The Bat Cave

Molly’s Game, The Shape of Water, A Ghost Story

January 9, 2018

I’m pretty far behind on posting my thoughts on entertainment content, so I’m just going to pump it all out right now.

Molly’s Game (2017) – This is a rare occurrence where a movie is significantly better than the book it was based on thanks in large part to Aaron Sorkin’s uncanny ability to translate stories to the big screen with his ability to write snappy and entertaining dialogue-heavy scenes. There’s a line in the movie where Idris Elba’s character says something about the best part of Molly’s story taking place after her book was published; he’s not wrong. In fact, his character didn’t even exist in the book. All the court drama is fresh material and it is quite great. Jessica Chastain and Elba are wonderful in their roles. Michael Cera’s character is actually the actor Tobey Maguire and while he’s painted pretty slimy in this movie, he plays a much bigger villain role in the book. For instance, Tobey insists on using his own personal Shuffle Master for the games and charges Molly to use it. I wasn’t moved by the book at all. I thought it was an interesting story, but I didn’t feel bad for Molly Bloom. This movie made me feel something. Kudos to Aaron Sorkin’s writing and directing and a great cast.

7/10 (Highly Enjoyable)

The Shape of Water (2017) – This movie blew me away. Guillermo del Toro directs a wonderfully beautiful film with a fun (but kind of weird) love story about not judging a book by its cover. Sally Hawkins is ridiculously good in this movie, playing a mute that works in a secret government building as a cleaning lady and falls in love with a Sea Monster/Man they are holding captive. This is a film that is firing on all cylinders: visually, musically, and technically. Octavia Spencer and Richard Jenkins are great in supporting roles and Michael Shannon is terrific as the story’s main villain – goodness that guy can make you hate him. The Shape of Water might not wind up being my favorite movie of 2017, but it is almost certainly the best all around 2017 film I’ve seen so far. This movie is highly artistic and a little out there, so it might not be for everyone. My friend I saw it with had the audacity to call it “alright.”

8/10 (Must See)

A Ghost Story (2017) – This was an experience. I had no clue what I was getting into and was totally floored by the direction this movie takes. Casey Affleck plays husband to Rooney Mara, but passes away after a car accident early on in the movie only to return as the stereotypical-looking ghost in a white sheet. He returns to their home and watches her grieve – including an uncomfortably long four minute scene of Rooney Mara devouring a pie – and eventually move on. There is no interaction between ghost and grieving wife and even though the spirit was able travel from the morgue to their home, it remains behind after she moves out and other people begin to move in and out, and a serious amount of time passes. It’s a weird movie. There is very little dialogue after Casey Affleck’s character dies, as most of the film is music and a ghost observing. And yet, it was incredibly entrancing, moving, and quite thought-provoking. I really wanted my wife to watch it but I’m sure she’d hate it, so I didn’t even bother suggesting it. I’m hesitant to recommend this movie, but I loved it and I wanted to watch it again right after I saw it.

7/10 (Highly Enjoyable)

Raw (2017) – Technically, this movie was viewed at film festivals in 2016, but I don’t think it was released in theaters until 2017. This is a pretty bizarre French-language film about a young vegetarian girl forced to eat meat while getting hazed during orientation at a veterinarian school and develops an insatiable desire for meat and discovers that humans are quite tasty! There’s lots of weird stuff in this movie – it’s overly gross and sexual at times – and I would not recommend it to more conservative audiences. I thought it was pretty fun though and fans of horror movies from other countries shouldn’t be put off by it’s boundary pushing.

6/10 (Recommended)

Tucker and Dale vs Evil (2010) – Happened to watch this on Netflix and thought it was a pretty fun, but not great horror movie with a twist. Tucker and Dale are harmless “hillbillies” that a group of teens mistake for murderers and the teens accidentally kill themselves one-by-one while the survivors blame it all on Tucker and Dale. There’s a don’t judge a book by its cover theme here too, but it’s pretty superficial and this film is just a light horror comedy that’s worth a watch if you have some time.

5/10 (Watchable)

Posted in movie reviews, TV Shows | Tagged 2017 movies, a ghost story, aaron sorkin, guillermo del toro, idris elba, jessica chastain, molly's game, sally hawkins, the shape of water | Leave a Comment »

Marathon Monday – 1/7/18 (Live Blog)

January 8, 2018

11:50 AM: Struggled to wake up this morning. Missed yoga. Skipped meditation. Showed up thirty minutes late for $15/$30. I wasn’t even sure it would go today. There were four names on the list when I left last night. But I received texts asking where I was so I headed on in and four players were sitting around the table not playing.

Staring lineup consists of Chief Wiggins and Radio Mike and three other Palace regs, one of which never plays very long.

Pretty great start. I’ve VPIP’d four hands and lost all of them, including this gem: I open UTG with ATcc and only the big blind defends. Flop is KJ4 with two clubs and I double barrel and get check-raised unimproved on the turn. I call, whiff, fold, and the big blind kindly shows me J4o. Solid defend.

12:16 PM: Four players limp, I limp A3dd on the button, blinds call. Flop 876ddd. Checks to second to last limper and he bets, fold, I just call. I would raise here a lot but I have four players yet to act and I think calling makes me more than isolating usually. I do pick up two callers and the turn is 2d. Checks to me and I bet. Only the flop bettor calls. He ends up having K5dd. Brutal turn.

I raise one limper from cutoff with KQo. Four ways to K97 flop. Chief Wiggum donks from the big blind, folds to me, and I raise. He calls and check-calls the turn before donking a 9 on the river. Pretty weird for him to lead flop with a 9, so I’m tempted to raise but I land on call and he shows 98cc. Okay.

More fun: two limpers, I raise QQ on the button. Flop is 998 and both limpers call. Turn is a 6 and only one of the calls. River is a king, I bet and he calls with… KJo.

At least the game is good.

Trying to give off a tilty vibe:

12:44 PM: Full game now. The player to my right’s breath is launching an attack on my nostrils so ferocious I’m considering the rare seat change that has no strategic purpose – except maybe tilt reduction?

12:50 PM: One limper, button raises, I defend 22. Three ways to T62 with two clubs; I check-raise and call a 3-bet. Turn is an ace and I check-raise again. He calls. River pairs the ace, he calls, and shows KK. Pretty lucky to get a check-raise in on this turn, which makes me wonder if I’m taking the optimal flop line. I think it’s fine but I should at least consider leading this turn since it seems like he has an overpair most of the time. His flush draws are usually to the nuts though, so I dunno.

1:05 PM: Battling with s7 today. He had the J4o, KJ and KK earlier. He opens HJ, I 3-bet AA on the button, and Chief Wiggum caps from the big. Flop is Q53 and they both check to me and call. Turn pairs the 5 or 3 and the action is the same. River is a 6 and now the s7 donks??? Comical. I mean it looks like 66 to me and his lead is hilarious because I’m obviously betting the river most of the time on this run out (my entire range – not this specific hand, which I’m always betting). I call and he shows 66.

Very next hand he opens in the lo-jack and now that I’ve seen he’s opening medium pairs I’m 3-betting KQo here. Chief Wiggum caps from the small blind and I say, “didn’t we just play this hand?” Flop is KQ3 and for the second hand in a row Chief Wiggum caps out of position and checks the flop. You don’t see that everyday. This time the board runs out KQ3Q and s7 check-calls me down with AK.

1:49 PM: Radio Mike opens UTG, Wiggum cold calls next to act, someone else calls and I defend A4ss from the big. Flop is A43 two clubs and I check-raise a bet and call from Radio Mike and Chief Wiggum. Turn is a 5 and they both call again. River is an 8. I bet, Mike folds, and Wiggum calls with… 55. I guess losing in weird and unexpected ways is the theme today.

3:19 PM: Radio Mike opens UTG, one or two call and I defend J9o. Flop is AT7 and I peel with one other player in. Turn is a queen giving me additional straight outs. Mike bets, Wiggum calls, and I call, planning to lead kings and check-raise 8s. River is an 8! I check-raise and Mike pays it off.

4:05 PM: Nothing too exciting to report. The game is kind of dull at the moment, with two players sitting out, and more chopping than normal – like three in a row as I’m typing this. Players have been filtering in and out of the game and we haven’t really had a 9-handed game for a few hours probably.

I’m floating around even at the moment. We are recently joined by a spazzy Palace reg I will call Taz because he reminds me of the Looney Toons character both in demeanor and in body shape.

4:50 PM: Multiple limps, Radio Mike raises cutoff, I 3-bet AK on the button and six of us see a JTx rainbow flop. It checks to Mike and he donks. I opt to raise since I’d rather clear some players out and calling really telegraphs my hand – also Mike is less likely to 3-bet than most players. Three players cold call and Mike calls. Sheesh. Turn is a king which is good because it gives me top pair but it improves a lot of other hands and I will have to bet-call if I get raised. Only two players call. I feel like my hand is good. But the river is an ace and it goes lead and call in front of me. I fold and they chop it up with QJo and Mike’s QThh.

5:05 PM: JJ holds in a button straddle pot and I believe I have sugar for the first time today.

6:08 PM: Back to a full game. Radio Mike and Taz still in the lineup. One of the bigger action Palace regs is also in the game and a 4/8 player that also writes a blog (link later – AJ’s Blog) is taking a shot in this game. It will be interesting to see if we clash and write about the same hands.

6:33 PM: Action Bronson – my name for the active Palace reg I mentioned earlier – straddles. I didn’t play or pay attention to this hand but at showdown Action is scooping a big pot with J3o after making a full house.

He says to Radio Mike: “You see that, Mike? I straddled and won a big pot!”

Mike says, “Oh wow, I missed it.”

I say, “Look at everyone’s face and guess who he beat,” as his opponent is sitting there with steam coming off his head (oh stop – some people deserve a little needling).

7:08 PM: Fun sequence of hands:

Hand 1 – I post my big blind coming back from a break. Five players in before my action and I decide to check AJo. Flop is AQJ rainbow. I lead out, the guy that’s been in s7 all day raises me, heads up now, I 3-bet, and he calls. I’m happy about that. I think he would cap the flop with KT and since he limped in he never has sets and probably not AQ. Turn is an 8. I bet and he calls. River is a ten, which seems bad, but I think he has QJ exactly and I don’t think he ever has a king and probably doesn’t have A9. I bet, he calls, and my hand is good.

Hand 2 – Two hands later on the button, I open with QTo and the big blind 3-bets me. I call. Flop is QJ8. He bets, I raise and he calls. Turn pairs the jack and he’s telegraphing a check-call, but my Spidey senses are tingling. I check back. River is a ten. We both check again and he wins with AA.

Hand 3 – A few orbits later, but happened as I was typing this. Two limpers, small calls, and I raise JJ in the big. Four of us see a 765dd flop. I lead, new player calls, Action Bronson raises, fellow blogger in the small calls two cold, I 3-bet (Jd in my hand) and everyone calls. Turn is a 3. Pretty bad. I decide my best line is bet-fold, so I fire into the field and no one folds, but no one raises. The river pairs the 3 and I think for a bit and determine my hand is good. I bet, two folds, the blogger calls, and I win the pot.

Reading good.

8:47 PM: Player announces he’s going to raise every hand now and does so UTG, folds to me and I 3-bet QQ, next player caps and it’s three of us to the Q64 flop with two hearts. Bets go in. 8h on turn and UTG still leads. I still raise. He calls. River 3h, he checks, I check and announce set of queens and he rolls A9o with the ace of hearts.

