Kevin's Blog is Boring

So Kevin's blog is pretty boring, because he keeps losing...and I keep winning, and no one wants to read a loser...lol jk...

Anyways, I was reading his blog and trying to comment on his play and talk about some hands that I was playing, when I realized I should probably just start my own blog. I won't be updating it as much as Kevin, but the goal is the same. Build our poker roll to get to Vegas!

So I cashed in $100 about a week and half ago on Pokerstars. Kevin then led me to Sharkscope, which showed my crappy sitngo results. It's still way better than Kevin's, and most importantly it's postive!

So as I'm typing this I started today at around $340.

I was 4 tabling while watching the Warriors game.

Table # 1
.25/.50 NL Cash Game 6 Handed
Buyin - $25
Finished - $46

Was down to $19, when I'm the following hand happened
PokerStars Game #16108761017: Hold'em No Limit ($0.25/$0.50) - 2008/03/20 - 02:11:59 (ET)
Table 'Hirayama IV' 6-max Seat #5 is the button
Seat 1: workz ($19.70 in chips)
Seat 2: powers-of-93 ($18.55 in chips)
Seat 3: sm0kelm ($89.65 in chips)
Seat 4: suckerpoint ($101.50 in chips)
Seat 5: buddyHA ($107.35 in chips)
Seat 6: papasse ($52.55 in chips)
papasse: posts small blind $0.25
workz: posts big blind $0.50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to workz [Qh Jh]
powers-of-93: folds
sm0kelm: folds
suckerpoint: folds
buddyHA: raises $1 to $1.50
papasse: folds
workz: raises $4 to $5.50
buddyHA: calls $4
*** FLOP *** [8c 6d Jc]
workz: bets $7
buddyHA: raises $8 to $15
workz: calls $7.20 and is all-in
*** TURN *** [8c 6d Jc] [4d]
*** RIVER *** [8c 6d Jc 4d] [Ad]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
workz: shows [Qh Jh] (a pair of Jacks)
buddyHA: mucks hand
workz collected $37.70 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $39.65 | Rake $1.95
Board [8c 6d Jc 4d Ad]
Seat 1: workz (big blind) showed [Qh Jh] and won ($37.70) with a pair of Jacks
Seat 2: powers-of-93 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: sm0kelm folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: suckerpoint folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: buddyHA (button) mucked [8h Qs]
Seat 6: papasse (small blind) folded before Flop

As you can see I was in the big blind with QJ suited. Not a great hand, so why did I reraise him preflop? Because he was raising almost everytime he was on the button, so I wanted to reraise him to take the pot right there. Once the flop happened, I knew I was good.


Like 1 orbit later

PokerStars Game #16108820038: Hold'em No Limit ($0.25/$0.50) - 2008/03/20 - 02:17:37 (ET)
Table 'Hirayama IV' 6-max Seat #3 is the button
Seat 1: workz ($38.60 in chips)
Seat 2: powers-of-93 ($17.25 in chips)
Seat 3: sm0kelm ($88.90 in chips)
Seat 4: suckerpoint ($100.25 in chips)
Seat 5: buddyHA ($87.15 in chips)
Seat 6: papasse ($54.75 in chips)
suckerpoint: posts small blind $0.25
buddyHA: posts big blind $0.50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to workz [Ah Ks]
papasse: folds
workz: raises $1.50 to $2
powers-of-93: calls $2
sm0kelm: folds
suckerpoint: folds
buddyHA: folds
*** FLOP *** [Qs Kd 3c]
workz: bets $2.50
powers-of-93: calls $2.50
*** TURN *** [Qs Kd 3c] [8c]
workz: bets $6
powers-of-93: raises $6.75 to $12.75 and is all-in
workz: calls $6.75
*** RIVER *** [Qs Kd 3c 8c] [4c]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
workz: shows [Ah Ks] (a pair of Kings)
powers-of-93: mucks hand
workz collected $33.55 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $35.25 | Rake $1.70
Board [Qs Kd 3c 8c 4c]
Seat 1: workz showed [Ah Ks] and won ($33.55) with a pair of Kings
Seat 2: powers-of-93 mucked [Jd Qd]
Seat 3: sm0kelm (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: suckerpoint (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 5: buddyHA (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 6: papasse folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Sometimes it's so easy....


