Small turnout for Big Slick

Weird game at the last Big Slick tournament. Only 9 players came out. The tables are maximum of 8 and they also have to leave positions open that they blind out for the first hour of each tournament in case someone shows up late. They'll still have a seat for them that way. So, we got split into a table of 5 and a table of 4 and drew cards for seating position. I got the worst of it here. Headed to the table of 4 and was in the worst possible position. Had the other 3 people to my immediate left, so was the first person to act in half of the hands dealt for every round. Add to that, that I was getting crappy cards and it was an early exit for me. Finished in 6th out of the 9. But, still in a very good position overall.

Standings with total Points

1. Sharon 2650
2. Jim 2600
2. Cory 2600
4. AvenueDave 2550
4. Nelson 2550
4. Katherine 2550

2-1

Lost my first game when dealt JJ...I raised...got 1 caller. flop of 10-9-6 (two diamonds)...i bet...get called...turn is ace of diamonds...i bet...dude goes all in...i think for awhile...if he had diamonds then why put me all in? wouldn't he slow play it?...figure he must have had a piece of the flop to call my bet...if he did and also has an ace, wouldn't he also slow play that? maybe not if he doesn't have a diamond and is afraid i do have one. i called and was all in. he had A-10. i lost.

struggled through the next two games, but ended up with two top 5 finishes.

Starting Money: $20
$10 Games Played: 15
Record: 9-6
$5 Games Played: 30
Record: 23-7
Current Money: $130

Making Up For Lost Time

Mmmmmm...tough ones tonight. I guess you get lucky sometimes and sometimes you don't. The key, I believe, is to keep playing solidly and in the long term things will be positive. Played a lot of games tonight, but 3 were quick (too quick!).

Game 1...about 5 hands in I'm dealt 4-4. 4 of us to the flop. Flop comes 4-9h-Jh. One guy goes all in for about 1500. Everyone folds. I call. He is holding 10h-10s. He gets runner-runner hearts and I'm out!

Game 2. Won this game fairly easily. Nothing too significant.

Game 3. Similar situation. I am down to about 900. 2 people have gone out. I am dealt 88 and have the dealer button. First person (with 1300) under the gun raises to 300 (blinds are 50-100). Folded around to me. I go all in. He calls with QJ off suit. Bit of a weak call, I think. I'm ahead again, but he does have a heart and the 5 cards that follow include 4 hearts! Out again!

Game 4. Reverse situation. I raise with AsJc. Called by 2 other people. Flop is 10-6-3...all spades. Dude raises to 1000. One fold. I re-raise all in. A bit risky, I guess, but I have 2 over cards and the nut flush. He makes the call and has a pair of tens. No ace, jack, or spade comes and I'm out!

Now, I ask you. WTF????? :-) Like I said...tough ones.

Game 5. Yes, I kept going. What can I say. The wife was occupied. The kids were in bed. Tough going early on. Had a strong player to my immediate left who either was catching great cards or just had zero respect for me. Kept raising me out of pots I couldn't hit. Eventually I had to double up from about $1000 and it was clear sailing from there. I know I've said it before, but playing with the biggest stack at the table is just freaking AWESOME!

Game 6. HALLELUJAH!!! It does balance out. Down to 6 players and I'm the low stack who hits a flush on the river to get clear of the field!

So. That was a long way to go to end up where I started the night! Technically, that's not true...pokerstars takes .80 cents to enter every tournament, so I guess I'm actually down $4! If nothing else, I think I've proven to myself that I can play at these stakes and come out ahead. I could have conceivably been 6-0 or 5-1 tonight rather than 3-3. Next time.

Starting Money: $20
$10 Games Played: 12
Record: 7-5
$5 Games Played: 30
Record: 23-7
Current Money: $120

Ugh.

That did not feel good. Was in a comfortable position with 6 left...had A-10 off suit. Called a raise. Flop AK4. Other guy bet 200. I raised to 600. He called. Turn J. Check. Check (mistake!). River 8. He bet 600. I called. He had K8. How's that for a punch in the gut? My own fault. Knocked me down to 900 and a virtual tie for 6th. Couple of hands later it was folded to me on the button. I went all in with 87 off suit. The big blind was the other short stack. Was hoping to just pick up the 400 in blinds and antes, but he called with A5 and busted me in 6th. :-(

Starting Money: $20
$10 Games Played: 6
Record: 4-2
$5 Games Played: 30
Record: 23-7
Current Money: $120

You're Lucky, Lucky...You're So Lucky

Credit to Franz Ferdinand for the post title (from the song 'Do You Want To'). Yes, I got extremely lucky in two $10 games tonight. But, hey! I'm allowed to get lucky once in awhile aren't I? I don't have to earn and sweat out every game the hard way do I?? Down early and all-in in the first game and got the river card I needed to double up and cruise to the finish. Down again in the second game and managed another double up when I was behind...although I did have an open ended straight and flush draw, so not THAT far behind. Still, as the post says, I think I got away with a couple tonight.

Starting Money: $20
$10 Games Played: 5
Record: 4-1
$5 Games Played: 30
Record: 23-7
Current Money: $130

Internet Connections can Suck

Lost my first $10 game tonight. Partial blame goes to my wireless connection for ditching me for about 5 hands...one of which I was a big blind in that depleted my already smaller stack! Damn you wireless internet!

Starting Money: $20
$10 Games Played: 3
Record: 2-1
$5 Games Played: 30
Record: 23-7
Current Money: $120

Back to Big Slick!

