We hosted an OCPT tourney Saturday night....

and squeezed 26 degenerates into our 2bdr condo making this one of the biggest turnouts of the year and possibly ever. the structure was a $20 rebuy through the 1st 5 levels. we had an OCPT record prize pool of $2060 with 5 spots getting paid.

1st paid out $850, $500 for 2nd and $330 for 3rd.






























we offered free food and drinks for this event. which, i suspect had a little something to do with the turnout. Tina did a kickass job in the kitchen, cooking up a batch of hot wings, bbq wings, pasta and pulled pork sandwiches. we had a full keg and open bar. Blinders helped out as tournament director. thx amigo!

all i did was order the keg, drink, eat and play my A-game :P

Wes and Poison were in attendance as well as several guys from my old company. it was good to see some of the fellas again and meet Wes for the 1st time. wudda lucksac he turned out to be.

just like many mOOk's and other blogger tourneys, me and Elf were seated at the same starting table. haha

1st hand of note: a couple of players limp in including, Poison. i pop it 3x pre-flop on the button with KQo. flop comes:

J-J-8

everyone checks, the turn brings another J and Poison makes a small bet. i figure she's got an 8. so, i call hoping to suckout.

river is a bee-yoo-tee-full Q and i river a full house. there's no way i'm getting away from this. Poison makes another small bet, i reraise she pushes and i insta-call. she shows J-To for DQB.

REBUY!

later, i pick up AhTh and call a standard 3x raise from a tighty mctight. flop comes Q-high with a coupla hearts. i bet out, tighty calls. turns brings a brick, i bet he folds.

a few hands later, i pick up KQo again. some guy limps in EP and i raise it. flop brings a bunch of low cards. he checks, i put him all in and he calls with 99. i river a Q and i'm the chip leader at our table.

Poison donks out along with several others and we get down to 2 tables. i'm in the BB with the Hoy (AJo). it's folded to the button. he's short and limps in, SB calls. i raise it 3x, SB folds and button limper just calls. flops brings a bunch of little cards. i put shorty all-in. he calls and shows AQo. i don't improve and he dubbles thru. strange play. later, he does the same. he limps with KK in LP and a shorty pushes all in with AK. he takes him out.

i don't pick up any hands and limp into the final table with T500 and the blinds going up to 100/200. we draw for seats and i draw the cut-off. which woulda meant i get to wait almost an entire orbit before i have to push. but, somehow Blinders fucked up the draw and we all have to redraw. i redraw the seat UTG.

just peachy.

i pick up QhJh on the 1st hand at the final table and push. Wes comes over the top all in with A8o to isolate me. Lucksac flops an Ace and i'm done. later he pushes all-in after an EP raiser with A-Qo vs AKo and flops a Q to take another player out. can we talk.

they get 3-handed and the eventual winner took out one of my buddys, Larry getting it all in preflop with A-9o vs QQ. flop comes A-A-9, turn brings a Q.

so sick:















Wes and Cristina get heads up for the Luckbox title. they discuss a chop and decide to play it out. Wes runs outta luck and finishes 2nd for a $500 payout. well done kid.















after the tourney was done, me, Wes and a coupla other donks break out a 1/2 NL cash game. it was a $40 max buy-in. i kept busting some donk who couldn't resist bluffing me and i cashed out $140. this covered my tourney fees.

while i was putting this post together, i won a seat into Sundays $650 WSOP Qualifier on PStars thru their $16 dubble-shootout. wOOt !














maybe, i'll slip on a banana peel and win my seat thru this like these donkeys.

is one pair really good enuf?

there's been some discussion about whether u can go to the felt with just a pair in a cash game. i only play full ring cash games and i've found that it's very difficult to be profitable going to war with just a pair after the flop. again, please keep in mind my comments are based on experience at live and online full ring cash games.

