poker follies

[rebecca]

I'd say good news. Isn't that tournament one where you have to finish 1st out of like 4000 to win? Not worth spoiling a good time over. seeing that considering the prize pool and number of entrants you are only statistically giving up about two dollars.

I agree -- how many times have I been bored so I sign up for some $2 mega-tourney, waste 5 hours of my life and win $20? And god forbid if I should just sit out and walk away -- no way can I just give up on my big investment!

/so stupid sometimes.

[RCC]

I'd say good news. Isn't that tournament one where you have to finish 1st out of like 4000 to win? Not worth spoiling a good time over. seeing that considering the prize pool and number of entrants you are only statistically giving up about two dollars.

I agree -- how many times have I been bored so I sign up for some $2 mega-tourney, waste 5 hours of my life and win $20? And god forbid if I should just sit out and walk away -- no way can I just give up on my big investment!

/so stupid sometimes.

I've come to the conclusion that I hate huge NLHE tournaments. Even though they offer the chance to win upwards of a grand for a 2 or 3 dollar investment they just aren't worth the time. As a matter of hourly win rate they suck as I could do better in the long run playing .25/.50, with far less aggrevation.

After how I played in the WCOOP pot limit omaha event I also suspect these tournaments are screwing up my play, seeing that they are full of people that can't lay down a hand at gunpoint. I've become very passive, which helps against maniacs who never fold, but that is very bad against better players. I tighted my way to a nervy 100th or so in the WCOOP, and upon reflection and study of some hand histories found that I passed on at least 4 obvious bluffs that would have put me in decent chip position.

Like when I held JT97 rainbow on the button, limped in and saw a flop of 86Q all hearts. One player bets the minimum, all fold to me and I decide to raise to see what the deal is, so I raise the pot, which is called. I put him on a small flush based on his earlier play. Turn is a 2, and we check, which further confirms my read. River pairs the board, and the other guy checks. At this point I have just set up an excellent bluff as a pot sized bet just screams full house given how I played the hand, and if my read is correct he just has a baby flush and can't possibly call, seeing as the pot is about 4K and we each have about 6k left. Like a complete wuss I check without really stopping to think and lose to his 23KK, with the two and three of hearts making the smallest possible flush.

That sort of play would be somewhat smart against awful holdem players early in a $3 tourney, but 3 hours into a large buy-in omaha event that was just stupid. I need my instincts back, dammit! I can't suck this bad!!

So I'm retiring from massive online NLHE tourneys. They are killing me.

[rebecca]

So I'm retiring from massive online NLHE tourneys. They are killing me.

Situations like those are when I most wish I had a helper monkey. He could just play the first few hours while the crazies drop out, then I could take over for the last two hours or so. If it works, I could sell "Poker Monkeys" to online players for a tidy profit.

[varwoche]

I actually have a poker monkey. A darn smart, 11 year old poker monkey who now knows better than to chase inside straights.

[RCC]

:D

I won a huge pot with presto a little while ago.

Once I get the thing in my hand history database I'll post it.

I am sorely tempted to post it in the religion forum. 8)

[RCC]

Here it is, in all of PRESTO's glory.

Yes, I am ashamed for only calling on the turn. tHe sudden early position bet into a board with 4 to a straight threw me, as it was an obvious straight. This is no excuse and thankfully PRESTO ignored this slight breach of faith and brought me the river I needed...

POKERSTARS GAME #606527729: HOLD'EM LIMIT ($0.50/$1.00) - 2004/08/10 - 19:02:37 (ET)
Table 'Hermentaria' Seat #3 is the button
Seat 1: martmar ($19.50 in chips)
Seat 2: Xtra ($10.25 in chips)
Seat 3: ruskituz ($24.25 in chips)
Seat 5: JLizard ($28.25 in chips)
Seat 6: jakesbucs ($33.75 in chips)
Seat 7: pamm33 ($26.50 in chips)
Seat 8: ME ($36 in chips)
Seat 9: djbighead ($7.25 in chips)
JLizard: posts small blind $0.25
jakesbucs: posts big blind $0.50
martmar: posts small blind $0.25
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to ME [5d 5h]
pamm33: calls $0.50
ME: raises $0.50 to $1
djbighead: folds
martmar: calls $1
Xtra: folds
ruskituz: folds
JLizard: calls $0.75
jakesbucs: calls $0.50
pamm33: calls $0.50
*** FLOP *** [2d 5s Ah]
JLizard: bets $0.50
jakesbucs: calls $0.50
pamm33: calls $0.50
ME: raises $0.50 to $1
martmar: folds
JLizard: raises $0.50 to $1.50
jakesbucs: calls $1
pamm33: calls $1
ME: raises $0.50 to $2
Betting is capped
JLizard: calls $0.50
jakesbucs: calls $0.50
pamm33: calls $0.50
*** TURN *** [2d 5s Ah] [3c]
JLizard: checks
jakesbucs: checks
pamm33: bets $1
ME: calls $1
JLizard: calls $1
jakesbucs: calls $1
*** RIVER *** [2d 5s Ah 3c] [3d]
JLizard: bets $1
jakesbucs: calls $1
pamm33: calls $1
ME: raises $1 to $2
JLizard: calls $1
jakesbucs: calls $1
pamm33: calls $1
*** SHOW DOWN ***
ME: shows [5d 5h] (a full house, Fives full of Threes)
JLizard: mucks hand
jakesbucs: mucks hand
pamm33: mucks hand
Krossaren has returned
ME collected $24.25 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $25.25 | Rake $1
Board [2d 5s Ah 3c 3d]
Seat 1: martmar folded on the Flop
Seat 2: Xtra folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: ruskituz (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: JLizard (small blind) mucked [2c 2h] - a full house, Deuces full of Threes
Seat 6: jakesbucs (big blind) mucked [Ts 3h] - three of a kind, Threes
Seat 7: pamm33 mucked [4s 9h] - a straight, Ace to Five
Seat 8: ME showed [5d 5h] and won ($24.25) with a full house, Fives full of Threes
Seat 9: djbighead folded before Flop (didn't bet)

