captainslog Birthday: Prefer not to say Location: Prefer not to say ALL-TIME STATS (more stats) Total Entries: 8 Total Won/Lost: $770.00 Total Hours: 39 Earnings/Hour: $19.74 Biggest Win: $290.00 Biggest Loss: -$80.00 ARCHIVE Most Recent February 2007 (8)

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February 17, 2007, 6PM: Played 10 hours, Made $180.00 at Commerce Casino
$2 No-Limit Texas Hold'em

My first hand in the big blind with Q7.  1 early position raiser.  Flop came out Q7x all clubs.  I figured it's not likely he flopped a flush, but he might have a big pocket pair.  I also figured he might have an A or K of clubs, but I was willing to take that chance.  I checked, and he bet $30.  I raised all in and he turned over pocket aces with the ace of clubs.  The turn was a 4 and the river was the 4 of clubs giving him the flush.
 
After my next $40 rebuy, I never went broke again and got lucky a few times in some big pots.
 
One hand, I had pocket 7's and flopped a set with 2 hearts on the flop.  Someone bet $15 and I raised $20 more.  I got 2 callers.  The turn was a 3rd heart and gave straight possibilities.  I checked to see what my opponents would do and they both checked.  Luckily, the river paired the board giving me a full house.  I bet out $30 and got called by both players, one having a flush and the other having a straight.
 
I flopped a set of 6's and lost to a set of aces.  This cost me about $50 but I still had a good stack.
 
The main thing I take from this session is that I was able to play tight aggressive poker and avoid situations where I would get into trouble.  Sounds simple, and it really was as I opted to err on the side of caution.  If I ever felt like I didn't know where I was in a hand, I would fold before I invested too much.
 
There were a couple of hands where I had the right implied odds to call a $10 bet on the turn and would have made the best hand at the river, but I was trying not to chase too much.  Those 2 pots combined would have been worth around $100.  But I'm sure that if I would have called those bets, I would have called some other bets throughout the night and lost more, so overall, I am happy with my somewhat conservative play.
 
There were 2 players who played loose aggressive.  Every time they would get involved in a hand, they would overbet--$20 or $30 after the flop.  I knew they couldn't have it every time so I just waited until I felt like I had the best hand or a great draw to go to war.  I got 2 opportunities.
 
The first one, I had K8 of hearts and the flop came out K94 with 2 hearts.  The 1st aggressive guy bet out $20 and there was 1 caller in front of me.  I had around $160 in my stack and the pot was now big enough for me to try to take it down.  I moved all in and got called by the aggressive player.  The other player folded.  The aggressive player showed 67 of hearts for a lower flush draw and I took down the pot.  The other player who folded got very upset when he would have made 2 pair on the turn and the flush never came out, so I got rewarded for being aggressive and isolating against the one player who I knew I would have a good chance at beating.
 
My 2nd chance came against the other aggressive player.  I limped in with AQ and the flop came out 549.  He bet $15, one player called, and I called to close out the betting.  The turn came out a Q giving me top pair top kicker.  He bet out $20, the other player folded.  I raised it $20 more and he called.  The river was a blank and I bet another $20 and he called.  He had A5 for a pair of 5's and I took down a good pot.  I'm positive that he stole at least 4 or 5 pots from me within the last few hours, but in that pot I took around $60 from him, so in the end, I got the better of him by being patient and waiting until I had a good hand to go after him.

Last Update: February 20, 2007, 9:03AM | Permalink (0 Comments)

February 11, 2007, 7PM: Played 4 hours, Made $100.00 at Commerce Casino
$2 No-Limit Texas Hold'em

I watched an interesting hand shortly after I sat down.  An early position player raised it to $8.  A middle position player reraised it to $20.  The initial raiser visibly looked uncomfortable and commented, "this guy" like he's always catching him with great hands.  A late position player called the $20, and the initial raiser revealed his trap.  He said "I got more, I'm all in." The late position player looked very upset and too proud to be forced out of a hand so he called with AQ.  The initial raiser turned over the immortal nuts, AA, and raked in a good pot, sending the late position player out of the game.
 
After settling in for about 10 minutes, I spotted my fish.  He was an older guy with lots of tatoos and somewhat slurred speech.  Another player was needling him saying it was always his turn to act, and making comments when it was this guy's turn to act, primarily because he was always taking so long to act.  This guy was clearly not happy with players telling him what to do, and was often goaded into making a bad call.
 
I just waited for a decent hand, then I would raise or reraise to isolate myself with this player heads up.  My first opportunity was when I was in the small blind with 94.  The flop came out 985.  I checked, then a late player bet $5.  The fish raised it to $10, and I reraised it to $15.  The late position player mucked and the fish called.  The turn came out a Q and I bet out $15.  The fish pushed all in with about $30 and I called.  He turned over 8x for a pair of 8's.  I won my first pot.  The late position player who folded said he had me, but since he didn't know how we played, he got scared out.
 
My next hand, I was on the button with AK.  An early position player raised it to $5 and the fish reraise it to $15.  I took about 10 seconds, then moved all in with my $80 or so.  The first player folded, and the fish took about 20 seconds and called.  He had A9 and neither of us paired.  I took my 2nd pot.
 
