Poker Donkey Whale Bozo ATM Machine

Donkey Whale. That's me. Poor cards but also TERRIBLE tight weak play today against good players. Trips suck with straight and flushes on the board. You think I should know that?? Second pair got killed by trip queens. What the "f" was I thinking?? I was the idiot at the table and need to reevaluate my play. If I do not have a plan and discipline at the table I WILL lose a lot of money. Hopefully this was a good lesson that I will remember. I should know better and still played poorly. That must mean that there are many others out there like me who have read a lot, can play well but don't have patience when the cards aren't flowing. Next time, if the cards suck, learn how to lose less bozo. That at times is still playing winning poker.

Congrats to the good players who took my money. I will be back and hope not be your ATM machine next time.

AM
SurgicalPoker.com

Turkey Day Shootout at Bay 101

Mid-way through the second round of a 100-person, $100 buy-in no-limit tournament, a "regular" taunted me yelling, "His hands are shaking. Look at his shaking hands. Ohhhhh...." It was true. My hands were cold and shaky, revealing equally shaky nerves. I was playing in my first live tournament on Thanksgiving morning at famed Bay 101 in San Jose. My brother, who brought me here, was playing at another table. Beforehand, he'd warned me that this particular card room is home to very aggressive and solid players. Until now, I'd played almost exclusively online, where it is easy to remain anonymous and hide insecurities. Pulsating veins, yells of pain and joy, grimaces and grins, and shaky hands were not liabilities when playing in front of a computer screen. But at a real table with real humans, all these things and more tell your story.

So here I was, hands shaking, looking at pocket ladies on the button. My stack was better than average. I'd been playing air-lock tight, waiting for top hands. And they'd been coming to me about once every half hour. The guy next to me had been moved to our table just a few hands earlier. He was in about 7th place at our table of nine, but he still held a decent number of chips. He raised nearly all of his chips, and I put him on a strong ace. For protection, I raised all in. Small blind folded, big blind stared me up and down and called for time. I put my hands in my lap and waited. He folded AJ (or so he told me later), and the guy who's bet I had raised called, making it heads up.

He turned over A 10 s and never connected. That shaky bet padded my mattress and I continued to play tight over the next two rounds. I made it to the final table and finished 9th, but the highlight from the experience was sitting at the 2nd-to-last table with my brother. Thanksgiving after all is a family affair. The whip cream on the pumpkin pie: the obnoxious taunter wasn't sitting in any of the final 18 seats.

So my online playing proved to me that I've developed at least some modicum of skill. But lots more to learn, including steeling my nerves.

Bad Beat at the Motor City Casino

Game: 5-10 No Limit Location: Motor City Casino in Detroit.

It was a live game with some decent players but also some democrats, I mean donkeys. The hand goes down like this---I am in the small blind with 2-2. The button makes it 45 bucks to go after everyone else folds. I’d like to see a flop so I choose to call. The big blind also calls. With almost $150 in the pot, we all stare at a 9-3-9 flop. I don’t like it but consider betting for an instant before checking. The big blind checks. The button then goes fires deep with a $600 bet. I fold my cards like they are radioactive. With barely a blink, the big blind calls with the rest of his chips. Before they flip up their cards, I think they must both have sets. Is it possible they both have 9s with one having a better kicker? The big blind flips up 10-9 for a decent set. The button guy turns over 3-3 for a full house. The pot is about $1200 because the BB didn’t have all of the $600. The turn is a five. Then the bloody river is a five of hearts. The double paired board gives the BB a better full house and he sucks the marrow out of the button for a very nasty beat. BB smirks. The button yells out: “nice catch….asshole (under his breath)”.

For more stories and pix, go to Surgical Poker.com

Pac Club Tourney

My table broke up and about half of the participants were out. I had been playing super tight so when I looked down at K9 of clubs in late position with a couple of limpers, I joined the pot. The flop came out 9-7-3 with one club. There were four of us in the pot. The small blind quickly goes all in. The big blind and other guy fold over to me. What to do? I made several mistakes on this hand. I did try to read him and honestly put him on A-K or A-Q. He had me covered. I hadn't played any hands with him. It was the middle of the tourney and I had about an average stack. I called for time. If he flopped trips wouldn't he try to trap me or at least put out a feeler bet? Was he the bully at the table? I truly thought he was trying to steal the pot and even asked him if he wanted me to call. He didn't answer. When I finally put all my chips in the middle, he quietly said, "you aren't going to like it" as he flipped over two nines. I had one foot in the grave and another on a banana peel. Of course, I lost but realized that you shouldn't play top pair for a big pot and should always wait a while when you get to a new table. You simply have no information on your opponents.

