Lock Up Sharp Objects While Playing Poker...Part 2

Sunday at the Oaks
$225 buy-in 135 players

We are down to 11 players. 6 players at my table.

Blinds $3,000-$6,000 with a $500 ante.

I am in the cutoff.

Players fold to me, and I look down and find A-A! I am in 3rd place with $60,000. I raise to $18,000. The big blind moves all in for $35,000. I call. He has A-Q.

The flop is K-2-4. The turn is a 10. The river is a J. Noooo!!!!!!!!!

I go on tilt and take myself out of the event in the next 2 hands.

Win $200 for over 5 hours of play.

Yes, one of my biggest weaknesses in poker is that I go on tilt.

Lock Up Sharp Objects While Playing Poker...

On Bodog...250 players $50 buy-in No limit event. Pays 27. It's down to 33 players and I hit a set on the flop. Since there are drawing possibilities I move all-in. The guy with almost as many chips as me calls (to my left). He hit a higher set. Doh.

Multiple table event...4 players left. An aggressive player raises under the gun. I decide to move all-in on the SB with pocket 8's to get him to fold his weak hand. Yeah, he folds, but not before the BB calls me with pocket Kings (to my left). I win about $300, but still I'm not happy.

Single table satellite...2 get paid. 3 players left. Button folds, and I raise with A-J suited on the SB. The big blind moves all in (to my left). I call and he shows A-Q. Noooo....

For some reason the Bodog software has a lot fewer stupid hands than Full Tilt or Poker Stars. I'm not sure why. But on Full Tilt and Poker Stars you run into quads and full houses way way too often, IMHO. There is also a difference in that Bodog has fewer of those runner runner bad beats, and that slightly slower than normal river card reveal where you know someone is about to get screwed.

Instead, Bodog will beat you by setting you up more often pre-flop...like K-K against A-A, or A-A against Q-Q...and the favorite actually wins! If you do get beat, it will happen more often on the flop than the torture of beating you on the river.

I also think there is a slight software glitch in Bodog which gives me a very small edge with certain starting hands. I won't reveal it until I win $1 million on the site:) Actually, I think it will help me slightly, oh very slightly when the situation comes into play.

If Bodog pays me $100,000 in cash I will tell them the glitch. Or, if you want to pay me $100,000 I will tell you the glitch....operators are standing by.

60 Minutes Story on Online Poker to Air Sunday

Picked up this lead story from Dan at www.PocketFives.com--the first paragraph follows:

60 Minutes Story on Online Poker to Air Sunday

Rumors have been swirling around the online poker industry as to when a report by CBS News program “60 Minutes” about the recent cheating scandals on Absolute Poker and UltimateBet would air. On Tuesday, we received our answer. The story, which is actually a joint production by 60 Minutes and the Washington Post newspaper, will air this Sunday, November 30th, at 7:00pm ET. The report is dubbed “How Online Gamblers Unmasked Cheaters” and is one of three features that will air on 60 Minutes this weekend. Also scheduled to be a part of the show are news clips about Silver Star winner Monica Brown as well as U.S. Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps.

Was there something shady going on at Full Tilt?

I am playing online at Full Tilt at one of their no limit MTT events. At the same time, I'm reading an article about the Golden State Warriors on my Firefox browser.

As I'm reading, that buzz sound at Full Tilt goes off indicating it's time for me to check out my hand and decide my play. As I'm about to click over to Full Tilt, my Firefox screen changes to the following:

On this mostly white screen, is the name Full Tilt, my name, some numbers and I think a folder icon. Frankly, I only glanced at the screen, because I was being rushed...I didn't want to lose my article and I had to make a poker play.

So I quickly hit the back button and then folded my hand.

Of course that's when I realized I should have saved that screen, and taken a photo of it.

Being the skeptical guy that I am, it makes me think that maybe just maybe something fishy is happening. Why would this poker program send a signal to my computer which would appear on my browser? And why would this happen while I am playing?

I already think that online poker sites are not 100% fair and unbiased. For example, I am convinced that poker sites have programs that provide intermittent rewards so you get hooked on their poker site. It's like a slot machine, where many people stay and play because they hope for a big payday while getting small payoffs on an intermittent basis. Sound familiar?

Was this just some malfunction or was something else going on?

I have decided to stop playing at Full Tilt Poker for now.

Trust but verify. I can't verify, and now I'm not sure I trust them.

