Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Reading is... cool




I have been sick with Pneumonia this week, I an so sick of sleeping and watching lame TV, I have started reading this book. As always, when I read a book I like to dig a little deeper.



I found this video on Youtube and it is pretty telling. For one, the commentary and photography is horrible. They say Stuey had a drug problem, well, yeah - look at him. He's as skinny as a rail, a skeleton. I like the fact that they brought out the cash for all final table finishers and it's dwarfed by today's prizes.



It's cool to see Benny Binion in the picture with the cash. Also, if you listen, the field was 75 people. Perry Green seems to be a poster child for Binion's with the cheap hat and his little plug at the end. It is really cool to see how Poker has changed over the years.

Now for some Tourney Pimping:

Well, if you can you should play the Mookie tonight, and the Hammer tourney on February 7th, get it 2-7.


Monday, January 29, 2007

Family Feud



We had 13 players for the 2nd Tourney of 2007. I used the Tournament Director 2 for the first time and had fun adding wav files. I warned everyone that some had bad words and some may not be what you want to hear when getting knocked out, but it's all in good fun - after all it is my joint.

I included links at various points in this post.

We started off the tourney with this one (caution some bad words).

The players were as follows:

1) Henry
2) Jim
3) Carol
4) Stacey
5) Cristine
6) Justin
7) Stuart
8) Jerry
9) Cindy
10) Todd
11) Rico
12) Godfrey
13) Armando

Play was fairly tight and we only had 3 rebuys, all from the same table. The un-lucky 3 were Justin, Jerry, and me. Not a good night for the J-names.

On the last hand before the break, I counted out 2900 chips to bring me down to 5K. I wanted to rebuy. I looked down and found KK and promptly misplayed them. Since I predetermined I would bet the 2900, that's what I did. Being the astute young lad that he is, Justin called figuring I was just chucking chips in for the rebuy.

Justin had A4 soooooted - otherwise known as "the Brad". The flop brought an Ace and Justin put me all in. I again misplayed by calling. Very dumb play.

Instead, the pre-flop move should have been to go all in or after the flop - fold. Why?

Basically there were three scenarios:

1) All in, Justin folds, pick up the blinds for an additional 1200. Result = 7,900 + 1,200 =9,100. Saving $10 and pretty much being close to the rebuy anyway.

2) Go in with the 2,900 like I did, but fold when the Ace is flopped, then rebuy = 7,900 -2,900 + 10,000 = 15,000.

3) Do what I did - lose all the chips, spend $10 and get 10,000.

Of course, I picked the worst play (number 3). Clearly, number 2 is the best choice given the Ace on the flop. Apparently, I didn't listen to the sound I played at the beginning of the 2nd, 20 minute round.

After the first break, everyone rebought and play continued. We were paying four spots.

Armando was the first one knocked out in 13th. His set of 6's were no match for Stuart's set of 7's. Tough one Mook. After he was out, I got moved to his seat. Armando being the first out is a real rarity. I programmed a special sound for him on the Tournament Director 2.

I was not at the table yet, but apparently earlier Godfrey had some tough hands against Cindy and Stacey and lost chips. He made a few successful attempts to gain his stack back with some all in moves, but was the next one out in 12th by Rico.

Rico moved all in with KK and i called with AK. The river brought me an A and Rico graciously bowed out in 11th. Todd fell in 10th and we were at the final table with 9. I played a sound clip from this guy

turn your volume down (bad words)

Chip counts were as follows:

PlayerCount
Stacey71K
Justin68K
Stuart53K
Jim52.5K
Carol51K
Cristine32K
Henry28K
Jerry21K
Cindy10.5K


Next a big multi-way pot came up and Henry took out both Jerry and Cindy. Their wee chip stacks fell to Henry and they were out in 8th and 9th. Cristine was also involved in the pot, but she and Henry checked it down so she didn't suffer much damage.

Stuart's nemesis, Carol, knocked him out in 7th. Stuart had AQ and Carol AK. AK held up and Carol chipped up huge.

Justin was the next victim in double-bubble position when my slow played set of 10's held out to his all-in move on the flush draw. Justin fell in 6th.

At this point Henry suggested a safe for $15. I declined, so it didn't happen. So he made a promise to Cristine. He said if she bubbled and he won - he would give her $15.

I was also lucky enough to knock out Cristine and we had the bubble girl out in 5th. She was a good sport when the sound for the bubble played through the room. she graciously laughed when this was played for the bubble girl.

Half of the proposition had come through - now Henry would need to win for Cristine to collect $15.

It was a family fued at this point. Henry, Carol, Stacey, and me.

Carol drew first blood- she knocked out Stacey in 4th.

I avenged Stacey, when my AK out lasted Carol's 66 without catching an ace or a king. This is a sick beat. The board flopped JJ8 and the turn was a 7 and the river another 8. Her 66 was orphaned and Carol was out in 3rd.

Henry and I had a duel that lasted a ridiculous 54 minutes. At some pont we chopped $90 each and played for a remaining $23. Initially, I had about a 4:1 advantage in chips. Henry reversed the advantage, I reversed it back, and then he reversed it again leaving me 1 5K chip. I was forced all in and it was over. Henry won again and has been on a real tear.