Better Lucky than Good at Lucky Chances

I played at Lucky Chances just south of SF for the first time yesterday. LC has seasoned aggressive players and a wild 2-3-5 $200 spread limit game. In that game, I was above my level of play but tried to "hang around". After losing for the better part of two hours, I woke up with KK in the big blind. Five people had called before it got back around to me. I made it fifty to go. This was a game with a lot of chasers and I wanted to be heads up if possible. Two of the five limpers called me. The flop comes out 10-5-7 with two hearts. It is a semi rainbow for me. Again, I don't want any flush drawers, so I push with $200. One guy raises me all in for my last $150. The other guy folds. I violate all my owe rules and immediately call him. Neither of us flips up our cards. I put him on A-10 or perhaps a straight draw. The turn comes up another five and the river a two. I flip up my KK and he groans as he turns over 10-7. He had me beat until the five came up on the turn. I should have read him better after the flop but I had to act first. Also, how does he call a fifty dollar raise with only 10-7 offsuit preflop? Perhaps I should have put him on a set when he raised me after the flop. Clearly, I need to get better at reading players because in this had I was lucky not good. The over $800 pot still put a smile on my face as I walked out to my car fifteen minutes later. :)

Creative Use of a Beer Can

In case you ever run out of long tees, you can always use a beer can.

For more pix and post go to Surgical Poker.com.

Golf at TPC Scottsdale

These are two Surgical Poker corespondents doing some "research" at the TPC at Scottsdale. We'd like to know what they learned especially about Jenna J.!!!

Phil Hellmuth beats me at Pasatiempo

Phil's winning continued on the golf course last Friday. In a best ball scramble match at Pasatiempo (an excellent golf course in Santa Cruz, CA), he and his partner took my money. This is a picture just off the 18th green. We were down six matches going into the tough 11th hole when a miracle shot gave us the momentum to win the next 4 holes.

The wind was 20-30 miles per hour and gusting. After I airmailed 18th green, it was over and Phil gladly took my cash. I may never beat him at poker but I want another chance on the felt of the golf course.

AM

For more pix go to Surgical Poker.com

Poker in a Bikini in Aruba?

I did play in the Ultimatebet.com Aruba freeroll that was on the Arubadecoder postcards in our Camp Hellmuth gift bags. When it got down to 5players I took the chip lead and thought "I really could win this!" Ipromised myself that I would wear a bikini for the entire Aruba Classictourney if I did win the 1st place prize (a trip for 2 and entry in theAruba Classic). Alas, I lost my chip lead and went out in 3rd place. It wasupsetting to lose - I can't imagine what the pros go through when they'vespent multiple grueling days at the table only to lose right outside themoney! But I do think I played my best poker in that tourney and I know ifI put my mind to it, I could win more often.

Thanks for the post from NYC's Mary. We look forward to more of her poker stories and comments. For more poker pix and vegas info, go to: Surgical Poker.com

Bijou Phillips and Danny Masterson at Hard Rock

David Williams, Phil Hellmuth, Bijou Phillips and Danny Masterson play at the Hard Rock Charity Tourney in Vegas. A VERY GOOD time!! :)

For more pix and posts, check out SURGICAL POKER.com

David Williams at Stuff Magazine Party

This is one of the coolest guys on the planet--David Williams. He is the 2004 WSOP runner up in the Main Event. Very nice to EVERYONE he meets and a great poker player.

East Bay Poker Camping

It was supposed to be a friendly night out camping with the guys and our kids. After putting the kids to bed, we broke the cards and chips. Fortunately, we kept the buy in reasonable because the game had sharks that can swim on the land. Nick, Perry and Bob were all smart aggressive players and they knew my tricks well. There would be no limping in and trapping with these guys. Very nice play by them eliminated me from claiming the title of best Poker Dad for that night. Perry and Nick split the spoils (our MONEY!!) with their excellent play. Bob and I want another chance to prove ourselves and an opportunity to restock our poker stashes. You name the place and we'll be there.

