With the completion of the Pacific bonus, my bankroll now officially exceeds $500. In fact, it is rather closer to $600. Not sure of my next move - perhaps to chase a few more WSOP freerolls (preferably those with prizemoney on top) at the likes of Titan Poker.
By the way, Pacific has a rather frustrating 3 day delay before it will even *begin* processing a cashout request.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Back to par
Well I have finally managed to get my Pacific bankroll back to an even keel. My initial $300, being down at one stage to $150 is now back above $300, with the added advantage that my $150 bonus is nearly finished cashing out.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Final hand thoughts
QQ in my hand, 10827 on the table with two clubs. 3000 in the pot, 300 bet to me.
I think I have to reraise all-in (about 2300). There are too many possible drawing hands, including his actual K10 to permit a cheap card. My actual raise of 800 was feeble. It's a big pot, so I should be happy to either win in right there or for my opponent to chase bad odds by calling. As it was, I gave him odds to call, and he hit his outs.
I think I have to reraise all-in (about 2300). There are too many possible drawing hands, including his actual K10 to permit a cheap card. My actual raise of 800 was feeble. It's a big pot, so I should be happy to either win in right there or for my opponent to chase bad odds by calling. As it was, I gave him odds to call, and he hit his outs.
Busted in lucky 13th
Here's the blow-by-blow:
89 runners, 1500 chips, 15 minute blinds.
Arrived 5 minutes late, and have played 15 minutes, sitting tight.
Won some blinds with tiny raises (poss absent players), and a small
pot w QQ (AK on flop!)
Already spotted a couple of French idiots, betting all-in on rubbish
and chasing gutshots. Down to 69 already!
Won a small pot from one of the loose gooses 910 late position w QQ10
flop. Turn Q, river K, I bet half pot, he microraises with nothing
(74). Silly thing is I would have folded to a decent raise.
30 mins in, 62 left. Not many absent players, I think.
Lost a pot in with KQ on the button against two gooses. Flop AJx.
Had nothing, but suspect the other guy didn't either.
1250 chips, with blinds 50/100 - 53 left. Haven't really had any
cards. May need to get busy soon, but it's tricky at such a loose
table. Would rather make a move with a hand!
Blind pass and it's 1100 :(
Made it to first break, but on a knife edge. 49 left.
Bought a round of blinds w KQ (150/75 now).
Damn, I should have tripled up! Raised w AK, K high flop, all-in w two callers. Turn K, board pairs to save the goose with K2 :( Still, managed to improve my stack a bit.
Stole a round on SB. The gooses keep winning big pots with rubbish cards unimproved :/
Won a decent pot w KK, K high flop check-call. Turn made three spades (I didn't have one), and made me nervous. Smallish bet - called. River blank, bet all-in. Probably a mistake, as he only calls with the flush. Better to make a modest bet he can call with junk.
Bluffed out the goose with an AJ missed.
1010 raised, 3 callers! K high flop. Folded to a small bet, gutted to see the 10 appear on turn.
KQ forced to fold by the goose on the big blind. Figure him for an ace.
SB call w A7s. Flop is KJJ, I fold a small bet and turn is A :/ Other guys had zip.
Another AK, another split pot :/ Why oh why can't he have AQ for once :(
30 players left, new table (have to leave my goose behind).
I now have 2600 after a cheeky steal and the blinds passing.
Won a pot w 77 (called a late position raiser), flop A64. Small bet on turn, checked river. He had 75! 3800 now.
KQ, called the loose raiser, bluffed out a blank flop (544). 4400 now (still below avg), 20 players left.
Unfortunately, I don't know the payout structure on the $2k prizemoney. Suspect it will be top ten or thereabouts.
14 left. I'd like to finish in the money, but don't fancy my chances.
Bugger. Busted out in 13th on my first decent hand! QQ on the button, raised to 600, both blinds called. Flop was 1082. Bet 600, one caller. Turn 7, he bets 300, I raise to 800, he calls. River 10, he bets 300, I raise all-in (1500), he turns over K10.
This was a failure to think the hand through. What was he staying in on? Highly likely a 10. He definitely got lucky on me, and probably he should have put me in on the river anyway, but there was no point risking my last chips hoping he had rubbish.. If I called, I would still have had 1200 chips, and could probably have limped onto the final table.
