Monday, October 20, 2008

Heartland Poker tour qualifier

Greektown Casino is having their 2nd Heartland Poker tour event of the year starting on October 24th. It is a $1650 buy-in, with their last event drawing nearly 500 players. I went downtown to play a $340 qualifier, with the top 20% of the field receiving spots in the HPT Main Event.

The structure was reasonably good, with 10K chips, blinds starting at 100/100 and 30 minute levels. I started off very good, picking up a few hands early (44 flopped a set, got value from flop and turn), AK hit TPTK, flopped bottom two pair, as well as picking up some small pots. I felt I had good control over the table and knew what most of the players were doing. During that time there were a few eliminations, and they were replaced by better players. I also was starting to get the feeling that people weren’t respecting my pre-flop raises as much, since I was opening up a lot of pots, so for the next 30 minutes or so, I went somewhat card dead, and tightened up considerably over this time.

We reached level 4, the 300/600 blind level, with me at about 12.5K in chips (down from a high water mark of a little over 14K). UTG, an older man who I had played at the cash table for about an hour before the tournament jammed for 6K. In our time at the cash table, he had gone through about 2 buy-ins, most notably way overplaying hands like A4 and A5 pre-flop. He had also been very active in the tournament, as he had gotten down to around 2500 at one point. Back to the hand…I was pretty sure he didn’t need a big hand to jam at this point. I put his range at most aces that are AT or better, and all pairs up to about QQ. I had JJ and decided that it was a trivial call from the cut-off position, and the rest folded. He disappointingly had AK and I was racing for a pot of 13K. The board ran out XXXXA, with him drilling the ace on the river to double up and badly hurt me. I was down to about 6K now….which was not quite desperation, but nowhere near the 19K I would have had had I won the flip.

About an orbit later, I was down to 5K, and blinds were still 300/600. Two players limped to me for 600. I was 2 to the right of the button with A9o. I decided to shove, as the pot had 2100 in it already, and both limpers seemed weak. If I were to pickup this pot it would increase my stack by over 40%. One player folded, and then the button went into the tank. The button (with a stack of around 18K) is apparently a regular player, named Yoshi. In the time he was at the table, he did nothing that made me believe he was a nutjob. Obviously I knew that if I got called I was in very bad shape (or should have been…hint…foreshadowing). Finally he called, which surprised and scared the crap out of me. The other players folded (as expected) and we turned over our cards. As I turned them over, I said, “I need help.” Much to my shock and dismay, he turned over 55!!!! I was actually in a coin flip to increase my stack from 5K to 12K. Of course the board bricked out, and I lost my 2nd coin-flip in 15 minutes, from both sides of the proverbial coin-flip fence.

This is the 3rd time I have been knocked out in a row from a Greektown tournament in a coin-flip where that my opponent made a horrible call with a small pair. My range of shoving hands in that situation is probably 70% of the time a coin-flip, and 25% of the time I am WAY ahead. The other 5% of the time I might have 22-44, or a hand like A2. And then of course, there is the chance (seemingly remote) that I actually win the coin flip and not have their bad call be rewarded.

Following my elimination, I played more cash. I made about 200 at the easy 1-2 game, despite donking off about 200 in the last hour or two. But the game is nowhere near as fun as the 2-5 game (where a little bit more poker is being played). Called Victory up to go to an expensive dinner at the Alley Grille, then won another 75 playing Pai Gow while enjoying a few beers.

But I guess I have to wait until the next HPT event to try another qualifier. In the meantime, this tourney served as another reminder of how excruciating tournament poker can be, especially when you are losing coin-flips.

Wednesday, October 01, 2008

A bad session

Played a bad session yesterday with many of the hands against the same villain (maybe I should have moved tables as he definitely got the better of me). It felt like I was playing slow and passive when I should have been playing and fast, and I was playing fast and blowing people off of hands when I had near-nut hands.

Hand #1: Me and the BB have nearly zero history. The only history I can recollect is him 3 betting me a few times, with me folding to his aggression.

Poker Stars $1/$2 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

MP: $284.70
CO: $308.35
Hero (BTN): $303.95
SB: $249.70
BB: $313.15
UTG: $194.00

Pre Flop: ($3.00) Hero is BTN with 7c 6c
3 folds, Hero raises to $6, 1 fold, BB raises to $24, Hero calls $18

Flop: ($49.00) Ac 4s 2s (2 players)
BB bets $35, Hero calls $35

Turn: ($119.00) 2h (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $72, BB calls $72

River: ($263.00) Ah (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $172.95 all in, BB calls $172.95

Final Pot: $608.90
Hero shows 7c 6c (two pair, Aces and Deuces)
BB shows Qd Qh (two pair, Aces and Queens)
BB wins $605.90
(Rake: $3.00)

The flop float was obviously very costly, but my thought was that by calling there my hand range “should” be extremely small…when he “gives up” and checks the turn, I feel like I know exactly where he was at (and I was right). I was surprised when he called the turn, but then when the ace rolls off on the river, and he checks to me I am about 99.9% certain he doesn’t have an ace and I can move in to pick up the pot. The funny thing is that I play any ace that I call his pre-flop 3 bet with the same exact way. He just happened to find the 1% of the time that I don’t destroy him.