when i first started playing cash games, i had a very difficult time folding overpairs. obv, i'm not insta-folding to a LAGGY donk. but, i will try to manage the size of the pot after the flop with just a pair. u can easily get stacked by someone set mining u. u definitely have to pay close attn to who the nut peddlers are and who are the donks that overplay hands or try to semi-bluff their draws and attempt steals on the river when they miss. this is why i only 2-table cash games. i don't want to miss a hand watching tv or effing around on the web while i'm playing cash games. one bad decision can cost u all your chips and this is real money not just tournament chips.

i'm posting my stats at 1/2 NL for my last 4600 hands. even tho i'm playing my pocket pairs cautiously, i'm still not profitable going to showdown with just a pair. most of my profit comes from showing down 2p or higher.







maybe at 6-max, going to war with just a pair can be profitable. i'd like to see some ptracker stats demonstrating that.

also, please remember this is 1/2 NL. the play is mostly straight forward at 200 NL. it gets much trickier at 2/4 and higher. i've had some bloggers sit down with me at 1/2 and get frustrated because their fancy higher limit plays don't work here. it's ABC nut peddlin nit poker that will get u the cash at 1/2. it's much harder to get paid off playing this style at higher limits.

i would compare FTP's 1/2 NL online game to MGM's 1/2 live game, donkey heaven. but, table selection is key.

one last thing, i wish this guy would wake from his drunken slumber and update the BBT Leaderboard.

i'd really like to know how close to the top of Blonkey Mountain i currently reside.

AA no goot

i finished 3rd in the mOOk.














Full Tilt Poker Game #2290954646:
The Mookie-MattazumaRevenge (17167720),
Table 4 - 1200/2400 Ante 300 - No Limit Hold'em - 1:36:47 ET - 2007/04/26
Seat 1: smokkee (15,400)
Seat 5: BrainMc (67,649)
Seat 6: bayne_s (26,451)
smokkee antes 300
BrainMc antes 300
bayne_s antes 300
bayne_s posts the small blind of 1,200
smokkee posts the big blind of 2,400
The button is in seat #5

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to smokkee [Ah Ac]
BrainMc folds
bayne_s raises to 8,100 (he raises with 5s8s)
smokkee raises to 15,100, and is all in
bayne_s calls 7,000 (already committed 3rd his stack. has to call.)
smokkee shows [Ah Ac]
bayne_s shows [8s 5s]
*** FLOP *** [2s 7d 6c]
*** TURN *** [2s 7d 6c] [9c]
love_elf (Observer): Ace killer
*** RIVER *** [2s 7d 6c 9c] [Kd]
smokkee shows a pair of Aces
bayne_s shows a straight, Nine high
bayne_s wins the pot (31,100) with a straight, Nine high
smokkee: n1
pokerpeaker (Observer): OUCH

smokkee is BUSTOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

i luv blonkaments !

updated 1/2 NL (full ring) stats

i'm very comfortable at 1/2 NL right now. the play is mostly straight forward. but, enuf donkification to make it interesting. i think i'm gonna hang here for a while. it's just too ez to make $$$ at 200 NL.

be patient, play good starting hands in LP and it's very profitable. i even took several bad beats. but, my stats look pretty good over the past week. i made over 2k last week at 1/2 NL and i only spend maybe 2-4 hrs a day playing cash games. most of my time is still spent in token tourneys, satellites and other donkaments trying to hit a nice score.

i killed 1/2 NL last night.....

talked this guy into putting his entire stack in almost drawing dead. ez money kids.

FullTiltPoker Game #2255337395:
Table Roundup Ridge - $1/$2 - No Limit Hold'em - 4:15:24 ET - 2007/04/21

Seat 1: ($193)
Seat 2: ($245.30)
Seat 3: ($234.95)
Seat 4: smokkee ($856.55) (i'm up over 3 buy-ins)
Seat 5: ($165.60)
Seat 6: ($167)
Seat 7: ($236.05)
Seat 8: ($200)
Seat 9: ($200)
SB posts the small blind of $1
BB posts the big blind of $2
The button is in seat #4

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to smokkee [Tc Th]

S3 calls $2
smokkee raises to $9 ( i raise my TT from any position, as u should)
S6 calls $7 (no respect for the big stack)
S3 calls $7 (fuckin donkeys)