9:28 PM: Not much movement in the game or with my chips for a while. Action Bronson left after the NCAA championship game and was replaced by one of the most solid regs at Palace. Not ideal. We have managed to lock Peter out of the game for about two hours now which is pretty cool. He’s next up though.

I am currently up about $140. Radio Mike is up over $1500 hitting basically everything and sucking out like it’s his job. In fact, Radio Mike is running so pure that he’s completely tuned out of the game and timing out basically every time it’s his turn to act while he strolls Twitter and reads messages on his phone. Not a single care in the world. He’s won pots he didn’t even know he was in.

10:11 PM: Pay-Off Pete has made it into the game!

Pretty inactive on my part. I opened AA from the button and won a showdown. I defended my big with 22 heads up, flopped a set on an ace high board, whiffed my check-raise on the flop and got called on the two big bet streets by JJ.

10:20PM: Doesn’t take long for Peter and I to clash. He buys the button to come in and then on his button I open UTG with 88. Taz and another player cold call and Peter 3-bets. We all call. Flop is QT2 rainbow. Checks to Peter, he bets and I decide to peel getting 18-1. The other two call also and I bink my set on the turn. I check-raise, Taz cold calls, and Peter 3-bets. Really? I call down and he shows TT.

10:35 PM: I come back from a break and post in the cutoff. I’m still getting situated and the dealer prompts me and I ask “did it fold to me?” He says, “yes.” And I respond “then I’m probably going to be raising.” I give my cards a courtesy look, see 96o, and raise it up. The button cold calls and Peter defends. Flop is KQ5 and the button calls my flop bet. He’s been pretty sticky today so I’m surprised to see my double barrel on the 8 turn get the job done.

11:28 PM: Peter waits two hours to get into the game and an hour later we are five handed and it’s not a good five. I have flopped sets twice in the last 20 minutes and got no action. I will be leaving shortly.

But I’m giving action! Folds to SB and he raises. I defend T8ss. Flop is Js7s4 and we are in Overs. He bets, I raise, he raises. I estimate my fold equity at 0% so I just call. Whiff turn and call again. Whiff river and fold. Blah.

11:57 PM: Quit the $15/$30 game and finished -$324. There is a $3/$6 game going with some loud and rambunctious players and I decided to convert some chips to white and sit down in it with my $1676. I thought it would be hilarious to sit down with a massive amount of chips and play super serious. I couldn’t stomach a full game but it is 6-handed with me.

12:03 AM: Everybody limps in and I raise with A6ss for the big blind. Flop is Q87sss. I don’t win. KQ way too strong.

12:14 AM: One of the players just noticed that all the chips under my top rack are red and green and says “damn, he has money we can’t even fathom!” 😂

12:23 AM: Drunk kid limps on the button, scared money (I know this because I floored here for over a year) raises in the small blind and I 3-bet AK. They both call and then call me down on QJT73. Small blind has AA. 😂. Ruining people’s nights now.

12:34 AM: Not gonna lie. I broke the game. One of the players wanted to have raising wars with me but I always had something and he never had anything and I busted him and the game crumbled beneath my $45 win.

1:20 AM I was curious when the last time I even played a hand of $3/$6 was and discovered that I played zero seconds of $3/$6 in 2017, but I did used to prefer sitting in $3/$6 games in 2016 while I was waiting for a seat in something else as opposed to sitting around doing nothing. But then I lost 11 times in a row. My longest “session” in that span was 31 minutes. Most of them were 15 minutes or less. I would usually post my blinds a couple of times without playing a hand and move on. I decided it was a better use of my time to do literally anything else. Especially since the wait was never very long. I enjoy warming up in $4/$8 LHE and $1/$3 NL though.

Not much to say about the $15/$30 session. I have run really mediocre in that game so far. The competition is not necessarily stiffer at the higher stakes. The games have been very good, but my results have been really ho hum. I am running at $29.27/hour overall but that’s inflated because I hit a $2300 jackpot while playing $15/$30. Take that away and my win rate has been $6.09/hour over my first 100 hours of Palace $15/$30. Yuck!

Posted in poker | Tagged gambling, gambling for a living, limit hold em, no limit hold em, poker, poker strategy, professional gambling, professional poker, texas hold em | 4 Comments »

$30/$60 Limit Hold’em (LIVE BLOG [maybe])

January 7, 2018

9:30 AM: Today is supposed to be the first day of $30/$60 limit hold’em at Palace on a Sunday, but I’m honestly not sure what to expect. Long term, the game definitely has a chance to succeed on Sundays if players from outside of the Lakewood area come to play in it. That’s obviously more likely to happen on a Sunday than on a Tuesday at 4 PM when everyone would have to drive through traffic to get there.

When I left Palace last night, there were nine names on the list. Now there are ten. I think the game will probably happen though. I know for a fact at least three players will be there and two of them are allegedly bringing friends that will play. I’m guessing about 30-40% of the list are guaranteed flakes, so chances are the game will be starting with 5-7 players and hopefully they will play long enough for other people to venture in or for existing players to take their $500 shots at the game.

I’ve had an odd weekend so far. I played in a $10/$20 house game on Friday night that featured a ton of games I either have zero or little experience in. It’s impossible for me to pass up this opportunity to learn new games – especially since the other players aren’t particular experienced either – but learning at the $10/$20 level isn’t exactly ideal. I think our lineup of games looked something like this: double board omaha, razz, stud hi, stud 8, omaha 8, limit hold’em, badugi, badeucy, archie, drawmaha, and 2-7 triple draw. It was a blast, but I got cooked. We spent the last 60-90 minutes playing only double board omaha, archie, and drawmaha – all games I’ve never played a hand of before Friday. I lost $1115 which is kind of absurd, but I had fun and I’d go back in a heartbeat. Obviously learning new games is fun and I like to have all the skill sets in my repertoire and if there’s a mix game option available when I travel, I would usually prefer to play in those games.

Yesterday, as I was getting ready to head to the casino I started to wonder if I really wanted to play. The answer was unclear. I’ve been pushing myself lately. I sort of took the 2nd off, but I did stop in the casino to eat something and I played $4/$8 for 90 minutes and my last day off before that was Christmas Day. Since the 26th of December, I’ve played 108 hours of poker – almost three weeks of work in a 10 day span. That’s an average session length of 12 hours for 10 days with only one day off.

So I guess I hit a wall yesterday. I decided to go to the casino anyway and it didn’t take long for me to start thinking it would be a short day. The two biggest action players in the game smashed me over the first 30 minutes and immediately racked up and left. The game is rarely bad at Palace, especially on a Saturday, but I was in one of the worst $8/$16 games I’ve played in there. The main game looked really good, but my wife was in that game and so was the Palace cornerstone who I have a long-standing agreement to never bet against – the only poker player in the world I have this arrangement with. And I really don’t enjoy playing with either of them. Well, I actually do enjoy playing with my wife – because we play hardcore poker against each other – but after being accused of collusion somewhere around 3-4 times, I’ve grown wary of it. I mean sometimes she has AK when I have AA and the board runs out KxxAx and other people are in the pot with us. Plus, we have a ton of experience with each other and know each other’s ranges and tendencies pretty well, but I feel like I can’t exploit that knowledge without occasionally raising an eyebrow. So I try to avoid playing with her these days.

After a while of playing in a bad game, running mediocre/bad, and realizing I wasn’t going to be table-changing, I just decided to go home instead and potentially rest up for the $30/$60 game today. I’m not exactly sure how much sleep I got, but I was in bed by 7:30 PM. I fell asleep pretty quick, but I woke up later for several hours and then basically every 90 minutes or so all throughout the night. I hit snooze a number of times this morning, but I feel pretty great now.

Just finished my coffee and I’m about to jump in the shower, head to the Palace, and see what’s going on.

11:25AM: As expected, most of the names on the list didn’t show up. 14 names on the board and six of us are here playing.

Starting lineup:

Chief Wiggum – my WSOP backer that I gave a different name in a previous blog post.

Jesus (not my nickname for him; everybody’s nickname for him): a Fortune reg that hasn’t cut his hair or shaved in 5 years.

Bill W – a local recovery center owning I’m naming after one of the AA founders.

Unknown – one of the action players that torched me in 8/16 last night – obviously playing way over his head and sitting down with $500.

Regular – another Fortune reg that I’ve seen all over the place when I travel. Lots of experience and has played higher limits. I run into this guy everywhere so he needs a nickname. I’ll think on it.

11:47 AM: Picked up player #7. Another unknown random sitting down with ~$700.

11:58 AM: First notable hand: Bill W limps early, unknown raises, I 3-bet QQ from the SB and they both call.

Flop is J94 with two diamonds. I bet, Bill W raises, unknown folds, I 3-bet, and he caps it. I call down and he wins with J9ss.

12:14 PM: We are joined by an 8th player, a Palace regular that plays all the bigger games here and is in and out of the building all day long every day. I will call him Part-Time.

12:42 PM: Folds to me in the small blind – with a $3 total rake at these stakes I don’t see any reason to chop – and I raise with KJo. Chief Wiggum defends his blind.

Flop is 942 rainbow and I bet-call.

Turn is a T and since his most likely hands are pairs of 9s or worse, I feel like I have good equity against his range and possible double barrel fold equity, so I check-raise. He calls.

River is an 8; I bet and he calls. I roll my hand and The Legend is in the box and snap mucks my hand and I’m like “What?”

Apparently, Chief Wiggum raised the river and I didn’t see it and the assumption was that I was folding, which would definitely be true. A little unnecessary advertising and image-building on my part.

1 PM: The random that sat down with $700 is felted and gone so we are back to 7-handed.

The unnamed reg from Fortune looks pretty alert today but he usually appears on the verge of sleep, so tired he can barely keep his eyes open. He will be Rip Van Winkle.

The other unknown player is stacked up – sat down with $500 and probably has $2k now.

1:22 PM: Good orbit:

A few limpers, I raise KK in SB, Wiggum defends, others call.

Flop J63cc. Chief Wiggum pops me, I 3-bet, he caps it. Hmm… he’s pretty straight forward. I guess I’m calling down now.

Turn T; check-call.

River T; now I’m ahead of all the random two pair hands and only losing to 66 and 33. JJ is not in his range and I doubt he’d play JT like it was the nuts on the flop, so I lead and he calls and shows AJ.

One limper, Part-Time raises cutoff, I 3-bet AK on the button and Chief Wiggum caps from the SB. Three of us see the flop.

Board comes down K32, Wiggum leads, PT calls, I raise, and only Wiggum calls – and then he calls down when the board runs out clean and I’m good.

I open KTo, button calls, Rip defends BB; flop 987 and I check to balance my non-c-betting range. It checks around. Turn is a 6 and Rip leads out, I call and the button folds. River is a king and he check-calls and my straight is good.

1:43 PM: The other random player just left with about $1k, so we are back to 6-handed with one call in on the way.

I’ve been running white hot. I’ve had TT four times, KK twice, QQ. I’ve lost with three of those hands but I’ve definitely been run really well overall. I haven’t counted but I might be up $1500 already.

2:08 PM: Momentum halted. Part-Time opens JTo and outflops my AJdd and then limps in with KTo and outflops my JJ.