AM

For more stories and photos to Surgical Poker.com

Long Way to the World Series

Today I played in the Spread-Limit tourney at Bay 101. Finished 22/117. The top 18 places were paid so again I was close to the bubble. I won a few races but never really built up a chip stack. Most of the players were solid. I should have gone all in with AQ when my stack was mediocre. After the flop I was outplayed and lost. Also, I lost with AK to KJ when a straight popped up on the river. My final hand was 77 against the chip leader at my table who flipped up AK. He eliminated me with a set of kings. Overall, I played my game as planned. The problem, however, is my game isn't surgically sharp yet. If I don't improve, I will be the easy to spot WHALE at the WSOP. Also, clearly I didn't win with or crack AK. No chance to win a tourney when that happens.

Check out Surgical Poker.com for more stories and pix.

World Series of Poker Bracelet

This is an official World Series of Poker Bracelet. In fact it is Phil Hellmuth's tenth bracelet that he let me put on for a moment. Yes, it was an amazing feeling. Now, I need to learn how to play MUCH MUCH better and go after one of my own. For more pix and stories check out Surgical Poker.com

Unabomber Phil Laak and AM at Hard Rock Party

Phil Laak, also known in poker circles at the Unabomber is shown here with AM at the STUFF party that was held at the Hard Rock Casino Pool in Las Vegas. Yes, the party was awesome. More pix will be posted soon. Phil proved himself to be a fun, intelligent, engaging player at the celebrity tourney with his beautiful girlfriend Jennifer Tilly always nearby.

Phil Hellmuth at STUFF Magazine Party

This is ten time World Series of Poker Champion Phil Hellmuth with a couple STUFF Magazine Party crashers. Have you seen these guys? They are wanted by the Las Vegas cops. They were caught having too much fun at PURE, the Hard Rock and TAO.

Quad Threes win Tourney at Caesars

I am in Vegas for Camp Hellmuth Three and the day before it started, I bought into the daily tourney at Caesars. I got VERY lucky on the second hand of the tourney with Aces that busted Kings and I immediately doubled up. Those chips allowed me to cruise through four rounds. By then, however, I had bled down to six big blinds. In the small blind, I had A10 suited. I went all in and was dominated by AQ. A beautiful 10 on the flop kept me alive.

A couple other nice hands and a few bluffs brought me to the the final table as the chip leader.

I played super tight and made the final three. Then, it was a mind game. One guy took a bad beat and went on tilt and was out. Heads up went on for a while. Finally, I called the big blind with pocket threes. I checked when I flopped a full house. The other guy went all in with AQ and of course I called him. The three on the turn gave me quads and the tourney win, my first!

AM

Aces Cracked at Tourney

I just finished 36th out of 94 at the Bay 101 Spread-Limit tourney. The game plan going in was to play tourniquet tight. I played only 5 of the first 50 hands dealt to me mainly because the cards were arid. The best hand I saw in the first three rounds was 2-2. After the first break I was in the ICU with only 1200 chips left and the blinds at 300-600. In late position, I woke up with KJ suited. I tossed in my two big blinds realizing I would not probably see anything better before I was forced to play. The asian mafia dude immediately next to me goes all in for $5000. The big blind only has $600 left so he calls. The BB turns over a pair of 9s and the guy next to me flips up American Airlines. The flops comes out 10-K-6. Not dead yet. The turn is another K and the river a J. The full boat triples me up and I am back in the game. Two hands after reaching the $7000 mark with pocket aces, I get them again in middle position. The dude under the gun, goes all in preflop for $10,000. I have visions of winning the tourney as I immediately call thinking I can double up yet again when the raiser turns over KQ. I have him in a full metal jacket! The flop comes out 8-K-6. The turn is a 4 giving him no flush or straight draw. So he has only another King or Queen as outs (5 total). I am at least an 8-1 favorite to win this nice tasty pot. Just as I cracked aces, my were cracked when a king floats up on the river and I go home.