*** FLOP *** [Ts 4c Qd] (fasten ur seat belts)

S6 checks
smokkee: bad flop (the setup)
S3 checks
smokkee: take a stab ( looks like a c-bet and tell him i'm trying to see if my hand is good)
smokkee bets $18
S6 raises to $36 (lololol @ minreraise. he thinks he's trapping me.)
S3 folds
smokkee: this sux (acting job)
smokkee: i don't think u gotta Q (i know he's gotta Q. put out the bait.)
smokkee has 15 seconds left to act (pause for effect)
smokkee raises to $136 (overbet for value)
S6 raises to $158, and is all in (takes the bait)
smokkee calls $22 (um ok)

S6 shows [Qs Ks]
smokkee shows [Tc Th]

*** TURN *** [Ts 4c Qd] [Jh] (scary turn)
*** RIVER *** [Ts 4c Qd Jh] [7s] (phew!)
S6 shows a pair of Queens
smokkee shows three of a kind, Tens
smokkee wins the pot ($341) with three of a kind, Tens
smokkee: oh my bad u did have a Q (a little salt in the wound)
S6 is BUSTOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $344 Rake $3 (this puts me up over 4 full buy-ins)
Board: [Ts 4c Qd Jh 7s]

sleepy time

lollercoaster

i came into the final table as the shortest stack. then took a 2-1 chip lead when we got 3 handed. took out LAG with Ac2c vs KQo all in preflop. then, went HU with 3-1 chip lead against Wawfuls and found a way to lose 3 races back2back2back.

gg donkey

Ac4c < T7o

i played my ass off in Full Tilt's 40k Guarantee for over 5 hrs and this is where it got me














thx to all who railed. i was really disappointed not to final table this.

a big shout to Lucko who downloaded yahoo IM and helped a brotha out through the final few tables.

my final hand:

Full Tilt Poker Game #2240205607:
$40,000 Guarantee (16051951),
Table 5 - 3000/6000 Ante 750 - No Limit Hold'em - 1:14:22 ET - 2007/04/19
Seat 1: FuggFrist (197,834)
Seat 2: farha123 (235,504)
Seat 5: smokkee (23,680)
Seat 6: Corporations (102,796)
Seat 7: TollBoothBandit (30,475)
Seat 9: santiago8 (89,349)
FuggFrist antes 750
farha123 antes 750
smokkee antes 750
Corporations antes 750
TollBoothBandit antes 750
santiago8 antes 750
FuggFrist posts the small blind of 3,000
farha123 posts the big blind of 6,000
The button is in seat #9

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to smokkee [4c Ac]
smokkee raises to 22,930, and is all in

Corporations folds
TollBoothBandit folds
santiago8 folds
FuggFrist folds
farha123 has 15 seconds left to act (tuff decision)
farha123 calls 16,930
smokkee shows [4c Ac]
farha123 shows [7h Td] ( he calls off another 17k from the BB with T7o)

*** FLOP *** [9d Tc 6c] (he flops TP but, i flop a flush draw)
*** TURN *** [9d Tc 6c] [Qd] (BRICK)
*** RIVER *** [9d Tc 6c Qd] [Kh] (BRICK)
smokkee shows Ace King high
farha123 shows a pair of Tens
farha123 wins the pot (53,360) with a pair of Tens
Big_Bobo (Observer): @#&%

smokkee is BUSTOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

ima nut peddlin' nit

...and i have no shame. i've been spending most of my time at 1/2 NL the last coupla days. what a diff from 2/4 NL. these clowns cannot fold TP or a draw. i got unlucky a coupla times. but, that's expected.

i play 1/2 NL the same way i play at MGM's poker room. raise or call good hands in LP. bet the flop if it hits me or looks like it missed everyone else. if i get a caller, i slow down. but, i'm not afraid to bet the rvr if it looks like my opponent missed their draw.

i don't slow play flopped sets, overpairs or 2p. i bet my ass off. cuz, these dumbasses can't fold.

