Oxy\'s Tournament Adventu

Hey guys,

First, a catch-up on day 4. Friday, a friend of mine came over and we did some linear algebra. We're both nerds, yes, and we're trying to prepare a bit for a course next semester with a teacher that has to use an algorithm to transform his students' course grade into a relatively correct grade (his class average is like 50%). Afterwards, we went out looking for a wireless mouse, keyboard, and speakers for my home set-up. When I finally get my 24" monitor and laptop (around mid-July), I'll post my baller set-up (including sweet case, leather chair, and a nice satellite chair).

That night, a friend of mine came over and we played some tournaments (I'm kind of mentoring him). We got surprisingly deep in the $5 rebuy + 1 add-on, but we busted 50th or something. We also got pretty deep in a 10+1 and a 5+0.5, I believe. It was interesting finally going pretty deep in a tournament, and I believe I'm going to make a big score soon enough.

I was going to post these results on Saturday, but Saturday sucked. I biked out in the morning to my dad's place (about 35km ride). We went out to get some beer since he was going to paint the basement red. I helped, but I was getting red paint all over myself, so I went upstairs to my room to change. I sat down at the computer to write a blog post and check my email and shit. I realize after a while something smells funny - I look down and notice my crotch area is covered in red everywhere. It's blood. I've never bled so much in my life from any part of my body, but my boxers and my pants were soaked like crazy.

I researched it, and it seems rough sex, alcohol and long bike rides might cause a tear in some interior vain and cause bleeding. I only bleed now when I get a stiffy, so I can't have sex for like a week, and I probably shouldn't bike either. I'm a big cycling addict and an even bigger pervert, so the coming week is gonna suck. My girlfriend's not too happy about it either: first she had her period, and now I'm having mine...

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Hey all,

I'm re-writing this post for the second time, so it'll be slightly shorter.

First, I'm happy to say that I finally took a tournament down - a $12 180-man turbo for $594. It's nothing big, but it's a nice start. The turbos are a pretty big luckfest, but I think there's value in playing them since the field is really horrible. I think I'm going to keep playing a few of them for a while.

As always, people know that I am running horribly bad. As some may have seen in my previous blog post, my didn't even hold up on an board...

I'm going to skip right ahead to taking a look at a hand I played.

Submitted by : Oxy

PokerStars Game #18555002377: Tournament #93876130, $5.00+$0.50 Hold'em No Limit - Level III (25/50) - 2008/07/03 - 13:40:29 (ET)
Table '93876130 141' 9-max Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: benn008 (14246 in chips)
Seat 2: Grim Reaver (3500 in chips)
Seat 3: RonnyKirsten (1560 in chips)
Seat 4: JohnnyCastro (9784 in chips)
Seat 5: life sign (7070 in chips)
Seat 6: TAO Alex (3125 in chips)
Seat 7: Spirit-Ger (4900 in chips)
Seat 8: hedkandis (4950 in chips)
Seat 9: Mikromozek (4378 in chips)
RonnyKirsten: posts small blind 25
JohnnyCastro: posts big blind 50

Holecards(Odds)
Dealt to Grim Reaver
life sign: folds
TAO Alex: folds
Spirit-Ger: folds
hedkandis: folds
Mikromozek: folds
benn008: folds
Grim Reaver : raises 100 to 150
RonnyKirsten: folds
JohnnyCastro: calls 100

Flop(Odds) (Pot : $325.00)

   
JohnnyCastro: checks
Grim Reaver : bets 275
JohnnyCastro: calls 275

Turn(Odds) (Pot : $875.00)

   
JohnnyCastro: checks
Grim Reaver : bets 675
JohnnyCastro: calls 675

River (Pot : $2,225.00)

   
JohnnyCastro: checks
Grim Reaver : bets 2000
Grim Reaver said, "kj?"
JohnnyCastro: calls 2000

Showdown
Grim Reaver : shows (a flush, Ace high)
JohnnyCastro: shows (two pair, Aces and Sevens)
Grim Reaver collected 6225 from pot

Summary
Total pot 6225 | Rake 0
Board  
Seat 1: benn008 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: Grim Reaver (button) showed and won (6225) with a flush, Ace high
Seat 3: RonnyKirsten (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 4: JohnnyCastro (big blind) showed and lost with two pair, Aces and Sevens
Seat 5: life sign folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: TAO Alex folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: Spirit-Ger folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: hedkandis folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: Mikromozek folded before Flop (didn't bet)

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Past few days have been interesting.