Lots of premium starting hands so far today and even though I’ve lost with nearly half of them I doubt anyone at the table is feeling any pity for me. I’m certainly running better than anyone else in the game so far.

We are joined by a good friend of mine. He has crazy amounts of money invested in Crypto currencies and convinced me to throw down on Ripple. I will call him The Crypt Keeper.

2:33 PM: This happened a while ago but it was significant. There’s action in front of me, I 3-bet JJ on the button, Bill W takes three cold from the Big and five of us see the flop.

I think some players check-call me on the 932 rainbow flop and then Bill W check-raises me on a blank turn. I decide to call down since we are heads up now, but I’m not sure it makes sense. He’s a reasonable player and he’s so set-heavy here with no two pair hands in his range and only TT as a possible overpair that I’m beating. Plus he reeked confidence. But I called down and he had 99.

2:46 PM: Only up like $400 now. I’ve had TT-KK an absurd 11 times and I’ve lost with six of them. That’s pretty bad playing 6- or 7-handed.

3:03 PM: I open QQ utg, Rip Van Winkle three bets from the SB, Part-Time calls, and I cap.

Flop comes K83 rainbow and I decide to check back. Way ahead or way behind here.

Turn is a blank and only Rip check-calls.

River bricks and I’m confident he never check-calls a king twice so I bet, he calls, and I win.

Two hands later Part-Time opens on the button and I 3-bet JJ from the SB. Flop is T83 with two spades and I bet-call.

Turn is 7s and I check-call again. Whiff my flush draw and gut shot and bluff catch on the river but he has Q4ss for a flush.

Yes, that’s TT+ 13 times in four hours now and I’m barely up.

A few hands later I open KJo from the cutoff and The Crypt Keeper defends. Flop is QT3 all clubs and I have none. He check-calls. Turn pairs the 3 and we both check because I don’t think triple barreling this hand is going to work.

River double pairs the board with the Q, he leads out and I snap-call. He has a naked ace and I reward his misguided value bet. I’m never folding KK, JJ, or any boat, or ace high. And what am I calling with? Basically nothing and somehow I have literally the only two card combo I would call and lose with.

3:39 PM: And now, amazingly, I am stuck, after running AK into AA on an Ace-high board in a 4-bet pot vs Bill W. Wonderful. Running like white hot lightning preflop and somehow finding a way to be losing.

4:10 PM: We are 5-handed now. Bill W lost a couple of big hands back-to-back and apparently that was more variance than he could handle cause he immediately racked up and left us for $6/$12 O8.

We are one player leaving away from having a really bad game.

4:30 PM: I have now had 99+ somewhere around 20 times today and I am stuck over $1000. That would be hard to do in a full game but we have been 6-handed most of the day. Insane.

5:15 PM: This hand feels like my last few hours in a nutshell: I open QQ utg, Crypt Keeper 3-bets the button and Part-Time cold calls from the big. I just call.

Flop is K83. Checks to Crypt Keeper, he bets, Part-Time raises, and we both fold. Just gross.

Or this one: I open JTcc, Crypt Keeper cold calls from the SB and Jesus defends his big.

I c-bet the Q87 flop and give up when the they both call and the turn bricks. I miss my gut shot plus backdoor flush draw but Crypt Keeper hit his backdoor flush draw with J9ss.

5:45 PM: Shocking development: we have a full game now and it’s not bad. Pay-Off Pete is on the table and is currently NOT on pace to match his $9k win the last time we played this game.

6:26: And we’re back to 7-handed. Part-Time actually played a reasonably long session for him and Jesus had a family emergency.

The game has gotten kind of limpy with the recent additions. No complaints from me. I haven’t really played any interesting hands recently but I did stop getting big pairs every orbit and I’ve actually ran a little better. Go figure!

6:32 PM: And just like that we are 6-handed again. One of the more splashy Palace regs sat down for like 15 minutes, beat Peter out of three big pots, and cashed out. Ouch!

The game is hanging by a thread all of the sudden.

7:22 PM: 4-handed now. I open SB with AKcc. Peter defends.

Flop JcTc3. Peter calls. Turn pairs the Ten and I think he never has anything here and will bet his air a lot so I plan to check-raise. He checks back though. River is a 4 and I check-call. He has Q4o.

We will all be looking forward to his thoughts on that one in the comments section.

7:38 PM: Fortune reg opens, I 3-bet button with ATo, he calls.

Flop AJ8 with two spades and he check-calls.

Turn is a Ten giving me two pair and now he check-raises. I hate it. Definitely not the kind of board texture I’m happy about this situation. I call.

River Ace! Bink. He still leads and I get two big bets from him.

8:12 PM: Game is over. I’m headed home. I’m going to hang out with my wife for a bit before she goes to sleep and then I will post a wrap up.

10:13 PM: Ended up finishing the session -$839. Pretty unfortunate. I wouldn’t blame anyone for thinking this sounds like an exaggeration but I had 99+ around thirty times today. Thirty. And we played short-handed for most of the day. And I lost money? Seems ridiculous, but poker loves to bring out the seemingly impossible. I had about an hour of walking on water before losing most of the big pots I played throughout the day.

I won’t be playing in this game next week so I don’t know if it will go or not. I’m flying to Burbank to play in the LAPC at Commerce next Sunday.

Not sure if I will be posting a Marathon Monday live blog tomorrow. There were only four names signed up to start the game at 11 AM – by far the least I’ve seen heading into game day. I will be there at 11 but if it doesn’t look like it will start, I’m going to head home and get some other things done and have someone text me when they are ready to play.

Posted in poker | Tagged gambling, gambling for a living, limit hold em, poker, poker strategy, professional gambling, professional poker, texas hold em | 5 Comments »

January 2018 – Movie/TV Preview

January 6, 2018

My list of January movies I’m looking forward to doesn’t look much different than last month’s list, as a number of the films I want to see saw a limited release in December to qualify for the Oscars, but will receive wide releases this month. Some of these movies aren’t playing anywhere near me and don’t have an upcoming wide release listed, so chances are I won’t see many of them until they are on blu-ray.

1. Molly’s Game (January 5th, wide) – Jessica Chastain play Molly Bloom, host of private high stakes poker games in Hollywood and New York that featured some A-List celebrities. The book was enjoyable, but this film is getting raves and Aaron Sorkin is a master at turning books into screenplays.

2. Lady Bird (limited release now) – I don’t know much about this movie except that it’s a supposedly quirky coming-of-age story starring Saoirse Ronan and written/directed by Greta Gerwig and that’s it’s one of the most highly rated films of 2017.

3. I, Tonya (???) – Margot Robbie plays Tonya Harding, the former renowned figure skater that conspired to have Nancy Kerrigan assaulted and made a sex tape she sold to Penthouse.

4. The Disaster Artist (???) – This movie is about some guy that made a bad movie called The Room. I don’t know much about any of that, but James Franco is apparently spectacular in this and it has received critical praise.

5. The Post (January 12th, wide) – Steven Spielberg directs Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks in a political drama where the press squares off against the government.

6. All The Money In The World (in theaters) – Michelle Williams, Christopher Plummer, and Mark Wahlberg star in this thriller directed by Ridley Scott about a boy that is kidnapped and his mother’s desperate attempt to get his billionaire grandfather to pay the ransom. An amazing note about this film: Kevin Spacey originally starred as the rich grandfather but was replaced by Christopher Plummer when his scandal broke. This happened on November 8th. Plummer had two weeks to memorize all his lines and prepare for the role before reshoots over the 2017 Thanksgiving holiday and the film was released on December 22nd. Incredible!

7. Phantom Thread (January 19th, wide?) – Paul Thomas Anderson and Daniel Day-Lewis are all the information I need, but the plot outline doesn’t really grab me.

8. The Darkest Hour (limited now?) – Gary Oldman disappears into the role of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill on the threshold of World War II.

9. Hostiles (January 19th, wide) – Christian Bale and Rosamund Pike star in a this period piece set in the late 1800s about an Army captain escorting an Cheyenne chief through dangerous territory. From Scott Cooper, director of Crazy Heart, Black Mass, and Out of the Furnance – all notable films, but none of which I’ve seen.

10. The Commuter (January 12th) – Liam Neeson does Liam Neeson things. On a train. This is the only official 2018 release to crack this list and my interest in it is pretty mild.

Netflix Additions

Immediate Watch

Eventually Watch

Before I Wake (January 5th)
Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee, Season 10 (January 5th)
The End Of The F**king World, Season 1 (January 5th)
Katt Williams: Great America (January 16th)

Might Watch

Captain Underpants: The First Epic Adventure (January 10th)
The Force (January 29th)
A Futile and Stupid Gesture (January 26th)
Rotten, Season 1 (January 5th)

Other Notables – Certified Classics in bold

Apollo 13 (January 1st)
Batman (January 1st)
Batman Returns (January 1st)
Batman Begins (January 1st)
Breakfast At Tiffany’s (January 1st)
The Conjuring (January 8th)
Dallas Buyers Club (January 16th)
The Godfather (January 1st)
The Godfather: Part II (January 1st)
Into The Wild (January 1st)
Lethal Weapon (January 1st)
Lethal Weapon 2 (January 1st)
The Shawshank Redemption (January 1st)
Training Day (January 1st)
The Truman Show (January 1st)
Wedding Crashers (January 1st)

Posted in movie reviews | Tagged margot robbie, meryl streep, molly's game, netflix, new on netflix, the post, tonya harding | Leave a Comment »

Key Pots From Last Week

January 4, 2018

Here’s some of the more interesting pots I played over the last week in various sessions. I was going to list some PLO hands from last night, but this was getting long enough already, so maybe I’ll post those hands tomorrow.

$8/$16 LHE @ Palace

I limp along in a multiway pot from the cutoff with 64dd. The flop comes down 852 all diamonds, giving me a flush with a double gut shot straight flush draw. The small blind leads out, I raise, and the small blind 3-bets. At least three of us see the turn, which is a blank. The small blind bets, there’s a call, I raise, and they both call. The river is the 9d and we all check. Small blind has Q7dd and the middle player has KdTx and I just quietly fold my hand face down into the muck.

Session Result: -$118 in 9+ hours (ended up deciding not to keep notes)

$1/$3 NL @ Fortune

Three players limp in, I make it $16 with AK and wind up getting called in five spots. Fortunately, the flop is relatively favorable, coming down AKJ rainbow. One of the limpers donks $50 into me, one player folds, and it’s up to me. I don’t know any of these players. I have no clue what a donk bet from this guy means. My default assumption is that I have the best hand and I don’t want anyone else to see the turn for $50 and this guy has $300 in front of him that I don’t mind getting in the middle. So I make a commitment raise to $140 and it folds back to him. He winds up taking his sweet time thinking it over but it looks like he’s acting and I’m sitting there like prepare yourself to react calmly if this asshole is putting on this show holding the nuts when it’s obvious that I’m never folding. He actually mutters “if you got me you got me” before putting his whole stack in and I snap call. The turn pairs the Jack and the river bricks and he’s looking at me trying to get me to table first and I’m looking at him like just turn your straight over already. He tables QT and I forgive him in my head for his flop antics.