here are my updated stats:

the delusions of Hoyazo

does this guy ever get a HH right? i took down a HUGE 3-way pot against Hoy on his home turf last night. obv, the guy had way too many shirley temples to get his facts straight.

this is the hand in question (and how it really went down):

Full Tilt Poker Game #2227199071:
Mondays at the Hoy (16395575), Table 1 - 60/120 - No Limit Hold'em - 23:16:37 ET - 2007/04/16
Seat 1: Unimpressed (9,483)
Seat 2: hoyazo (4,250)
Seat 3: BuddyDank (8,265)
Seat 4: SirFWALGMan (5,335)
Seat 6: summer_babe (3,897)
Seat 7: smokkee (3,640)
Seat 8: sellthekids (6,680)
Seat 9: bayne_s (3,000)
SirFWALGMan posts the small blind of 60
summer_babe posts the big blind of 120
The button is in seat #3

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to smokkee [Ad Jd] (Hoyazo's kryptonite)

smokkee calls 120 (i limp UTG with the Hoy killer)
sellthekids folds
bayne_s calls 120 (bayne limps with AsKs. dead man walking.)
Unimpressed folds
hoyazo calls 120 (Hoy just calls with TT in LP. he did NOT raise preflop.)
BuddyDank folds
SirFWALGMan calls 60
summer_babe checks
*** FLOP *** [Ts Ah Ac] (Bayne and I flop trip Aces. Hoy flops a boat)
SirFWALGMan checks
summer_babe checks
SirFWALGMan: oh oh he limped Aces again (i limped with AA earlier and dubbled up. now everyone's spooked. i got to see a cheap flop OOP.)
smokkee checks (there's no way i'm getting away from this in a limped pot.)
bayne_s bets 600 (Dead man walking bets out the pot)
hoyazo calls 600 (smooth calls with the nutz. no reraise.)
SirFWALGMan folds
summer_babe folds
smokkee calls 600 (i just call figuring i'm way ahead. then the turn comes.)

*** TURN *** [Ts Ah Ac] [*Jc*] (BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM !)

smokkee checks (get the bodybags ready.)
bayne_s bets 2,280, and is all in (let the carnage begin)
hoyazo calls 2,280 (slow play to no pay)
smokkee: DONKERIFIC (i type this in the chat before i push with the nutz.)
smokkee raises to 2,920, and is all in (pooooooooooooooosh)
hoyazo calls 640 (shoulda folded right there son.)
smokkee shows [Ad Jd]
bayne_s shows [As Ks]
hoyazo shows [Th Td]
*** RIVER *** [Ts Ah Ac Jc] [Qd]
sellthekids: ouch
smokkee shows a full house, Aces full of Jacks
hoyazo shows a full house, Tens full of Aces
smokkee wins the side pot (1,280) with a full house, Aces full of Jacks
bayne_s shows a straight, Ace high
smokkee wins the main pot (9,240) with a full house, Aces full of Jacks
smokkee: buh-by donkeys (i had to throw that in)
bayne_s stands up
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 10,520 Main pot 9,240. Side pot 1,280. Rake 0
Board: [Ts Ah Ac Jc Qd]

and that kids is how u play AJ sooted OOP against a slo playin donkey.

3 steps forward, 3 steps back...

a horrific weekend at the cash tables. i had the 2nd best hand blues. ran KK into AA twice and also lost a fair chunk of $$$ with AQ on a Q-high flop 3 diff occasions. in all three hands, i ran into a monster (AA or KK). they played it tricky by just smooth calling my preflop raise. then, smooth calling the flop, turn and river bets. never raising once not even on the rvr. luckily, i didn't go crazy overbetting. otherwise, i woulda lost more. i was really surprised to see their hands each time. i also flopped a straight with 9-T. but, some guy turned a higher straight. this cost me a buy-in. the few times i did flop sets, i couldn't get paid off.

this weekend set me back over 4 full buy-ins at 2/4 NL (i.e. swollen junk)

so, i dropped down to 1/2 NL yesterday and starting grinding there. i'm up almost 2 buy-ins at 1/2 after only 600 hands. the difference in play at 2/4 and 1/2 is night and day. players are willing to risk their whole stack with just overs after the flop at 1/2. TPGK is *gold* and you see players chase draws all the way to the river and fold. it's like MGM's poker room but, online.

