• Date: 10-23-07
• Where: La Center WA
• Game: 4-40 Spread limit

Hello everyone, here again to tell you about the usual 4-40 game. My buy-in was 300 and I told myself if I get down to 100 that I would get up and fight another day. I was playing pretty tight, surveying while the action was taking place, just feeling out the table and looking to see who I can take advantage of.

Beginning Stages

My 1st hand I would like to tell you about: I have in the big blind, the guy in middle position makes it 12 dollars to go and there was three callers. The flop came out - so great flop, but too dangerous to screw around with. The raiser bets 20. With the intention of playing my set hard and not getting drawn out on, but at the same time to keep him in the hand I raised 20 dollars. He ended up folding after careful deliberation. I didn't see him doing that with the type of board that was out there. Now I showed my three of a kind of 8's for one reason. I wanted to tell my foe that I don't screw around on dangerous boards and wanted to establish my tight image so people don't suck out on me.

Pocket Aces

I played for a bit longer with the tight style that I had established and ended up missing with AK and AQ but I am still up a small amount. I win a big hand with by flopping an against an opponent that I didn't give credit to at all. Later on, I ended up flushing him out on the river. Against the same opponent that checked the flop and turn and I ended up making the best hand on the river. It was rather humorous to hear him say "I know you think that I am bad but I am actually good". I thought this was very funny coming from an aggressive player - what a dope. By then, I'm up to about 440 soon after I won another pot, it was a medium sized one but good enough now up to 535. Now I am thinking that I have credit and a good stack to work with. In middle position I pick up . Under the gun makes it 10 to go I re raised and made it 25 to go. Someone to the left of me woke up with something and re-raised me and makes it 65 to go. Everyone folds I make it 105 thinking to get the maximum in the pot preflop, also setting him all in all at the same time. He does exactly that and goes all in for 116 dollars and turns over the flop brought him a and I didn't catch up. That was certainly disappointing to see your aces getting cracked in a big pot preflop. That you know to get all the money you can in there preflop and still lose. That is just unlucky.

Pocket Nines

I ended up making the money back by turning a straight on the same guy that had he was not paying good attention with his top pair. with 4 to the straight on the board and with 3 flush cards on there as well what a dope man I wish I could have busted him with . I pick up in middle position, I limped, the button player, which was a tight, raises. I have noticed seeing him the whole time play AK very hard so I decided that I was in a coin flip and felt like playing a big pot. So, I put him all in for 100 sure enough he has and ended up making runner runner straight with the "wheel". This was like a punch in the mouth I felt like it was the right play at the right time. Knowing what I was up against and still lose, that is the way the cards go sometimes "Just as long as you know that you made the right plays the cards speak for themselves"

Food for Thought

In the end I played for 6 hours and only made just 55 bucks. I look at it as a missed opportunity to hugely increase the roll. But, there's always another day and still some positive thoughts came out of it. By playing for a lot longer then I have in previous times, and still made money with seeing that many hands I can live with that.

Bankroll count now at 1,311

Big props to the PokerSoup staff. I will write next week about my next session hope you enjoyed it please send me as much feedback as possible.

Hello everybody how is poker going? After last night, There is two people that only have to show up to 1 out of the last 2 tournaments to qualify for the freeroll. One person has to come to the last 2 so hopefully you can show. Come on in and let me tell you the story if I can win 3 in a row tonight.

Crippled

At this point in the tournament I have just over what we started with when I picked up under the gun. I raised the minimum and made it 400 to go only Josh called. The flop brought out I think this is a good flop for my hand and bet out 500 and was called. The turn brought out giving me a full house. My thinking is, with calling a preflop raise and a bet on the flop it is either high cards or a smaller pocket pair then min. I bet out 1000 Josh raises another 1000 and I called. At this point I shouldn't of called that minimum raise I should of either shoved or re raised a fair amount to put pressure. But, I just didn't believe him at this point. The river brought out a I check to showdown he goes all in for 850. At this point I am well pot committed and just wanted to see what he had so I called. He shows I was frustrated that I lost almost all of my stack except for 1,400 and now I am on respirator.

Survival

After that bad loss I am left with pretty much nothing with the blinds being at 100/200 I don't have much time to make my stand. Three hands after the loss I am all in with it is only 1,200 more to call my all in I am expecting to be up aganist any two cards here Addison called with I ended up flopping an and survived. After the blinds went up again now at 200/400 and with only 3,600 in chips I just have to wait for the opportune time to push all in. In the big blind I pick up Matt makes it 1,200 to go and got 3 callers!! I pushed all in for 1,400 more Josh was the only caller with flipping over . It all comes down to this either Josh is commanding chip leader or I am very close to the chip lead. Josh didn't end up improving much to my pleasure of winning the coin flip.

