This Month's RTR Freeroll

I was barely treading water at my table. None of my big hands were getting any action.

I finally got the guy on my right to quit raising my blind all the damn time.

This time he completes the small blind.

We got it all in on flop.

Full Tilt Poker Game #3717026177: RakeTheRake $30,000 Freeroll (28099810), Table 123 - 40/80 - No Limit Hold'em - 15:48:54 ET - 2007/09/30
Seat 1: gadzooks64 (1,923)
Seat 2: HerrFisk (450), is sitting out
Seat 3: augie00 (2,402)
Seat 4: TwoWetLips (5,515)
Seat 5: skeemann (390), is sitting out
Seat 6: banana183 (385), is sitting out
Seat 7: RobLP (180), is sitting out
Seat 8: raybrook (300), is sitting out
Seat 9: motuman (3,605)
motuman posts the small blind of 40
gadzooks64 posts the big blind of 80
The button is in seat #8
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to gadzooks64 [5d 9s]
HerrFisk folds
augie00 folds
TwoWetLips folds
skeemann folds
banana183 folds
RobLP folds
raybrook folds
motuman calls 40
gadzooks64 checks
*** FLOP *** [9c 8s 5h]
motuman has 15 seconds left to act
motuman bets 100
gadzooks64 raises to 460
motuman raises to 3,525, and is all in
gadzooks64 calls 1,383, and is all in
motuman shows [9h 8d]
gadzooks64 shows [5d 9s]
Uncalled bet of 1,682 returned to motuman
*** TURN *** [9c 8s 5h] [Qs]
*** RIVER *** [9c 8s 5h Qs] [6d]
motuman shows two pair, Nines and Eights
gadzooks64 shows two pair, Nines and Fives
motuman wins the pot (3,846) with two pair, Nines and Eights
gadzooks64 stands up
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 3,846 | Rake 0
Board: [9c 8s 5h Qs 6d]
Seat 1: gadzooks64 (big blind) showed [5d 9s] and lost with two pair, Nines and Fives
Seat 2: HerrFisk didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: augie00 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: TwoWetLips didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: skeemann didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: banana183 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: RobLP didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: raybrook (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 9: motuman (small blind) showed [9h 8d] and won (3,846) with two pair, Nines and Eights


The cash tables were equally nasty to me. I raised UTG with KK and got reraised. I flat called when I should have reraised or pushed.

I didn't go broke but I did lose a big chunk of my stack. I managed to get some of it back when I hit middle set versus bottom set. I'm still trying to claw my way back.

Conditioner

Uh, what's your point?

Craptop

http://www.pcweenies.org/

Thanks to macanthony for the link to site.

NerdTest

Cash Games

I fired up same ring tables this afternoon.

I missed EVERYTHING, didn't set any of my numerous pairs (or setting on an single suit flop or a straight flop), and ran every good hand I had into a better one.

All in on flop.


I finally made a beautiful suckout.

Full Tilt Poker Game #3689066720: Table Misty Glenn - $0.10/$0.25 - No Limit Hold'em - 17:38:41 ET - 2007/09/27
Seat 1: joekre8 ($9.25)
Seat 2: gongivit2ya ($36.70)
Seat 3: gadzooks64 ($34.50)
Seat 5: imaliveru ($30.85)
Seat 6: royaljim ($4.40)
Seat 7: 8312610965 ($16.40)
Seat 8: Sportz321 ($29.45)
Seat 9: joepoker77 ($26.85)
Sportz321 posts the small blind of $0.10
joepoker77 posts the big blind of $0.25
The button is in seat #7
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to gadzooks64 [Qd Qh]
joekre8 folds
gongivit2ya folds
gadzooks64 raises to $0.85
DustyFro sits down
imaliveru folds
royaljim folds
8312610965 folds
DustyFro adds $10
Sportz321 folds
joepoker77 raises to $2.65
DustyFro has been disconnected
gadzooks64 calls $1.80
*** FLOP *** [As Jh Ts]
joepoker77 checks
DustyFro has reconnected
gadzooks64 checks
*** TURN *** [As Jh Ts] [2s]
DustyFro has been disconnected
8312610965 adds $8.60
joepoker77 bets $3.50
gadzooks64 calls $3.50
*** RIVER *** [As Jh Ts 2s] [Kh]
DustyFro has reconnected
joepoker77 checks
gadzooks64 checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
joepoker77 shows [Kc Ks] three of a kind, Kings
gadzooks64 shows [Qd Qh] a straight, Ace high
gadzooks64 wins the pot ($11.80) with a straight, Ace high
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $12.40 | Rake $0.60
Board: [As Jh Ts 2s Kh]
Seat 1: joekre8 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: gongivit2ya didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: gadzooks64 showed [Qd Qh] and won ($11.80) with a straight, Ace high
Seat 5: imaliveru didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: royaljim didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: 8312610965 (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: Sportz321 (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 9: joepoker77 (big blind) showed [Kc Ks] and lost with three of a kind, Kings


joepoker77: @%@@ing awesome

He he he. Although, I totally missed a value bet on the end. I'm sure he would have pushed and I'm not sure I could have called with the flush out there but I'd like to think that I would have.