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

after playing 2/4 for so long, the pots at 1/2 just don't seem that big to me. this will take some getting used to. i'm still careful not too splash around. i think anyone can be profitable at this level just playing TAG abc poker. when u catch a hand, u will get paid most of the time. i'm probably gonna stay at 1/2 until i can reclaim what i lost this weekend.

here are my updated stats :(




oh ya, i final tabled Don's Big Game last night. but, i wasn't able to cash. i came into the final table as the shorty. dubbled up once laying a bad beat on Jeciimd (K-9 vs QQ all in preflop). the next orbit, i pick up A-4o in the cutoff. everyone folds to me and i push into Drizz's AQo. he flops a Queen and i'm done. congrats to Drizz for taking that mutha down.

i picked up sum much needed points in the BBT. i'm sitting at 27th right now. here's the updated leader board.

don't forget to stop by and give props to this donkey. he donked his way to another bracelet race win. EEEEEAAAAWWW

hit and run...

i've been hitting the cash games and running after i pick up a nice pot. so, i don't risk my stack the rest of the session. i either move on to another table or fire up an sng. this has been doing me well. i buy-in max. but, i see some players buying in short at 2/4 NL doing the same thing.

one shorty got me to dubble him up when i picked up QQ and 3x reraised his preflop raise. he pushed with AA. i called and he bolted immediately after.

updated cash game stats:



i also, made sum custom mods to my myspace page.

still donkin' around at 2/4 NL

i've been playing sum 2/4 NL between tournament and satellites to pay for my tournament buy-ins and at least maintain my BR where it is.

i play full ring cash games cuz that's where i'm most comfortable. i goofed around at 6-max cash games off and on. but, i always felt like i might make some bad decisions mashing buttons and lose a buy-in.

so, i'm sticking to what i'm comfortable with and doing ok there. i'm ok with mediocrity in my cash game right now. as long as i can get in and get out with a $100 or more profit over a short session, i'm happy. it helps offset my peep sex sng's and my satellite buy-in's, keeping my BR at break even until my next big final table finish.

as long as i can score at least $3k a month or more in tournament cashes, i can continue my current lifestyle. so, that's been my goal. there's just too much variance to deal with in cash games for me to spend alot of time there. a tournament cash of 10k or more would justify playing higher buy-in tourneys more regularly. until then, i grind it out in satellites and cash games.

here are my cash game stats over the last 2000 hands at 2/4 NL full ring:

"um, me next ?"

chargin' thru my daily regimen of peep tourneys and satellites, i keep running into no-chat boy. we have mutual respect for each other's game. so, it's rare we get into a big confrontation at the virual felt.

i'm spending most of my time either playin token tourneys or satellites to higher buy-in tourneys on Full Tilt. i seem to do better at the $69+6 tourneys and i'm working toward cashing in one of the $150+13 tourneys. i've tried satelliting into the 1k Monday tourney several times. but, no luck so far. i've also dropped sum tokens on the Bracelet race. no luck there either.

this donkey has won two seats to the WSOP ME now thru the $650 Qualifier on Stars. guess i need to spend more time trying to satellite into that donkfest.

anyway, picking up sum small cashes here and there, donkin' around at 2/4 when i get bored with MTT's and gettin' absolutely nowhere in the blogger tourneys.

somehow this guy keeps slippin' on banana peels.

so, rigged.

anotha final table finish is kinda cool

it's not a big cash. but, i'm happy with it.

no luck in the mOOk...

never got much to work with. my table was full of calling stations. so, there was no way to push anyone off a hand. one guy even flopped a set and just called another players minbets all the way to the river with a flush draw on board. i lost a bunch of chips with TP and a flush draw. later, i called a reraise with QsKs and whiffed the flop. then, pushed all in short-stacked with A6o got called with KhQh. obv, a King hit the river.

rarely does anyone fold a pocket pair regardless of what comes on the flop. so, you get to sit back and watch a bunch of rediculous races. if you catch cards, it's a great tournament.

congrats to Don for taking that mutha down back2back and Hoyazo on his big score in last night's 30k guarantee.

tonight's donkeyfest is Al's Riverchaser's tourney. i can hardly wait.

btw Iak, i ran your last monkey push from last night's final table thru pokerstove.