Pocket Aces

Shortly after the double up I pick up on the button with the blinds at 400/800. I min raised with two medium stacks and one short stack left this is actually a big raise believe it or not. Addison did his usual all in with not much in the pot. I looks like he just pushes for a huge over bet and I can't seem to catch him most of the time. But this time and I got him good when he flipped over and just destroyed him in the hand. With that win Josh and Addison are so small the blinds can almost eliminate them. I took out Josh with and Addison was knocked out because he didn't have enough to pay the big blind and was knocked out with multiple people in the hand.

The Big Finish

Now I am in the driver seat for 3 in a row going up against Brian. After a couple of blind steals back and forth and the blinds going up I pick up in the big blind and decided to see a flop. The flop brought out . Brian bets 1,600 I pushed all in to take a nice pot and trying to get him off his hand. He ended up calling with middle pair, I ended up catching a on the river and I had him covered by 200 chips and ended up winning.

Food for Thought

I am officially going to Palm Springs, Leaving on Valentine's day and comeback Monday. That means I am playing some 1/2 (excited for that) After taking a 60 dollar hit in the cash game on Thursday. I am glad I got to get some of it back and my confidence along with it. Next weeks tournament will be my last before the freeroll I will be looking for 4 in a row who knows that would be a league record that could stand for some time to come.

Comeback next week to see if the steam train takes over his 4th tournament in a row

My Advice

Hello everyone. I am here today to write about my week off from LA Center. First thing, I want to take a bit of time to tell you why to take time off from the table when you have a bad session. It is not always a good thing to come right back because your stress level can be elevated trying to make back your money so quickly. Also, there is nothing wrong with taking some time off to think about work, girls, sports, etc., don't put more stress in your everyday life just because you had a bad session. You can also be off your game. Since I am not a professional and the bankroll is not outstanding, I am not here to lose it all so quickly by coming back prematurely and lose everything that I worked so hard for.

About the Book and Player Perception

In the mean time I was reading this book "Millionaire Hold'em" by Johnny Chan. It focuses on limit cash games mainly at 10/20 betting limits. There are two things I got out of the book that I want to share: disguising your hand in the blinds and on the flop, especially with Ace King. By doing that you can get extra bets out of your opponents. For example, me being young, my table image in a general sense has no credit. Most people would call you down with practically anything just because they think your full of shit. Take that to your advantage if you are able to recognize that the other players at the table have the same perception of you.

Listen, here's the thing. If you can't spot the sucker in the first half hour at the table, then you are the sucker.

-Mike McDermott (Rounders)

Also, isolating your hand with a weaker player and against someone who is more capable of bluffing can maximize the potential of winning the hand more times than not. (Most of the theories he talks about is your table image and how you view your opponents.) So when you're at the table next time, take that highly into consideration. You have to ask yourself, "What do the players view me as? Do I show down premium hands? Do I bet into scary boards? Or rag boards?" Because players at higher betting limits will try and make a story into how you play. That is how they would call certain bets because they figure the flop didn't hit your hand when you raised pre-flop. If they have the perception that your either a tight or aggressive it is good to recognize that and change gears into an opposite mode to keep them guessing.

We will see how it goes stay tuned for my next post about the 4-40 spread game. Special thanks to the staff at Poker Soup for making everything possible.

How is everyone doing? the ending stretch is coming there is two players will have to show up to two out of the next three tournaments to qualify for the freeroll. Two players last night eliminated themselves by not showing up. We only ended up having 6 players and at this point valuable points is what I need this week.

Knock Out Stages

In the early going I hit runner runner flush off Josh to win a nice pot. Then gave it back to Addison by not betting my Ace on the turn by letting him catch up by hitting two pair on the river. I then turned a flush on Matt and won a nice pot, he told me he had a gut shot straight flush draw to the river but it didn't come. I ended up taking down two size able pots off Jonas. I turned a straight in the 1st hand also, my top pair held up after those two hands it put me in a decent chip position.


After failing to knock out my dad when the blinds went to 200/400. I sat around for a bit and had a comfortable stack at the time, I picked up I have noticed that Jonas was stealing blinds more than usual. He doubled the blinds I was in the small blind and after some thought I called. The flop came out Jonas bet out and I raised all in. Jonas ended up calling after some deliberation. He had and didn't improve on the river. I ended up taking my dad out with against his with a 6 on the flop. After Matt came in 3rd place (Don't remember how he went out) It came down to Addison and I heads up. Upon which he was playing well on the heels of tough breaks in the cash game from Thursday check out the last posting to read up on that.