In retrospect, I wonder if I can fold on the flop to his jam. Not that I think I made a mistake or that I’m looking for ways I could have lost less money on the hand – when I was thinking about my reaction to his $50 bet I knew that I would be calling an all in before I made it $140. I’m happy with that decision, but I did get some new, extremely reliable information before I had to execute on that plan. First of all, his body language was strong and when he was thinking about what to do after I made it $140 it didn’t look like he was thinking at all. After seeing this, I knew I was getting jammed on. But then he added on an “if you got me you got me,” which is basically always the nuts. He’s exuding strength and he really can’t have a set. All those hands would either open-raise or limp-reraise pre – especially after my $16 was called in multiple spots. AJ is a possible holding, but I don’t think he would look nearly as comfortable in this situation. He ended up having $280 on the flop, so from a math standpoint, there’s $96 ($16×6) + his $280 + my $140 in the pot for $516 total and it costs me $140 to call. If I knew he had a straight, this is an easy fold. I’m not getting anywhere close to the odds I need to draw to a four outer. I’m perfectly fine with my call, especially since I don’t know the player at all, but I think if I had history with him folding even after making it $140 could be justifiable here.

Session Result: -$165 in 35 minutes

$20/$40 LHE @ Fortune

This session produced a number of interesting hands – some that I’m actually quite ashamed of and wondered if I should even post, but in the interest of authenticity, I will include them. I feel like my mental game is a huge strength and while I might slip into my B-game at times, my C-game almost never makes an appearance. It might here though.

My friend is playing at the table with me and he’s a dealer at Fortune. He wants to switch tables because he doesn’t bet the river with three of the players in the game. I really don’t understand how or why that happens. We are playing $20/$40 – these are not recreational stakes. No one in this game cares if someone that deals in the room makes a bet against them and they aren’t going to tip him less because he plays poker against them. I propped games while I was flooring for years and played cutthroat poker against the customers and while some of them exuded a lot of frustration, they still tipped me and at the end of the day they respected the fact that when I played poker… I played poker. In a room like Fortune, you don’t need to play in the biggest game in the room if you want or feel like you need to give anyone air. It’s not about respect. Respect is playing the game.

And that’s when this hand comes up: a player opens from the lo-jack and it folds to me in the small blind. I have KJ of clubs. The player in question usually plays $8/$16 and from what I’ve garnered he doesn’t play particularly well. I feel like I can play my hand profitably against him, even from out of position. I would fold against a tight player that I also think plays well after the flop. But I three bet this guy. He calls. Flop is T94 with two diamonds and one club. I bet and he raises me. Welp. I’m not going to try and power my way through this one. I call. Turn is the 8 of diamonds and he bets again when I check. Continuing here is pretty debatable. Folding is probably the best play, but if you do call, I think you have to be prepared to do this: the river is the 2 of diamonds, putting a four flush on board; I lead out and he folds.

This is a player that my friend does not bet against. So he will never have this opportunity. I just bluffed my way to victory in a $300 pot that he would have to check the river in. Which means he should fold the turn in my spot because he can’t play poker on the river. And how is that fun for anyone? Also, when you have these kinds of unspoken agreements, you have no implied odds when drawing on the turn. Plus your opponents can call you with weak made hands on the turn because they know it’s a $40 decision and not an $80 one. Figure it out!

An early position player limps in, a middle position player raises, and I defend my big blind with 87. The flop comes 654 with two diamonds and I check-raise the flop and they both call. The turn is a jack and now the flop cold caller raises me. The PRF clears out and I three bet. The river is an ace, it goes bet and call, and she shows AJdd after I table my straight.

I open from middle position with QJ and the cutoff three bets me. We go heads up to the T98 flop and I check-raise. She calls. The turn is a 4 and she raises me, I three bet, and she caps. The river pairs the 4. Great. I didn’t really think she had a straight on the turn, so it’s pretty clear I can’t bet for value here. I check-call and she shows me 99. It’s always fun when someone overplays their hand on the big bet streets and then gets there.

Speaking of which! A few hands later it folds to me in the small blind and now I have 99. The big blind is a non-chopper, so I raise it and he calls The flop is 984 all hearts, giving me top set. I bet the flop and he calls. The turn is a king and I decide to check-raise, he three bets me, and now I cap… out of position. Yes, this is one of those C-game spots I was talking about earlier. I don’t think it’s a total spew – it might even have merit – but my standard line would be to call his three bet. I’m veering off course because of the previous hand. 100%. The river pairs the board, I bet and he calls. He didn’t seem too thrilled about it, so I assume he probably flopped a flush, but I really don’t know.

Folds to me in the hi-jack and I open with K4dd, which seems like it might too light when the cutoff, button, and both blinds all call me. Fortunately the flop comes K84 with two spades. I bet, the button raises, the small blind three bets it, and I cap. Oddly enough, the button folds and we are heads up now. The turn is an ace and he check-calls. The river is a 9 and he check-calls again and shows A9ss after I table. Ouch! I get his line because my range looks like AK or better, but I definitely did not expect to lose that pot to a check-call on the river.

A loose and bad player limps, a solid player in the cutoff raises, and I three bet with QQ from the small blind. They both call. The flop is AQx. I bet, the bad player calls, the good player snap-raises, and I make a judgement error by deciding to just call to keep the bad player in and check-raise the turn. The turn is a jack, I check, the bad player donks, the good player thinks for a bit looking confused and decides to raise, I three bet it, the bad player calls, and the good player caps. Huh. The river is a blank and I tank long enough that they are looking at me like what’s going on? and decide to check. The bad player checks and the good player bets, looking confident. I say “wow, snap-raise the flop with KT. Wow.” I call and he does show KT.

And if I’m being honest, I was steaming after that hand. I could feel the anger inside me. I wanted to direct it at the player with the KT, but I don’t think that’s who I was really mad at. I was mad at myself. Obviously this hand had a terrible result and I’m not happy about that. I think his flop line with KT is mega spew. Not because it doesn’t have merit in certain spots, but because it doesn’t have merit in this spot. Trying to get me to eventually fold a hand like TT, JJ, or KK doesn’t make much sense when there’s a third player in the pot that is rarely folding. And raising the flop to get a free card if he misses the turn? He’s picking the wrong target. Except he didn’t. By calling on the flop, I would have allowed him to execute on this plan if he had missed and the other player didn’t lead out. What a catastrophe it would be for me to let the turn check through holding a set. And that’s really the reason I was mad. I knew I took a poor line and if he had missed the turn, I would have let his ridiculous free card play work.

But before I emotionally recovered from that previous pot, I would play this extremely C-game hand. A couple players limp in and I raise with 99 on the button. One or both of the blinds call and now the bad player from the previous hand limp-reraises. I have history with him and I’ve seen this move with some pretty marginal holdings, so I go ahead and cap it. The flop comes down AKx, he leads out and I raise. The rest of the field has cleared and we are now heads up. He three bets and I call. The turn is a ten; he bets and I call? I mean I know this guy has a pretty wide range, but I’m not sure 99 is a hand to call down with on this board. Fortunately, the river is a 9 and I’m not even bothering to hide my amusement – I know I’m playing this hand bad and BAM! Here’s my reward. He doesn’t pick up on extremely visible tells – which is why I didn’t hide them – and I’m able to get two big bets from his AQ. Brilliant hand, Mac.

Session Results: +$280 in 10.5 hours

$8/$16 @ Palace

Here’s a hand where big blind defense against a button straddle goes wrong and why I think I should be folding most hands in this spot, even though I usually defend with a wide range in non-straddle pots. I’m about call with 97o and the under the gun player is already in motion to reraise. I haven’t put money in the pot yet and she didn’t cut out a three bet before realizing I hadn’t acted, but the speed in which she brought her chips into the pot felt like a pretty strong 3-betting tell. So I should just fold it. Instead, I call, and she does raise it. Ugh. Two players call, the straddler raises, and everybody calls. It’s worth noting that I don’t think the under the gun player knows that you can five bet a straddle pot. So her range is uncapped in my view. The flop comes 652 rainbow. It checks to a middle position player who bets, the button calls, and I raise it. This seems like a poor choice. I’m out of position and it’s unlikely I will thin the field very often. My thought process is that raising might buy outs for my overcards, but it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that I’m almost certainly better off just taking my very favorable pot odds to try and draw to my gutshot. Immediate punishment: the under the gun player 3-bets and whoever is still in the pot all call. The turn is an Ace and I check-call, once again getting favorable odds to draw to the straight. The river pairs me, but I check-fold because it’s clear that my pair outs were no good on the flop and UTG wins with a set of aces.

Defense against a button straddle is definitely in need of further examination. More often than not, the pot will get three bet and quite frequently it will be five bets to go. So I think the correct strategy is to only defend a range of hands that play really well in big, multiway pots. 97 offsuit, out of position, certainly does not qualify.

I come back from a back and post in the cutoff with K5dd and it winds up getting capped with seven players in. The flop is a beautiful K73 with two diamonds and it gets capped again with me putting in the first raise and the cap. Five of us see the turn and I get three callers when I turn a flush. The river is the 4 of diamonds. Two players check in front of me and the opponent behind me is telegraphing weakness so I feel confident I still have the best hand. I get check-raised by a wild opponent. He’s a Palace legend, well known for his propensity for playing his hands blind all the way to showdown, making hopeless bluffs, and playing a generally crazy game. Obviously this player is deserving of a nickname. I will call him Daredevil, after the blind superhero, because he’s bold and frequently doesn’t look at his cards. Well, Daredevil check-raises me on the river when I’m holding the second nut flush and he’s a player that I’m never considering folding to, so I call. He shows Ad3x. Nice hand.

Daredevil limps in EP, I try to isolate with A8 of clubs near the button and three of us see the flop. It’s AK3 with two hearts. Daredevil is my only caller. The turn is an 8, giving me two pair and he check-calls again. The river is a 4 of hearts and he check-calls again. I table and he shows Q7 of hearts for a flush. He says something about giving me air and that I should remember that and I say “that’s not air! That’s making me think I won a pot that I’m not winning! That’s mean. I’d rather you raise me!”

Under the gun limps, a new player raises, a bad action player 3-bets on the button and I’m simply never folding the JT of spades from the blinds here, so I call. We see a flop of T92 with two diamonds and one spade. I check-raise the flop and the middle position player raises me back. I call and so does the button. I’m getting a fishy vibe from MP so my plan is to donk turns that are good for me. The 2 of spades definitely qualifies, as it keeps my top pair hand in good condition and adds a flush draw. So I bet and the MP raises again. The button takes two big bets to the dome and I call also. The river is a 3 and I check-call and lose to MP’s 92o. Nine. Deuce. Offsuit. This guy raised from MP after someone had already limped. Poker is dead?

Three or four people limp in and I check 77 from the big blind. The flop is Q53 with a flush draw possible. I lead out, my good friend from Kitsap who had the nickname Aquaman long before I started blogging poker regularly calls, and so does someone else. The turn is a 9 and it checks around. The river pairs the queen and I’m pretty sure I have the best hand. The question is, can I reasonably bet for value and expect to get called by worse? The answer is yes. I have a ton of history with Aquaman and a very strong read on his overall strategy. He has a pair, it’s worse than mine, and he will definitely call. I have no reason to believe the other player has anything at all. So I bet, Aquaman calls, the other guy folds, and I roll over 77 like it’s the nuts because it is.