Oh well, there's always next month.
89 runners, 1500 chips, 15 minute blinds.
Arrived 5 minutes late, and have played 15 minutes, sitting tight.
Won some blinds with tiny raises (poss absent players), and a small
pot w QQ (AK on flop!)
Already spotted a couple of French idiots, betting all-in on rubbish
and chasing gutshots. Down to 69 already!
Won a small pot from one of the loose gooses 910 late position w QQ10
flop. Turn Q, river K, I bet half pot, he microraises with nothing
(74). Silly thing is I would have folded to a decent raise.
30 mins in, 62 left. Not many absent players, I think.
Lost a pot in with KQ on the button against two gooses. Flop AJx.
Had nothing, but suspect the other guy didn't either.
1250 chips, with blinds 50/100 - 53 left. Haven't really had any
cards. May need to get busy soon, but it's tricky at such a loose
table. Would rather make a move with a hand!
Blind pass and it's 1100 :(
Made it to first break, but on a knife edge. 49 left.
Bought a round of blinds w KQ (150/75 now).
Damn, I should have tripled up! Raised w AK, K high flop, all-in w two callers. Turn K, board pairs to save the goose with K2 :( Still, managed to improve my stack a bit.
Stole a round on SB. The gooses keep winning big pots with rubbish cards unimproved :/
Won a decent pot w KK, K high flop check-call. Turn made three spades (I didn't have one), and made me nervous. Smallish bet - called. River blank, bet all-in. Probably a mistake, as he only calls with the flush. Better to make a modest bet he can call with junk.
Bluffed out the goose with an AJ missed.
1010 raised, 3 callers! K high flop. Folded to a small bet, gutted to see the 10 appear on turn.
KQ forced to fold by the goose on the big blind. Figure him for an ace.
SB call w A7s. Flop is KJJ, I fold a small bet and turn is A :/ Other guys had zip.
Another AK, another split pot :/ Why oh why can't he have AQ for once :(
30 players left, new table (have to leave my goose behind).
I now have 2600 after a cheeky steal and the blinds passing.
Won a pot w 77 (called a late position raiser), flop A64. Small bet on turn, checked river. He had 75! 3800 now.
KQ, called the loose raiser, bluffed out a blank flop (544). 4400 now (still below avg), 20 players left.
Unfortunately, I don't know the payout structure on the $2k prizemoney. Suspect it will be top ten or thereabouts.
14 left. I'd like to finish in the money, but don't fancy my chances.
Bugger. Busted out in 13th on my first decent hand! QQ on the button, raised to 600, both blinds called. Flop was 1082. Bet 600, one caller. Turn 7, he bets 300, I raise to 800, he calls. River 10, he bets 300, I raise all-in (1500), he turns over K10.
This was a failure to think the hand through. What was he staying in on? Highly likely a 10. He definitely got lucky on me, and probably he should have put me in on the river anyway, but there was no point risking my last chips hoping he had rubbish.. If I called, I would still have had 1200 chips, and could probably have limped onto the final table.
Oh well, there's always next month.
The big one
I have a ticket to a freeroll qualifier for the World Series of Poker $10,000 main event in Las Vegas. That's the entry fee, not the prizelist by the way.
This remarkable little ticket comes by virtue of having signed up for Pacific Poker via Pokerlistings. There is also a $2000 side-prize fund.
One would normally expect a freeroll like this to have around 2000 players, but by virtue of the restricted qualification pool (Pokelistings players who have wagered $500 at Pacific in the last month), this one looks like having only around 100 (78 players so far with 7 hours to go before the start). That values this little freeroll ticket at around $150, which is pretty nice.
Of course, I will probably bust out in half an hour. But for a little while, I will have a chip and a chair and a dream of Vegas.
This remarkable little ticket comes by virtue of having signed up for Pacific Poker via Pokerlistings. There is also a $2000 side-prize fund.
One would normally expect a freeroll like this to have around 2000 players, but by virtue of the restricted qualification pool (Pokelistings players who have wagered $500 at Pacific in the last month), this one looks like having only around 100 (78 players so far with 7 hours to go before the start). That values this little freeroll ticket at around $150, which is pretty nice.
Of course, I will probably bust out in half an hour. But for a little while, I will have a chip and a chair and a dream of Vegas.
Up again..