[varwoche]

Damn!

My played my PRESTO hand tonight in decidedly non-PRESTO fashion. And paid the price.

[varwoche]

My free fall has been stemmed, still plugging along on same tuition fee. I think this is what happened to me:

Things were going swimmingly. Then I had 4 tourneys in a row where I finished out of the money. Riddled with self-doubt, I started repeating a mantra in my head ... newbies don't know when to fold, newbies don't know when to fold. I think I started to play too timidly.

[varwoche]

Placing humour opportunity over common sense, I PRESTO'ed:

Lots of calls, comes to me, INSTANT raise. A couple of calls, a couple of folds.

Flop: A J 9

Check, check, to me...

Undaunted, INSTANT minimum bet... a couple of calls, a couple of folds

Turn: K

On autopilot, INSTANT minumum bet, 2 remaining players call

River: 8

On autopilot, INSTANT minumum bet, 2 remaining players call

55 wins it. PRESTO!

[shemp]

I just started playing at UltimateBet (unfortunately, there's already a Shemp there). OK, I admit I'm a novice at this game, but I've held my own so far an broken about even. I'm curious about one thing. Why is it that, occasionally, someone posts a small "dead blind"?

[roger]

For us ignorant ones, what is "PRESTO"?

[RCC]

I just started playing at UltimateBet (unfortunately, there's already a Shemp there). OK, I admit I'm a novice at this game, but I've held my own so far an broken about even. I'm curious about one thing. Why is it that, occasionally, someone posts a small "dead blind"?

When you are in a game that requires blinds, and are sitting out when it is your turn to post the big blind, you have to sit out until the button passes. At this point the player can either sit out until the big blind passes, or go ahead and post both missed blinds and re-enter the game. In the latter scenerio only the big blind is live. The small blind is "dead" in that it is in the pot but is not part of the first round betting.

Also, if a player only misses the small blind and posts it after the button the small blind is still dead.

If you are new to the game and wish to post it usually only costs the big blind. You have to post both only if you actually missed both.

[varwoche]

Far be it for a newbie such as myself to explain the enigma that is PRESTO. Scroll up and read RCC and Rebecca.

[RCC]

Placing humour opportunity over common sense, I PRESTO'ed:

Lots of calls, comes to me, INSTANT raise. A couple of calls, a couple of folds.

Flop: A J 9

Check, check, to me...

Undaunted, INSTANT minimum bet... a couple of calls, a couple of folds

Turn: K

On autopilot, INSTANT minumum bet, 2 remaining players call

River: 8

On autopilot, INSTANT minumum bet, 2 remaining players call

55 wins it. PRESTO!

Amazing. Winning with presto, with multiple opponents on a raised flop with 5 overcards including an ace and king is some weird stuff. I'm really curious as to what the other two people held (It would be on the hand history if they called the river). Obviously they might have smaller pairs, in which case their play is abysmal to the extreme as there was a preflop raise with an AKJ on the board, so even if you raised with two big cards or even ace-rag you had to have paired up or made a straight, and if you had a poket pair they are generally out of luck with a pair lower than fives.

Other than that, it is hard to come up with a reasonable hand that calls to the river on that board without beating 55. I guess a flush draw that missed, but the highest cards that could have is Q7 or else there would be a pair or straight.

Just mind-boggling that there were not one, but two calls on the end...

[varwoche]

Ed was smiling on me 2 nights ago when player A went all in, player B called, and I was holding pocket aces. (Won the hand, won the tourney.)

Apparently I showed hubris. Becasue Ed meted out some twisted payback last night.

Mini-tourney, been going for about half an hour, still 6 or so players left. I'm holding my own. There's a bozo who has played EVERY hand. Not most hands. EVERY hand. Hands that are complete shit. Miracles on the river over and over. He is WAY ahead, the rest of us are about even.

Do I mind? No! I eye bozo's stack brimming with confidence that it soon will be mine. I wait. Patiently.

Pocket aces! Alright bozo, time for payback.

It's bozo's turn before me. He folds.