Sunset over Walmart

I dropped the kids off and Taekwondo and ran to Walmart to blow some time and $.

When I was loading the anti-sexy beast up with my purchases I noticed this amazing sunset.

Bowling

I was inexplicably pissy last night at bowling and my first game didn't help my mood at all.

I bowled 156 223 242 for a 621 series.

That first game killed me. I kept getting nasty splits and chopping spares. It was painful.

There are two kinds of bowlers: strokers and crankers. Go ahead, laugh. It's funny, I know it is. Hang with me here and it'll get even funnier. I'm a stroker. I can hear the hysterical laughter all the way over here.

Crankers have a lot of rotation on their ball and it tends to hook a lot and hard. These are the guys that have pins flying everywhere and can often get really ugly strikes.

Strokers have less rotation on their ball and it tends to be a more graceful arc. Sometimes they have a lot of snap on a dry back end but usually their ball does a smooth arc.

Jimmy & Trey are definitely crankers.

Steve and I and definitely strokers.

Last night I decided these lanes required cranking and did my best to comply. I threw the ball as hard as I could up the middle with as much rotation as I could muster. The results were pretty impressive: 242 for my last game.

Even Jimmy commented that he could tell I was trying to throw it hard with a lot of rotation like he does. Hey, if it works why fight it.

If all else fails I'll probably do it again. You only have so many options when it comes to bowling and when your usual arsenal isn't getting you anywhere it's time to go look outside the box. I would never have thought I was capable of that style of bowling but I pulled it off.

The same can be said of poker. You have to learn to exploit the table conditions whatever they may be.

I need to get a life...

Me too, buddy, me too.

Home Game

My Home Game met this weekend. After the Nielsens moved I was afraid that it would fall apart. We'd be making one table pretty regularly and two tables a couple of times but it seemed that many of my neighbors were losing interest in playing. I invited a couple of new people and they brought friends while some regulars were unable to come.

We started the first tournament with 2 tables of 6. It took a while but we got down to one table of 10. It wasn't long before they started another small table while the first one played out.

It seemed to be the night of the sick river card. Several times someone with a dominating hand got screwed by the river or the river made both hands but one was better than the other.

Here they both made a straight.

I got short and picked up KK. We got it all in preflop but every card that came gave AQ more and more outs. I was so annoyed that it ended up a split pot.

This guy learned to never ever limp Aces. Ever.

I was down to 1000 with 800 of it in the BB when I looked down at ATo after UTG limped and the SB completed. It was by far the best hand I'd seen in a while and I was definitely going with it. I put my last 200 in and they both called, of course. Oddly, no one improved their hand at all and my AT out ran Krag and Arag to scoop the pot and get me up to 3000 in chips.

I don't know how I did it but I managed to come back from there and I chopped for the win! Wooooot!

The second one was a blur. I drank another beer and got very tired. I was about to go comatose.

Only one hand stands out for me. The table was playing pretty tight. I pick up 77 utg and raise it up. OH crap, I get 2 callers. Sigh. Flop comes T high no 7. I check, guy behind me that was "Oh, I'm so calling that" when I raised also checked and the last guy goes all in. He's short and I'm pretty sure he whiffed that board so I call. The guy behind shows me AK and folds. All in shows K9s for nothing - no draw, no pair, nada. I river a 7 for a set but I was ahead the whole way.

The rest is a blur but, again, I managed to chop for the win! Wooooooot!

I have only won the home game once before but I have cashed all but one night. To win it twice in one night it a sign that I may never win it again.

Bowling LOL

Ok, I thought is was funny. You may not. VV/E!

Wicked Chops

Wicked Chops is by far one of my favorite poker news sites.

They are witty and irreverent and snarky and I LOVE ALL THOSE THINGS.

You should check them out and add them to your reader.

No, really, you should.

Former slugger, Madonna banger, steroid abuser, wife beater, whistle blower, Surreal Life cross-dresser, and distinguished baseball author and historian Jose Canseco, along with five other men, played in the Ladies Event at the California State Poker Championship over the weekend.

