You Have Got to Be Kidding

Sometimes I wonder who I murdered in a past life. I really thought this was gonna be my huge score. I felt like I played really, especially down the stretch, but yet again it wasn't meant to be.

Here is the huge hand that I basically went out on...

PokerStars Game #44533782473: Tournament #312020010, $200+$15 USD Hold'em No Limit - Level XXXIV (125000/250000) - 2010/05/24 2:04:45 ET

Table '312020010 125' 9-max Seat #5 is the button

Seat 2: suckout9 (8679208 in chips)

Seat 4: Browntown19 (3749434 in chips)

Seat 5: badbeatninja (5269107 in chips)

Seat 6: Timur Valeev (2697465 in chips)

Seat 7: loungeactOo (8913450 in chips)

Seat 8: fishbones11 (4469659 in chips)

suckout9: posts the ante 25000

Browntown19: posts the ante 25000

badbeatninja: posts the ante 25000

Timur Valeev: posts the ante 25000

loungeactOo: posts the ante 25000

fishbones11: posts the ante 25000

Timur Valeev: posts small blind 125000

loungeactOo: posts big blind 250000

*** HOLE CARDS ***

Dealt to fishbones11 [Kd Kh]

fishbones11: raises 305555 to 555555

suckout9: folds

Browntown19: folds

badbeatninja: folds

Timur Valeev: calls 430555

loungeactOo: folds

*** FLOP *** [7s 6h 5h]

Timur Valeev: bets 2116910 and is all-in

fishbones11: calls 2116910

*** TURN *** [7s 6h 5h] [8d]

*** RIVER *** [7s 6h 5h 8d] [8h]

*** SHOW DOWN ***

Timur Valeev: shows [9c Kc] (a straight, Five to Nine)

fishbones11: shows [Kd Kh] (two pair, Kings and Eights)

badbeatninja said, "8!"

Timur Valeev collected 5744930 from pot

*** SUMMARY ***

Total pot 5744930 | Rake 0

Board [7s 6h 5h 8d 8h]

Seat 2: suckout9 folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Seat 4: Browntown19 folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Seat 5: badbeatninja (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Seat 6: Timur Valeev (small blind) showed [9c Kc] and won (5744930) with a straight, Five to Nine

Seat 7: loungeactOo (big blind) folded before Flop

Seat 8: fishbones11 showed [Kd Kh] and lost with two pair, Kings and Eights

If I win this hand I believe I'm in 3rd with 10 left. Instead this complete moron takes me out 2 hands later when I shove A7 and he calls with 66 and holds.

Hard to explain how crushed I feel right now, but I guess I chose this game to play for a living.

On a positive note I feel like I'm playing my best poker in a long time and this years wsop should be a big success.

I'll be back....

Adam

More Disappointments

Well it's been more deep runs and even more frustrations. I feel like I can't get any closer to a good score every single day.

Today I finished 28th in the 12k guaranteed and 15th in the 3r. The 3r was 10k to win and starting with 7,000 players. I can't understand how I can constantly make the final 100 of these fields with 3k+ players without final tabling them any of them. The level of play in these things is literally a joke. Imagine the level of play in a 1/2 live cash game, and now divide that skill level by 5. These are the players that I am having trouble beating as soon as I make the final 50 of a tournament, which btw is what I would consider the strong point of my game.

One hand today that drove me crazy was with about 17 left in the 3r. I raised utg to 115k at 25k/50k with a 2.5 mill stack with AK and the bb called with 1.2 mill. Flop was 45J, the bb checked I bet 160k and he make it 320k. I had a note on him from earlier in the tournament that his min raises pree flop were weak, so I guessed that post flop would probably be similar. By re raising I would be committed to his shove, but I thought raising to 575k looked strongest instead of shoving so that's what I did. Obviously he ships in with 33 and holds after I'm forced to call. It's funny because I would have played a ton of hands the exact same way that all have him drawing almost dead but of course his play works out because he deserved it. 5 mins after that I busted with 1010 to 99 aip for 2.5 mill.

I'm still around -$200 since starting the challenge so it's no big deal, but obviously beyond tilting.

The one positive I can take from this is that I seem to be going deeper and deeper everyday, and Pokerstars always seems to do that do you directly before a good run, so hopefully that is around the corner.

Hopefully my next blog will be well on the way to the 25k goal....