Hand #2: Villain is reasonably tight.

Poker Stars $1/$2 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

UTG: $190.40
Hero (MP): $193.75
CO: $246.60
BTN: $218.00
SB: $201.00
BB: $401.65

Pre Flop: ($3.00) Hero is MP with Kd Ks
UTG raises to $6, Hero raises to $20, 4 folds, UTG calls $14

Flop: ($43.00) 7s 5c Jh (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $32, UTG raises to $75, Hero raises to $173.75 all in, UTG calls $95.40 all in

Turn: ($383.80) 2c (2 players - 2 are all in)

River: ($383.80) 5h (2 players - 2 are all in)

Final Pot: $383.80
UTG shows Ac As (two pair, Aces and Fives)
Hero mucks Kd Ks
UTG wins $380.80
(Rake: $3.00)

I don’t think I can not stack off here in this situation. Just bad luck that it was AA vs KK.



Hand #3: Button is very loose and I should be able to value bet him to death.

Poker Stars $1/$2 No Limit Hold'em - 5 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

BB: $163.90
UTG: $264.35
Hero (CO): $194.40
BTN: $302.15
SB: $187.00

Pre Flop: ($3.00) Hero is CO with 4d 4s
UTG raises to $6, Hero calls $6, BTN calls $6, SB calls $5, BB calls $4

Flop: ($30.00) 4c Kh 7d (5 players)
SB checks, BB checks, UTG checks, Hero bets $17, BTN calls $17, SB folds, BB calls $17, UTG folds

Turn: ($81.00) 8h (3 players)
BB checks, Hero checks, BTN bets $50, BB folds, Hero calls $50

River: ($181.00) 7s (2 players)
Hero bets $121.40 all in, BTN calls $121.40

Final Pot: $423.80
Hero shows 4d 4s (a full house, Fours full of Sevens)
BTN shows 8d 7h (a full house, Sevens full of Eights)
BTN wins $421.80
(Rake: $2.00)

I don’t like my turn check in retrospect, though I definitely thought 65 and 77 was very possible. I may have folded to a bet from the button and shove from the BB. In hindsight it probably would have ended the same way though. Obviously I am shoving the river hoping now that he has a straight, since 77 is extremely unlikely now. Just a bad river card.



Hand #4: Me and villain had been going at it for a while. He has 3 bet me a ton and folded once to a 4 bet. His numbers are something like 29/25. He is also EXTREMELY aggressive.

Poker Stars $1/$2 No Limit Hold'em - 5 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

UTG: $193.65
Hero (CO): $271.25
BTN: $205.00
SB: $208.00
BB: $103.00

Pre Flop: ($3.00) Hero is CO with 3s 3d
1 fold, Hero raises to $6, 1 fold, SB raises to $20, 1 fold, Hero calls $14

Flop: ($42.00) Ac Th 2h (2 players)
SB bets $32, Hero calls $32

Turn: ($106.00) 9h (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $62, SB raises to $156 all in, Hero folds

Final Pot: $230.00
SB wins $228.00
(Rake: $2.00)

As I said above, he has 3 bet me above, so I float the flop. Perhaps my bet was too weak on the turn, but I wanted to look like I was leaving enough for a big river bet as well. Obviously floating was quite a problem for me last night.



Hand #5: His numbers are 29/25, so his flat call of my PF raise feels more like a mid-pocket pair than an ace.

Poker Stars $1/$2 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

UTG: $278.90
Hero (MP): $312.40
CO: $247.50
BTN: $53.30
SB: $207.00
BB: $200.30

Pre Flop: ($3.00) Hero is MP with 4d As
1 fold, Hero raises to $6, CO calls $6, 2 folds, BB calls $4

Flop: ($19.00) Ah 8s Ad (3 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $14, CO calls $14, BB folds

Turn: ($47.00) Th (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $32, Hero calls $32

River: ($111.00) 7c (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $111, Hero calls $111

Final Pot: $333.00
Hero mucks 4d As
CO shows 7s 7d (a full house, Sevens full of Aces)
CO wins $330.00
(Rake: $3.00)

I check the turn planning on letting him bet if I beat him, and for pot control if I am wrong about him having an ace. His river bet scared the hell out of me, as it felt like it was a big value bet (since my hand was relatively face-up). But I still felt he would bluff the river as well, so I felt obliged to call.