Had one of those moments yesterday.. Playing 6max 1/2 limit at Pacific, I made $65 in the time it took for my tea to brew (11 minutes - 23 hands). No real premium preflop hands, but the flops were hitting me every time:
Hand 1 (bb): K5 hit top pair, caught 2nd pair on river.
Hand 4: QJs flopped a broadway, completed on the river
Hand 7: K9 flopped top pair 9s, held up
Hand 11 (sb): J3s flopped a four flush, made a runner-runner straight
Hand 15: 22 flopped a set, slow played it. Turn and river were aces, and hauled in an absolutely monster pot from 2 players presumably holding an ace each.
Hand 19: 99, held up
Hand 23: AQs held up on a blank flop. Here I got very lucky, as my opponent held 44 and the board made 7755. Objectively, I probably should have folded the turn.
Hand 1 (bb): K5 hit top pair, caught 2nd pair on river.
Hand 4: QJs flopped a broadway, completed on the river
Hand 7: K9 flopped top pair 9s, held up
Hand 11 (sb): J3s flopped a four flush, made a runner-runner straight
Hand 15: 22 flopped a set, slow played it. Turn and river were aces, and hauled in an absolutely monster pot from 2 players presumably holding an ace each.
Hand 19: 99, held up
Hand 23: AQs held up on a blank flop. Here I got very lucky, as my opponent held 44 and the board made 7755. Objectively, I probably should have folded the turn.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Pacific Poker
Pacific Poker has not been funny. The software is both ugly and short on features; the hand history function almost useless; the traffic is pretty poor. And the rake!! I didn't realise how high the rake was until it was too late. It is 10% on small pots (maybe under $5, I'm not sure), ramping down a bit after that. It's pretty nasty - and it makes the 20 times play through bonus a whole lot less appealing.
Unfortunately I got burned in my first day of play, too. There are a lot of bad players at Pacific, no doubt, but I got repeatedly beat down by river beats and nasty second best hands. I lost count of the number of times I saw big pairs beaten (AA several times, KK once, QQ, JJ twice). It got to the point where I would wince at seeing AA. This is playing short handed limit, so it's almost impossible to put down a big pair if no overcards hit the flop. Anyway, that first day I lost nearly $150 - that's right, nearly the whole amount of the bonus. I've recovered a bit since then, and am now only $80 in the hole. I'll be getting as far away from Pacific as I can once this bonus is finished.
Unfortunately I got burned in my first day of play, too. There are a lot of bad players at Pacific, no doubt, but I got repeatedly beat down by river beats and nasty second best hands. I lost count of the number of times I saw big pairs beaten (AA several times, KK once, QQ, JJ twice). It got to the point where I would wince at seeing AA. This is playing short handed limit, so it's almost impossible to put down a big pair if no overcards hit the flop. Anyway, that first day I lost nearly $150 - that's right, nearly the whole amount of the bonus. I've recovered a bit since then, and am now only $80 in the hole. I'll be getting as far away from Pacific as I can once this bonus is finished.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Cracked the $400 mark
I've cracked the $400 mark, and am pretty happy with where I stand at the moment.
I bought into VC last week to chase a one-time 100% reload bonus. Played some more 0.5/1 and 1/2 limit (shorthanded), and did reasonably well. The fish apparently don't go away as you move up in stakes. The problem with shorthanded play is that it isn't efficient in chasing the bonuses at VC (to do that you need to play tight at 10 player tables). The VC bonus was working out at 50% rakeback or worse.
So I finally bought into Pacific for the Poker Listings 50% up to $150 bonus, which is a 20x play through bonus (100% rakeback effectively). That's much better for shorthanded play. I can always go back to VC, as I have more than a month left to cash it out.
I also made a very easy $20 by referring a friend to Neteller. That was the easiest bonus yet!
I'm now sitting with about $120 on VC, $300 in Pacific, and $20 in Tower. Not too bad starting from zero!
I bought into VC last week to chase a one-time 100% reload bonus. Played some more 0.5/1 and 1/2 limit (shorthanded), and did reasonably well. The fish apparently don't go away as you move up in stakes. The problem with shorthanded play is that it isn't efficient in chasing the bonuses at VC (to do that you need to play tight at 10 player tables). The VC bonus was working out at 50% rakeback or worse.
