Bad Timing and Bad Play

Had a very good start last night with one hand of trip 6’s and another k’s to go from 1500 chips to 5800 chips and top ten position.

And yes in the second hour I donated all my chips with a series of missteps including.

- KK vs. AK --- Cost me half my chips

- QQ vs 55 ---- Extremely bad call on my part. Should have let it go

- AA vs my Shorted Stack KQs and I was out. WOW

So in a matter of 20 minutes I donked off all my chips after a great start. I have to get more disciplined during the mid play. I can’t risk 40-50% of my chips in at best 50/50 scenario. In each one of the plays I called a large raise with marginal calling hands. This is a major leakage on my part and I need to work on not doing this. Do not call large raises with marginal hands in the hopes you are at best 50/50.

I think my problem is that I’m in turbo playing mode and need to get into regular tournament mode.

At least I’m recognizing the fact that there is leakage in my game and I will work to improve that.

Riverchasers 4

Going to play in Riverchases 4 tonite. Didn't know it but the hammerday game was part of the overall ranking. :)

From a Low of 414

Playing the 15k at full tilt last night I found myself with 414 chips with the blinds at 100/200 after he rivered on my leaving me crippled. So I threw in my last chips with a 5 9 suited and tripled up. And then doubled up again the next hand. Somehow I kept surviving and ended up in the money in 40th.

Basically, I was on a free roll at that point and was just thorouhly enjoying myself.

From losing my 26 I won 76 so I was ok with that.

Andy Bloch

Wow, Andy Block cracked my aces last night with his two pair on the 1/2 table.What a surprise to see him at a low $ table let alone there being 3 seats available. It would have been better to win of course but thats ok too.

Pros I Played with on line.

Chris Ferguson
Andy Bloch

Bankroll Protection

When the legislation came into place I unloaded most of my stack into neteller and my bank. It was very easy to move money between sites and accounts. However I did not leave enough at the poker sites to handle the normal swings and what I am now doing is bankroll protection. Instead of playing 3 tables simul I may play 2 or even 1, Instead of a $26, I drop down to $10 or even $5 just because its such a pain in the ass to reload. I think others are doing the same thing.But I won't quit, unless its just gets impossible. I may be a fish, I don't think so, but I will continue to plug along and improve as long as I can.

Can't Lay Them Down

Why do I have to look up someone when I’m 90% sure I’m beat. I had pocket aces with 10,10,3,3 on the board and looking at a big raise. I got to stop calling thinking that I am being beat out of the pot with a bluff. I got to get back into the mentality that it is ok to make a small mistake rather than blowing off most of your chips. I will never become the player that I hope to become by not laying down these types of hands. So what did the guy have? Well I was right in that he did not have a 10. No, he had 2 of them for quads and I’m left with 400 chips. I did battle back to 4000 chips and made it to the bubble when my AQ fell to 99 and I was out in 37th. Yes 36th paid out but I was so short stacked that everyone was waiting to bust me. Should I have been blinded in the hopes of someone else going out……maybe, but I think the object is to fight and try for the final table. And I would have been in better shape by laying the A's down.

DEM QUEEN BITCHES

At a $10 poker stars MTT I was playing at slightly above the chip average when I was dealt Q's, not once or twice but three time in a row.

QQ(1) - Raise 3x all fold and I collect antes.
QQ(2) - Raise 3x and called . K on flop and I subsequently loose to KQ. I did not play this well as I should have thrown them away when the K hit but his raises were so small against what was in the pot I was still priced in.
QQ(3) - Raise 3x and re-raised 2x and I call. Qxx hits the board for trips and we get all our chips in. He shows KK and of course a K hits the river and I am out.

As everyone knows Q's are a good hand but not a great hand and should be played cautiously. Everyone one of these played out differently. I'm OK with QQ(3) as he was down to 2 outs on the river and shit like that is gonna happen.

I'm pissed at QQ(2) as by playing that way I gave him enough chips to knock me out one hand later.

I'm still learning

Poker God Humor

Played over at Foxwood the other night and came away with about $60 to the good. It was an great night with interesting people including one guy who was trying to recover by raising every pot irregardless of what hands he had. He made back a little but he made the table laugh everytime he did it.

One very intersting hand did occur that evening.