Rough Start

Well I was hoping to have a good start to the challenge but it hasn't happened. I have had a couple deep runs with no help from the gods deep. I finished 13th in the 30k on the first night, and just finished 59th in the 5r busting on a fun one..

PokerStars Game #42918413808: Tournament #307010751, $5.00+$0.50 USD Hold'em No Limit - Level XXV (8000/16000) - 2010/04/19 22:37:20 ET

Table '307010751 139' 9-max Seat #4 is the button

Seat 2: BIGNUTZ87 (217806 in chips)

Seat 3: cgarbin (567974 in chips)

Seat 4: fishbones11 (90713 in chips)

Seat 5: MILIU81 (91448 in chips)

Seat 6: CeyeA (139010 in chips)

Seat 7: mymanstu (369609 in chips)

Seat 8: Kilor023 (475321 in chips)

Seat 9: 42rook (383807 in chips)

BIGNUTZ87: posts the ante 1600

cgarbin: posts the ante 1600

fishbones11: posts the ante 1600

MILIU81: posts the ante 1600

CeyeA: posts the ante 1600

mymanstu: posts the ante 1600

Kilor023: posts the ante 1600

42rook: posts the ante 1600

MILIU81: posts small blind 8000

CeyeA: posts big blind 16000

*** HOLE CARDS ***

Dealt to fishbones11 [As Ac]

mymanstu: folds

Kilor023: folds

42rook: folds

BIGNUTZ87: raises 16000 to 32000

cgarbin: folds

fishbones11: raises 57113 to 89113 and is all-in

MILIU81: folds

CeyeA: folds

BIGNUTZ87: calls 57113

*** FLOP *** [7c 7s 2s]

*** TURN *** [7c 7s 2s] [9c]

*** RIVER *** [7c 7s 2s 9c] [6h]

*** SHOW DOWN ***

BIGNUTZ87: shows [8d 5d] (a straight, Five to Nine)

fishbones11: shows [As Ac] (two pair, Aces and Sevens)

BIGNUTZ87 collected 215026 from pot

*** SUMMARY ***

Total pot 215026 | Rake 0

Board [7c 7s 2s 9c 6h]

Seat 2: BIGNUTZ87 showed [8d 5d] and won (215026) with a straight, Five to Nine

Seat 3: cgarbin folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Seat 4: fishbones11 (button) showed [As Ac] and lost with two pair, Aces and Sevens

Seat 5: MILIU81 (small blind) folded before Flop

Seat 6: CeyeA (big blind) folded before Flop

Seat 7: mymanstu folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Seat 8: Kilor023 folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Seat 9: 42rook folded before Flop (didn't bet)

I believe I am down something like $200-300 since starting the challenge so it's not that big of a deal, but these close calls are getting old.

I'll be back...

$25k in 45 days

So since my last blog things have not gone well in poker. My post to "help me run better deep" seems to have served as a curse, and increased the strength of the doom switch power on my pokerstars.com account. I have since parted ways with my backer, for both his reasons and mine, and have dropped down in stakes.

Since then I have had small wins in the low stakes mtts, but I have not had the motivation to play my best. Therefor I am creating a challenge for myself. 25k in 45 days. I'm starting tonight, and hopefully I will be able to get off to a good start. There is a possibility that I may be getting staked in the high stakes tournaments again, so that in turn I can get staked for the wsop this year. If that happens, I will consider half of any profits in tournaments I am staked for towards the goal of 25k.

I am going to try to do much more blog updates with results and progress towards the goal.

here we go....

Hopefully this blog will make me run better

First off I know that I haven't posted a blog in literally over a year. Idk why but I just got sick of it, and I felt like most of my posts didn't' have good content anyway so I just stopped.

I have been going deep like crazy lately and just haven't been able to close anything. I remembered a long time ago writing a blog about how I finished final 2 tables in so many tournaments, and how frustrating it was. And like majic right after that post, I starting crushing and closing tourneys. So I'm hopeing this post will have a similar result.

I have finished on the final 3 tables 18 times in the last week and a half without a win. Out of those 18 times, I believe I only ft'ed 4 tourneys, and havn't had a single score over 10k. I understand that it sounds like I'm bitching about winning good money, but it's so frustrating as an mtt grinder to have an unbelievable amount of chances to win some really good money, and not even being able to close 1 out of 18 tournaments. 9 final 2 tables in my last 2 sessions alone makes me want to break yet another mouse or monitor.