The next round of the Big Slick Poker tour started a couple of weeks ago. A win last night helped propel me up the leader board despite only playing in 2 of the 3 games so far! Played a really good game, I thought. Well, I won, so something must have gone right, I guess! But, fundamentally, I felt really good...disciplined. Got pocket queens twice and both times the flop came with all under cards. That's always nice. Managed to double up once this way. With 3 people left I was dealt 66 and went all in (26,000). Got called by AQ, who only had 100 more than me. Managed to avoid another A or Q and was the runaway leader heads up. The other guy left was very loose, so I just had to wait for a situation I liked to get it all in again. Final hand was J7 (me) vs. 96. Flop was J92, turn 8, river K. We got it all in on the river and that was that.

Standings with total Points

1. Jim 2600
2. Katherine 2400
3. Sharon 2350
4. AvenueDave 2050
5. Allana 1750

Aces are Good. Really.

Game two of the $10 level. Sitting at about $1800 and with 8 people left I was dealt AA in the big blind. That feels good. The dealer raised all-in ($1500) with 99 and my aces held up to put me in the lead for the rest of the game. Exercised some power with the big stack...becoming one of those guys I LOATHE when I'm struggling with a smaller stack! But, you have to use that advantage when you have it.

Starting to feel a little more comfortable at this level.

Starting Money: $20
$10 Games Played: 2
Record: 2-0
$5 Games Played: 30
Record: 23-7
Current Money: $120

Success!

My first venture into the $10 Double or Nothing realm yielded a top 5 result! Yay! Can't say I noticed too big a difference between this and the $5 game. One crazy dude who was calling down anything after he got lucky and doubled up early, but that happens in the $5 games, too. Hung around the 4th spot for most of the game, until we got down to 7 players, then I got rolling on a few hands and was able to steal a few more to move up to 2nd until the game ended. So, onward I go. Nice for the first game to be a win and give me a bit of a cushion...I now have to lose 2 straight before I have to go back to the $5 games! But, that's negative thinking! Focus on the positive! :-)

Starting Money: $20
$10 Games Played: 1
Record: 1-0
$5 Games Played: 30
Record: 23-7
Current Money: $110

Finally!

Lost the first one AGAIN tonight! Then followed up with 2 wins to get to the $100 mark. Here's an example of some ridiculous playing that happens during these games.


6 players left...top 5 get double their money back. The low stack and big blind has $255 total and blinds are at $100 and $200. First person folds. I call with J3 off suit just to help try and get this guy out of there. Next guy calls with probably the same intentions as me. I should also add that we are the 2 biggest stacks at the table. The next guy goes ALL IN for his last $1600! What??? Why??? Implied collusion people! And a stupid move to boot. So, the big blind folds and has $55 left. I fold. The biggest stack at the table calls with KJ off suit vs. QQ and ends up making a straight to put QQ out! Wow. I can only conclude that this guy either didn't realize he was playing in a top 5 game or he...well, I don't know what else to conclude without sounding like a jerk. Maybe he just wanted the game to end?

Anyway, I'm moving on! Next game will be at the $10 Double or Nothing stage. Well, next 2 for sure. I'm interested to see how it goes, but my record LATELY hasn't been great. It's been good enough, but there's been a lot of win one, lose one going on. I suppose that has to happen to a degree. I couldn't expect to keep winning 9 out of every 10 games! We'll see how it goes soon enough.

Starting Money: $20
Games Played: 30
Record: 23-7
Current Money: $100!

Still 1 Away!

Lost my first game tonight in the $5 Double or Nothing tournament! Damn! So close. :-) It was a bad game on my part. Sometimes the cards just don't fall for you. Second game was also very tough. Probably compounded by the fact that I entered 2 other free tournaments at the same time! Whew. I won't do that again. At least not for awhile. I was definitely more concerned with what was going on in the $5 game, but the constant interruptions from the other 2 games were annoying. Would have helped if I had a big enough screen to see all 3 tables at once, but I was playing on the micro laptop.

Oh well. Maybe tonight is the night!

Starting Money: $20
Games Played: 27
Record: 21-6
Current Money: $95

1 To Go!

Another successful double or nothing tournament means I am (potentially) one game away from moving up a level! I guess I am a little more excited about it then I thought!

Fairly uneventful game tonight. Managed to flop 2 pair with QJ within the first round of play on a board of JQK. Got most of the other dude's chips after he led out with a bet on the flop, turn (a 4) AND the river, which was another Q giving me the full house. Tripled his bet on the river (which he called) and cruised for the next 45 minutes or so. Started to get a little dicey in the end, but managed to steal enough blinds and antes to stay ahead of the bottom of the pack.

Starting Money: $20
Games Played: 25
Record: 20-5
Current Money: $95

No Big Slick...2-1

Decided not to go to the Big Slick league tournament tonight. Just didn't feel like being away and making the drive. Planned on watching 'Inception', but there were technical problems. Maybe on the weekend.

Anyway, it gave me some time to add two wins and a loss to my $5 Double or Nothing challenge. Nothing too eventful tonight. 1st game was pretty normal...got a win. 2nd game I didn't catch many cards when I needed to...loss. 3rd game was borderline for awhile, then ended up running away with it in the last 15 minutes as I caught good cards and people tightened up to try to get in the money. 2 more wins with no losses to the next level!

Starting Money: $20
Games Played: 24
Record: 19-5
Current Money: $90