The six took advantage of the Commerce Casino's "no discrimination" policy that allows men to play in ladies-only events, which is not to be confused with the WSOP's "no discrimination" policy that allows women who look like men to play in its ladies-only event.

Bowling 'n Stuff

We started the Thursday morning league. It didn't start off well. Jimmy and I thought Trey was going to bowl with us but then he said he couldn't, then he could but not the first 3 weeks. It was a scramble to find somebody to bowl for him until he got his act together.

Last week was Trey's first week. He didn't even bowl a 600 series and ended up with handicap [gasp!].

Jimmy and Trey are both 200+ bowlers. I'm supposed to be the handicap.

This was the score for our second game today.


During the game I threatened to take the both out back and beat the shit outta them if neither of them bowled a better game than me. Jimmy had a little problem relaying this threat to Trey (I made it while Trey was bowling). It came out rather pornographic if you get my drift.

We went on to take 3/4 games. We may have the lead in the league now as the first place team lost one and split one with their opponents. Wooooooooot!

---

I ran my errands today after bowling. At the grocery store I spotted this:

This should be a crime.

Seriously.

The last thing I need is cheesecake right out of a tub.

Last.Thing.I.Need.

---

We had some landscaping done this week. It came out dynamite. I can't wait to see it in a few years when the shrubs have had a chance to grow.

Before


During


During II


After


My Maple is Turning.


One of My New Mums


One Last Hydrangea Bloom


A New Spiraea


My Globe Blue Spruce


Had two of these but one died.
Have no clue what it is but it's very pretty.

---

I was messing around with camera this morning and took this shot.

Frightening, isn't it?

Kicker Problems

I managed to make the money in a 10$ sng WITHOUT PLAYING A HAND.

Yes, you read that correctly. I played ZERO hands and made it to the money.

I finally limped with JTo in the SB, whiffed the flop, and folded.

I pushed with 77 and got called by 44. Nice double up for me.

The chip leader takes out the second place guy: JJ>88.

I make it to 2nd place money having only played 2-3 hands! Wooooot!

He's got me horribly outchipped - he'd been taking out almost every player at the table while I was in my folding frenzy. I push with KQc and get called by Q5h and he hits a 5 on flop. I'll take second place, tyvm.

I register for another sng. This one was entirely different. These guys talked smack from the first hand to the last. There were 4 of us left at the break. I did manage to suck out on KK with my QQ. Horrible call on my part. So I supposed I should not be at all pissed by the fact that my AK was outrun by AQ ON THE BUBBLE.

But, I am.

At the same time I was in a Token Frenzy. I ended up in a 3 way all in with AQ v A8 v Krag on an A high flop (all in with the A8 guy on flop) only to have an 8 pop up on turn to give me a losing hand.

Can I be bitter now?

Ok. I was down but not out in the Frenzy. I stick around long enough to push my miniscule stack after two other pushers. I was in with AKs v KTh and Arag. Do you really want to know? Of course you do. KT flops a straight and I don't catch a T to make a better one.

NH, GG, IGHN.

Do you see a trend here? KQ < Q5, AK < AQ, AQ < A8, and AK < Ax < KT

I guess I just have kicker issues. Mine are too damn big.

Then I get talked into a cheap HORSE SNG with some fellow effers. It's looking good so far but I don't want to push my karma buy going any further. On the bubble now and I'm chip leader....

Stay tuned.

Yep, knew it. Knew I should have kept my mouth shut. But noo oo o o o.

I bubbled getting it all in with the best hand and bricked out in Razz.

I hate poker at the moment.

Suck & Resuck

Another nitty sng.

I don't know how I pick them but I really need to rethink playing sngs in the early afternoon.

$5 MTT

After having my QQ busted by J2d in a $10 SNG I signed up for the next $5 NLHE MTT.

This is the first hand I played (hand number 46, yes 46!)

I limped utg with ATo becuase it was the best hand I had seen.

