Poker Journal for 2/18/09

Poker Journal

7:10 AM - mypalal: feels the swings in poker are too big. Fortunately I'm on the upswing. Grinding my way back to my original stack. - (Twitter)

My Great Trap: Taking Down the Bully

I have to gloat a little. I was playing a $3 Knock-Out SNG on Full Tilt. I had just doubled up when I shoved a middle position raise with pocket Kings and was called by Ace-9.  I was the chip leader at my table and then arriving on my immediate left was the player, peedplyr.

This person was playing a little tight, but whenever I would raise, peedplyr was smooth calling behind me. He would then smooth call my raises on the flop and turn, and then blast me on the river. I could have gambled against the guy and shove, but instead I chose to preserve my big stack.  I felt like this guy was intentionally picking on me since he was not playing this way against anyone else.

That is until this hand…

1. I’m in the big blind and I’m dealt 7-6.
2. peedplyr limps under the gun
3. It folds around to me (small blind folds). I check. Pot is 800.
4. Flop – 7-7-4.
5. I flop trips. I decide to play it weak by making a half-pot size bet.
6. I bet 400.
7. peedplyr min raises me to 800.
8. I min raise to 1,200. I min raise because I want it to look like I’m making a lame attempt to control the pot.
9. peedplyr calls.
10. Turn – Ace.
11. I check. The ace is a great card for two reasons. I hope he has an ace and possibly flopped two pair or he decides to steal. My check on the turn was designed to tell him that I took my shot, but the ace scares me and I’m giving up.
12. peedplyr shoves all-in.
13. I instacall and show my trips.
14. peedplyr shows K-Q and is drawing dead.
15. River – 7 for quads.
16. peedplyr is out and I’m in first place.

 

Sweet vindication. This trap made me feel real good. I love taking down bullies.

Poker Journal for 2/16/09

Poker Journal

9:35 PM - mypalal: Done shipping for tonight. Gonna add a few products to the store and then play a little poker. - (Twitter)

10:18 PM - mypalpoker: Decided to enter a $3 KO SNG. I'm doing quite well. - (Twitter)

10:18 PM - mypalpoker: Started with 3k in chips. Currently at 16K. - (Twitter)

10:19 PM - mypalpoker: Decided to use the Kill Phil strategy up front. Was able to double up with 8's on the button against A9. Very loose call. - (Twitter)

10:20 PM - mypalpoker: Knocked out two players with 10's. Everyone limps. I raise and knock out all but two players. - (Twitter)

10:21 PM - mypalpoker: I flop trip on a K-T-2 board. I raise half pot. Reraised then raised again. I shove and get called by top pair and two pair. - (Twitter)

10:23 PM - mypalpoker: I have about 100 bb's. Blinds are 80/160. - (Twitter)

10:24 PM - mypalpoker: was dealt pocket nines on the button. Then a raise and a shove. I decide to fold. would have flopped quads. Oh well. - (Twitter)

10:29 PM - mypalpoker: KO sngs are great because everyone is too aggressive. - (Twitter)

10:30 PM - mypalpoker: Grabbed 5K. Button raises 3x. I shove with Kings and I'm called with A9. He should have folded. - (Twitter)

10:30 PM - mypalpoker: Wow, I'm in first with a significant lead. - (Twitter)

10:45 PM - mypalpoker: had 20k now I'm down to 15k. Too many steal attempts. - (Twitter)

10:56 PM - mypalpoker: Oh sweet justice. Peedyplyr has been trying to bust me all night.lyr has been - (Twitter)

10:57 PM - mypalpoker: I had 76 in the big blind. My nemesis limps. I flop trip 7's. Villian raises pot and I min raise. Ace hits turn. - (Twitter)

10:58 PM - mypalpoker: I check to appear that I didn't like the ace and villian shoves. I hit quads on the river. - (Twitter)

10:59 PM - mypalpoker: I have 24k with 300/600 blinds. 2nd place. - (Twitter)

11:00 PM - mypalpoker: 24 players left. I'm doing well, but I don't want to blind my stack down. - (Twitter)

11:03 PM - mypalpoker: I'm now down to 15K because I misread a hand. - (Twitter)

11:07 PM - mypalpoker: Things change so fast. I'm now down to 14 bbs. 14k with 500/1000 blinds. - (Twitter)

11:10 PM - mypalpoker: lots of stack shifing right now. - (Twitter)

11:13 PM - mypalpoker: Almost down to two tables and still short stacked. - (Twitter)

11:14 PM - mypalpoker: moved tables and all my Poker Tracker stacks are gone. - (Twitter)

11:16 PM - mypalpoker: I'm so close to cashing but shoving is my only move. - (Twitter)

11:22 PM - mypalpoker: Loves me the Pocket aces. - (Twitter)

11:23 PM - mypalpoker: we are now playing hand for hand. One player needs to drop out for me to cash. - (Twitter)

11:24 PM - mypalpoker: Yeah, Messa cashes. - (Twitter)

11:28 PM - mypalpoker: 8 players left. I'm still short stacked. - (Twitter)