Budweiser Binge Guy and Going Hollywood

I have now been playing for almost three hours and am up about $100 bucks. I have played relatively tight and am now ready to take a few more chances. Again, I am in the big blind. That has been a very good position for me lately for some unknown reason. This time I have 4-4. Two guys raise to $15 bucks one in early position, one in late position. I am thinking: "Do they have high pairs and am I dominated if I call?". I think for a second and toss in the $15 bucks, hoping they have KQ or AK. The flop comes 4-K-J. I quickly check the set hoping to trap the raisers on the turn. One guy bets $20 and the other calls. I act like I am thinking for a few seconds and then call. The turn is an eight. No straight out there yet. I don't want anyone hanging around so I make $25 more to go. One guy folds and the other guy immediately calls. What does he have? Certainly a King or a Jack. Perhaps A-Q. The river is a 2c, no flush, no straight. The titanium nuts is trip kings. Could this guy be slow playing that hand? I think for a moment and decide to check. Was that weak or smart? The guy I am up against is the Budweiser Binge dude who is still hammered. When I check, he immediately makes it $80 bucks to go. I go into the pseudo tank. He is simply too hammered to lure my set of 4s into his pocket kings. I count out the $80 chips slowly and then decide to add on $60 bucks more, all in.

He again quickly calls and I stare at two pair KK-JJ. I really didn't mean to slow roll my set but I guess I did because he accused me of "Going Hollywood" when I eventually flipped over my set and hauled in a Silver Oak Magnum like pot. I didn't care what he thought as I stacked up HIS chips....

Chance from Surgical Poker.com

Quad 8s, No Action

Same spread limit game with another big blind special, 8-5 offsuit. No raisers so I limp in. The flop is 8-Q-8. A set for Daddy. I check. Two other limpers check. The turn, another 8. I now have quads. I check. So do the other limpers. A set on the board with a queen. The river comes out with a 6. This time I tried to look like I am stealing the scanty pot and bet 20 bucks. The two other guys fold and I flip over the quads. It would have been nice to get some action on that hand.

Chance from Surgical Poker.com

3-100 Spread Limit at Garden City

I decided to try to the new 3-100 Spread Limit at Garden City in San Jose. You can buy in for a maximum of $100. In the beginning I played tourniquet tight and try to get a feel for the game. It was a VERY tight game with several reasonable good players and one drunk guy with $500 bucks in front of him. He must have built the stack before his Budweiser Binge.

My first pot was a big blind special K-8s. No one raised it so I saw the flop for free. It came out Q-7-4, all spades. I had flopped the almost nut flush. I check it to three limpers who also check it. The turn was an A of hearts. So, I bet out like I had an ace--25 bucks. Two of the three limpers folded but and one guy called me. The river is a 3 of clubs. No help to anyone. So, I bet out another $25 feeler bet hoping to get called. No call, an all in raise!! What's going on here? Was the guy slow playing a made flush? Did he have the ace of spades? If he did, I will lose. I think about for a second and then call his all in. He flips over J-8 of spades and I show my king high flush for a very nice pot.

Chance from Surgical Poker.com

Menlo Dads Tourney

Just finished playing in the Menlo Dads tourney. Forty nine players and I took third place. Overall, an excellent night with lots of fun. Lost on the last hand when my queen-jack got busted by trip tens. A great bunch of guys and I look forward to playing in next year's gig.

AM

SurgicalPoker

London Pot Limit Hold'em

Recently, I was travelling on business in Europe. At the end of the trip I had one free night in London. Fortunately, they have poker there. I played 3/3 (British Pounds) pot-limit for about 4 hours. After two hours I was up about 60 pounds. I had played very tight and aggressive poker winning several small pots before the flop with cards like A-Q and Q-J suited. It was about 2am when I got frisky and loosened up way too much. I found myself in pots with middle pair and flush draws after the turn. The players in the game were uniformly excellent and all knew eachother. This should have been my sign to get out. Also, the poker luck was not in my seat. During my four hour gig, quads came up three times at my table never in my hand. When I woke up with A-J under the gun with 50 pounds left in my stack and a J-9-5 on the board, I went all in against the big bully at the table. The turn is a 9 and the river is a 9 making me a full house. I am happy until the bully turns over A-9 for quads. It is 4:15 am at that point and I head back to Paddington Station for the train to the airport.

Good memories bad beat?, AM

SurgicalPoker

Quad Jacks over a Boat

From Aloha B.