FYI: I am a Full Tilt Poker affiliate.

An Interesting Day Of Poker and Bad Beats...

1. Entered a 45 player $69 NL event on Full Tilt. When it got down to 8 players, I had more chips than everyone else combined. When it got heads up I had a 5-1 chip lead. And then I lost 3 consecutive hands with bad beats. Bummer....it was a $700 win instead of $1,100 for first place.

2. Entered a second 45 player event. When it got down to 8 players, I was in 4th place. A player raised the min pre-flop, and I moved all in with QQ. To my surprise he called 2/3rds of chip stack with A-8. He hit his Ace on the river. Wow! 4 bad beats...only pays 6 players.

3. Entered a 500 player MTT NL event. Half way through I had a good chip stack. I raised and got 2 callers. The flop was Q-10-3. I had Q-10. I bet the pot and got one caller. The King hit. My opponent checked, and I moved all-in not wanting him to call for his draw. It was a way bigger bet than the pot size. My opponent called anyway with A-K. The river was another 3! Another bad beat...

4. Went to PS to change my luck. Another MTT NL event. Early on, I raised pre-flop with A-K, and one player called. The flop came 3-6-8. I moved all-in, and my opponent called with 2-4 of clubs. He hit runner runner clubs to take me out! No.....

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL! Frankly, I can't wait till next year...

60 Minutes at Bodog Poker

Bodog is a favorite site of mine since it is the one site that I consistently win money at, especially at the no limit tournaments. My biggest win was finishing 2nd on their big Sunday event. The only reason I didn't win that day was because I misread my opponents bet..but that's history.

I do have problems at the Bodog limit ring games. And sometimes players at the highest level appear to acting in collusion. I don't have proof, but sometimes these super aggressive players on flops and turns, suddenly fold heads-up. It seems fishy to me. That's why I avoid the highest game--$30-$60 and play at $20-$40 or $10-$20.

Tonight I knew that I would win since I hadn't been on the site for months. Yes, I am a believer that things are not 100% kosher at online poker sites. I believe the software is programmed to reward players who have not won, and might leave. Or, have not played on the site and want to come back to play more often. It's all about the psychology of giving intermittent rewards so a person gets hooked, plays more, and eventually busts.

I entered the $20-$40 limit cash game. There were 2 and then 3 opponents. I played for 10 minutes and doubled up to win $400.

I didn't think it was realistic to do better than doubling up quickly, so I left.

I tried a heads-up no limit game for $105. Oh my, my opponent got pocket 9's, 10's, Q's and K's--and I was ahead 2-1 in chips! He won all those hands, but I slow-played 2 pair on the flop and won a major pot, when he hit a lower 2 pair on the river. (I never even got a pocket pair. My best hand was A-Q, and my opponent won the pot with A-K)

I thought this was going to be an easy win now. I was wrong. He got even and then with the blinds going up, we were now at such a a high level it was going to be push or fold time.

The first hand after this blind increase, I got dealt A-J suited. I moved all in for $1,500 with the blinds at $100-$200. He snapped called with pocket Aces....oh come on! That's not right!

Actually, it was right. I lost. But I made the mistake. I shouldn't have left that first game since I think the program was helping me. Hey, maybe the program was helping him at the heads up game. He certainly got all the big hands. Who knows? That's why these sites should be regulated.

One day I'll have to play in one of those Sunday events after a long layoff.

ESP in Poker? Do you believe?

Entered the $300 no limit event at the local card club.
200 entries.

After the first five rounds, I was not doing well. I was down to $2500 and the blinds were up to $200-$400 with a $50 ante.

On the cut-off a player raised preflop and I had an easy fold with 7-2. The raiser was called and the flop was A-K-4. Suddenly I had this feeling I was going to find a big Ace on the next hand, and be knocked out.

The next hand a player raised to $2,000 pre-flop. Sure enough I looked at my cards...A-Q! No! What to do? This raise meant he had a hand like pocket J's or 10's. I know it sounds nuts, but I just had this bad feeling...I folded!

That was the best hand I had seen today, and it was not easy to fold.

After more bad hands, I was two under the gun. I had 4-5 of hearts. I was about to fold when I had this feeling to play it. I moved all in and got called by an opponent who had A-J. I hit the straight on the turn and the flush on the river.

I was up to about $6,000. The same blinds. A tight player raised to $1,600, and the button called. I was in the SB and found pocket Q's! I moved all-in.