So I finally bought into Pacific for the Poker Listings 50% up to $150 bonus, which is a 20x play through bonus (100% rakeback effectively). That's much better for shorthanded play. I can always go back to VC, as I have more than a month left to cash it out.
I also made a very easy $20 by referring a friend to Neteller. That was the easiest bonus yet!
I'm now sitting with about $120 on VC, $300 in Pacific, and $20 in Tower. Not too bad starting from zero!
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Tournament report
I played a $5 buyin tournament yesterday - only me second MTT (in the first I finished top 50 in a ~1000 player $1 buyin). Here is the blow-by-blow.
1500 chips, rebuys, addons, 474 players.. $5 fee, $7500 prizes
Made my initial big stack mainly by calling an all-in bet w AK (I had
previously raised). Another guy calls, both have small pairs, i hit
my king and then the ace flush.
Hmm... Lost a chunk with JJ to a smaller stack all in w AQ - Ace hit
the river..
Scammed a lucky break - limped in w J9s on SB. Flop is 234 w 2
spades. I bet the pot, get minraised - forced to call for the odds.
Q hits, I gambool all-in - muppet has A4, but I hit a 9 on the river..
Odds wise, the all-in was ok, since I probably have odds to call any
bet (15 outs to any sensible hand). Tournament wise it's probably a
dumb thing to do when you have a good stack..
Been playing nearly 2 hours. 149/474 left. Top 50 pay. Haven't had
to start stealing pots yet, but blinds are climbing and i may need to
start soon. Also haven't seen a premium hand bar the JJ loser, and a
99 that won the blinds.
Just got lucky again.. Raise w KQs, one smallish stack caller.. flop
is JJ6, ripe for a steal. I raise him all in, he call w 99. turn and
river are 10 and A!
Hmm... Just hit AA late position. two callers to me, i raise 4BB, all
fold. Too big a raise? Maybe 3BB is more tempting - I can't just
call with two limpers..
Monsta!! Two hands later JJ.. Two smaller stacks all in to me - I
call.. A9 and Q10. The 9 and 10 hit, but thankfully no A or Q.. JJ
redeems itself!
Lots of bad players here.. All in preflop with really ordinary hands
and huge stacks. A few times BB is enough to steal usually..
AA gets busted.. Two microstacks call, and 87 hits a str8.
Brain fart nearly kills me.. Raise late pos K2s, one caller. Flop is
rags, I bet, call. Both check turn. Check to me on river, i go all
in for a lot. Other guy covers me (just), but fortunately folds. It
worked out this time, but really I gotta stay cool or a move like that
will blow me away..
Lo and behold just after saying that, i go and blow 1/3 of my stack.
Call on button w K9s (one limper). Flop is Q1010 with a four flush
for me. Pot is bet to me, i reraise him all in. He call w KJ, and my
outs (12 of them) don't show..
77 left.. Bubble is soon. I have nearly 30k, which is a middling stack.
Been lucky w the blinds. They seem to move up just after they pass me
every time..
I'm in the money now.. Been hanging tight and folding ok hands.
50th pays $33.75 :/ Time to step it up.. Playing tight won't win me
anything decent..
I have to say, tourney poker is a bit dull, especially late in the
event. Fold, fold, fold, steal, fold, fold, fold.. Very little
postflop play at all.
Getting a bit short stacked here by attrition. Going to have to start
early position bluffs..
Woohoo!! Tripled up in a fluke shot. Had A10 on BB, 40 left but
still a long way to go to big bux. Two all-in bets to me, I call..
Coz i am short. 77 and AK. My 10 makes a str8 :)
And we are bussssted in 26th ($56.25) ... Not too shabby. I had AJ in the SB.
One limper, I raise to 3BB. BB calls, limper folds. Flop is J1010.
Eureka I think. Bet most of my stack, reraised all-in. Villain shows
KK :( I don't improve :(
If the BB holds KK when you move, it's a tough situation. When you then hit the flop, you're pretty much a goner.
I feel like I played ok, although I obviously got lucky a few times.
Here endeth the lesson.
1500 chips, rebuys, addons, 474 players.. $5 fee, $7500 prizes
Made my initial big stack mainly by calling an all-in bet w AK (I had
previously raised). Another guy calls, both have small pairs, i hit
my king and then the ace flush.