I decided to try the spread limit game at Garden City again this past weekend. I was 7th on the list so I decided to play some 6/12 while waiting for a spread limit game. I won four nice sized pots in about an hour when I looked down to find J J from under the gun. I limped in as well as three others, then LP raised, SB & BB fold and the four of us call. The flop came J J rag (wahoo, I haven't had quads for a few months). I bet and three players fold, the LP raises, so I re-raise and LP calls. Now it's heads up and the turn is an A, I bet, LP raises, I re-raise, he re-raises, I call. The river is another rag, and I bet, he raises, I re-raise, he re-raises and I call (oops, I forgot in heads-up there's no cap in raising). Anyway the poor guy has a boat A's over J's and I have the quad J's and a nice pot. How would you play this hand?

They announce that they're starting a new spread limit table and my name is called. I play the spread limit game for about 2 hours and although I didn't get any quads, I did hold my own.

more stories at Surgical Poker

Getting back into the Game

I haven't played ANY poker in over a month now. The day job, family and getting sick have prevented me from seeing any action. I am ready to jump back into the fray. Any comments about playing after a hiatus?

AM

Spread Limit Poker

Spread limit is a hybrid of limit and no limit. Typically, there are forced fixed blinds say $2 and $5. Then the top or most amount you can bet is fixed at $100 or $200 bucks. So, the minimum bet is $5 and the maximum is $100, thus "Spread-Limit". It is an interesting game to play. It keeps players honest and almost eliminates the "no fold'em hold'em". I have played in a couple tourneys where the spread limit rises with each round. I have yet to play the Garden city game but I here it is good.

Do they have spread limit down under??

AM

SurgicalPoker.com

Garden City Spread Limit Game

I was near Garden City Saturday, so I decided to stopped by and check out the nl game. It's actually not an nl game it's a spread limit game with $100.00 buy-in. The spread is $3 - $100 with 1/3 blinds. The waiting list for the spread game was very long, so I mainly played 6/12 while waiting. I was only able to play the spread game for about 30 minutes before I had to leave. Half of the player's were pretty solid, the other's were decent and one super loose aggresive guy who was raising almost every round. He didn't last too long before he was knocked out of the game. If you play tight aggressive, you can do well in this game. I wonder if Bay 101 will start having a spread limit game too! It seems to be a very popular game at GC.

More info about poker and vegas at: SurgicalPoker.com

AlohaBruce's Poker Story

I'm playing 2/5 nl at the Bellagio over Christmas this past year. I'm in the BB with KQ clubs, four player's limp in and LP raises, I call as well as two other's. The flop is 2, 8, 10 clubs (Yahoo for me), I lead out with $30 and everyone calls. The turn is an A s, I check( thought I was going to c/r) as well as the next two players, LP pushes all-in for about $500. After going in the tank for a few moments, I'm thinking that the best he could have is a set of A's. I call and push all-in for approximately $350, everyone else folds and the river is 3 clubs. Oh crap, I didn't want to see another club. Of course I have my K high flush and he has an Ac and Qd for the nut flush. I'm thinking, you pushed all-in with A pair and flush draw? Oh well, it won't be the last time I lose on the river.

AlohaBruce's Favorite Poker Rooms

Actually I have two favorite poker rooms, my favorite has been the Bellagio poker room. It's where I started playing poker in Vegas and I've always done very well there. My other favorite is the Wynn poker room, it's an elegant poker room with very comfortable chairs and enough space between tables. The competion when I was there was a mixture of solid players with a few fish. They also have a computerized waiting list and if you're staying at the hotel you can call the poker room and put your name on the list and keep an eye on the list from your tv in the room.

For more vegas favorites, visit SurgicalPoker

On Tilt Part One

Life has been too busy for poker recently. I still wanted to try my luck at the Bay 101 Friday tourney which I thought started at 9.45 am. I got there right at that time and bought in for $120 bucks. I got called as the 2nd alternate and sat down about 9.55. It was kind of like Phil Hellmuth starting late. I counted my chips and was bummed to find only 2400 out of a starting amount of 3000. Worse yet, it was already the third round with blinds at 50/100 chips. I had not noticed that the tourney began at 9.15. Big Mistake number one of the day. After throwing away my hands for almost two orbits, it was now round four and the blinds were 100/200. I was down to 2100 in chips and in trouble. I was in mid position with A-9 of diamonds. I decided to try to steal the blinds. I made it $1000 to go. Everyone folded except the button who tanked for a while then called. Not what I was looking for. I was essentially pot committed. The flop came no face cards and only one diamond. I decided to represent a big pair and went all in. The idea was to again win the pot right then. The button again went into the tank for a long time. Unfortunately, he then called with JJ. The turn and river were blanks and I was out of the tourney in 47th place (70 started). It was only the beginning of several bad moves on my part that day. more later... AM

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Paradise Poker Player Post (Nar Pow Pow)

I was playing in a player's club tourney right now at Paradise Poker. (you enter by using points accrued from games played.) i just won a couple thousand chips using pot odds...i hope i did it correctly, or i just got very lucky.