I celebrated my first anniversary with my girlfriend, whom I'm currently living with. We've known each other for over six years now, and I couldn't be happier.

Yesterday, I was playing some tournaments, but I had a get-together to attend. I busted from all of my tournaments except the 8+0.8 I mentioned yesterday. I didn't want to be late, so I called a friend of mine who was also attending to get there early and play for me. It was pretty interesting, playing poker over the phone, and he mostly handled everything correctly (he plays himself as well). I couldn't really steal much because I didn't have a feeling for the gameflow, but I was at average for most of the time. With 60 players left, us in 30th, here is the hand that busted us:

Blinds: 500/1000/100 Hero stack: 22k Villain stack: 25k in BB, UTG calls, all fold, we raise to 4k in BB, UTG calls 3k. Flop is We end up getting it all-in and villain shows K2cc... ship.

Pretty lame hand to bust on, but at least I have my first official cash. I haven't FT'ed anything yet, but I hope to soon.

I didn't play any poker today, but I spent the whole day between the pool and our place with friends of mine (we have a pool close by). I'll get on it tomorrow, though, for sure.

Please give me your luckboxes...

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Comments (2)

Hey all,

First, let's start off by looking at the hand I posted last time.

The hand isn't particularly difficult. Most of us agreed on a call. However, the very basic way in which Harrington analyses the hand is, I think, what many players (even good ones) fail to take the time to do.

Essentially, he breaks down the possible ranges: 1. a big pair (JJ-AA) 2. a set 3. a bluff

I think there's also a large possibility of A9s and 98s type hands, but no 2-pair hands.

Harrington goes on to ponder how likely each hand in the range is. He concludes that, in the case of a big pair, the hand was played pretty unusually: if villain had KK, for example, wouldn't he try for a more value-oriented line? The same reasoning goes for trips. He also proposes that under no circumstances should you ever consider the chances of a bluff being less than 10%.

I'm not sure I agree about the bluff part.

He then breaks down actual percentages: 50% for a big pair, 40% for a set, and 10% for bluffing. Against a set, we are roughly 10%, so 0.1 * 0.4 = 0.04 Against another pair, we are roughly 90%, so 0.9 * 0.5 = 0.45 Say we're about 90% vs. a bluff, so 0.9 * 0.1 = 0.09 Putting it all together, we have 58% equity in the hand. Given we're getting about 3-2 odds, we should get it in here even if we expect him to have a set fairly often.

Harrington's explanation is much more detailed and in-depth, but this condensed version point out the important parts:

- Always analyze your odds before considering anything
- Always analyze villain's possible ranges, the likelyhood of those ranges, and a guesstimate of your equity in the hand


Now, on to today's performance.

4 11+1 turbos (180)
2 10+1 (180)
10+1 turbo
5+0.5 5k GTD
20+2 20k GTD
3R 25k GTD
8+0.8
3 5400 FPP sats

So far, I haven't cashed in any tournaments, except for a single seat in the 3 sats. I know I said I wouldn't play any 20$ tourneys until I had a 4k roll, but I felt pretty good about my game, and it was actually the tourney I ran deepest in. I was eliminated 199th, right on the bubble, when I pushed AQs against KJo SB vs BT. I think overall I played pretty well in the tournament, keeping generally solid and not giving too much a way. Some of my bluffs didn't work out, but I think they were good.

It seems I'm having most difficult in the 50/100 - 100/200 stage. I don't really know how to handle small PPs 33-77 in EP/MP on a small stack, whether or not to call all-ins, and generally how to accumulate chips. I think I've been rather card-dead over the past 50 tourneys or so, and I've definitely been getting sucked out on: I'd say I have won maybe 20% of the key all-ins, in which I've been ahead in most of the time. This is preventing me from getting the 15k+ stacks which I kind of need for the later game. I feel way more comfortable with like 60BBs and antes, where I know steals are profitable and I think given all the stuff I've been reading, I have a bigger edge.

I think most of my difficulty stems from the fact that I used to play SNGs about two years ago. Back then, they were pretty easy money. Tight was right in the early stages, and I wouldn't even take all-ins with QQ... Now, with the fishes I'm playing, I realize I have to loosen up my calling range and play more "big pot" hands like scs. I'm also going to have to take dozens of flips per tourney.

If anybody could help me with chip accumulation in the early/mid stages of the tourney (50/100 - 100/200), I'd appreciate it. If anyone wants to discuss tourney strategy, my MSN is o2xy@hotmail.com, and my AIM is AimIsTotallyCrap. Hit me up!