Session Result: +$461

Posted in poker | Tagged gambling, gambling for a living, limit hold em, no limit hold em, poker, poker strategy, pot limit omaha, professional gambling, professional poker, texas hold em | 1 Comment »

First MARATHON MONDAY of 2018! (live blog)

January 1, 2018

9:20 AM: When my alarm went off at 7 AM this morning I was presented with an opportunity: I could start my 2018 off by turning my alarm off and sleeping an extra 2.5 hours and being as fresh as possible for the $15/$30 game at Palace today or I could start my 2018 off by pushing myself out of bed after roughly five hours of sleep to do my daily meditation routine and head to the gym for yoga class. I chose the latter. However, when I called Crunch Fitness a few days ago to ask about their New Year’s Day hours, they didn’t inform me that all classes today would be cancelled and I didn’t think to ask, so that was a fun surprise when I showed up this morning. Rather than sulk in the fact that I could have slept in and still been productive before poker, I took the opportunity to do some lifting, which is something I don’t make enough of a priority. I think I’ve had my gym membership for over two months now and I’ve lifted maybe three times.

I gave myself a pretty good, albeit kind of short, workout. I did 4 sets of 8-10 reps on bench press, 4 sets of 8-10 reps on back squats, 3 sets of 5 reps dead lifting, and some bicep and shoulder work with some dumbbells. I was going to do some jogging/running, but I saw my blood sugar plummeting with two down arrows and decided heading home was my safest play. And now I’m hurting. Especially my legs. But it’s a good hurt and even though I could have slept in and I might hit a wall earlier tonight than I want to, I’m still pretty happy about my dedication to self-improvement. It’s a good start to 2018!

Time is a funny thing. It zooms by. Especially after high school. And there really doesn’t seem like there’s enough of it in a day. I play a card game for a living and I still don’t feel like I have enough free time. I get backed up on things I want or need to do all the time. For instance, I’d like to make more than one poker update on my blog each week, but finding the time to sit down and write about my various sessions throughout the week is difficult if I don’t blog while I’m playing, which I have to admit is fun but isn’t quite optimal for paying attention. At this moment, I have a number of hands from last week that I want to write about, plus movies and TV shows I have opinions on, and various other ideas – particularly my 2017 wrap up and goals for 2018.

Speaking of movies and TV shows, I feel like I don’t watch nearly enough of what I want to. Not because I can’t, but because I don’t make it a priority. Clearly family and poker are better priorities, but sometimes I look at my Netflix queue and I realize there are movies that will never make it to the top. The fact that I still haven’t seen the last two Best Picture winners, Spotlight and Moonlight, kind of boggles my mind. I don’t necessarily think watching great movies or TV shows is the most productive use of time, but it is one of my favorite things to do, so I’d like to try to find more time for it this year.

But enough about my intentions for 2018. I will have a whole post about that soon. I do want to address something about this blog. Obviously I want people to read it and hearing it referenced in poker rooms is pretty cool because it means I’m gaining an audience and when you write you want more and more people to read your material. But it’s worth keeping something in mind: people play poker for different reasons. Some people play for fun, some play just to get in there and gamble it up, some people are actually trying to make money. Not everyone is trying to play good poker and that is okay. I think giving people nicknames that sort of reflect their personality or their playing style is fun and gives the blog a humor factor, and while I may be poking some fun, I’m not trying to be mean or hurt anyone’s feelings. So can we exercise a little discreetness? If you want to know who The Human Torch is, there’s no need to ask me out loud, at the poker table, when they might be sitting there with me. And using these nicknames in public will make me feel like I have stop writing them and I don’t see how that’s fun for anyone.

Lastly, before I start getting ready for my session, I’d like to announce that after this Tuesday the $30/$60 LHE game at Palace will be moving to Sundays. If you want on the list for tomorrow you can call (253) 581-5851 to reserve your seat for a 4 PM start or you can call Wednesday to put your name up for the Sunday game. I’m not sure what time they plan to start Sunday, but I should find out today. I have no idea if the game will go tomorrow, but I’m confident that the switch to Sundays will give it some real viability. I heard from numerous people at Fortune that they would be willing to come play on Sundays when they don’t have to work or fight through peak traffic times to get to Palace.

See you on the felts and Happy New Year!

11:14 AM: Welp. 14 names were on the list for today and only four showed up. Currently playing 4-handed with a starting lineup that includes BVR, Muffin (my wife’s nickname for him, not mine), and one other. Muffin has played some short sessions in this game even when it was full so we definitely need some walk in traffic soon to prevent this game from breaking early.

11:27 AM: Boom. Two new players. The game will live! We are joined by an incredible loyal 49ers fan – decked out in starter jacket, hoody, and hat – and Trader Magee, former local pawn shop owner and WSOP backer of yours truly.

11:39 AM: Literally just got up from the table to walk over to the waitress to get two bottles of water. I sit back down. Trader Magee asks me if I have any Advil; I give him some. I go sit back down. A minute goes by. He asks me if he can have one of my waters.

This is a real thing, people.

11:57 AM: We are 7-handed now and have our first crazy.

12:15 PM: The crazy is felted but hopefully coming back and Joe Montana abandoned us for an $8/$16 starting.

My only hands of note so far:

Open JTcc, Trader Magee calls, maybe one other. Flop is J98 with one club and Trader Magee pops my flop bet. I think this is a good hand to put in my check-call down range unless I make my straight, so that’s my plan.

The turn bricks, but the river is a Ten, which induces a check around and I outdraw his 98.

Cutoff limps, BVR raises button, SB defends, I defend 53o.

Flop is AK3 with two hearts and the SB donks. My preflop defend is really bottom of the range stuff, so folding to this flop bet is probably advisable, especially since BVR is going to raise a high percentage of the time. But we’re playing short and I has pair so I call. Both others call.

Turn is a 4 and SB is all in for $13. With extra outs now and no threat of a full raise, I have an easy call. One fold and BVR just calls.

River 5 and I donk because it’s clear that I’m at least winning a side pot. BVR calls and I beat his AJ and win the Main against whatever SB had.

The crazy reloaded $500 and we picked up a Palace maniac. We will call him Super Dave, in honor of notable stuntman Dave Osborne. Super Dave is capable of playing any two cards from any position, either calling or raising, and has basically no rhyme or reason to his betting patterns. I have both lunatics on my right so I’m in a very favorable spot for the next hour or two.

12:34 PM: I open JJ under the gun, BVR calls on the button, Super Dave three bets from the SB and I cap.

Flop is KTx rainbow, SD bets, I raise, BVR cold calls, SD three bets, and we both call.

Turn pairs the T and I feel really good about the situation when it checks around.

River is a total brick and SD leads. I call and BVR somewhat reluctantly overcalls and says “KQ.” Well that’s obviously a monster. SD tables AQ and I briefly daydream about the 4+ big bets I would have won with a Jack on the river.

12:41 PM: Super Dave opens hi jack, crazy #2 cold calls, and I call with 86ss on the button because I want to try and get the easy money while it’s here. I think there’s a good argument for three betting here to get the blinds out and make sure I have the two yahoos all to myself.

One or both of the blinds call and we see a flop of 744, two diamonds and one spade, SD bets, #2 calls, and now I clear the blinds out with a raise. SD folds and #2 calls with all sorts of weakness showing.

Turn is a 9, a good card for me, and he check-calls.

River double pairs the board with a 4 and I bluff at it even though I think this run out decreases my chances of getting it through. Still, I can’t just let him show down weak busted draws that have me beat. He calls with A9 and wins the pot.

12:52 PM: Super Dave has felted and reloaded for $1k.

Real quote from SD just now: “I have to tell myself I don’t have to raise.”

12:57 PM: Trader Magee just coolered Super Dave by making a one card flush vs SD’s flopped top set, a situation no one else at the table is happy to see unfold.

1:02 PM: Welp. Trader Magee for him again. He turned the nut flush vs. Super Dave’s seven high flush and SD didn’t miss a single raise. Cap flop cap turn cap river, with a third player along for the ride until the river.

Very next hand, two limps, I raise QJhh from SB, three calls.

Flop KQx with one heart. I bet and Super Dave raises. I call and we are heads up.

The turn is a 9h and I decide to check-raise my monster draw that could also easily be the best hand. I get three bet, brick the river and pay off his K3o. Lovely. It’s always nice when things work out perfectly for everyone.

The next hand I lose a big pot on the button and the hand after that I limp with the maniacs in the cutoff with J8s and get stair-stepped into a cap before flopping zero equity.

That puts me at roughly -$650 and out the door for my first break of the day.

1:21 PM: Return to my seat in time to see Super Dave felting to Trader Magee. Nope. I’m not jealous.

1:27 PM: Some good news. I pick up QQ and KK on back-to-back hands and not only do they both win, but I get paid through showdown.

And then Super Dave sits back down with $500.

1:31 PM: One limp, Super Dave raises button, I three bet A9ss. They both call.

Flop 875, with two spades. I bet and only SD calls.

Turn is a King and same action.

River pairs the 7 and he’s never folding a pair, so I plan to check-call and pick off bluffs, but he checks back with A3 and I win.

Back in business!

1:48 PM: In case it isn’t already apparent what a special character this is, how about this hand? Heads up pot between Trader Magee and Super Dave. Board is K42 or something and Magee bets and Super Dave shows Q6o and calls all the way down unimproved.

Then I have AcK in a 5-way pot. Flop is J75, all clubs. I bet-call flop when Trader Magee raises and Super Dave cold calls. The turn and river are inconsequential to my hand and Super Dave check-raises Trader Magee before calling three bets with… 52o. One pair. Trader Magee flopped a flush.

No. They are not related.

Meanwhile, I coolered Magee by defending AT and flopping top two vs his AK and find myself down less than $300 after bottoming out around -$850.

And the action is so insane that The Legend can’t even maintain his composure in the box.

2:08 PM: Full game now and five of us have $25/$50 Overs buttons.

2:16 PM: Super Dave has left us. With a $2500 overlay. At least. Maybe $3000. I’m not sure. In less than two hours.

2:21 PM: SB raises in a multiway pot, I defend A6cc, Trader Magee limp-raises, and it gets capped multiway.

Flop is 986 with one club and everybody calls Trader Magee’s flop bet.

Turn is a Q and checks around.

River gives me trip sixes and the SB leads out. I should definitely have the best hand here but I have four players behind me and calling almost certainly makes me more than raising. I do pick up an overcall (from JJ) and SB shows AK high.

I believe I have sugar now. I also added on $500 in green after Overs started.

2:46 PM: Blog legend Radio Mike has joined the table!

3:13 PM: I’m about even on my second break of the day. I’ve actually had a decent number of interesting hands I didn’t write about because there were coming at such a rapid pace. I’ve called river bets with ace high twice and lost showdowns to people that were bluffing. It’s always amusing watching my image get tarnished while people look at me like WTF and I just sit there calmly.

3:27 PM: I heard Rain Man lose a pot to someone the other day and mutter something about “FBI agent” and I thought it was kind of hilarious, especially when I saw his opponent kind of perk up when he heard.

Well, that guy is sitting in s4 now and I’ve come to learn he is a retired FBI agent – and also Michael Keaton’s former neighbor in Montana! – and his conversation is threatening to break my concentration because he’s friendly, open and incredibly fascinating.

It’s also kind of funny that he used to do that for a living because he seems to have no spatial awareness – he’s the player weeks ago that had his phone practically sitting in front of me for hours – keeps his chips in a rack and so far to the side that he has nothing immediately in front of him, constantly acts out of turn, and thinks anyone that says something in his vicinity is talking to him.