Heads Up

The blinds started out 800/1600 I was 2-1 chip lead on him. After passing the blinds for a couple of hands I pick up I raised out of the small blind. Addison went all in I quick called he showed . It all came down to this coin flip, I ended up losing despite catching a flush draw on the turn . Now I am almost out the door after sending 10,000 in chips over to Addison. Two hands later I picked up Addison called my all in with King and a small card. I ended up catching a on the flop and survived my all in. Now I have around 8,000 still nothing to his stack. With the blinds so high all I have to do is steal a couple of pots and re gain the chip lead. That is exactly what happened, now with the chip lead I picked up off suit in the big blind and checked. The flop came out . Addison bet out I raised then he proceeded to go all in and I called hoping to knock him out. He flipped over nice trap on his part unfortunate for me to catch top pair on that hand. I turned a straight draw and failed to improve.


Now I am back down to under 5,000 in chips and pretty much finished. I pick up off suit in the big blind Addison raised all in. After deciding that I needed to gamble on this hand with nothing in chips. Plus there is a good chance that I have two live cards with that in mind I called. He turned over off suit the turn brought out a and I won the pot by surviving once again. After stealing a couple of pre flop pots and both of us folding blinds. I worked my way back to within 4,000 of the chip lead by stealing a pot on the flop. I picked up with the next hand blinds would go up and with that in mind, my all in would cost more than half his stack to call. Addison raised out of the small blind I figured that he wouldn't call an all in. He ended up calling with the flop brought out a . Now he is in survival mode after his sixes didn't hold up. With the blinds at 1600/3200 it is just pretty much gambling here I put him all in with A2 he called with K6 I ended up making a full house two's full of fives for the win.

Food for Thought

WHAT A HEADS UP MATCH!!! Such back and forth action. Addison played a great tournament after losing 10 bucks in the cash game afterwards I ended up with a small profit margin but a huge win for me in points. I am in second place for the upcoming freeroll. Hopefully, Everyone can see that heads up section it was really a good match the best one I have played in a long time. Stay tuned for next week as the season is winding down with the freeroll approaching very rapidly.

Hello everyone how are the cards flyin? Last night was the start of hopefully a weekly cash game before the league tournament. We only had 5 players but it was a good time thank you to everybody who participated. In a span of about 3 1/2 hours I wanted to discuss about a few hands.

Eight Nine of Hearts

After being up a couple of dollars I pick up in the small blind. The usual raise at the table with 25/50 cent blinds was 1.50 to go. Addison made it that amount in the big blind everyone called. The flop comes out action was checked around I had a terrible feeling that if I bet out my bottom pair that it would have spelled trouble for my hand. I was thankful that the action checked around the 5 of us. Turn brought a making me two pair. I bet out 1.50 a small bet but it was a please raise me bet. Addison just to the left of me raised the minimum my brother called so I went pushed knowing that I am in the lead and can't let the draw beat me on the river so I re raised all in 12.50. Also, there was enough money in the pot to get away with this move (it was pretty close to a pot sized bet). After careful deliberation Addison called with the {5h] hit the river and I won a nice pot. Let's analyze his call (which I thought was a no brainer) He should have known that his top pair was maybe the best hand but he had 2-1 pot odds to call. If you hit the Ace King or a club on the river just about a 1 in 3 chance to win a big pot I would've made the same call everyday of the week and twice on Sundays.

Pocket Nines

What ended up being the last hand of the night which saw me go from 73 dollars to just above even and back to the chip lead. At 3 handed I pick up {9h9s] on the button make it 1.50 to go with two callers. Flop comes out action is check check to me I bet out 1.75 Addison check raises 5 dollars more. My thinking here was AK or a flush draw so I re raised 10 dollars more after quite a bit of thinking he called with a club draw and didn't catch. After taking so long my assessment on the hand was spot on with having either one of the two hands he had.

Food For Thought

Overall it was a fun night up 53 bucks after buying in for 20. Everyone had a good time and hopefully we can make this a weekly success with hopefully around 7 people per week. In the mean time I am slowly getting back up to almost 800 with the bankroll. If I get the time off approved from management I will be in Palm Springs next month and that means Golf,Family,Sun and Morongo and that means some 1/2 NL my bread and butter.

Hey everyone, sorry that I didn't write about the previous tournament. I did bad plus there was just one hand I got knocked out on after getting caught stealing pots and that lead up to my short stack. I ran into Aces with so nothing special - just got beat.