Hand #6: Same villain as hand #4 and #5. I call pre-flop because of the other two calls.

Poker Stars $1/$2 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

BTN: $194.00
Hero (SB): $340.00
BB: $212.60
UTG: $454.10
MP: $651.30
CO: $100.10

Pre Flop: ($3.00) Hero is SB with Qc 9c
1 fold, MP raises to $6, CO calls $6, BTN calls $6, Hero calls $5, 1 fold

Flop: ($26.00) Ac 7c 4s (4 players)
Hero checks, MP bets $18, CO folds, BTN calls $18, Hero calls $18

Turn: ($80.00) Qd (3 players)
Hero checks, MP bets $54, BTN folds, Hero calls $54

River: ($188.00) Kd (2 players)
Hero checks, MP checks

Final Pot: $188.00
Hero shows Qc 9c (a pair of Queens)
MP shows Kc Th (a pair of Kings)
MP wins $185.00
(Rake: $3.00)

The flop felt like an easy call, but frankly I didn’t like the turn at all and think I should have led out at it, or check-shoved. I was a little tilted from the river on the 77 hand while playing this one. Of course he got there with a hand that beat me again. Overall felt really bad about the play of this one.



Hand #7: Same villain again.

Poker Stars $1/$2 No Limit Hold'em - 5 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

SB: $296.50
Hero (BB): $200.00
UTG: $274.70
CO: $81.00
BTN: $248.00

Pre Flop: ($3.00) Hero is BB with Jh Ad
UTG raises to $6, 3 folds, Hero calls $4

Flop: ($13.00) Jc 4h 9d (2 players)
Hero checks, UTG bets $10, Hero raises to $30, UTG calls $20

Turn: ($73.00) 4c (2 players)
Hero bets $42, UTG calls $42

River: ($157.00) 8h (2 players)
Hero bets $62, UTG folds

Final Pot: $157.00
Hero mucks Jh Ad
Hero wins $155.00
(Rake: $2.00)

I was actually kind of afraid that he got there on the river for a straight, and probably bet too small. Not sure what he had that would fold the river.



Hand #8: Again the same villain.

Poker Stars $1/$2 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

SB: $279.50
Hero (BB): $276.00
UTG: $215.40
MP: $90.95
CO: $200.00
BTN: $240.00

Pre Flop: ($3.00) Hero is BB with 9c 9d
UTG raises to $6, 2 folds, BTN calls $6, 1 fold, Hero calls $4

Flop: ($19.00) 7s Ac 9s (3 players)
Hero checks, UTG bets $14, BTN calls $14, Hero raises to $54, UTG calls $40, BTN folds

Turn: ($141.00) 4h (2 players)
Hero bets $92, UTG folds

Final Pot: $141.00
Hero mucks 9c 9d
Hero wins $138.00
(Rake: $3.00)

I was surprised he folded here. I debated checking but with the flush and straight draw possible I decided to lead out hoping he had a big ace.



Hand #9: Villain is kind of loose bad. I think he does this with most top pairs, draws and 2 pairs. Maybe I could have flatted the flop and then folded the turn.

Poker Stars $1/$2 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

BB: $156.00
Hero (UTG): $277.25
MP: $201.60
CO: $432.05
BTN: $203.00
SB: $180.25

Pre Flop: ($3.00) Hero is UTG with Ad As
Hero raises to $6, 1 fold, CO calls $6, 1 fold, SB calls $5, 1 fold

Flop: ($20.00) Jd Ks 3c (3 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $12, CO folds, SB raises to $32, Hero raises to $92, SB raises to $174.25 all in, Hero calls $82.25

Turn: ($368.50) Qs (2 players - 1 is all in)

River: ($368.50) 5s (2 players - 1 is all in)

Final Pot: $368.50
Hero mucks Ad As
SB shows Kd Jh (two pair, Kings and Jacks)
SB wins $365.50
(Rake: $3.00)



Hand #10: Unknown villain here.

Poker Stars $1/$2 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

CO: $314.25
Hero (BTN): $214.30
SB: $198.00
BB: $39.30
UTG: $182.60
MP: $147.20

Pre Flop: ($3.00) Hero is BTN with Tc Td
3 folds, Hero raises to $6, SB calls $5, 1 fold

Flop: ($14.00) Ad 8s Ts (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $10, SB raises to $24, Hero raises to $58, SB folds

Final Pot: $62.00
Hero mucks Tc Td
Hero wins $59.00
(Rake: $3.00)

He makes a small flop check-raise, so instead of flatting I elect to make a small three bet with middle set, leaving still $100+ behind to look like I can fold. Unfortunately he folds.