Final outcome: Bozo first, me second. My pocket aces were the ONLY hand where he didn't see the flop the entire game.

[varwoche]

I just started playing at UltimateBet (unfortunately, there's already a Shemp there). OK, I admit I'm a novice at this game, but I've held my own so far an broken about even. I'm curious about one thing. Why is it that, occasionally, someone posts a small "dead blind"?

OK, we've reached critical mass here. We should have a little game amongst ourselves! RCC and Rebecca can fleece Shemp and me.

This much I know: The repartee would be special.

[RCC]

I just started playing at UltimateBet (unfortunately, there's already a Shemp there). OK, I admit I'm a novice at this game, but I've held my own so far an broken about even. I'm curious about one thing. Why is it that, occasionally, someone posts a small "dead blind"?

OK, we've reached critical mass here. We should have a little game amongst ourselves! RCC and Rebecca can fleece Shemp and me.

I mentioned on TOP that I could possibly set up a private free tournament on a sooper seekrit private free-play site assuming we have the interest to do so and the people running the site are down with it. They are beta-testing a free play site and it is accessable only by password, although they are somewhat free with the password and may appreciate a little more traffic.

I'm going to be away for the weekend at a small private poker tournament (real life poker... what a concept!!) and (believe it or not) doing a few poker tutoring gigs. Next week I'll find out if it is doable and get some possible times and maybe we can have a little skeptic poker tournament.

The other thing we could do is hold a (very) small tournament in a thread. Cards are dealt via PM by a dealer (I guess me since it is my weird idea) and so forth. It would take a while...

[shemp]

The only thing around here that gets fleeced is the sheep, before we sacrifice it.

[varwoche]

I mentioned on TOP that I could possibly set up a private free tournament on a sooper seekrit private free-play site assuming we have the interest to do so and the people running the site are down with it. They are beta-testing a free play site and it is accessable only by password, although they are somewhat free with the password and may appreciate a little more traffic.

The other thing we could do is hold a (very) small tournament in a thread. Cards are dealt via PM by a dealer (I guess me since it is my weird idea) and so forth. It would take a while...

Count me in for any flavor, real money preferably.

Caveat: Whatever the flavor, we have to play as if there's a million bucks on the line.

And hopefully some hand analysis afterwards.

Paradise has a section for private games such as this. Do the others?

[varwoche]

The only thing around here that gets fleeced is the sheep, before we sacrifice it.

I started to get very, very nervous about what verb was to follow the fleecing.

[varwoche]

My free fall has been stemmed

Forget stemmed. I'm kicking butt again. And so it flows.

[varwoche]

The other thing we could do is hold a (very) small tournament in a thread. Cards are dealt via PM by a dealer (I guess me since it is my weird idea) and so forth. It would take a while...

How convienent, you the dealer. I'm getting fleeced already!

p.s. Two of my all-time fave movies: House of Games & Croupier.

[RCC]

The other thing we could do is hold a (very) small tournament in a thread. Cards are dealt via PM by a dealer (I guess me since it is my weird idea) and so forth. It would take a while...

How convienent, you the dealer. I'm getting fleeced already!

p.s. Two of my all-time fave movies: House of Games & Croupier.

I wouldn't play, just deal.

We should try this... I'm going to start a new thread...

[varwoche]

No fun, I want to play against you.

[varwoche]

Under most circumstances, on the first go-around pre-flop, I don't see much logic in raising unless the hand is exceptional. And even then, it seems like raise should be modest.

But large raises happen all of the time. I don't get it.

[RCC]

Under most circumstances, on the first go-around pre-flop, I don't see much logic in raising unless the hand is exceptional. And even then, it seems like raise should be modest.

But large raises happen all of the time. I don't get it.

It depends. I'll never open raise for other than 3X the big blind early on. In a stars sng I'll now and then do it with speculative hands in good position and screw around because there are enough chips to withstand a few splash arounds.

However, if I have AA or KK and someone raises my raise or raises in front of me I will protect myself by making a huge raise. My SOP would be to raise the other player enough so that I am not giving decent implied odds, as almost all the time I'm going all in on the flop if called so the real measure of how much to bet is not the pot, rather the size of the stacks.

There are too many people that will call a whopping pre-flop bet with AK or worse to not give them a chance to do it when you have AA or KK. Worst thing to do is let them have decent implied odds. Make them get the mass of their dough in when they are whopping underdogs.

[rebecca]

Placing humour opportunity over common sense, I PRESTO'ed:

Lots of calls, comes to me, INSTANT raise. A couple of calls, a couple of folds.

Flop: A J 9

Check, check, to me...

Undaunted, INSTANT minimum bet... a couple of calls, a couple of folds

Turn: K

On autopilot, INSTANT minumum bet, 2 remaining players call

River: 8

On autopilot, INSTANT minumum bet, 2 remaining players call

55 wins it. PRESTO!

Varwoche, I believe that the Presto gods were giving you a freebie here to welcome you into the fold. From now on when you get presto in NL, always bet at least 4x the minimum. Tsk tsk!