K 7s--flop gave me a pair of 7s --bet of 300 came to me; pot now had 1700 chips--i had 5 outs to give me "best" hand (three Ks and> two 7s, right?); rule of 4 then says i have a 20% chance of getting a winning hand on the turn or river--so if i called, pot would be 2000, divide that by 300, equals about 7 to 1 --break even % then is 1/8 or about 13% my chance of winning (20%) was greater than my break even odds (13%), so I called. K came on the turn, i bet, he called, yada yada, i won pot with 2 pair. Of course, about 15 mins later i lost a couple thousand chips with cowboys. oh well. Surgical Poker Post by Nar Pow Pow......

For more Poker Posts, go to SurgicalPoker.com

World Poker Tour David Williams

I played one hour at the 8-16 and ended up a small amount. I was on my way to the bathroom when David Williams (second place at WSOP 2004?) came out of the final table area. The guard asked if he wanted to get back in, clearly not knowing who he was. I said, I think he might want his seat back and David laughed. He was gracious and posed for several pixs with fans. He entered the final table with 668,000 in chips. I wished him good luck and shook his hand as he ducked back under the velvet rope and sat back down at the final table.

Nut Flush Draw Shooting Star WPT

Played the 8-16 at Bay 101 while watching the World Poker Tour Shooting Star final table on closed circuit TV. I tried to get into the filming but didn't have any connections....

The 8-16 was a super tight game where high pairs were taking down a lot of pots. I played my usual wait and see game but this time only had about an hour of time. After bleeding off a couple rounds of blinds, I woke up with A-Q of spades in the big blind. A middle position tight player raised it and two others called. The flop came out 7-8-K with only two spades. I had my flush draw. I checked and the tight player bet with the one of the guys calling. I called. The turn was a 2 of....clubs! I checked, the other two guys bet and I called. Should I have bet first?

The river comes out a 4 of.....SPADES!!. Yes, I have a made nut flush. I bet it. After tanking for a couple minutes both of the other guys called and I took down a nice pot. Any comments?

AM

A "straight" jacket eliminates the Magician

My buddy Antonio gets taken out by a straight on the river at the Bay 101 Shooting Star. A set of tens should be good to go but the Poker Gods gave his opponent a straight with via a Q and a then a 9 on the river (opponent had K-J). A good man goes out WAY too early. Better luck in the next one my friend.

AM

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$2000 Buy-in Result

Antonio finished 40th out of a field of over 200 in the $2000 event. He is now on to the $10,000 WPT gig. I am predicting a final table appearance. See ya on Friday at the Bay 101!

AM

Antonio Esfandiari The Magician

Antonio Esfandiari at Bay 101's Shooting Star $2000 buy in. This is from early in the tourney but the Magician had already flopped a set of fours and busted one guy with a flush on the turn. Did he have a four up his sleeve instead of an Ace? Antonio's not telling. Best of luck to him at the WPT $10,000 event. I'll be posting some stories as I hear about them. Send me any of yours (am@surgicalpoker.com)

Check out Surgical Poker for more Poker Stories, Vegas HotSpots and Good Times!

AM

8-16 1/2 Kill Poker

Movin' on up to the 8-16 game. Check out SurgicalPoker for more pixs and posts.

The game was super tight and a moderately predictable. I bought in for $300 and waited for the big blind to come around. No one raised my 7-2 offsuit and the flop was trash except for an Ace. Four people were in and checked it. The turn comes off with a two and I again check it as does everyone else. The river is a blank and this time I bet it. Everyone folds except on guy who calls and I take down a early small pot with the worst starting hand in poker.

A short time later I peek down and find A-A. Of course I raise before the flop and six people call me. The flop comes 9-7-9. I am in early position which I HATE. I bet it again and two people call. The turn comes up a J and again I bet. One guy folds and another one raises me. I ponder for a second and think does he have J-J and now a full boat? No, I think he has K-K and doesn't want to see a Ace on the river. So, I reraise him. He instantly calls me. The river comes out a blank and I again bet and he calls. My AA gets cracked by K-9--Trips. I tried to put him on a hand but didn't read him well. That premiere starting hand melted my stack of chips moderately.