Getting Ready

I was called into work until 8, so I had to race over to get in on time. It was kind of unfortunate that we only had 6 players, but that just means that some players will have to make it 4 weeks in a row (you know who you are) to be able to qualify and play in the freeroll. After starting late and picking up a nice pot with I decided to play the waiting game.

Ace 6

The blinds were at 200-400 when we finally got rid of the 1st player (that hasn't happened in any of the other tournaments). I was in the big blind with just over 8,000 in chips which was 2nd in chips and had . I decided that he didn't have much credit on his all ins before and called. He had and I caught a six on the flop and knocked Addison out.

Knock Out Stages

With 5 players left I am sitting with over 8,000 and the blinds are 400-800 so I can afford to be patient. The chips are kinda passing around and I am getting just bad cards then finally I pick up . I make it 2,000 to go and Josh kinda non nonchalantly goes all in. I am thinking I have seen this show before when I had I called his all in and he had and I lost. Just on the previous hand he limped in with and won a nice pot by trapping so my alert was up. Thinking I was either dominated or up against Queens or Kings again so after consideration and being 2nd in chips going against the chip leader so I folded. The very next hand I have in the big blind. Action folds around to Jonas, he limps, I raise 2,000 and he goes all in - not noticing that I had raised. It was only 1,100 for me to call. He had and I knocked him out.

Ace King Four Handed

Down to four now with 6,100 in chips I pick up and make it 2,000 to go Victor goes all in for 5,100 Josh calls I go all in for the extra thousand and was called three way all in!! Victor has Josh has . The flop finds a king and the others couldn't catch up. That was the tournament - pretty much just a huge hand for each of us. If Victor or Josh would of won they would of won the tournament as well.

Straight Flush

In the big blind three handed I was the commanding chip leader with . Matt is on the button and goes all in for just 2,200 on top of the big blind Josh folded and I called. The reason why I called because with a big chip lead your odds are through the roof to call a short stack all in with pretty much any two cards. This gives you a good chance to knock them out. He turns over the flop came out . The turn came out a - of clubs - hich was a huge card giving me my flush. Now he can hit a club as well to win but it couldn't be the 6 of clubs cause that would give me a straight flush. I now have a hammer lock almost a 3.5-1 favorite. River comes out a of clubs giving me the improbable straight flush and I melted my face off in the process. From there heads up lasted 1 hand. I picked up in the big blind I made a straight beating .

Food for Thought

Hope you enjoyed the post, please leave comments. Check on the standings of the league, the freeroll is approaching and looks like it will be a good final table for the big money the freeroll is going generate.

Sorry it's been so long, but I've finally been able to get another post done for my bankroll series.

Here are the details of the session:

• Location: New Phoenix Casino in La Center, WA
• Limit: 4-40 Spread
• Buy-In: $200
• Date: 10/11/07

I was coming off my big win, feeling pretty good, but not cocky. That's a good piece of advice - never let your ego get the best of you. The extremely loose player that I took for a good amount last session was at the table three players to the left of me.

Crippled

I fold for the first revolution and the loose player is literally playing every HAND! I get in middle position. It works to limp in with a hand like this if you can flop a great hand or a really good draw and win a large pot while risking very little. This situation was perfect for that with all the limping.

My limp worked and the flop is rainbow. I am thinking I have the loosest player at the table, I flopped top pair, so I am ready to take it down on the flop. He bets 15, a semi-tight player calls, so I make it 40. I wanted to make it look like I am stealing the pot but I have enough to showdown. The loose player calls, there's a on the turn and he checks 2 me. With that sign of weakness, I am thinking I have it.

I bet the maximum, 40, and he calls right away. The river is a , so he checks and I check happy to show down my pair of 8's. He shows - I couldn't believe it! He called a raise on the flop with King-high!!!

Flushed Out

After that loss I was pretty much limited to one hand to go all in. After a bit I pick up in the cutoff position and thought this was going to be the hand do that. I raise it to 15 (trying to get some action but not too much), the same two callers from the prior hand call, but I have position.

The flop with two diamonds. The loose player bets 20, the guy calls, and I make it 60 with 9 bucks left. They both call (I knew if a diamond hits I was doomed). The turn is a , so I am done. I put my last 9 dollars in, the river is an , and sure enough loose player has of diamonds.

Food for thought

So it was an unfortunate session, but it happens. I guess you'll have days where the best plays don't work and you have to just take it easy and not press too hard to get it back. Players pick up on that and they see you're just running on STEAM!

For my next bankroll bulletin post, I'll write about relaxing after a loss and trying not to get down. I'll also tell you about a book I've been reading.

The bankroll is at 1,225 now.