Full Tilt Poker Game #3581948060: $5 + $0.50 Tournament (26819723), Table 29 - 40/80 - No Limit Hold'em - 15:43:22 ET - 2007/09/16
Seat 1: sappr07 (3,265)
Seat 2: elitewrestla (1,845)
Seat 3: naymos (2,090)
Seat 4: gadzooks64 (1,185)
Seat 5: Da_CLoZeR10 (4,885)
Seat 6: bigredcanplay (890), is sitting out
Seat 7: Lucky1_517 (1,180)
Seat 8: dodgerblue24 (640)
Seat 9: Ratman12 (3,090)
elitewrestla posts the small blind of 40
naymos posts the big blind of 80
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to gadzooks64 [Ad Ts]
gadzooks64 calls 80
Da_CLoZeR10 folds
bigredcanplay folds
Lucky1_517 folds
dodgerblue24 folds
Ratman12 calls 80
sappr07 folds
elitewrestla calls 40
naymos checks
*** FLOP *** [Ah 3c As]
bigredcanplay has returned
elitewrestla has 15 seconds left to act
elitewrestla bets 240
naymos folds
gadzooks64 calls 240
Ratman12 folds
*** TURN *** [Ah 3c As] [Ac]
elitewrestla bets 1,525, and is all in
gadzooks64 calls 865, and is all in
elitewrestla shows [Kh 3d]
gadzooks64 shows [Ad Ts]
Uncalled bet of 660 returned to elitewrestla
*** RIVER *** [Ah 3c As Ac] [3h]
elitewrestla shows a full house, Aces full of Threes
gadzooks64 shows four of a kind, Aces
gadzooks64 wins the pot (2,530) with four of a kind, Aces
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2,530 | Rake 0
Board: [Ah 3c As Ac 3h]
Seat 1: sappr07 (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: elitewrestla (small blind) showed [Kh 3d] and lost with a full house, Aces full of Threes
Seat 3: naymos (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 4: gadzooks64 showed [Ad Ts] and won (2,530) with four of a kind, Aces
Seat 5: Da_CLoZeR10 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: bigredcanplay didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: Lucky1_517 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: dodgerblue24 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 9: Ratman12 folded on the Flop

A few hands later I pick up TT.

The one time you DON'T want to hit a set on the river.

Sigh.

At least he was only a short stack.

Back to starting chips for me.

$10 SNG Redux

What is it that I'm doing that gets me into such crappy shape early on in these sngs? I wish I knew how to stop doing that. Seriously.

Here's my first all or nothing hand.

Full Tilt Poker Game #3573345280: $10 + $1 Sit & Go

(27281115), Table 1 - 40/80 - No Limit Hold'em - 18:33:38 ET -

2007/09/15
Seat 2: bubbagor (1 075)
Seat 3: xXGotOutsXx (1 545)
Seat 5: teddyhoo (2 520)
Seat 6: Kid Sonnic (2 845)
Seat 7: gadzooks64 (355)
Seat 9: imyourguy (5 160)
imyourguy posts the big blind of 80
The button is in seat #7

Holecards:
Dealt to gadzooks64 [ ]
bubbagor calls 80
xXGotOutsXx folds
teddyhoo folds
Kid Sonnic has 15 seconds left to act
Kid Sonnic is sitting out
Kid Sonnic has timed out
Kid Sonnic folds
gadzooks64 raises to 355 and is all in
imyourguy folds
bubbagor has 15 seconds left to act
bubbagor calls 275
gadzooks64 shows [ ]
bubbagor shows [ ]

Flop :
[ ]

Turn:
[ ] [ ]

River:
[ ] [ ]
gadzooks64 shows a pair of Tens
bubbagor shows a pair of Tens
gadzooks64 wins the pot (790) with a pair of Tens

SUMMARY:
Total pot 790 | Rake 0
Board:
[ ]
Seat 2: bubbagor showed [ ] and lost with a pair of Tens
Seat 3: xXGotOutsXx didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: teddyhoo didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: Kid Sonnic didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: gadzooks64 (button) showed [ ] and won (790) with

a pair of Tens
Seat 9: imyourguy (big blind) folded before the Flop

And another stellar play:

Full Tilt Poker Game #3573413630: $10 + $1 Sit & Go

(27281115), Table 1 - 50/100 - No Limit Hold'em - 18:41:15 ET

- 2007/09/15
Seat 2: bubbagor (710)
Seat 3: xXGotOutsXx (2 480)
Seat 5: teddyhoo (2 690)
Seat 6: Kid Sonnic (2 150)
Seat 7: gadzooks64 (640)
Seat 9: imyourguy (4 830)
teddyhoo posts the small blind of 50
Kid Sonnic posts the big blind of 100
The button is in seat #3

Holecards:
Dealt to gadzooks64 [ ]
gadzooks64 raises to 640, and is all in
imyourguy has 15 seconds left to act
imyourguy raises to 1 180
bubbagor folds
xXGotOutsXx folds
teddyhoo folds
Kid Sonnic folds
imyourguy shows [ ]
gadzooks64 shows [ ]
Uncalled bet of 540 returned to imyourguy

Flop :
[ ]

Turn:
[ ] [ ]

River:
[ ] [ ]
imyourguy shows a pair of Aces
gadzooks64 shows a straight Six high
gadzooks64 wins the pot (1 430) with a straight Six high