Table #2

6 Handed SitnGo
Buyin - $12 + $1

I hate 6 handed sitngo's, so I have no idea why I joined. I saw a room with 5/6 and I just clicked. In 6 handed play, the range someone can hold is so wide, that there's too much unpredictability, while in a 10 person table, people play more straightforward. Also, in a 10 person table, you'll more likely play bad players. =) So Kevin, stop playing 6 handed sit n go's that's your major fault.

Anyway, absolutely nothing interesting in this tournament. I ended up going all in later with the blinds high with a7 vs j9. 9 hits, and I'm out.


Table #3
Step 1 Sit n go - $7 + $.50

This is the exciting one. So I been reading about the whole Steps on pokerstars, where you move the ladder, trying to ultimately get to Step 6, where its a seat into the Main Event.

Players were definitely bringing their A game even though it was only a $7 buyin. I as well played supertight, folding many small pocket pairs preflop to raises. I literally just managed to stay around $1,500 by the time the blinds climbed to $100/$200. There were still 7 players left too. I was catching zero double up hands (AA, KK, QQ, JJ, AK, AQ) But I think my biggest strength in sitngo's is not panicking too early like alot of other players. I somehow managed to stay alive to 5 players floating in the $1,500-$2,000 range by stealing anytime everyone folded. With 5 players, we saw about 20 hands, with nothing happening!

Then in 3 swift hands it all ended...

Hand #1 I pushed all in with K6, BB called with 10 9, and I won the coinflip!

PokerStars Game #16108952916: Tournament #81559450, $7.00+$0.50 Hold'em No Limit - Level VIII (200/400) - 2008/03/20 - 02:31:26 (ET)
Table '81559450 1' 9-max Seat #3 is the button
Seat 1: SiDNy153 (3035 in chips)
Seat 3: workz (1715 in chips)
Seat 6: IDAFOLD (2810 in chips)
Seat 8: Roatan_gal (2005 in chips)
Seat 9: VECCHIONI (3935 in chips)
SiDNy153: posts the ante 25
workz: posts the ante 25
IDAFOLD: posts the ante 25
Roatan_gal: posts the ante 25
VECCHIONI: posts the ante 25
IDAFOLD: posts small blind 200
Roatan_gal: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to workz [Kh 6d]
VECCHIONI: folds
SiDNy153: folds
workz: raises 1290 to 1690 and is all-in
IDAFOLD: folds
Roatan_gal: calls 1290
*** FLOP *** [As 3c 3d]
*** TURN *** [As 3c 3d] [Kc]
*** RIVER *** [As 3c 3d Kc] [7d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Roatan_gal: shows [Tc 9s] (a pair of Threes)
workz: shows [Kh 6d] (two pair, Kings and Threes)
workz collected 3705 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 3705 | Rake 0
Board [As 3c 3d Kc 7d]
Seat 1: SiDNy153 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: workz (button) showed [Kh 6d] and won (3705) with two pair, Kings and Threes
Seat 6: IDAFOLD (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 8: Roatan_gal (big blind) showed [Tc 9s] and lost with a pair of Threes
Seat 9: VECCHIONI folded before Flop (didn't bet)

4 players left.