4:03 PM: Special Agent Jack Crawford just picked up KK back-to-back in his blinds and won both pots. The very next hand he open-limps on the button while laughing and flashing a King to the two of us on his right. The small blind called, the big blind raised, and Jack… folds.

Yes, the ol’ open-limp on the button and fold for one more bet move. Something I’ve never seen in 13+ years of playing poker.

4:18 PM: Radio Mike, probably itching for a blog reference (a ploy that clearly worked), walked over to my side table, asked if that is my extra water, opened it up and took a long drink.

A solid troll but he did throw me a $1 chip a few minutes later.

4:39 PM: Radio Mike raises a limper from MP, BVR cold calls, SB calls, and I defend Ks8x.

Flop is AK8 with two spades. I get a check-raise in and three of them call me.

The turn is a Ten which isn’t great but I fire anyway and all three call.

River pairs the Ten and I check-fold my cards into Radio Mike’s face.

I swear I will blog a hand I beat him in again someday.

4:45 PM: We are 6-handed now which kind of sucks for the game’s long term success today, but of course, I prefer…

…and one of the floors is now propping the game, sitting down with $1500.

5:00 PM: Radio Mike opens under the gun, I three bet 88 on the button, the BB sticks around and Mike calls.

Flop is K97 and I decide to check back.

Turn card is a Queen and it checks around again.

River is a blank and now Radio Mike bets. He basically never has a King, I think he rarely has a Queen, and I’m discounting straights and better also, which makes this a pretty trivial call for me.

He tables 98hh. Of course he does.

5:33 PM: I may not be able to beat Radio Mike in a showdown, but I am up around $500 on my fourth break of the day.

I was also informed by Radio Mike, via text message, that my friend (BVR) is “running like Kershaw in the playoffs.”

6:00 PM: BVR gets a reprieve when I open 99 and call him down when he donks the turn on 763K4.

But then I open KTo, get a couple callers preflop and triple barrel the Q8xJA runout with BVR calling me down.

6:13 PM: I open AsTx and fire all the bullets on T93ssXs3 and Radio Mike called me down! 🙇🏻

Streak over?

6:42 PM: There hasn’t been any traffic for this game. We are still 7-handed, including a floor prop that has been MIA for the last hour or so.

I love playing short but I don’t necessarily want to head home by 8 PM.

6:50 PM: I open the button with 22 and both blinds defend.

Flop is QQ3 with two clubs. Only Radio Mike calls my flop bet.

Turn is an 8 and I check back, planning to showdown or call a bet on basically all rivers.

Fortunately the river is a deuce and I get two big bets from Mike.

7:34 PM: Another blog legend in the building: Pay Off Pete! He sits down and two more players rush to the table to fill the game!

Peter posts in the big blind immediately and runs his T4 into KK in a limped pot on a T94K4 board and lost all the bets you’d expect him to. Solid hello.

8:15 PM: In honor of Peter’s arrival and a newly full game I am now enjoying an 8:15 cup of coffee.

I certainly haven’t enjoyed any momentum today. I’m currently up about $125 and I’ve been in that realm for what seems like hours now and my notable hands have been few and far between.

8:53 PM: Stuck now. Peter has basically raised me every time I’ve put money in the pot. It’s funny how that works sometimes. He’s not picking on me – not that he wouldn’t – he just had a better hand every time I play. Like this:

I open button with A8. Peter three bets big blind. Flop is A53 with two hearts; he bets and I call. Then this crafty bastard check-raises me on the Th turn. I call even though I have no heart and then I spike an 8 on the river and I think about raising for a brief moment before deciding calling is best and he tables AT.

9:16: I’m making it sound like Peter is running good. He’s not. I just can’t beat the guy.

This just happened: UTG opens, maybe some other people call, Peter defends his big.

I missed the flop action but on the turn the board is 5422 and Peter has three bet and the UTG player caps it.

River is a King and Peter leads out and gets raised again. Says something about “55 under the gun” and calls. It’s not 55. It’s KK. Peter rolls 42. Yowza.

10:11 PM: Button straddles and i three bet AhKs from the big blind (small blind acts first), rest of the field clears out and button calls.

Flop is QT6 with two clubs. I lead, he raises, I decide to three bet because I think he’s spazzing, and he caps it.

Turn is another club. Maybe a 7. I check. He looks at his cards and actually says “dang it” before checking behind.

The river is the 4 of clubs and I bet my air and he snap folds. I have no clue what just happened but I like the result!

10:29 PM: I open AA under the gun and it gets capped with four players committed before it gets back to me. Always nice to have the nuts preflop and no one has any clue.

With that said, I’m out of position against three players so I’m already mentally preparing myself to lose this already massive pot.

The flop comes down 552, which ranks very high as far as boards that are easy to navigate are concerned. I check, someone bets, someone raises, and I cold call because my hand strength need not be revealed yet. At least four of us see the turn.

It is a Jack. I check. There’s a bet and a call and now I check-raise. The turn bettor calls, Peter folds, and I get paid off on the river and win a huge pot.

11:04 PM: I open QQ under the gun and get three customers.

Flop is J94 with two hearts. I bet and the cutoff and big blind call.

Turn is the 4h. I bet, cutoff calls, and the big blind, a very straight forward player, check-raises. Seems like we have two outs. I fold and so does the cutoff.

11:19 PM: Cutoff open-limps, I raise AKss, big blind defends.

Three of us to 853 with two spades. Cutoff check-calls.

Turn is Js, giving me the nuts and now he donks into me. I raise, he calls.

River pairs the 8 and he donks again. Such a weird line with a full house that I just have to raise again. He three bets and shows me 33. 🤦🏻‍♂️

11:24 PM: New player just sat down. He’s one of my biggest nemesis (nemesi?) at Palace. Constantly trying to outplay me and over playing his hands against me and then has a uncanny success rate of finding a way to get there. He plays with a lot of ego and seems to be pretty full of himself. He’s definitely nickname worthy. I will marinate on it for a bit.

I’m pretty sure I’m up again thanks to that AA hand but my chips are stacked oddly enough that I really don’t know and I kind of like it that way.

12:45 AM: Well he’s out of the game now so the pressure is off. I have some ideas but nothing seems magical or obvious. Until next time!

I did play a strange hand with JJ. Three players limp in front of me and I raise on the button. Six of us see the flop.

It comes Q66 with two diamonds. The first limper donks, Peter calls, the cutoff calls, I call, and so does the small blind.

I think the turn is a 5 and everybody checks to me. It’s so tempting to bet here but I really don’t think I have the best hand. I check.

The river bricks and the flop bettor bets again, Peter calls, and so does the cutoff. I’m perplexed and I usually call when that’s the case but it just seems so unlikely one of these guys doesn’t have at least a Queen. I fold. First guy tables 22, Peter has Q5 suited and the cutoff shows 88 for some reason.

*fistpump*

1:51 AM: Game has broken and I’m heading home now. I’ll have some post-game notes in a bit.

2:41 AM: Finished strong tonight with several late tangles with Peter, basically all of which I won, and one of which I asked if he cared if I mentioned it or not. He gave me the okay and said it would be good for his image.

In this hand, I believe the button or cutoff opened, Peter called the small blind and I three bet AA from the big blind. They both called.

The flop came down J87 and they both called my bet.

The turn paired the 7 and they both called again.

The river was a 6, I bet, the other player folded, and Peter check-raised. I paused for a few seconds about to try to piece together the puzzle, but then I quickly realized I’m never folding and I don’t need to waste anyone’s time and called immediately. He tables A9. Pretty creative.

Thanks to the solid upswing at the end of the night, I finished the day +$962.

I really want to take tomorrow off and I suspect the $30/$60 has 0% chance to take off again on a Tuesday, so I will not be planning my day around it. I’m going to relax and possibly see a movie and if it has a chance without me in the building, then I will show up and play.

Posted in poker | Tagged gambling, gambling for a living, limit hold em, poker, poker strategy, professional gambling, professional poker, texas hold em | 7 Comments »

$30/$60 @ Palace! (Live Blog)

December 26, 2017

5:00 PM: This is happening.

I really didn’t think it would. Like no shot. I think we got lucky. A very non-regular player that prefers higher limits happened to come in – I’m not sure if he knew about the game – and called two of his friends to come join him.

When I showed up at 4 for the game start there were two of us here. The floor was willing to sit in but the other player was sitting down with $500. No thanks. So I waited, expecting to play $8/$16 only today.

And now we have an 8-handed $30/$60 game – and only one of the players sat down super short ($500ish).

Starting the game with me are The Human Torch (the short buy) and blog regular Peter!

5:50 PM: I sat down with $3000 which everyone seemed to think was way too much (but actually less big bets than I sit with at $20/$40) and then one of the players lost $2000 in less than 30 minutes and it didn’t look so absurd.

Only interesting hand so far, Torch open-limps cutoff, I raise AQ SB, BB 3-bets, we both call.

Flop AJ3 with two spades. I check-raise both of them with Ace of spades in my hand. BB just flats which makes me really like my hand. Torch calls.

Turn Q of spades. I bet my top two and only the BB calls.

River is 8 of spades, giving me the nuts. I bet and BB reluctantly folds what he later says was AKhh.

Good start so far. No hiccups. Torch is gone already. Currently 8-handed with no list.

6:24 PM: First hiccup: UTG opens, three players cold call, I 3-bet QQ on the button. One of the blinds calls and six of us see the flop for $90 each.

Flop comes down JT3 with two diamonds. Checks to a middle position player and he leads out, one call, I raise, and two early players cold call, as do the two with money in already.

Five of us see the Ace of hearts. I’m pretty happy to see everyone check to me. Even though this pot is massive, I think checking is way better than bet-calling or *gasp* bet-folding. I check.

The river is a blank and both early players check. The flop bettor bets and the other player folds. I’m very happy about this river action, so I call. The other two fold and I lose to a set of Tens.

7:25: Brutal hand with KK. Couple players limp, I raise, and it’s 5-ways to flop.

932 with two spades. They check, I bet, two call.

Turn Jack. SB checks, BB donks, I raise, they both call.

River J. BB donks again. Pretty obvious he has Jack with a spade draw but I can’t fold. I call. Other player folds 32 of hearts face up and I lose to KJ of spades. Wow. How thin am I drawing?

10 PM: Game is still going. We are 8-handed now. I haven’t had much to blog about because I’ve been really card dead, but aside from the KK and QQ hands above I’ve won most of my confrontations and I’m up about $1200 five hours into this game.

10:40 PM: I came back from that last break and posted with AK and got there bets in four ways before turning trips and winning a decent pot.

But the real reason for this update is I just saw a player flop a set of Kings (against me), then turn a set of Kings the next hand, and then two hands later flop a set of nines (also against me). And now he’s racking up and claiming to be done. 😢

That’s how I thought this game would start and end today… short-handed with multiple short buys and the only player really risking anything would be me. I’m happy to see that it has thrived but half these players are non-regs, which has been great for tonight but doesn’t bode well for this game’s long term success.

11:40 PM: Down to 6-handed. Peter is basically winning all the pots. Take a look:

<<<<<<<<<<
tacks of green the same size behind all the red.

I thought I was on a collision course to even or slightly stuck by the time this game broke, but then it folded to me on the button and I looked down at 99. I raised and both blinds defended.

The small blind check-raised me on the J96 flop and I just called so I could get two big bets on the turn.