About 20 minutes later, I get pocket aces.  I make my standard raise to $10 and it gets folded around to the fish.  He asks me, "Do you have a big pair? Aces?" I casually let out a calming smile and give him a glance so as to not appear too strong, but I don't say anything.  He shows me one of his cards, the king of clubs, I'm not sure why.  Then he calls my raise and we're off to the flop, 974, 2 spades and 1 club.  I bet out $10 and he takes about 30 seconds and calls.  The turn is a 2nd club.  I am slightly worried that he has a club draw now.  I bet out $15.  He takes around a minute, the whole table is getting impatient, and he finally decides to muck.  I turn over my aces and most of the table tells him, "you knew he had it." I earn my 3rd pot.
 
In early position, I got pocket kings.  I make my standard raise to $10, a late position player calls and the fish calls.  The flop comes out Axx.  In first position, I bet out $10.  The late position player folds and the fish calls.  The turn is a 2.  The fish pushes all in with about $30.  I'm taking my time, clearly afraid that the fish has an ace.  Then I keep hearing a phrase repeated over and over from the fish, "come on dealer, 2 more cards, 2 more cards." He said that after the flop, but now he's saying it WAY too much, and there's only 1 card to come.  An alarm goes off in my head.  I think he WANTS me to call becuase he wants me to think he's chasing.  I show my kings to the player next to me and much my hand.  The fish turns over a set of 2's.
 
Late position, I have 67 of spades.  An early position player, whom I don't particularly like, raises it to $8.  Earlier in a hand, he slammed down his stack to call an all in bet after the river, where they both chopped a straight.  I hate players who slam down their chips.  I was out to get him.  So back to his early position raise.  The fish reraises all in for $20.  I confidently call the $20, and the early position player calls.  The flop came out 554.  The initial raiser bets his last $15 and I call.  He has AK and I have an open ended straight draw.  I river a 7 and amazingly take down the whole pot.  I am enormously happy to have busted Mr. Grumpy chip slammer, and once again beat out the fish who missed again.
 
All in all, it was a great table, and I really didn't fear anyone at the table.  My only bad hand was calling down someone who turned over pocket kings when I had a pair and turned a flush draw.  I missed my flush on the river and he bet $8 on the river, which was small enough to get me to call.  I lost about $25 to him on that hand.

Last Update: February 12, 2007, 2:44AM | Permalink (0 Comments)

February 10, 2007, 10PM: Played 8 hours, Made $60.00 at Commerce Casino
$2 No-Limit Texas Hold'em

My first buy in, I lost with top pair against 2 pair.  With my second buy in, I was able to do fairly well, being aggressive when I had good hands, and not getting into any very difficult decisions.
 
There was one hand that I couldn't figure out, but I knew this player had something good.  I had a good ace and raised it in late position after turning a pair of aces.  There was no preflop raise so I figured my jack kicker was good.  But a good player from the blinds casually called my $10 bet on the turn and another player called as well.  I was particularly worried as to why this good player would call.  The board was 45xA after the turn (x = blank).  After the river came out a blank, the good player bet $10 and I called, mostly out of curiosity.  He was holding 23 for the wheel.
 
My instincts were right... good player calling, then betting = good hand.  Next time I will listen to my instincts.

Last Update: February 12, 2007, 2:03AM | Permalink (2 Comments)

February 8, 2007, 8PM: Played 2 hours, Lost $80.00 at Hawaiian Gardens
$2 No-Limit Texas Hold'em

More of the same.  The only hand I won was kq with a flop of q high.  Every time I have a hand I want to see a flop with, it costs me around $8.  The chips here are $2 chips so your buy-in of $40 is only 20 chips.  They go fast.  I don't think I'll play at Hawaiian Gardens much more.

Last Update: February 12, 2007, 1:57AM | Permalink (0 Comments)

February 7, 2007, 8PM: Played 1 hour, Lost $80.00 at Hawaiian Gardens
$2 No-Limit Texas Hold'em

Play seemed very straight forward.  Short stacks would push all in with marginal hands and big stacks would use aggression to steal.  One hand, I limped in with 8Qs and the flop came out 568 with 1 spade.  I checked in 1st position and a middle position player bet $10.  I didn't know how the table played and I didn't like the straightening texture of the board, so I folded.
 
I had another marginal hand that I folded, and really didn't get any good cards.  I was quickly blinded out from trying to see too many flops and never connecting.  I rebought and it was more of the same.  When I finally got middle pair with an ace on the board, I decided that no one raised before the flop, so I thought I had the best hand.  I was wrong.  Someone limped into the pot with A8.  That was my cue to leave for the night.

Last Update: February 12, 2007, 2:34AM | Permalink (0 Comments)

February 4, 2007, 8PM: Played 6 hours, Made $200.00 at Luxor, Las Vegas
$2 No-Limit Texas Hold'em

Played at the same table as the night before.  The same big stack player from last night was there again, only he had $200 at the table this time.
 