Next hand...
PokerStars Game #16108957728: Tournament #81559450, $7.00+$0.50 Hold'em No Limit - Level VIII (200/400) - 2008/03/20 - 02:31:56 (ET)
Table '81559450 1' 9-max Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: SiDNy153 (3010 in chips)
Seat 3: workz (3705 in chips)
Seat 6: IDAFOLD (2585 in chips)
Seat 8: Roatan_gal (290 in chips)
Seat 9: VECCHIONI (3910 in chips)
SiDNy153: posts the ante 25
workz: posts the ante 25
IDAFOLD: posts the ante 25
Roatan_gal: posts the ante 25
VECCHIONI: posts the ante 25
Roatan_gal: posts small blind 200
VECCHIONI: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to workz [Kh Kd]
SiDNy153: raises 2585 to 2985 and is all-in
workz: raises 695 to 3680 and is all-in
IDAFOLD: folds
Roatan_gal: calls 65 and is all-in
VECCHIONI: folds
*** FLOP *** [Qc 8h 2s]
*** TURN *** [Qc 8h 2s] [Ah]
*** RIVER *** [Qc 8h 2s Ah] [Ks]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
SiDNy153: shows [9c As] (a pair of Aces)
workz: shows [Kh Kd] (three of a kind, Kings)
workz collected 5575 from side pot
Roatan_gal: shows [Kc 2d] (two pair, Kings and Deuces)
workz collected 1185 from main pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 6760 Main pot 1185. Side pot 5575. | Rake 0
Board [Qc 8h 2s Ah Ks]
Seat 1: SiDNy153 showed [9c As] and lost with a pair of Aces
Seat 3: workz showed [Kh Kd] and won (6760) with three of a kind, Kings
Seat 6: IDAFOLD (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: Roatan_gal (small blind) showed [Kc 2d] and lost with two pair, Kings and Deuces
Seat 9: VECCHIONI (big blind) folded before Flop

YOU GOTTA LOVE THAT 1 OUTER ON THE RIVER...IT WAS WEIRD, I ACTUALLY FELT IT COMING. Took out 2 players in that hand. Now 3 handed. I had no idea that we only had to play to final 2.

Next hand...

PokerStars Game #16108962724: Tournament #81559450, $7.00+$0.50 Hold'em No Limit - Level VIII (200/400) - 2008/03/20 - 02:32:28 (ET)
Table '81559450 1' 9-max Seat #9 is the button
Seat 3: workz (7455 in chips)
Seat 6: IDAFOLD (2560 in chips)
Seat 9: VECCHIONI (3485 in chips)
workz: posts the ante 25
IDAFOLD: posts the ante 25
VECCHIONI: posts the ante 25
workz: posts small blind 200
IDAFOLD: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to workz [Ah Kd]
VECCHIONI: folds
workz: raises 1200 to 1600
IDAFOLD: raises 935 to 2535 and is all-in
workz: calls 935
*** FLOP *** [6s Ac 5d]
*** TURN *** [6s Ac 5d] [Kc]
*** RIVER *** [6s Ac 5d Kc] [4s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
workz: shows [Ah Kd] (two pair, Aces and Kings)
IDAFOLD: shows [As Jc] (a pair of Aces)
workz collected 5145 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 5145 | Rake 0
Board [6s Ac 5d Kc 4s]
Seat 3: workz (small blind) showed [Ah Kd] and won (5145) with two pair, Aces and Kings
Seat 6: IDAFOLD (big blind) showed [As Jc] and lost with a pair of Aces
Seat 9: VECCHIONI (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Whoops I win Step 1 on my first try! I was kind of mad, I wanted to take out the last player...


Table #4
45 Player Turbo Sitngo - $25 + $2

I really like these multi-table turbo sitngo's...I've been doing really well in them... A couple months ago I won one for $350...

I was pretty much dominating from start to finish. I doubled up early on in the big blind