Cheers,

Michael

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Hey all, and thanks for the welcome reception.

So far, I've watched three CR videos, two by AaronBeen and one by JSchnett. They're very informative, and I have a much better idea of how to play rebuys now. I'm eager to try the $3R, to be honest, because I find rebuys provide for much less volatility since you usually go in with a solid starting stack.

I've also read half of the HoH1 and half of HoH2. So far, it's mostly review, and I'm going to try to look for more mid/late-game oriented advice, since the hand analysis for the early stages, though excellent, is not what needs most improving. I'm playing with massive donks, and I don't really feel intimidated by their turn/river play.

While reading HoH, though, I came across a very well-analysed situation. It is on p.130 of V1.

Example No. 2: It's the second day of the WSOP. You've managed to double up to 20k. Your table has one player with a stack larger than yours, 26k. All other stacks are between 5k and 15k. Blinds are 150/300/25, so initial pot is 700. You are dealt UTG You 4x BB to 1200; the bigstack w/ 26k calls in 5th position (CO). Everyone else folds. Flop: You bet 3,000, and villain shoves. What's your action?

Harrington goes on to analyse the hand very well. If anyone would want to provide their thoughts on the hand, please do so in comments. I'll post Harrington's 4-5 page answer (condensed) in the next post.

On to other things. I have to say I've been running disgustingly... I've not cashed in any of the tourneys I've played so far (about 20). Getting pretty annoying, especially given I'm always ahead.

I do believe tournaments are psychologically tougher than cash games. The way things are going, July is shaping up to be a rape of a month. As a consolation, though, every time I get knocked out I can say, "lol, donkaments."

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Comments (5)

Hello to all that know me, and greets to those who don't.

My name is Michael. I've been posting on TL.net for a little under five years now, and on LP.net since its conception. I, like many people here, transitioned from StarCraft into poker. I haven't ever been extremely talented at either, but I was better than average, and that's all you need for poker.

My main game for the past year and a half has been 1/2 FR. I haven't played seriously in four months, though, so I've lost touch with poker. I take a hiatus every once in a while after I go on a major downswing (25BI or so this last time around - this after a 200k sample of winning at 4.5ptbb... go figure). Poker is to me a major mindfuck. I go through a continuous repetitive process of believing I've discovered the key to poker and a perfect winning mindset, only to experience the psychological rape poker can so masterfully instill. The game has helped me out in life, though, paying for my education, my baller expenses, and now, my apartment, which I'm sharing with my girlfriend. I've cashed out most of my bankroll for living expenses for the year (I tutor and don't need poker money), and right now, I have only $3K left.

So where does that leave us? At the very beginning: I started poker with $10 from Pacifist, with which I built my bankroll playing SNGs. This July, I foray into the world of donkfests one last time, and I intend to win at least one tournament. I have never won a tournament with 1st prize greater than $1k or more than 18 entrants. The time has come, and the gauntlet has been thrown down: I will win a tournament, or bust my roll.

Afterwards, depending on my success, I'll spend the rest of the summer grinding back up to 1/2, and then hopefully make my way up to 2/4 and 3/6, which I feel I am perfectly capable of beating if I don't spaz out and 24-table.

There it is, then: July will be entirely about MTTs. I am a very systematic person, and therefore I am documenting this excursion in this blog, with a hope to give back to the site that has given me so much. Let me present...

The Plan

Until Tuesday, July 1st, I will immerse myself into MTT literature. I have all three Harrington on Hold'em books, which I will re-read. I will read every single topic in Tournament poker pertaining to NLHE, and will post if I feel I have any insight (unlikely).

I will make myself a schedule for the entire month of July built around tournaments on PokerStars. Until I have a $4k roll, I will not touch a tournament above $20. Until I have a $5k roll, I will not touch a tournament above $50.

I will mostly be playing the $10 tournaments on Stars, and hopefully the $3 rebuy. Every week, I will satellite my way into the Sunday Million, and I hope to sat my way into the Sunday Warm-up and Second Chance. Can anyone point my toward the best satellites?

Most importantly, I will post on this blog every day, starting Tuesday, July 1st. I will update with a record of tournaments of the day, plus one hand with full analysis.

Please wish me luck. I hope to bring as much insight as I can to the newer players, and learn as much as I can from the more experienced ones.

Cheers,

Michael

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