The guy who beat me turned out to be halfdome-all rock. He only bet when he had perfect hands. He was a good player but never played anything but great hands. I stayed away from him for the rest of the night.

AM

6-12 Limit Hold'em

Played the 6-12 game at Bay 101 on President's day. Started with $300. The first hour was mainly up. American Airlines and the Speed Limit held up nicely and I was at about $420. A nice profit but I typically set a time limit. This time it was three hours. Hour two was painful. It was as dry as good Martini. Every time I looked down it was 7-5 offsuit or perhaps 8-6 suited. I took a couple pokes at pots without any lucky flops. Despite my mostly tight play, I was down to $340 at the end of 120 minutes. The first half of hour three was the same---Garbage. The dealer even scooped by big blind hand without me seeing it because the TV caught my eye. A very bad move on part. I was down to 30 minutes and about $300 when I woke up with J-10 suited in late position. This looked like Elle Macpherson to me after all my crappy cards. I called two bets and saw a flop of 8-5-9 all unsuited. Again, a early position player raised it and another made it 24 to go. Thanks to reading Phil Gordon' book, I knew the pot odds favored my calling with an open ended straight draw. A sexy queen on the river made my hand. The early position raiser again bet. The second guy folded and I RAISED!! Fortunately, the early raiser had two pair (Qs and 8s) so she called. I flipped over the J-10 and scooped up a nice pot. The next hand I again got AA that stood up to a flush draw. Patience had paid off. At the three hour mark, I left the table with $606, a nice $306 profit. Better lucky than good I guess. Any comments?

Sushi Apres Ski in Aspen

Matsuhisa is the best place for a sushi sake night out after skiing. The food is excellent and the bar environment is filled with good looking skiers and riders. Check it out if you are in Aspen and post your opinion. Next post, I promise will be about poker!!

Sky Bar in Aspen

We checked out the Sky Bar in Aspen yesterday. Very cool bar but the top shelf margaritas were 15 bucks--yikes! The scene included a view of the hot tub and pool right at the base of Aspen. So the views made up for the prices. Overall, a great place to hang after apres-ski.

Quad Aces in Lake Tahoe No Limit Poker

Your Girlfriend really loves you when you score Quad Aces and rake in a huge pot as Matt did here in a South Lake Tahoe No Limit game. For more good stories and pictures click here

Paradise Poker Free Million Dollar Tourney

I'm in! I played in a "heat" tonight to gain entry into Paradise Poker's third "Free Million Tournament." I played in a few heats for the second tournament last year, but I never finished higher than 100+.

Took almost five hours. The top 15, out of a field of more than 1,500, earned a seat in this tournament (see attached screen shot--K2, you can post on your site). I was on the bubble for the last hour, biting my nails. But you'd be proud--I didn't play scared. I kept playing the cards I'd have played if I had been in first place (well, almost). Luck and timing played a part. Was in 22nd place of 23 remaining, when pocket 10s came to me, with a 10 on the flop. I went all in and doubled up. It was enough to carry me into the top 10 for a while. Then I bled to 13th place where I stayed until the field got down to 15. The tournament automatically ended once the final 15 players were reached.

The final tournament isn't until July. So I have plenty of time to hone my no-limit skills and absorb all the stuff in Gordon's book you sent me. Top 500 finishers of that tournament get money, starting at $50, and ending at $1,000,000 for numero uno. I think PP runs heats until 5,000 seats have been assigned. There are currently about 400 seats taken.

Phew. Time for bed.

Nar Pow Pow

Private Party Girls

Who are these lovely ladies? Last seen at a private party inside Body English in Las Vegas. They look like they have a secret but aren't telling....

Bay 101 Friday Tourney

I played in the Bay 101 tourney today. It is a $120 buy in with typically 100 players. I decided to be more aggressive in the early rounds this time. Last time I played I exited 76 out of about 125 players.

At the first break I was down to just $2000 in chips from a starting stack of $3000. Last time I waited too long for a great hand and essentially got blinded off. This time I chose my spot with about $1800 left and A-8 suited. With the blinds at $300-600, I really didn't have a choice. Unfortunately, I thought at the time two people called me. Then the flop came A-8-6 all off suit-a beautiful rainbow. I tripled up and was on my way. Better lucky than good.