So I'm hoping this post gives me some run good deep in tourneys. One time this Sunday please

I'll be back....

Funny Heads up match

Been playing a little 1/2 hu lately, as the tournaments have not been going well, although I am going to go on a heater soon for sure.

Here are some funny hands that all happened within 10 minutes, gotta love the tilt.

Full Tilt Poker Game #7421025161: Table Ella (heads up) - $1/$2 -

No Limit Hold'em - 2:56:35 ET - 2008/07/29
Seat 1: Fishbones11 ($461.90)
Seat 2: LooseZepher ($201)
LooseZepher posts the small blind of $1
Fishbones11 posts the big blind of $2
The button is in seat #2

Holecards
Dealt to Fishbones11
LooseZepher raises to $4
Fishbones11 calls $2

Flop (Pot : $8.00)


Fishbones11 checks
LooseZepher bets $8
Fishbones11 raises to $24
LooseZepher calls $16

Turn (Pot : $56.00)


Fishbones11 bets $35
LooseZepher calls $35

River (Pot : $126.00)


Fishbones11 has 15 seconds left to act
Fishbones11 bets $100
LooseZepher calls $100

Showdown
Fishbones11 shows three of a kind, Fives
LooseZepher mucks
Fishbones11 wins the pot ($325.50) with three of a kind, Fives
LooseZepher adds $162

Summary
Total pot $326 | Rake $0.50
Board:


Seat 1: Fishbones11 (big blind) showed and won ($325.50) with three of a kind, Fives
Seat 2: LooseZepher (small blind) mucked - a pair of FivesFull Tilt Poker Game #7421064364: Table Ella (heads up) - $1/$2 - No Limit Hold'em - 3:01:47 ET - 2008/07/29

*************************************************************************************

Full Tilt Poker Game #7421030489: Table Ella (heads up) - $1/$2 - No Limit Hold'em - 2:57:18 ET - 2008/07/29
Seat 1: Fishbones11 ($624.40)
Seat 2: LooseZepher ($200)
Fishbones11 posts the small blind of $1
LooseZepher posts the big blind of $2
The button is in seat #1

Holecards
Dealt to Fishbones11
Fishbones11 raises to $6
LooseZepher calls $4

Flop (Pot : $20.00)


LooseZepher bets $12
Fishbones11 raises to $36
LooseZepher calls $24

Turn (Pot : $140.00)


LooseZepher checks
Fishbones11 bets $55
LooseZepher calls $55

River (Pot : $320.00)


LooseZepher checks
Fishbones11 bets $527.40, and is all in
LooseZepher calls $103, and is all in
Uncalled bet of $424.40 returned to Fishbones11

Showdown
Fishbones11 shows a flush, Ace high
LooseZepher mucks
Fishbones11 wins the pot ($399.50) with a flush, Ace high
LooseZepher adds $200

Summary
Total pot $400 | Rake $0.50
Board:
Seat 1: Fishbones11 (small blind) showed and won ($399.50) with a flush, Ace high
Seat 2: LooseZepher (big blind) mucked - a pair of Aces

*************************************************************************************

Full Tilt Poker Game #7421041713: Table Ella (heads up) - $1/$2 - No Limit Hold'em - 2:58:47 ET - 2008/07/29
Seat 1: Fishbones11 ($819.90)
Seat 2: LooseZepher ($203.60)
Fishbones11 posts the small blind of $1
LooseZepher posts the big blind of $2
The button is in seat #1

Holecards
Dealt to Fishbones11
Fishbones11 raises to $6
LooseZepher raises to $21
Fishbones11 calls $15

Flop (Pot : $62.00)


LooseZepher bets $32
Fishbones11 has 15 seconds left to act
Fishbones11 raises to $96
LooseZepher calls $64

Turn (Pot : $374.00)


LooseZepher bets $86.60, and is all in
Fishbones11 calls $86.60
LooseZepher shows
Fishbones11 shows

River (Pot : $727.20)


LooseZepher shows a pair of Sixes
Fishbones11 shows a straight flush, Seven high
Fishbones11 wins the pot ($406.70) with a straight flush, Seven high
LooseZepher adds $200