He happily paid Cristine the $15, which was cool.

Congratulations to Henry.

Thanks to everyone that brought food. It was nice to have both Cindy and Jerry. It had been a while since their last showing. Welcome back.

Here are the current standings.

Monday, January 15, 2007

2007 Season Opener


This is my new mascot and card protector. I received him from our friends Michael and Diane as a gift. Thanks!! I need a name for this little guy. Open to suggestions.

We kicked of the 2007 Tourney Season Saturday night. We had 20 players, namely:

1. Toby
2. Justin
3. Carol
4. Jim
5. Henry
6. Rico
7. Stacey
8. Joe
9. David
10. Stuart
11. Armando
12. Godfrey
13. Clara
14. Kitty
15. Todd
16. Mike B
17. Cristine
18. Michael Allan
19. Michael G.
20. Diane G.

We got started very close to on-time and there were 10 rebuys (Henry Moneymaker had 4 - tying a record with me ) before the break. We had one casualty when Diane got knocked out by Rico and decided not to rebuy. This has happened a couple of times. I recall Godfrey and Carol doing the same ondifferent occasions. Next time Diane...

On his third rebuy, Henry almost decided to throw in the towel, but much like Rocky Balboa, he decided to keep reaching deep (for Henry - it was deep in his pocket) and saw the thing through to the final table and a cash.

In total we had 16 add-ons. The pot was 460 units and the jackpot was 10 units.

I chipped up nicely by coming out on top in all-in situations with Godfrey (TJ for nut straight), Stuart (trip 10's (I think)), and a three person all-in between Michael Allan, Cristine and myself (QQ). I think I may have been chip leader at the break with about 60K.

After the break, things slowed down as usual. I got moved to another table and lost a tough hand against Justin when he turned his flush and out played me. I won a nice hand off Joe a little later to recoup the loss.

We lost people one by one (Armando was the final table Bubble) until we collapsed to the final table consisting of (forgot to get chip counts):

Toby - clearly the chip leader +175K
Justin
Carol
Jim ~ 62K - about average
Henry Bubble Line

Rico
Stacey
Joe
David
Stuart

The total chip count was $610K.

Play continued and people dropped out. Rico and I tangled and I got lucky knocked him out. This hand becomes the...

SPOTLIGHT HAND


Blinds at 5,000/10,000, I was in middle postion with and just called. This turned out to be a weak play by me, a good player would have raised preflop 3 or 4x with this hand, but I had this hand 3 other times and when I raised like a good player, I got at least one caller that hit the flop and took the pot. Also, I am trying to vary my play, especially with the poker groups at my house and Armando's because we are getting too predictable.

Rico called and the small blind called bring the pot to 40,000.

The flop was . The SB and BB checked and I bet 10,000. This was a bet designed to keep as many players in the pot as possible and create action. Rico went all in and had me outchipped. Based on the information he had at the time, this was a good play. He didn't figure me for AK since I just called. Every donkey has his day. The SB and BB folded and I of course called.

Rico turned over and he was crippled .

Rico actually played the hand perfectly based on the information he had, and my weak play worked out for me. This is usually not the case and I got lucky, lucky, lucky.

Rico was knocked out in the next hand and bubbled. This realy sucks and I can say I know how it feels because I bubbled the last three tourney's at Armando's.

2006 Big O Season 3 Weekly Results <---- Look
It blows!

We moved along and Henry was the next one out in fifth place. Soon after, I tried to make a move with Q7 and Justin took me out with AJ. Bad timing.

The big three: Carol, Justin and Toby (father and son) chopped for equal money and equal points.

Take a look here for the points and jackpot total.

Thanks, as always, to those that brought food. We will host again on Saturday, Jan 27th. Stay tuned for an evite.

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Tourney Points are Ready for Saturday

The tourney points blog is ready for Saturday. Check out the new page here.

In the future, you can use the RED link I created on the link list on the right side of this page.

This is going to be a fun season!

Monday, January 01, 2007

Happy New Year


HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

If you're looking for the post that describes the points , click here.

Stacey started the New Year off by receiving a nice gift from her Mom. Stacey collects roosters and displays them in the kitchen, this is our newest edition. Stacey's parents are some of our best gambling pals and are always on the lookout for the themed merchandise. Remember the clock from her Dad (link)?



We had a nice relaxing time here in Phoenix. I saw the new Rocky movie and it was OK. It was the best sequal one could make of this movie series, but that said, the story line is way, way played out. I hope I am in as good physical condition as Sly when I am 85 (haha).



We also saw Nacho Libre - "It was Fantastic". This was Napaloen Dynamiteish, and had some very funny parts.

We played two 8 or so person live games here at Stacey's parent's house. The first one stacey and I chopped. The second one , I bubbled, and Stacey took third. Great fun.

We had a very mellow New Year's Eve. We had a great dinner, watched the main event final table on ESPN-HD (Jamie Gold is such a tool) and then we all turned in by about 11:30AM. We talked to Lexi, who is in Austin at her Friend's house, at 12AM Texas time. All in all - pretty meeeeellllllloooooowwww.