SUMMARY:
Total pot 1 430 | Rake 0
Board:
[ ]
Seat 2: bubbagor didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: xXGotOutsXx (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: teddyhoo (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 6: Kid Sonnic (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 7: gadzooks64 showed [ ] and won (1 430) with a

straight, Six high
Seat 9: imyourguy showed [ ] and lost with a pair of Aces

And then:

Full Tilt Poker Game #3573578267: $10 + $1 Sit & Go

(27281115), Table 1 - 100/200 - No Limit Hold'em - 18:59:55 ET

- 2007/09/15
Seat 2: bubbagor (4 420)
Seat 5: teddyhoo (1 840)
Seat 7: gadzooks64 (1 390)
Seat 9: imyourguy (5 850)
gadzooks64 posts the small blind of 100
imyourguy posts the big blind of 200
The button is in seat #5

Holecards:
Dealt to gadzooks64 [ ]
bubbagor folds
teddyhoo folds
gadzooks64 raises to 1,390, and is all in
imyourguy calls 1,190
gadzooks64 shows [ ]
imyourguy shows [ ]

Flop:
[ ]

Turn:
[ ] [ ]

River:
[ ] [ ]
gadzooks64 shows two pair Nines and Sevens
imyourguy shows Ace Queen high
gadzooks64 wins the pot (2 780) with two pair Nines and

Sevens

SUMMARY:
Total pot 2 780 | Rake 0
Board:
[ ]
Seat 2: bubbagor didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: teddyhoo (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: gadzooks64 (small blind) showed [ ] and won

(2,780) with two pair, Nines and Sevens
Seat 9: imyourguy (big blind) showed [ ] and lost with Ace

Queen high

So much for a steal from the button. D'oh!

Hey, what do you know! ITM!

Full Tilt Poker Game #3573683820: $10 + $1 Sit & Go

(27281115), Table 1 - 150/300 - No Limit Hold'em - 19:11:53 ET

- 2007/09/15
Seat 2: bubbagor (4 750)
Seat 7: gadzooks64 (2 390)
Seat 9: imyourguy (6 360)
gadzooks64 posts the small blind of 150
imyourguy posts the big blind of 300
The button is in seat #2

Holecards:
Dealt to gadzooks64 [ ]
bubbagor folds
gadzooks64 raises to 900
imyourguy calls 600

Flop:
[ ]
gadzooks64 bets 1,490, and is all in
imyourguy calls 1,490
gadzooks64 shows [ ]
imyourguy shows [ ]

Turn:
[ ] [ ]

River:
[ ] [ ]
gadzooks64 shows a pair of Queens
imyourguy shows a pair of Queens
gadzooks64 wins the pot (4 780) with a pair of Queens
imyourguy: nh

SUMMARY:
Total pot 4 780 | Rake 0
Board:
[ ]
Seat 2: bubbagor (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: gadzooks64 (small blind) showed [ ] and won

(4,780) with a pair of Queens
Seat 9: imyourguy (big blind) showed [ ] and lost with a

pair of Queens

Then the coup de gras:

Full Tilt Poker Game #3573811080: $10 + $1 Sit & Go

(27281115), Table 1 - 250/500 - No Limit Hold'em - 19:26:18 ET

- 2007/09/15
Seat 2: bubbagor (5 290)
Seat 7: gadzooks64 (8 210)
bubbagor posts the small blind of 250
gadzooks64 posts the big blind of 500
The button is in seat #2

Holecards:
Dealt to gadzooks64 [ ]
bubbagor calls 250
gadzooks64 checks

Flop:
[ ]
gadzooks64 checks
bubbagor checks

Turn:
[ ] [ ]
gadzooks64 checks
bubbagor checks

River:
[ ] [ ]
gadzooks64 bets 750
bubbagor raises to 2,500
gadzooks64 raises to 4,250
bubbagor raises to 4,790, and is all in
gadzooks64 has 15 seconds left to act
gadzooks64 calls 540

Showdown :
bubbagor shows [ ] two pair, Queens and Tens
gadzooks64 shows [ ] three of a kind, Queens
gadzooks64 wins the pot (10,580) with three of a kind, Queens
bubbagor stands up
gadzooks64 stands up

SUMMARY:
Total pot 10,580 | Rake 0
Board:
[ ]
Seat 2: bubbagor (small blind) showed [ ] and lost with

two pair, Queens and Tens
Seat 7: gadzooks64 (big blind) showed [ ] and won (10 580)

with three of a kind, Queens

Thanks to Compton and Nate for the railage!