Hmm... Lost a chunk with JJ to a smaller stack all in w AQ - Ace hit
the river..
Scammed a lucky break - limped in w J9s on SB. Flop is 234 w 2
spades. I bet the pot, get minraised - forced to call for the odds.
Q hits, I gambool all-in - muppet has A4, but I hit a 9 on the river..
Odds wise, the all-in was ok, since I probably have odds to call any
bet (15 outs to any sensible hand). Tournament wise it's probably a
dumb thing to do when you have a good stack..
Been playing nearly 2 hours. 149/474 left. Top 50 pay. Haven't had
to start stealing pots yet, but blinds are climbing and i may need to
start soon. Also haven't seen a premium hand bar the JJ loser, and a
99 that won the blinds.
Just got lucky again.. Raise w KQs, one smallish stack caller.. flop
is JJ6, ripe for a steal. I raise him all in, he call w 99. turn and
river are 10 and A!
Hmm... Just hit AA late position. two callers to me, i raise 4BB, all
fold. Too big a raise? Maybe 3BB is more tempting - I can't just
call with two limpers..
Monsta!! Two hands later JJ.. Two smaller stacks all in to me - I
call.. A9 and Q10. The 9 and 10 hit, but thankfully no A or Q.. JJ
redeems itself!
Lots of bad players here.. All in preflop with really ordinary hands
and huge stacks. A few times BB is enough to steal usually..
AA gets busted.. Two microstacks call, and 87 hits a str8.
Brain fart nearly kills me.. Raise late pos K2s, one caller. Flop is
rags, I bet, call. Both check turn. Check to me on river, i go all
in for a lot. Other guy covers me (just), but fortunately folds. It
worked out this time, but really I gotta stay cool or a move like that
will blow me away..
Lo and behold just after saying that, i go and blow 1/3 of my stack.
Call on button w K9s (one limper). Flop is Q1010 with a four flush
for me. Pot is bet to me, i reraise him all in. He call w KJ, and my
outs (12 of them) don't show..
77 left.. Bubble is soon. I have nearly 30k, which is a middling stack.
Been lucky w the blinds. They seem to move up just after they pass me
every time..
I'm in the money now.. Been hanging tight and folding ok hands.
50th pays $33.75 :/ Time to step it up.. Playing tight won't win me
anything decent..
I have to say, tourney poker is a bit dull, especially late in the
event. Fold, fold, fold, steal, fold, fold, fold.. Very little
postflop play at all.
Getting a bit short stacked here by attrition. Going to have to start
early position bluffs..
Woohoo!! Tripled up in a fluke shot. Had A10 on BB, 40 left but
still a long way to go to big bux. Two all-in bets to me, I call..
Coz i am short. 77 and AK. My 10 makes a str8 :)
And we are bussssted in 26th ($56.25) ... Not too shabby. I had AJ in the SB.
One limper, I raise to 3BB. BB calls, limper folds. Flop is J1010.
Eureka I think. Bet most of my stack, reraised all-in. Villain shows
KK :( I don't improve :(
If the BB holds KK when you move, it's a tough situation. When you then hit the flop, you're pretty much a goner.
I feel like I played ok, although I obviously got lucky a few times.
Here endeth the lesson.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Another no-deposit bonus
Discovered another no-deposit bonus at pokerroyaleonline.com (bonus code free10).
This is a very small poker room (200-600 players), but looks to be extremely juicy - probably because of the free money. When I played I saw an extraordinary percentage of complete calling stations and nutcases (capping the betting with bottom pair).
Unfortunately I blew my $10, being chased down one time too many (playing 0.25/0.50 limit). One example was QQ in the hole and capped betting preflop with about five players. The hand died when Q5 (I kid you not) catches trip 5s on the river.
This site looks so ripe that I may have to buy in with a decent roll.
This is a very small poker room (200-600 players), but looks to be extremely juicy - probably because of the free money. When I played I saw an extraordinary percentage of complete calling stations and nutcases (capping the betting with bottom pair).
Unfortunately I blew my $10, being chased down one time too many (playing 0.25/0.50 limit). One example was QQ in the hole and capped betting preflop with about five players. The hand died when Q5 (I kid you not) catches trip 5s on the river.
This site looks so ripe that I may have to buy in with a decent roll.
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