The dealer was dealing at he flipped over and exposed an 8 to me. As it was exposed the 8 was then the burn card. I looked at the card that replaced the exposed card ant was a J and as it turned out my second card was also a J. Great for once I improved on an exposed card.

The flop was 8...8...8 which would have given me quads. But OK I still had a full house with JJ888. The turn was an A and the round was being bet heavly as no one was afraid of quads. Cr*P, boo, but I still call.

The turn was a J giving me the second nuts (AA is the nuts which no one has) and I take down a very nice pot which was mine to begin with.

Sometimes the Poker Gods have a sense of humor.

The Future of Poker On Line

I sit here and wonder if I even feel like playing poker anymore. I enjoy it but I don't know if it is worthwhile to sign up for another service or not. It looks like getting money in and out is going to get more difficult. Right now I have about $20 at FT and $300 at Pokerstars. Normally I would transfer some of that over as I enjoy Full Tilt so much more. Right now, I must take a step back and analyze what the next steps before either going on a megatilt before quiting or just take a wait and see approach.

GOOD NEWS

The good news I final tabled a turbo $10 in 7th /550 for $180 when shortstacked my KQ against A7 which did not improve.

Hot and Cold

Played like a dog last night in tournament play. Went out early with weak playing on two tournaments including WWDN. And then played bubble boy on horse. How do you bubble out where at one point you are in 8th. 40th pays and I was 41st. bahh.

Fortunately I more than made up for the losses playing horse with players that were playing cards that I couldn't believe. How does one believe a pair of aces is good in stud.

This is very common if I play both tournaments and cash. One ususally offsets the others. Don't know if that is good or bad but it is common.

Boney's Poker Axiom No. 8 - Trying to leave early

It is impossible to say "Sorry, I got to go" in the middle of the tournament without then winning six hands in a row.

Boney's Poker Axiom No. 9 - Buyins

The higher the buyin the more major interuptions or emergencies you will have during the tournament

Boney's Poker Axiom No. 10 - Suckouts

The lower your chip stack is in the red zone or dead zone the more likely you are to suckout a one outer. Your 350 chips will be doubled to 750 when the average chip count is 20000.

The corollary to this is the higher your chip stack and the closer you are to the final table someone with more chips will suck out on you with a one outer.

Good Wins On PS 45 Turbos

As everyone knows the Poker Stars 45 turbos are nothing more than a crapshoot but they are a lot of fun when you have limitied time. Placed first in a $5 and second in a $10 to up my account almost $200 on back to back tournaments.

Good poker... probably not.

But good fun

Later

Bones

Never Play When there is a Party Later On

Why is it that the less time you have to complete tournament the deeper you get. Case in point: Started playing the 2:00 pm $3 rebuy on stars. We were having company in at 7:30 so I figured plenty of time right? Wrong. After 2300 people signed in on with rebuys I found myself in 15th with 30 left and yes it was 7:30 with the doorbell ringing. Rapid playing , bad decisions, I was out in 21st. Can't complain but why doesn't this deep happen when one has plenty of time.

Hand of the tournament: My QQ vs. AK vs. AK. No A or K hits the board and I triple up.

Later

Bones

Poker Boneyard

Poker Boneyard

Well, I finished 7th in the Mookie last night. Had good cards and played ok. Made an early all in with 10's against A8 with a king on the borad when I felt that I had the best hand.

Lost to 9's with AKs but I was starting to get a bit short stacked. Kinda wished that I would have called and looked at the flop but that would commit 1/3 of my chips. Was hoping that I was against a low pair or AQ where it might have been laid down.

I enjoy playing the Mookie because there is a good level of poker there and it has helped my game. I will continue playing and hope to make it in the money. I suggest that anyone interested in improving ones game try this one.

Does it take a major suck out (or more) to win a tourney

OK Now that Mookie found (and linked) my attempt to startup a blog, I guess I need to start really blogging in earnest.

My question of the day. Can you win a tournament without one or more suckouts. I was watching the red rock tourament where Phil G. caught a 9 for a set to win the hand and then ultimately the whole thing. Albeit it was not a major suckout as he did have a flush draw but still he needed it to continue.

Last night I went deep, but did not win, when my J's tripped up on the river to beat Q's. I subsequently at the final was crippled when my AK was beaten by an A9 when a 9 hit.

So have any of you won a tournament solely on having superior cards or through superior play without having to rely on a suckout.

Opening Soon

Allmost open for business.