hit my straight, but I think I have to call here. Guy to my left calls also.
River is a 7. Just the card I wanted to hit. Problem is it's a spade. I check. Call station shoves (umm mr. IonlyCall has to have a hand... this may be the first time he's put all his chips at risk), Kenny shoves over the top and I fold.
Kenny's Ace high flush beats the K high flush. All in had AJ. That hand sums up my tournament for me. I surveyed the casino and mulled over the Donkley. It's hard to win when you have one of those days. I think it was John Calipari who once said, I can give you a bucket of horse poop and a bucket of ice cream, I put a little horse poop in the bucket of ice cream and you don't have any ice cream, I put a little ice cream in bucket of horse poop you still got a bucket of horse poop. That's a bit like tournament poker. One little bit of horse poop will hurt you, a whole bucket of it and you just want to forget it.
Still, I readied myself to recognize I hadn't done anything wrong and to go play cash and not chase my buy-in. That was my day's poker strategy anyways.
www.gulfcoastpoker.net
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