I dragged a couple other small pots and stole some blinds with aggressive under the gun and big blind semi-bluffs. Before I knew it we were down to 15 players with the top 10 getting paid. At the break I had $15,000 in chips with the blinds at $2000-$4000. As I entered the final push, I made a conscious decision to try to hang around and make the final table. I was ahead of 4-5 players and had the button so I played super tight. That was easy for 3 hands (total junk) and then I woke up with pocket nines. One guy went all in three off the button and then it was my turn. He had played it tight so I gave him credit and folded. One of the guys who was behind me called him and I thought I had made the right play. K-J and A-10 showed up in their hands and the Ace high won the pot. The very next hand I got pocket 9s again. This time I was under the gun. I checked and other guy went all in. I folded. No one was eliminated in that hand either and the nines would have held up that time as well. The blinds were now up to $3000-6000 and I was in trouble.

I punted on both my small and big blinds to raisers and then had only $6000 left when I woke up with A-8 of clubs. I really didn't think I see anything better so I tossed it in despite the board saying there were only 11 players left. The small blind called and the big blind checked it. Both of them had A-Q. Suffice it to say they split the pot and I was out at number 11/100, out of the money by one spot.

I learned a great lesson. If you are on the bubble and get reasonably good cards especially back to back, BET THEM HARD. Don't get too tight and lose a chance to increase your stack AND survive into the money round.

Any thoughts?

AM

No Limit at Mandalay Bay

Flew in at the last minute to Vegas to escape Orlando and Hurricane Wilma. Got the Rain Man Suite upgrade at THE HOTEL. The room was 50% bigger than the usual suite and of course in perfect condition. I do love THE HOTEL. But this post is about poker. I sat in on the $200 buy-in no limit game at the Mandalay Bay.

It was a moderately tight game with some nice people playing. Two software guys from Chicago and an older local named Spike. He had a railroad tie as his lucky charm at the table. The game was filled mostly with good players and a couple bozos who would call $100 bets with nothing. I played super tight and caught AK and KK to win some early pots. It was kind of a grind except for the friendly chatter with the software dudes and Spike. The staff in the poker room were also very nice. It is a small room but a relaxing place to play.

I woke up in the big blind with K-8 suited and checked it to 3 other players. No one raises pre-flop. The flop comes J-6-K with no flush draw for me.. I have a low kicker so I check. Should I have bet? Two other guys check and then one guy bet 15 bucks representing probably jacks. I come over the top with his $15 and then $50 more trying to win the pot right there. I am feeling quite good about myself until the guy to my left comes over the top of me making it another $100. I can't see him too well because I am in seat 10 and he is in seat 1. I'm thinking did he slow play a set of jacks or kings? The other guys fold and then I think about it for about 10 seconds before folding. He flips over J-6 and I am left to wonder if I played the hand right. I'll have to check this one with Phil or Antonio. Any thoughts from the web?

Flopping a Full House

I was playing 8-16 Hold'em at the Bay 101 club in a very loose game with excellent players. I was just hanging around when I woke up with pocket 10s in the big blind. I really hadn't had a good hand all day. I had A-K offsuit once and it didn't hold up against 2-2!! So, I decided to raise with my 10s to keep the limpers out. Unfortunately, 5 people called me. I really didn't want this but as I said it was a loose game.

The flop came K-K-10. That was a super rainbow for me. I had just flopped a full house. What more could I ask for? I should have just checked it but I came out and quickly bet. That eliminated three of my opponents but the button called my bet. The turn was a blank and again I bet. A mistake. This time the guy on the button folded.

It was an amazing hand that I should have slowed played. Despite this I was happy to drag at least a medium sized pot thanks to the pre-flop loose players. How much money did I leave in that hand? I'll never know. Next time, I'll try not to overplay a made hand.

AM

Quad Fives in a No Limit Game at Mandalay Bay

JR and AM at the Mandalay Bay just after AM pulled down a big pot with Quad Fives in a No-Limit game. "Dinner is on me tonight".

Body English Party in Vegas

B and B having a Good Time at a Private Birthday Party inside BODY ENGLISH at the Hard Rock in Las Vegas.