I continued to play tight.  My first hand, pocket queens.  I raised in late position to $10 and got called by 2 players.  The flop came 222.  Both players checked to me.  I had around $40 left, and with $30 in the pot, I went all in.  I was called by 25d.  Quads.  25 called my preflop raise.  Mental note.  Raise more at this table.
 
Another hand.  I have AQ in middle position and raise it to $10.  It comes to the big stack and he very quickly raises me a stack of around $50.  I have around $60.  I take a second to think about his raise and decide he's just trying to bully me so I move all in.  He calls me with AJ.  The flop came out with 2 queens so I took down the pot.  He tells me he thinks I'm a phenominal player (and he's being sincere).
 
Another important hand.  I get pocket aces in early position and decide to limp in.  It comes to a late position player who moves all in with his last $40.  Then it comes to the big stack who calls.  I have $150 in front of me and after contemplating a minimum raise or moving in, I decide to quietly slide all my chips in while the big stack is not paying attention.  When he looks back at the action, he starts analyzing the situation.  He keeps repeating, "I love this hand." I can tell he knows I have a big hand but he really wants to call.  He thinks better of it and mucks.  I flip over my aces and he raps the table.  The other all in player turns over pocket kings.  The board comes out something like QJ795, and the big stack makes a fuss that he would have made a straight.  He tells me I played the hand perfectly.

Last Update: February 8, 2007, 2:13AM | Permalink (0 Comments)

February 3, 2007, 8PM: Played 6 hours, Made $100.00 at Luxor, Las Vegas
$2 No-Limit Texas Hold'em

Played at a $50 buy-in no limit game.  Table was fairly aggressive.  One player had $1300 in front of him and was stealing the pots from position around 3 out of every 5 hands.
 
A typical preflop raise would be to $8 to $12.  Players would bet around $10 to $20 after the flop.  I found that some players would overbet a weaker hand to try to take down the pot.
 
I did well by just playing ultra tight and waiting until I had a great hand, or chasing my draws when it was cheap enough.
 
I ended up winning 4 pots in a row every time I went up against the big stack.  I would wait until I had 2 pair until I bet.  In another hand, I led out with my flush draw and he never reraised me.
 
In a 3-way hand, I had 103h and caught my flush on the turn.  The short stack went all in for around $40 and the big stack called.  I couldn't tell whether the big stack was calling with a monster or just to call, but I feared that one of them had a higher flush so I folded.  The all-in player had a king high flush and the big stack had 2 pair.  Good laydown.

Last Update: February 8, 2007, 1:59AM | Permalink (0 Comments)

February 1, 2007, 8PM: Played 2 hours, Made $290.00 at Hawaiian Gardens
$2 No-Limit Texas Hold'em

This was an incredible run at the table in a short time.  Two big hands.
 
pocket 4's in middle position.  I limp in and call a standard $6 raise.  4 people see the flop - 842.  Player 1 checks, and I lead out for $6.  Not too much, and not too little.  I also didn't take too long to bet because I didn't want to look suspicious.  2 players call.  The turn is a 2.  Bingo I think.  I'm hoping someone just made trips.  I'm first to act so I bet $10.  The next player folds, and the last player raises it to $30.  I look at his stack to see that he has only around $40 more.  I figure he has a 2 and he's pretty well pot committed.  Not too quickly, I put him all in.  He quickly calls with his trips and I bust him.
 
Next big hand, and this is a BIG hand.  I have Q3h.  There is a small $4 raise preflop and 5 players see the flop.  The flop comes out 89J with 2 hearts.  The first player to act bets out $30, overbetting the pot.  Since I won with my full house a few minutes earlier, I have around $140 in front of me.  I'm 2nd to act, and this guy just put in a big bet.  I struggle with the decision, knowing that everyone at the table must know I'm on a flush draw because I'm taking so long, but I still decide to call the $30.  Bad decision? Probably, but what the heck, I couldn't let it go yet.  The next player to my immediate left, quickly slides his stack of $80 all in.  The next player has a short stack, maybe $30.  He goes all in.  The late position player also has a short stack and calls.  The initial raiser goes all in.  Now it's to me, and this is a HUGE pot.  It will cost me most of my money, and if I lose, I'll only have around $30 left.  But I'm definitely getting the right pot odds now, and I am not going to forgive myself if I fold and my card comes, so I call.  The first player had 2 pair, the player to my left flopped a straight, and the next player had pocket aces.  I didn't even notice what the last player had.  The player with a straight kept chanting, "no heart." The turn was a blank, and the river was a very beautiful 7 of hearts.  I took down the whole pot! The player who flopped a straight was tilting for the next 20 minutes until he said he had to step away from the table.  The first player who made the initial post-flop raise said, "nice call Junior." He didn't seem too pleased with my play.
 
One thing I realized about draws and pot odds.  If you just check and call trying to catch your straight or flush, when you hit, it is hard to get maximum value.  But if you take the worst of it before you get there, you will have gotten the maximum number of chips into the pot by the time you do get there.

Last Update: February 12, 2007, 2:34AM | Permalink (0 Comments)

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