Author Archive
Misplay or just bad luck?
Here’s another hand from my still-ongoing Commerce trip..this one was about five days or so ago. Again, 20/40 NLHE, folded to a middle-position raiser, next guy folds, and I look down at KK–needless to say, I reraised. I got called, but I was happy to play the hand heads-up in position, of course. The flop seemed innocuous–T44 with two diamonds. He checked, I bet, he called.
Layne Flack and “Fun Bobby”
Wow, has it been that long since I last posted here? I’m still at the Commerce–games have been awesome–in both directions–had some of my biggest losses and biggest wins ever in the past week or so. This first story is only mildly about poker strategy, more of a poker lifestyle anecdote…Necessary background information: I’m not a “poker lifestyle” kinda guy–I don’t swap percentages, get involved in backing arrangements, bet on props or non-poker things like golf and stuff. This is on purpose–I think of all those things as -EV, and kind of a distraction from the +EV activity I’m pursuing by playing poker. Besides, more importantly, it keeps me “under the radar”–nobody ever asks if they can borrow money from me or anything like that.
How does it affect me?
So in my last four live game sessions here at the Commerce, I’ve had two modest losses, and two fairly large wins. Here’s how the losses went down:
- I had been catching no cards for quite awhile, so naturally had acquired the image of “the tight guy”. I’m actually looser than most people would believe–but when I’m not catching cards, I’m perfectly capable of folding for hours, if necessary. In this case, I was UTG with KK, and raised, after not having played a hand for quite awhile. Of course, this piece of information was lost on the loose aggressive guy at the table, who decided to reraise. There followed a cold call from another player (this player has been quite notorious on the circuit since the ‘07 WSOP–let’s just say that she’s young, attractive, is willing to shoot it up, and appears to have some sort of arrangement with another “name” player, the one who just recently managed to avoid being deported back to his native country).
Why cash games are better than tournaments–Part II
Once in awhile, when I’m out on the tournament circuit, I do something really strange and uncharacteristic for me–I think about playing a tournament. Have I mentioned that I mostly play cash games? 
I played the evening super satellite at the Commerce the other night. The thing was a joke–by the third level, there was no poker involved in the event. Every hand was raise and take the blinds, or raise/reraise/call, and watch the inevitable pair vs two overs confrontations play themselves out. Mine was getting it all in with A9 suited, getting called by 44, and not hitting anything.
California’s on my mind…
(and two brownie points to anyone who knows what song’s lyrics I’m quoting from there..)
So I’ve been here for a few days now, been playing the 10/20 NLHE games..it’s been going ok, and yet…I don’t know–I just “don’t get” the LA experience, I suppose. I think I’ve been spoiled by my frequent trips to Vegas and the Bellagio. Some things about LA that I will never understand (in no particular order):
Why cash games are better than tournaments – Part I
Here’s a real-life hand that I had the privilege to witness recently. This was from my last session of play on my recent Vegas trip; I was playing 10/20 NLHE. I wasn’t involved in this hand at all, having mucked pre-flop. However, it does demonstrate just how bad the players are (and therefore, how good the game can be), even in a reasonably high-limit game:
