The Departed - and breaking the bubble

Went to see the The Departed last night with Mook, MM, Henry, Carol, and my mobster wife mobster wife (LOL). It was a really great movie. Matt Damon and especially Jack Nicholsen were brilliant. DiCaprio took third.

Played a great tourney at The Big-O Friday night. 20 entries made for a lot of action. I doubled up early with K8 when Mellissa had J10 on a KJ6 flop. She went all-in from early position and I didn't want to fold top pair with a rebuy possible so early in the tourney. Everyone folded around to me and I called. My K held up and I doubled up. I made some good plays and after the rebuy had about 60K - I was 2nd in chips to Bubba.

Henry bluffed me off two pots when I had small pairs. Once he had 73 and once with J3. These were stone cold bluffs and I was outplayed with weak/winning hands. All were tough situations, but this means it is time to change up my play some. Apparently, I am too predictable.

Later I had 36o in the SB with the blinds at 500/1000. There we six callers so I limped (13to1 on the call) an absolute no-brainer. BB didn't raise and the flop was 456.

I was open ended and checked, then we had check, check, to LeeAnn who bet 2K, call, call, so the pot was 16K. I had an open ended straight with top (little) pair. I had 8 (straight) +2 outs (for trips), 10 outs gives me a 40% chance to improve my hand in the next two cards, so I called, the next two folded.

The turn was a 7 giving me the straight. I checked, LeeAnn bet 7K, it folded around to me and I raised to 15K. LeeAnn called. The river was a K. I went all-in and LeeAnn called. She showed 44 and had a set, my straight held up and I collected my first and only bounty card.

This a case where playing favorable pot odds with real shit cards can pay off. It doesn't happen very often, but when it does, it can be lucrative. There was no way she could put me on 36o.

At the next break, I had 104.5K and was 2nd in chips to Brad (106K). Brad sat to my immediate left all night, and that was a difficult situation as Brad is quite aggressive and my SB was always in jeopardy.

We played 5 and 6 handed for an excruciating long time before we combined tables. Clara out played me on two big pots and I lost about 50% of my nice stack before we combined. I chipped up a little and had 84K when we combined, but the blinds were 5/10K. Not much room to maneuver.

Somehow I made it past the bubble and took 5th. I was ousted by David when I pushed my last 10K with QTo. Unfortunately David had QQ, the Q on the river added insult to injury and I was - out.

Stacey hung on and took 3rd. So the Winter team took home some bacon. Stacey moved to within $16 from top ten on the money list.

For me, for now... Online NO, Vegas YES

No online poker for me since October 4th. I am kind of sick of it. I could give a crap about HR 4954, so that's not my reason, just tired of spending hours and hours in front of the PC after spending hours and hours doing the same thing at work. I will return, but not just right now.

Interesting link about the sites that support (and don't support) US players for online Poker here

I am focusing on books and live games until... VEGAS BABY!!!


Steve and I are going to join Mook and Mrs. Mook in Vegas in early November. We are going to stay at the Rio. $57 a night is a real deal through the total rewards program at the RIO. Yeah!!!

I plan on playing poker at the MGM, Luxor, Ceasars, and the Sahara. I will also see if Black Jack, Craps, and Roulette will continue to treat me right at the RIO.

Next live game is at the Big-O on the 2oth, then my house on the 27th or 28th.