The turn is an 8, which is really bad. Not just because it completes QT, the most obvious straight draw, but also because any 7 or T on the river can easily beat me or kill my action. I stick with my plan and raise it. He calls.

River pairs the board and I get one more big bet and a little cushion as the game is dwindling down.

6-handed with one player sitting out. Maybe indefinitely. No one left in the game is particularly short so might still have some legs.

12:05 AM: And now I am stuck. I open AK and four of us see the flop.

It comes down K86 with two hearts. I bet, next player (who can be wide) raises, and both other players cold call, including one player I know to be solid. I 3-bet, the initial folds (lol), and the other two call.

Turn is a 3 of clubs. I bet they call.

River is a Queen and I plan to bet-call. First player folds and the solid player says “respect you” before check-calling with K6 of diamonds and winning the pot. Blah.

Time for the game to break!

12:48 AM: Game still going 4-handed with two other players possibly on money runs. I won’t be posting regular updates anymore but I will make a wrap up post when the game breaks and I get home.

4:40 AM: Just got home. Game was actually still going when I left, but we were playing with six or less people for HOURS. I ended up a little over $2300 thanks to a 5-hand stretch where I won every pot, including flopping a set of 8s and rivering a boat in a pot that was capped pre four ways. Other than that, my night was pretty unspectacular, but the pots in this game add up pretty quick and that five hand flurry made my night pretty good overall.

I don’t have a lot of hope for this game being a regular thing. It was lucky to go tonight and without multiple randoms that happen to have deep pockets wandering in, it wouldn’t have. This is definitely the kind of game that needs outside blood to keep it going.

Still, it’s pretty cool that this game has been running for twelve hours and even cooler that I had a solid session. It would suck to have the game run once and lose a couple thousand, which would be very easy to do.

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Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)

December 20, 2017

Starring: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Mark Hammill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Kelly Marie Tran, Laura Dern
Director: Rian Johnson (Brick, Looper)

Bottom Line: I feel like it’s important to note that I’m not a Star Wars fanatic. The series has always been overrated to me and while the original trilogy is definitely classic in the sense that they were groundbreaking films at the time and have had a tremendous affect on pop culture over the last 40 years, the movies themselves are merely enjoyable to me. I’m not wrapped up in all the mythology and I don’t watch all the movies again when a new one comes out. I haven’t seen a film in the prequel trilogy since Revenge of the Sith was in theaters. I did really enjoy The Force Awakens though and for the first time in my life I felt some of that Star Wars magic that everyone else is so enamored by.

The Last Jedi felt nothing like that. Right from the jump, we are hit with cringe-worthy dialogue and humor that doesn’t land. I chuckled one time during this movie and I was supposed to laugh a lot more than that. And then we are introduced to a Luke Skywalker that is nothing like your childhood hero. Even Mark Hammill hates this version.

I can’t get into all the minutiae of why this film is a poor follow up to The Force Awakens – I’ve seen fans nitpick all the relevant little details – but what I can say with confidence is that I was pretty bored while watching it and it was incredibly long for a movie that wasn’t highly entertaining. John Boyega’s Finn – one of the highlights of the previous film – has a much less interesting role this time around and goes on a side adventure that borders on prequel levels of terrible. I wasn’t a fan of Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren in the last film and this movie doesn’t help with that. Can you imagine Star Wars without Darth Vader? He’s a huge reason why those movies are memorable. Just a great villain. Kylo Ren is more similar to Hayden Christensen’s Anakin Skywalker than to Lord Vader – and that’s not a good thing. Plus, he spends this entire movie with his mask off. Ugh.

The Last Jedi does have some cool moments, but I think they occur far less often than dull or laughable ones. The critics enjoyed this movie, but I personally can’t recommend it. I can’t even say Star Wars diehards will love it because it seems as though the fan base is pretty split, but there are enough people that hate it, that I feel it’s fair to warn people to temper their expectations.

Replay Value: I don’t have much interest in seeing this again. My friend that went with me was happy to see it a second time though.
Sequel Potential: Episode IX is due out in 2019.
Oscar Potential: Star Wars movies are always strong candidates of Visual and Sound nominations. This movie will not be a contender for Best Picture.

Grade: 5/10 (Watchable)

Posted in movie reviews | Tagged 2017 movies, darth vader, finn, kylo ren, luke skywalker, mark hammill, rian johnson, star wars, star wars review, star wars: the last jedi | Leave a Comment »

Marathon Monday: 12/18/17 (LIVE BLOG)

December 18, 2017

10:02 AM: I did 13 minutes of meditation this morning and I believe that I have a solid daily practice now which means I feel comfortable practicing on a daily basis now. I also received three books on meditation and mindfulness in the mail last week. So yeah, I’m committed to this thing and I will constantly be weaving new practices and mindfulness tricks into my daily routines – and into my poker sessions. The whole reason I started doing this in the first place is to prevent myself from going on the kind of raging tilt I experienced last week in what ended up being my second worst session of all-time. There is no doubt the results of my session were affecting me emotionally and physically. I felt defeated basically the entire day. So the whole goal of meditation, and mindfulness, and yoga, is pain reduction; to be at peace with all the variance poker has to offer.

Someone has recently been trolling me in the comments section of my last post and they asked the question: “what qualifies you to be a professional poker player?” Here’s the answer -not just for me, but for anyone that wants to play poker professionally: all you have to do is quit your job and have money to play with. That is the only qualification you need. What happens from there is what will determine if you can remain a professional poker player. But some of the biggest perks of playing poker for a living are a) you don’t need to answer questions in a job interview or prove yourself to anyone and b) you don’t have a boss.

So I don’t know who this person is or why they feel like they need to try and rain on my parade, so I’ll just say this: I’m just sharing my journey and right now I happen to be playing poker for a living. This is not an instructional blog. You can read or not read – I don’t really care.

10:18 AM: Checking Bravo before I hop in the shower and start getting ready. Currently 16 names on the $15/$30 list and 16 names on the $30/$60 list. Last week, I asked the poker room manager what game we are playing today and he said “whatever everyone wants to play.” I’m not really sure what to expect but I do know most of the names that were on that $30/$60 list last time I was at Palace were either game start flakes or part-time players, so even though a bigger game would be cool, I don’t think it’s realistic with the names on the list. With that in mind, I fully expect them to spread $15/$30 today.

11:07 AM: Welp. 16 names on the list and we are starting $15/$30 6-handed. Definitely need some foot traffic because half this lineup play short sessions.

11:22 AM: There was a horrible train accident a few exits south of where I live off I-5. It is possible it is preventing people from getting here although I didn’t see any traffic in either direction from my exit.

Radio Mike started the game and beat me in a heads up pot and couldn’t help himself from smirking after the hand. I see you, buddy!

Opened with KQhh a few hands later and only the big blind defended.

He led out on the KJ9 flop, I raised and he called.

Turn was a T giving me a straight. He check-called.

River Q, putting a King high straight on the board. He check-called again and then… folded when I tabled my hand!

He’s a blog reader so I’ll say “thanks” and “sorry” and I hope you don’t read about this hand until you get home tonight!

11:50 AM: Finally picked up our 7th player! A $200 buy in! 😳

11:52 AM: And The Human Torch makes us 8-handed… on my direct left… with a $200 buy in.

11:54 AM: Full game!

Radio Mike comes back after missing his blinds and declines to post in the cutoff. I’m embarrassed for him.

12:20 PM: On my first break I am currently up about $100 which is the first time I’ve made it through the first 90 minutes of this game without being stuck at least $500. Progress!

12:55 PM: Radio Mike flopped the nut flush against me when I had top pair and he check-called me on the flop and turn… them check-raised me on the river when I went for some thin value.

And then he text me and said “I see that we are mortal enemies today.”

He’s not wrong.

1:34 PM: Just finished my breakfast and moved my table with my empty plate and dirty napkins right next to Radio Mike – one of his biggest pet peeves. It’s on bruh.

Someone immediately told him to ask if I had an extra water.

Not a very exciting first couple of hours. I have done more bluffing than usual, getting caught once check-raising a flush draw after the flop checked through.

Probably the all-time greatest maniac in Palace history just sat down in the $15/$30 game for the first time. He’s starting with $1k and is capable of getting in much deeper.

In honor of Michael Jordan and this player’s tendency to play aggressively with nothing, I will refer to him from now on as His Airness.

1:50 PM: His Airness has requested Overs buttons and now four of us are playing $25/$50 Overs. Radio Mike did not take a button because… who knows why.

2:11 PM: There hasn’t been a ton of action so far today but there was on this hand:

UTG limps, next player raises, both players to my right cold call, I 3-bet KK, one of the blinds calls and we go three bets six ways to the flop.

It comes down T63 rainbow. Someone donks into me, someone calls, I raise and four of us go to the turn.

4 on the turn and now the small blind leads out. One player and myself call.

River pairs the 6 and two of us call again. Small blind shoes… 52o.

Yup.

-$500 now.

I couldn’t help but notice Radio Mike chuckling out loud as he was watching the showdown.

2:59 PM: Guy that bought in $200 and cracked my KK with 52o – because those are the kinds of hands you play when you short buy – just cashed out $2000.

3:09 PM: I defend my BB with KQ. Flop is QT8 and I check-call Radio Mike on all three streets in what started as a 4-way pot. He has KK. He is definitely winning the battle today.

3:39PM: After watching Peter pick off bluff after bluff from His Airness, Peter limps early, His Airness raises, I 3b TT, Peter calls and it gets capped.

Flop is 986. Peter donks, His Airness calls, I raise and they both call.

Turn is a K and they both check. This is a must bet. Peter calls and now His Airness raises. We both call.

River 2. His Airness bets, I call, Peter tanks and folds and I say to him “he has it this time” and he tables 75.

Another big pot between the three of us. His Airness limps, I raise QTcc , Peter 3b button, Airness caps it.

Q32 all diamonds. His Airness bets, I raise, Peter 3b and we both call.

Turn is Th. I donk into Peter and they both call.

River Jd. His Airness bets and I reluctantly fold. Peter calls and His Airness wins with AcKd.

Marathon Monday: where Mac runs Miserably against Maniacs.

-$700

4:40 PM: The rivalry with Radio Mike has dissipated because he’s up a couple racks and no longer playing any hands.

Peter: He’s just running the clock out now.

Me: He took a knee two hours ago. The only reason he’s still here is so I don’t make fun of him for playing a three hour session.

Radio Mike raises the next hand.

Me: Oh wow, he remembered he was here.

The game has slowed down considerably now that His Airness has busted and left, with Peter and Radio Mike getting the bulk of what must have been $1800.

The Torch is next up the list, looking to make his second cameo of the day. No one is after him. We definitely need the night shift to start showing up because half these players will probably be gone in the next couple hours.

5:24 PM: I raise a couple of limpers with QJhh and we end up going 5 ways to the 974 flop, with one heart. I check here a lot, but I decide to bet since there are a lot good turns for me to continue to barrel on. I get raised though and one of the limpers cold calls. I call.

Turn 2h. I’m definitely happy to check-call here but the limper raises. I cold call the two bets and the other player stays in also.

River 3 of hearts and my running flush beats the limper’s flopped set of fours.

That suck out puts me down about $150 and sends the player on my right into raging tilt.

6:29 PM: The game survived the lull! 5 people on the list now with The Torch in already.