11:29 PM - mypalpoker: Now there's 7 players left. I'm in 5th place. But for how much longer. - (Twitter)

11:33 PM - mypalpoker: 6 players left and I'm in last place with 7 bbs. - (Twitter)

11:36 PM - mypalpoker: Finished in 6th place. I had QJ vs A9. Just couldn't win the coin toss. - (Twitter)

Poker Journal for 2/9/09

Poker Journal

1:20 PM - mypalpoker: Playing 2 SNG's for lunch. Not sure I'll post much. - (Twitter)

1:21 PM - mypalpoker: I'm starting to play super tight in the SB early. Not worth the chip or risk. Folded J7 and would have flopped to pair. - (Twitter)

1:22 PM - mypalpoker: Turn was an aces. would have lost to AK on my right. - (Twitter)

1:24 PM - mypalpoker: why play 3-9 in the small blind? - (Twitter)

1:28 PM - mypalpoker: SNG1 - I reraise with AA. The Big Blind calls and raiser folds. I get it all in on a flush draw for BB. He misses. - (Twitter)

1:28 PM - mypalpoker: Why call a reraise with 9-8 suited? - (Twitter)

1:34 PM - mypalpoker: I'm really liking Poker Tracker. Now I want Poker Luck Maker - (Twitter)

1:38 PM - mypalpoker: When a tight player plays back at you. You better have a hand. - (Twitter)

1:39 PM - mypalpoker: Idiot loose players. You just can't win calling raises with any hand. - (Twitter)

1:39 PM - mypalpoker: Currently chip leader in SNG1 - by playing only premium hands. - (Twitter)

1:40 PM - mypalpoker: SNG 2 - I have 1,500 (original stack) and about to become short stack in the next level. - (Twitter)

1:47 PM - mypalpoker: SNG 2 no hands aggressive players. I'm down to 5 bbs - (Twitter)

1:50 PM - mypalpoker: SNG 1 Money - (Twitter)

1:52 PM - mypalpoker: Lost SNG2 - Just ran out of time and short stacked. - (Twitter)

1:53 PM - mypalpoker: Lost of dumb min raising. - (Twitter)

1:55 PM - mypalpoker: Came in 3rd. Had two undercards with 10bbs. Flopped top pair, but villians rivered one of his 6 outs. - (Twitter)

Poker Journal for 2/7/09

Poker Journal

8:43 AM - mypalpoker: SNG1 - Pocket 10's. In early position. Standard raise and takes down the blinds. poker - (Twitter)

8:44 AM - mypalpoker: Lost a pot limping with AK UTG. Deserved to lose that one. poker - (Twitter)

8:45 AM - mypalpoker: SNG1 - Got my stack back. Short Stack shoves and I have AQs. Ace on flop to win it. poker - (Twitter)

8:46 AM - mypalpoker: SNG 2 - Pocket 7's in middle position and I take the blinds. poker - (Twitter)

8:48 AM - mypalpoker: SNG 1 - Lost on a gamble. I have AJ spade. The flop come two spades and a str8 draw. I shove and lose to pocket 10's. poker - (Twitter)

8:49 AM - mypalpoker: I'm gambling way too much, but I did have alot of outs. poker - (Twitter)

8:50 AM - mypalpoker: SNG3 - OK I've entered another $2 SNG. Let's hope this goes better. poker - (Twitter)

8:52 AM - mypalpoker: SNG 3 - Folds to me OTB. I raise w/ J9s and take the blinds. poker - (Twitter)

8:56 AM - mypalpoker: Had to walk away for a moment and time out with pocket aces. Damn. - (Twitter)

8:59 AM - mypalpoker: SNG 2 - Starting to get short stacked. I have 11 BB's; blinds 80/160 - (Twitter)

9:01 AM - mypalpoker: SNG2 - short stack, but I've got two tight players on my left. - (Twitter)

9:02 AM - mypalpoker: Should be easy pickings. - (Twitter)

9:02 AM - mypalpoker: SNG 2 - Blinds 100/200 I have over 10 bbs. - (Twitter)

9:04 AM - mypalpoker: SNG2 - shovefest. poker - (Twitter)

9:05 AM - mypalpoker: SNG 3 - Lost Most of my chips with I flopped top pair and lost to a flush draw. I hate losing coin tosses. poker - (Twitter)

9:07 AM - mypalpoker: SNG 3 - I now have 2 bbs. - (Twitter)

9:08 AM - mypalpoker: SNG3 blinding out. I have pocket 3's. I could triple up here. - (Twitter)

9:08 AM - mypalpoker: none against pocket 6's. - (Twitter)

9:10 AM - mypalpoker: SNG 2 - I'm out. Short stack play is hard. I had 89 OTB, but lose to KJ. - (Twitter)

9:11 AM - mypalpoker: SNG 2 - Then had pocket 10's against K8 and lost that one as well. This is not a good morning. - (Twitter)

Poker Journal for 2/3/09

Poker Journal

9:52 PM - mypalal: is playing a little poker on Full Tilt. - (Twitter)

10:18 PM - mypalal: is getting tired of losing to bad beats in poker. - (Twitter)