The first player thought for about one minute and folded. The player on the button had about $12,000 and couldn't decide. I waited and waited...and yes, I had this feeling that I would win the hand if he called unless he had pocket 10's. I don't know why I was having these thoughts or whatever they were...

He called, and turned over 10-10. I sighed because I knew it was over. The flop had the 10 and I was out..

Is this esp or just plain nonsense?

Bummer--Knocked out of the event....

At the club today, I entered the $225 No limit event. I was dong very well. I had about $9,000 and just got moved to a new table as the blinds increased.

My first hand, I have A-K. The blinds are $150-$300 with a $75 ante. I have about $9,000 and probably one of the bigger stacks.

The player under the gun limps. I raise to $1400. A player in middle position moves all-in for $8,000. Everyone else folds.

I have played against this opponent before and he likes to move all-in with any pocket pair. What should I do? I decide to call...which may be a mistake, but in general I like to take chances in the middle event to accumulate lots of chips.

He turns over pocket Jacks. I get no help.

The next hand I get dealt pocket Jacks. I have $1,000 and move all-in. The same opponent raises me to $5,000 and another moves all in to $10,000. He gets called. The first raiser has pocket Queens and the player who moved all in has A-K.

The A hits the flop. I'm out....I guess it was flop lag...

My One Day Promotion to Support the Poker Players Alliance

To support the PPA's efforts to keep online poker legal, I am going to donate all the net proceeds on the sales of my "Tournament Poker: 101 Winning Moves" book on Tuesday, November 11. It will be a one day promotion that will occur the same day that the WSOP will be aired on ESPN.

I tried to get the PPA endorsement of my promotion but they never returned my emails.

For details of the promotion, go to:

http://www.prweb.com/releases/poker/online-poker/prweb1582084.htm

Hmm, I just got knocked out of the 45 player $69 event..my AQ ran into AK.

Full Tilt 45 player $24 buy-in: We have a winner

After Obama's speech, I decided to play poker at Full Tilt...I hadn't played in a tournament on FT in some time. I was able to get into one of their 45 player, $24 buy-in event. I like this smaller sized events since they don't take long to play.

Key play was when I was down to 7 times the BB on the cutoff. No cards for about 45 minutes. Everyone folded and I had King-5 offsuit. I have to try to steal and get chips so I move all-in. The chip leader in BB called. He had K-J. I hit my 5 and won.

The guy wasn't happy and he didn't understand how I could move all in on such a bad hand. But it's the right play even if he beats me. I was in the right position, with a low chip stack, and I had a King.

I got moved to a new table shortly after the break, and I moved all in with A-K against a limper under the gun. The limper called with the 4-4. That's a lousy call. Anyway, I won that hand on the flop.

From then on, I won every all-in situation but one:
My 6-6 beat A-10.
My K-Q beats Jacks.
Got A-K twice more and beat pocket pairs.

And the last hand...
My A-K beat 10-10.

Almost a $400 win.

As to Obama...
Obama is a great speaker--both his style and the way he says things so that everyone who listens can read into his speech some part they will like. I think everyone feels good after listening to an Obama speech. But I wish I knew what he was passionate about.

"Change, We Can" is a winning slogan. So is "Don't Try, Do" to quote Yoda.

What does he exactly want to do, to create precisely what kind of change? I believe he has the smarts to be a great President. But no one knows for sure what he will do. We will all soon find out...

Oh yeah, I also think McCain is a quality guy who could have been a good president; yeah, too bad he wasn't running the country instead of Bush the past 8 years.

I finally figured what the W in George W stands for...Worst. He is the Worst president in my life time.

Congrats and good luck to Obama!

You've been warned....

The press just got hold of Obama's plan for the country.

It's a big book and the title of the book is:

"To Serve Man."

Noooooooooooooooooooo!

Poker and Politics....

Sunday: I had my pocket Aces cracked. Opponent had pocket King and hit the King on the flop. My next book will be on how to avoid that problem with pocket Aces :)

Politics: I am leaning toward Obama because there is a better probability he will be nicer to online poker players. However, I find it difficult to vote against McCain since he has sacrificed so much for our country.

Of course since I live in California it doesn't matter who I vote for. Obama will win California easy. If I vote I guess it will be against those who voted for the UIGEA.

A couple of days to go, and it looks to me like an Obama landslide.