I haven’t won very many notable pots but I do have more chips than I started with now. Ever so slightly.

6:48 PM: Well that was fun while it lasted. I raise one limper with KK, one cold caller, and we go 4-ways to J64dd flop. I bet and two players call.

Turn is 3 of diamonds. I bet, the next player raises, the third player cold calls, and I call with the Kd.

Brick river and I lose to 87 of diamonds.

I also tried to bluff Radio Mike unsuccessfully after defending my big blind with KxTd on 653dd6d4 and he picked me off with 88 after tanking for about 12 minutes and then told me “you wanted to table that bluff so bad you were twitching and frothing at the mouth.”

Bastard. I’m happy for him. In three years of playing together he’s never beaten me this badly!

7:06 PM: I still haven’t flopped a set today but just I just turned deuces full after it checked around on the 997 flop.

7:34 PM: Radio Mike is ordering food. Why is this a big deal? Because I’ve never seen this guy play longer than 6 hours and we are now on hour 9 and he’s so settled in he has a meal coming! Must be nice!

The composure of this game has changed for the worse. The Torch is felted again and replaced by one of the best regulars at Palace. Another friend of the blog is in the game and up like $1000 in his first 30 minutes of play. More than half the table are solid regs now.

I just realized I’ve tipped $1 in the last 90 minutes.

7:44 PM: Action player in the game! Sitting down with $330. 🙄 I was going to take a break but this guy could be felted before I come back.

8:10: Ryan O. proposed a round of button straddles to liven the game up, something it is definitely in need of. This would be an ideal time to run good!

8:19 PM: Momentum shift!

My straddle. A couple callers. A new player raises. I defend K4dd.

Flop KJ6 one diamond. The PFR bets and I raise but both blinds cold call and the PFR reraises. Sigh. We all call.

Turn is an Ace; the PFR bets and I fold. I know my pot odds are favorable here but the Ace is such a bad card to continue on. The cold callers look like QT a lot and the PFR looks like he has Aces up, at worst. Radio Mike check-raises and the PFR reaches for a three bet and as soon as he puts it in I shake my head because Radio Mike basically always has the nuts here. He caps it. PFR calls and I request the dealer to put an Ace on the river.

He pairs the King instead and Mike check-calls and loses to AA – the first tough pot I’ve seen him lose all day.

8:41 PM: But I can’t beat the guy. I just flopped top pair against what I thought was an overpair so I turned my hand into a bluff when an Ace hit the turn and he just flatted, so when I rivered two pair I thought might hand might actually be good. Two straights and a flush were on board now though which explains why he just check-calls with AA.

I am now down $850 and I think Radio Mike has all of it.

I am now taking an extended break after playing multiple hands in the same orbit quite questionably. I’m sure the troll in the comments will be happy to see me struggling again. Maybe I’ll apply for a real job tomorrow.

I am now down the most I’ve been stuck all day and the game is at its worst. Not a good combo. It actually wouldn’t be terrible to pick up and leave right now but I’m still interested in playing.

9:55 PM: Real progress. First, I make it to the river with AQ top pair against Radio Mike and he fold, which is the first time we’ve made it to 5th street together and I won since the first hour of the game.

Then I raise with QQ on the button, Radio Mike 3b his big blind and one of the limpers back-caps it.

Flop is KQx; Mike leads, I raise, he reraises and I flat. Heads up now.

Turn is a Ten and I’m MUBSing about KK because this guy has been walking on water all day, especially against me, and he can really only have AA, AK, and KK here. We are obviously beating more combos than we lose to so I still have an easy raise. He immediately stacks his initial bet and reaches back for chips – a move that is almost always followed by a raise. And if he does raise here he basically always has KK. I know him that well. He just calls though and I comfortably bet the river and win against his AK!

I was down $1200 at my bottom, but I am now down about $600 after this mini-rush.

10:19 PM: KK capped on the button in a 5-way pot? This situation hasn’t worked out yet for me today.

Ace in the door… sigh… followed by a King! 🤗🎉🎊🎇

The 3-bettor donks into me, I raise, and two others cold call and the original bettor flats.

Turn is a wheel card and only two players check-call.

River is another blank and my Kings finally win a big pot!

Approaching even now.

10:47 PM: It’s Radio Mike’s button straddle and it folds to me in the hi jack. I raise with JTo, the cutoff folds, and Mike says “this is an automatic fold” and then calls?

I say “what’d you say?” and bet Dark. Flop is 985. Pretty decent. He calls.

Turn is a K. I bet and he almost goes to fold and then calls again.

River pairs the King and this time he snap calls and wins with 83o.

This guy.

In roughly 10-20 minutes this game will have been going for 12 hours. Radio Mike’s average session length is probably less than 5 hours. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him play more than 8. He’s up like $2k. It’s amazing how energizing running good can feel.

Variance in the game is increasing as everyone is seeming to realize that the game is much better with a mandatory straddle.

11:27 PM: Button straddle KK and get the 765 flop vs 43o – a hand that is not in one of the three blinds.

KK has been my death hand today. I did win my biggest pot of the day with it but I’ve lost big pots the other four times I’ve had it.

Trending back down again… about -$900 now.

11:42 PM: Well this was really weird. I forget to straddle my button because I’m playing OFC hands and one player limps, the cutoff tank-raises (huh?) and I look down at AK and 3b. The limper and cutoff both call.

I double check my cards, like I always do, and this time I look down at two Kings. What? I mean wow. I really saw AK the first time I looked and I was honestly shocked to see KK.

Flop is T9x and the cutoff check-raises me and I get Peter out with a 3b. The cutoff calls. He seems a little inexperienced and I think he’s playing big right now. I don’t expect much trickery so when an Ace turns I am planning to bet both big streets because I really think he has QQ, JJ, or Tx. He surprises me by leading out though. I’m definitely not convinced but I don’t really think I should raise here. I call.River is a blank and now he ranks again and then checks. I snap bet and he calls and KK is good. 2 for 6!

11:56 PM: Radio Mike is leaving us.

12:54 AM: It seems like my Monday blogs lose a little steam after about 11 PM. I know one of the reasons: my WordPress app gets really buggy at the end of the day and I don’t know why. It’s like the more words I type or the longer I have the app open, the tougher it is for things to process. It has crashed/frozen on me three times in the past couple hours and each key I press lags behind. It’s all very annoying.

1:03 AM: Uhm so this just happened:

That’s my hand. $2500+ jackpot. Second Royal Flush of my life* and I’ve played a lot of hours. Like a lot a lot.

*of my life means live games (I have like 12 Royals online) and non-Omaha.

2:08 AM: I am definitely hitting a wall. I actually have sugar now – jackpot aside – and I’m ready to go home but the game is getting shorter and shorter and I would really enjoy playing 6- or 5-handed with this crowd.

Actually, one of these guys is taking a ridiculous amount of time with each decision. Not sure I can stomach that in a super short game.

2:29 AM: My luck with KK has turned around. I’ve had it at least 10 times today and I’ve won five times in a row now.

2:56 AM: Here’s an interesting one: cutoff open limps, I raise 87ss on the button.

Flop A87 won two clubs. Cutoff check-raises me. We are heads up now so I just call to raise the turn.

Jack on turn. He checks. Okay. I bet and he raises me again. Lol. I’m pretty tempted to 3b here but there really aren’t any value hands in his range that I’m beating, so I call.

River pairs the Ace and he checks again. I check back and he’s shows J4 of clubs and his Jack beats me now.

So I got check-raised twice by the worst hand and then it checked around when he pulled ahead. Fun!

3:46 AM: Just got home. Pretty sure the game broke when I left, but that was another solid 16.5 hour $15/$30 session. I actually ended up making $188 for the session which is a decent result considering I was stuck most of the day and down as much as $1200 at one point. With the jackpot (minus tip), I ended up making $2540 for the day. What a day saver!

Posted in poker | Tagged gambling, gambling for a living, limit hold em, poker, poker strategy, professional gambling, professional poker, texas hold em | 3 Comments »

2018 Poker Schedule (LAPC, WSOP)

December 14, 2017

Here’s a look at the series and tournaments I’ll be targeting in the first half of 2018. Any event in bold is a tournament that I will 100% be playing, barring unforeseen circumstances. Any event that has an asterisk (*) in front of it means that it has multiple starting days and I’m not really committed to any particular one. I’m not exactly planning to play the WSOP Main Event this year, but I’m not ruling it out as a possibility either. A lot depends on how things go in the first six months of the year, but I almost certainly will NOT be playing it unless I have up to 80% of my action sold.

As of now, the only trip I have booked is the first of three to Commerce, so there is still plenty up in the air. My wife said I could stay for the whole WSOP this year, but that’s kind of hard to believe. We’ll see how she feels come June – especially since her birthday is smack dab in the middle of the series. I haven’t looked for any side events during the WSOP, but I’m sure Venetian, Aria, and Golden Nugget will have some things I’m interested in adding to my schedule.

LAPC @ Commerce

January 15th – $350 Omaha 8/Better
January 16th – $350 Triple Stud
January 17th – $350 Stud 8/Better
January 18th – $350 Omaha/Stud 8/Better

January 24th – $350 Limit Hold Em
January 25th – $350 HORSE
January 26th – $350 No Limit Hold Em
January 26th – $350 TOE (O8, Stud 8, 2-7 Triple Draw)
January 27th – $350 No Limit Hold Em
January 27th – $350 No Limit Hold Em/Pot Limit Omaha
January 29th – $570 Omaha 8/Better
January 30th – $570 Stud
February 1st – $570 HORSE

February 11th – $1100 Limit Hold Em
February 12th – $1100 Omaha 8/Better
February 13th – $1100 HORSE

PacWest Classic @ Chinook Winds

February 21st – $150 Omaha 8/Better
February 21st – $80 No Limit Hold Em Bounty
February 22nd – $150 Big Omaha 8/Better
February 23rd – $200 No Limit Hold Em
February 24th – $550 No Limit Hold Em Main Event

Summer Poker Classic @ Muckleshoot

March 14th – March 18th
or
March 21st – March 25th

WSOPc @ Planet Hollywood (Vegas)

March 22nd – April 2nd

WSOPc @ Harrahs (New Orleans)

May 10th – May 21st

World Series of Poker @ The Rio

May 31st – $1500 Omaha 8/Better
June 1st – *$365 No Limit Hold Em GIANT
June 2nd – *$565 No Limit Hold Em Colossus
June 3rd – $365 No Limit Hold Em Online
June 3rd – *$365 Pot Limit Omaha GIANT
June 6th – $1500 HORSE
June 8th – $565 Pot Limit Omaha
June 9th – $1500 8-Game
June 11th – $1500 Stud 8/Better
June 14th – $1500 Stud
June 16th – *$1000 No Limit Hold Em Double Stack
June 20th – $1500 Limit Hold Em
June 22nd – $2500 Omaha/Stud 8/Better
June 23rd – *$1500 No Limit Hold Em Monster Stack
June 24th – $1500 Razz
June 30th – *$888 No Limit Hold Em Crazy 8
July 2nd – *$10,000 No Limit Hold Em Main Event
July 9th – $3000 6-Max Limit Hold Em
July 12th – $3000 HORSE

Posted in poker | Tagged gambling, gambling for a living, limit hold em, no limit hold em, poker, poker strategy, poker tournament strategy, Poker Tournaments, professional gambling, professional poker, texas hold em | 5 Comments »