Summary
Total pot $407.20 | Rake $0.50
Board:
Seat 1: Fishbones11 (small blind) showed and won ($406.70) with a straight flush, Seven high
Seat 2: LooseZepher (big blind) showed and lost with a pair of Sixes

*************************************************************************************

Full Tilt Poker Game #7421050698: Table Ella (heads up) - $1/$2 - No Limit Hold'em - 2:59:58 ET - 2008/07/29
Seat 1: Fishbones11 ($998)
Seat 2: LooseZepher ($224.50)
Fishbones11 posts the small blind of $1
LooseZepher posts the big blind of $2
The button is in seat #1

Holecards
Dealt to Fishbones11
Fishbones11 raises to $6
LooseZepher raises to $21
Fishbones11 calls $15

Flop (Pot : $104.00)


LooseZepher checks
Fishbones11 checks

Turn (Pot : $416.00)


LooseZepher bets $32
Fishbones11 calls $32

River (Pot : $833.20)


LooseZepher bets $86
Fishbones11 calls $86

Showdown
LooseZepher shows a pair of Tens
Fishbones11 shows two pair, Tens and Fives
Fishbones11 wins the pot ($277.50) with two pair, Tens and Fives
LooseZepher adds $114.50

Summary
Total pot $278 | Rake $0.50
Board:
Seat 1: Fishbones11 (small blind) showed and won ($277.50) with two pair, Tens and Fives
Seat 2: LooseZepher (big blind) showed and lost with a pair of Tens

*************************************************************************************

Full Tilt Poker Game #7421055690: Table Ella (heads up) - $1/$2 - No Limit Hold'em - 3:00:37 ET - 2008/07/29
Seat 1: Fishbones11 ($1,136.50)
Seat 2: LooseZepher ($200)
LooseZepher posts the small blind of $1
Fishbones11 posts the big blind of $2
The button is in seat #2

Holecards
Dealt to Fishbones11
LooseZepher raises to $4
Fishbones11 calls $2

Flop (Pot : $112.00)


Fishbones11 checks
LooseZepher bets $8
Fishbones11 calls $8

Turn (Pot : $440.00)


Fishbones11 bets $22
LooseZepher raises to $64
Fishbones11 has 15 seconds left to act
Fishbones11 calls $42

River (Pot : $985.20)


Fishbones11 checks
LooseZepher bets $124, and is all in
Fishbones11 calls $124

Showdown
LooseZepher shows a pair of Threes
Fishbones11 shows a flush, Ace high
Fishbones11 wins the pot ($399.50) with a flush, Ace high
LooseZepher adds $200

Summary
Total pot $400 | Rake $0.50
Board:
Seat 1: Fishbones11 (big blind) showed and won ($399.50) with a flush, Ace high
Seat 2: LooseZepher (small blind) showed and lost with a pair of Threes

*************************************************************************************

Seat 1: Fishbones11 ($1,334)
Seat 2: LooseZepher ($203.60)
Fishbones11 posts the small blind of $1
LooseZepher posts the big blind of $2
The button is in seat #1

Holecards
Dealt to Fishbones11
Fishbones11 raises to $6
LooseZepher raises to $21
Fishbones11 calls $15

Flop (Pot : $154.00)


LooseZepher bets $32
Fishbones11 raises to $86
LooseZepher calls $54

Turn (Pot : $654.00)


LooseZepher checks
Fishbones11 bets $186
LooseZepher calls $96.60, and is all in
Fishbones11 shows
LooseZepher shows
Uncalled bet of $89.40 returned to Fishbones11

River (Pot : $1,481.80)


Fishbones11 shows a pair of Kings
LooseZepher shows Ace King high
Fishbones11 wins the pot ($406.70) with a pair of Kings
LooseZepher adds $200

Summary
Total pot $407.20 | Rake $0.50
Board:
Seat 1: Fishbones11 (small blind) showed and won ($406.70) with a pair of Kings
Seat 2: LooseZepher (big blind) showed and lost with Ace King high



I definitely love the 1/2 heads up, as the play is extremely soft. I have been doing well, and sessions like this one definitely help.

I haven't been putting enough effort into poker this summer. Golf is mostly to blame, but I also haven't had the urge to play at all. Today I played some tournament and went deep in a couple, and I kind of got my itch back to win. So I'm back to the grind. I am going to cut back on golf, and focus more on poker.

I'll be back.............