Random Musings

Last night was a very satisfying round of poker for me. Both skill and luck played a equal parts in my success in a field of donkeys and real players alike. It was the South bay Poker Meetup Group Grand Opening Poker Tourney. A small $10 buy-in with 1 re-buy. I did not have to re-buy, again i love being able to say that.

I sat at a table with a variety of players...most of which were extremely nervous and seemed unaccustomed to tournament play. I spent a lot of my time making sure the pot was right, alerting players to protect their hands, not to splash the pot, make their betting intentions clearer...etc, etc. Geeze I felt like I was being "the poker nazi"...but it was so friggin' annoying.

Table #1:
Here's the role call: Nervous dude #1 was on my immediate left, then it was Janet (hot filipina chick #1), then dude with earring, then Mr Aggressive. Directly across from me was poker poseur (He looked the part but was a donk) nice guy though, then the Actual player from Marina (filipino guy #1), next to him was my favorite "Ms. know-it-all" Madge, this large woman who knew just enough about poker to be completely aggravating... she was constantly making statements (just like she hears on TV) and getting into other peoples business while being completely paranoid about someone stealing her chips...Jeeze. And Finaly to my right was meek and nervous dude. I busted him out early on.

Table #1 Key Hands:
#1: 1 before the Button I get pocket kings. Blinds are 2-4 and there are 2 callers (poseur and filipino guy #1) These people are crazy enough to chase so i raise to $50 (Nervous dude #1 calls, Janet calls, poseur calls) The flop comes 3-8-Q check, check, poseur bets $50, I call as does everyone else. Turn brings unconnected rag. 2 checks to Poseur, who bets $50 again...I say "This is getting boring...make it $150" nervous #1 and Janet fold and poseur makes the call he must have paired his queen. River is another crap card. Poseur bets $200 I call and my kings make him much poorer. I have a huge pot.

#2: With Blinds @ 4-8 I'm on the button I have Q-J suited, I raise pre-flop to 24 and I get 2 callers. The flop comes Q-J-Q...the nuts for me. Check from Janet, and meek and nervous guy bets the pot I call like I'm on a draw. Janet folds. the Turn brings a rag. Meek & Nervous bets big again. I think about it and then say "oh what the heck I am all-in"...he calls pretty quickly. He shows K-J. I show my full house. He is deflated. The river brings an Ace...I win. This is where know-it-all Madge butts her ass in...and says "he's gotta better kicker"...I say "yes, if I didn't have a full house that would be true." So I say I have him covered and as I am trying to take my pot she keeps grabbing at the chips and stacking them up like I owe him money..I keep tellingher it doesn't make a difference I have him covered and she insists on repeating "Just stack them next to each other" what a friggin' moron. I say "I won the hand, give me my chips!!!" She realizes she's an idiot and relinquishes her cretinous hold on the action. From that point on everything she uttered made my skin crawl..

#3: After losing a big hand to ms know-it-all madge, I wake up in the BB with pocket aces. all call and I raise a ridiculous $150 into a $40 pot. I get three callers. Flop comes 7-7-6. Checks back to me I bet $200 and all call. So a 2 comes on the turn. and everyone checks again...no one here is that good to be slow=playing a 7 so I say out loud, "if I am gonna lose i will lose with the best hand. I am all-in." Everyone folds and I show the rockets. jeeze!!!

We all started with $600 in chips and by the time we consolidated to 2 tables I had $1500..not great, not bad...I was in the running.

Table #2:
From my left around the table I had blonde girl, Big Brian*, Kerry "Mr Tight"*, Solid player #2, Nick "Mr Final Table"*, Aileen (Hot filipina chick #2)with a huge chip stack, and finally "mizzer" another solid player. All were pretty cool.
* These guys are all excellent players and should've been at final table.

Table #2 Key Hands
Key hand # 1: BB I get A-Q. Blondie is UTG and calls, Big Brian Goes all-in ~$800, Kerry calls, gets to me and I raise enough to put Kerry all-in. blondie calls and Kerry folds. Flop comes rag-A-rag. blondie and I check it down and blondie shows pocket sevens and Brian shows A-7...I win with Aces and Queen kicker.

Final Table:
Again from my left on...mizzer (low chips stack), Marielle (Cutie-2nd to last in chips), blonde girl, her husband "Mr Cranky", Aileen, "Alex" good player, Frank-good player, and finally Janet (hot filipina chick #1)

Final table Key Hands:
Key Hand #1:
I have two connected cards, both hearts, in the cutoff position. No callers until me...I call, Mr Cranky checks his BB option. Flop comes Qh-5h-8c. First to act is Mr Cranky he goes all-in ~$800 into $2000 pot. I insta-call. I was planning on going all-in anyway. I have a flush draw and I know he has top pair....my odds to call and knock him out are just too advantageous for me. We flip them up and Mr Cranky is so very proud of his top pair crappy kicker. Qc-3s. The turn brings the 9 of hearts. I win with a heart flush. My Cranky curses me out as he is leaving. He was pissed. Like I said, I will make that call every time.

Key Hand #2:
Another insta-call...I am BB and I have 6-4 with blinds at $300-$600, SB goes all-in for $700...I throw another $100 chip into the pot fully expecting to donate it to Janet (Hot Asian Chick #1). Sure enough she shows pocket sevens. Oh well, the flop comes Q-8-4...I paired low...big whoop right? The turn is a six..oops. The river is not a 7 and it doesn't pair the board. I win. Janet is annoyed but who wouldn't call there?

Key hand #3:
After bleeding chips for too long I am getting desperate with only 3 players left....I am low chip stack, around $2,600...the others have about $10,000.
The blinds are $400-$800...I am in SB and I need to make a move so I announce "all in in the dark." The cards are dealt. Aileen in the BB and Frank on the button call after they look at their cards. I finally take a peek...my hole cards... J-9 off suit. Oh well...live cards anyway. Flop comes J-J-9...I audibly gasp...lol. Aileen goes all-in and Frank folds. Aileen shows A-Q...I show and now it's everyone else's turn to gasp. Friggin SICK man! No look Full-House!!!

I triple up.


Key Hand #4:
This was a questionable hand as I could've played it a lot better and got more money out of it. In any case her it is. 3-handed, I have pocket sixes in the SB, Button calls I raise 3x BB, BB folds and button (Frank) calls. Flop comes Q-K-Q, I check and button bets 1/2 the pot. I call. I put Frank on Ace high. Turn brings a 4. I check and Frank bets a ton of chips $1600. I call as I think he's trying to push me out of the hand. River brings a 6 so I have a boat, sixes over queens. I check and Frank checks (unfortunately) I wanted another big bet from him to try to push me out. I show the boat he show K-3. I think I coulda bluffed him right back off it representing a Queen. He slowed way down.