Loose Ends

Not a ton to report on the poker front -- haven't played much since the Tuesday bloggerments, where I combined playing bad with running bad, but...

Yesterday, I finally saw folks registered in a single table 2-7 triple draw SNG, so I thought I'd give it a go, after my middling run in the 2-7 Triple Draw MTT a couple weeks back. Ended up 2nd for a small cash, after playing fairly solidly, and taking down enough position bluffs to stay ahead of the short stacks. I did make one early mistake -- after taking down the first pot and playing the 2nd, I called down with four to a 7-high, not realizing there were no draws left. GG me, take my chips, please.

Took 2nd in the 50-runner bar poker game on Monday -- ship the gift certificate and Bit burgers.

Highlight of the week for me was Tuesday, though. After donking out of both bloggerments in colossally stuperific fashion, I managed to overcome some early beats to final table my 2nd $5.50 PLO MTT in a row, and with a better finish than last time:



(I was unable to improve and went out 3rd.)

I really do enjoy this particular tourney. Though I don't play it very often, I have managed to cash in it probably more often than I have any other regularly-scheduled MTT, probably 6-7 times over the past year. It's doublestacked, so nits like me can be patient. It's Omaha Hi, so you don't see folks playing stupid with a four-suited A27J. Well, not too often, anyway. I've seen anywhere from 140-200 players on a typical night. And even the final table tends to wind down at an hour where I can still get a good six hours sleep before work.

A small bonus is, I regularly run into this guy playing the same event.

So yeah, the 10:45 PM EST $5.50 DS PLO should be a regular part of your donkament diet, too. It's tasty and nutritious to one's bankroll.

Hoping to play some later today or this evening, but brunch with the Good Doctor Mondo, and my favorite bar poker dealer and his girl will likely keep me away from the Stars $100k.

Oh yeah, today's also the 50th Daytona 500 -- boogity boogity boogity. My boy Jamie Mac's been a relative disappointment, and the Fords truly appear to be Found On Road Dead this season, but he did win the summer race at Daytona last year, so go go go #26!

Fun Times on the Rail - Weekend Recap

Played a bit of poker this weekend, but spend much more time railing PoWdA (a fellow poster on the Poker in Colorado forums), and good times were had by all.

Saturday was pretty much a non-factor poker-wise, though I managed to play about 50 hands of .50/1.00 limit 2-7 Triple Draw over at PokerStars, and ended up 1/2 a buy-in. Played about 100 more hands of it on Sunday, and between the sessions, I must have ended up with a winrate of maybe 3BB/100 hands. Nothing to speak of, but makes up for some small Razz losses. One of these days, I'll learn how to play 2-7 Triple Draw profitably, but right now, it's okay to essentially tread water. I've already tightened my game up enough to where I won't chase draws unless I'm dealt at least three to an 8, unless I'm in an unraised blind. That may be a bit nitty, but probably saves me a few big bets when I'm looking at a rough nine after two draws, and I'm in front of someone who stands pat.

Tournaments were a slightly better proposition, where I played two, and cashed in one fairly deeply. In a $3 KO tourney on FullTilt with 1100 runners, and me down to 600 chips by the 2nd blind level, I was able to marshall the forces of ninja poker to end up collecting three bounties and going out 24th. With the 23rd place stack and A9o on the button, shoving into a BB who is holding wired Jacks is not often a winning proposition.

Now what is ninja poker? I'm not sure this qualifies, but what the hell:



And yes, I waited until after the flop to shove. Ninja poker is putting him on a Q, and knowing your three outer won't hit until the river, for dramatic effect. Or something. A more typical example of ninja poker is here - let them bet into you when you're holding top two and nut flush draw. And then, send them home with a smile.

Unfortunately, my favorite Stars $100k donkey fest was full, and I was unable to register. Next time I satellite in, I should know better than to turn it into $Ts, until I'm sure I won't be around to play. In my other tourney, a 4/180, I again ran a bit short of the money, but played well, and was probably one double-up from a cash. Ironically, it was a typical Eurodonk betting A-rag into my JJ (all in preflop), but flopping the miracle trip aces. What's the lesson? If you have JJ, you beat me. If I have JJ, play ATC, because you beat me. I'd rather have AJ than JJ at this point. The end result of my weekend was very much bankroll neutrality.

The real fun was railing PoWdA, however, in the $10+1 Stars Deep Stack, that starts at 10am in this timezone. I've played this tournament a few times previous (though not in a while), but had never made it more than 4-5 hours in. Wow. I had no idea at all how long this took, but I swear the Sunday Million started later and ended earlier than this. Thanks for the lesson, PoWdA, as I will never play this tourney again. The only way to make this tournament worth anything in terms of hourly rate is to finish in the top six or seven spots, given the length. I just can't play 13.5 hours in one online tournament in one day. PoWdA, however, can -- finishing 4th for about $1200, with a good handful of Holla Colorada poker players on the rail. Very very well done. PoWdA has the PoWa!

As far as I know, PoWdA isn't a blogger (yet), but this guy is, and he's degenerate enough to be entertaining. It's a new blog, but Scrupboy is on his own Chris Ferguson-ish quest to restore his Stars bankroll from...drumroll, please...SIXTY CENTS, to respectabiliy. He's up to about $11.50 already, and well on his way.

Speaking of well done, please head over to LJ's blog and congratulate her on a very nice five figure score this weekend. If I knew I could increase my winrate proportionate to the number of beers I quaffed at a live tourney, I'd follow the green glass diet, too.

Oh, and this just in: The people's champ for National League Rookie of the Year is about to sign a six year extention with option year. Woohoo! Duh duh duh-duh-duh duh-duh duh-duh...TULO!



You, sir, are a shortstop stud.