PokerStars Game #16108486161: Tournament #81558096, $25+$2 Hold'em No Limit - Level II (15/30) - 2008/03/20 - 01:47:46 (ET)
Table '81558096 3' 9-max Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: zraiderzfan (905 in chips)
Seat 2: mlswan45 (1430 in chips)
Seat 3: mathmachine3 (2070 in chips)
Seat 4: sawwee (1390 in chips)
Seat 5: RLunsford (1520 in chips)
Seat 6: danksong (1385 in chips)
Seat 7: wickss79 (1735 in chips)
Seat 8: Florita (1585 in chips)
Seat 9: workz (1480 in chips)
Florita: posts small blind 15
workz: posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to workz [As 5s]
zraiderzfan: folds
mlswan45: raises 60 to 90
mathmachine3: folds
sawwee: folds
RLunsford: calls 90
danksong: calls 90
wickss79: folds
Florita: calls 75
workz: calls 60
*** FLOP *** [3c 5h 5c]
Florita: checks
workz: checks
mlswan45: checks
RLunsford: bets 300
danksong: folds
Florita: folds
workz: raises 720 to 1020
mlswan45: folds
RLunsford: raises 410 to 1430 and is all-in
workz: calls 370 and is all-in
*** TURN *** [3c 5h 5c] [7h]
*** RIVER *** [3c 5h 5c 7h] [2h]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
workz: shows [As 5s] (three of a kind, Fives)
RLunsford: shows [Tc Jc] (a pair of Fives)
workz collected 3230 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 3230 | Rake 0
Board [3c 5h 5c 7h 2h]
Seat 1: zraiderzfan folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: mlswan45 folded on the Flop
Seat 3: mathmachine3 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: sawwee folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: RLunsford showed [Tc Jc] and lost with a pair of Fives
Seat 6: danksong folded on the Flop
Seat 7: wickss79 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: Florita (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 9: workz (big blind) showed [As 5s] and won (3230) with three of a kind, Fives

Alot of people dramatically overplay their flush draws on paired boards!

On my way to the final table, I took a couple of short stacks out with JJ. Not too much interesting.

One of the first hands in the final table was interesting...

PokerStars Game #16108880189: Tournament #81558096, $25+$2 Hold'em No Limit - Level IX (300/600) - 2008/03/20 - 02:23:55 (ET)
Table '81558096 1' 9-max Seat #9 is the button
Seat 1: workz (6276 in chips)
Seat 2: actiondirk (7240 in chips)
Seat 3: junkshow#1 (15357 in chips)
Seat 4: macattack4 (10110 in chips)
Seat 5: 1ofaKind420 (3559 in chips)
Seat 6: bur0731 (2705 in chips)
Seat 7: limosano (7011 in chips)
Seat 8: hains99 (4807 in chips)
Seat 9: RiverLover24 (10435 in chips)
workz: posts the ante 50
actiondirk: posts the ante 50
junkshow#1: posts the ante 50
macattack4: posts the ante 50
1ofaKind420: posts the ante 50
bur0731: posts the ante 50
limosano: posts the ante 50
hains99: posts the ante 50
RiverLover24: posts the ante 50
workz: posts small blind 300
actiondirk: posts big blind 600
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to workz [8h Qd]
junkshow#1: folds
macattack4: folds
1ofaKind420: folds
bur0731: folds
limosano: folds
hains99: folds
RiverLover24: folds
workz: calls 300
actiondirk: checks
*** FLOP *** [Qh Ad Qc]
workz: checks
actiondirk: bets 600
workz: calls 600
*** TURN *** [Qh Ad Qc] [Jh]
workz: checks
actiondirk: checks
*** RIVER *** [Qh Ad Qc Jh] [Jc]
workz: bets 3000
actiondirk: calls 3000
*** SHOW DOWN ***
workz: shows [8h Qd] (a full house, Queens full of Jacks)
actiondirk: shows [Td Ks] (a straight, Ten to Ace)
workz collected 8850 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 8850 | Rake 0
Board [Qh Ad Qc Jh Jc]
Seat 1: workz (small blind) showed [8h Qd] and won (8850) with a full house, Queens full of Jacks
Seat 2: actiondirk (big blind) showed [Td Ks] and lost with a straight, Ten to Ace
Seat 3: junkshow#1 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: macattack4 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: 1ofaKind420 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: bur0731 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: limosano folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: hains99 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: RiverLover24 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)

I'm happy with the way I played, because the one point where I was losing in the hand, I checked. Great river card for me!

The only other thing worth noting was when we were 4 handed, I went all in with 9d8d and beat QJ.

I finished in second place going out with A5 vs 10 10.

I'm happy cashing for $241!!

Start - $340
End - $570 + 1 Entry for Step 2 Tournament

It was a good session.