AQo vs 2 players with AK = you're totally phucked. have a nice day!

How to pick up the Gigli in the first Battle of the Blogger's

9-9 dealt to smokkee in EP
i raise it up 3x and get reraised from the BB
i call, leaving me a little over T$1000 behind
flop comes 6-7-8 rainbow

BB insta-pushes

now, this means 1 of two things. he's got an over pair or AK/AQ and monkey pushed the flop. i don't see how i can get away from this flop. i realize i'm an underdog if he's has an overpair. but, it could be a bluff and a chance to dubble early in the tournament. i have a lot of outs if i'm wrong.

i call

he flips QQ and i miss my 10 outs. gg me

i'm off to a great start in the battle of the blogger donkeys. hopefully, i can gain sum ground in the mOOk tonight.

The most rediculous play in the history of MTT's

well maybe not the most rediculous. but, it's gotta rank up there pretty high.

Full Tilt Poker Game #2127797091:
$12,000 Guarantee (15600333),

Table 40 - 150/300 Ante 25 - No Limit Hold'em - 2:54:52 ET - 2007/04/03

The button is in seat #9

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to smokkee [3h 9d]

UTG calls 300
UTG+1 calls 300
MP calls 300
SB calls 150 (3 limpers behind. but, he still completes with 2-5o)
smokkee checks (checking this monster)

*** FLOP *** [Ah 3d 3c] (um ok slow play is in effect)

SB checks
smokkee checks
MP: am i really seeing a flop? lol
UTG bets 900
UTG+1 folds
MP folds
SB raises to 4,425
smokkee insta-calls 4,370, and is all in
UTG has 15 seconds left to act (ya i don't think your pocket 6's are good here)
UTG folds

SB shows [5s 2c] (he pushes all in with a gutshot draw, no pair)
smokkee shows [3h 9d]

*** TURN *** [Ah 3d 3c] [8s]
*** RIVER *** [Ah 3d 3c 8s] [4s] (pay the donkey play)

SB shows a straight, Five high
smokkee shows three of a kind, Threes
SB wins the pot (11,365) with a straight, Five high

Big_Bobo (Observer): no way...
ImNew666: wow lol

smokkee is BUSTOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Cash game swings
last week, i started playing 2/4 NL on Full Tilt to clear their $300 bonus offer. after about 1200 hands of TAG poker, i was up over five (5) buy-ins feeling pretty good about how things were going.

here are my stats after 1200 hands at 2/4 NL (full ring):



yesterday, i was up $500 on the day before i started a session last night. i discovered an aggro table where the avg pot size was over $100. i get on and find three total donks to my right along with some regulars i'm familiar with. i try to get involved in as many pots as i can with the donks, hoping to hit the flop hard and stack them. two of them were calling big raises and even reraises with sooted gappers. i bleed a bunch of chips and lose two huge pots with AsKs vs. 7c9c (flopped straight) and QTo vs. 6c9c (turned flush vs my 2p). you could not bet these clowns off their hands preflop. this made it impossible to put them on a hand. i went on to fire up another table to try and recover my losses. but, instead just played bad and finished last night's session down 3 buy-ins.

here are my stats after last night's session:



i haven't spent much time playing cash games the last few months. i dabbled in live games. but, rarely played cash games online. i was a bit gun shy with cash games after this debacle. so, i stuck to MTT's and SNG's where the variance doesn't sting as bad.

before last night's session, i was very happy with the way i was playing and my results. this morning, i look back at last night's session and just feel disgusted.

the good news is i cleared $280 of the $300 bonus and i'm still up over 2 buy-ins at 2/4 over the past week.