Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Pokery Handsies: Would you call?

I played a somewhat interestingy hand last night that I wanted to throw out to the peanut gallery for comments. On its face, it's pretty straight-forward, but I am going to try and include as many details as possible so you will have as much information as I had (at least, as much as I thought I had) in the moment.

The game is 10-25 PL Holdem (the regular game is an orbit each of PL Omaha and PL Holdem). I had recently won a a couple of big hands (one against player x, who will become important), and then followed that up by winning two or three other hands by raising in position and leading out or raising on the flop. Player x, who for convenience sake we'll call Darling, was also involved in a couple of these pots. Also, Darling had built a very large stack playing his typical Omaha game (read: visualize); but recently, he had been giving it away in huge chunks. In addition, Darling is a very dangerous player, whom I prefer to play against in holdem, and in position, as his too loose starting hand requirements for Omaha really tend to hurt him in holdem. By the same token, he is absolutely fearless, and has a far deeper bankroll than anyone at the table. He knows this is an advantage and will put you to the test the moment he senses fear.

In the immediately preceding hand, I had raised preflop to $100 with A♠Kand gotten two callers. The flop waste J-high, checked to me, I bet $200, and everyone folded.

Situation: I am under the gun and find the exac same hand, A♠K♥, again. I make it $75 to go. Two callers, and Darling in the small blind, grumbles, "I'm tired of being pushed around by you," and raises to $250. I have approximately $2700 in front of me, and Darling has me covered.

My thoughts at this point:

  1. He's a little on tilt and could be trying to bully me/re-steal thinking I'm just stealing;
  2. He's got some kind of broadway cards or pairs higher than 7s and wants to take the pot down right there;
  3. He's gotten a premium pocket pair and is trying to goad me into playing with him with the "tired of you bullying" comment
  4. I'm getting almost 3-to-1 to call.
  5. the two callers will fold to a raise and will call behind a call.

My thoughts:

  1. Call and see a flop in position with AK. Okay, but I'll have no idea where I am. If the flop misses my hand and he checks to me, I'll have to bet at least half the pot. He's capable of raising with nothing or calling with nothing and leading out for the pot with a blank on the turn. Or he's capable of leading with nothing on the flop, and without an ace or a king, I'd most likely have to fold. Also, my initial thought was that had QQ, KK, AA or AK, and I wanted a better opportunity to define his hand if I was up against those before I saw a flop.
  2. Fold. Only done it once in my life in this spot, and that was in the 2005 WSOP, and it somewhat haunts me ( I was up against QQ). Out of the question.
  3. Raise. Should be able to narrow down his hand possibilities and represent AA or KK. Plus, if he has AA, or maybe even KK, I'll hear from him now and can fold "cheaply."

Action: I raise $600 more. Folded to Darling. he does not appear to be saddened by this turn of events and actually almost raises. Finally, he calls. My initial thought is that he's got an absolute monster, AA or KK, was going to re-raise but then decided to try and get tricky.

Flop: A♣6♣2.

Action: Darling bets $1800.

What do you do?

I'll post my thoughts and the result tomorrow.

I Love Those Limey Bastards


The secretary of culture in Great Britain has looked at the U.S.'s online gambling ban and said to herself, "Uh, 'scuse me, but why don't we make sure we get all that coin for our ourselves?" Which brings up two points:
  1. Why are the effing Brits suddenly smarter than we are? (Answer cough cough REPUBLICANS cough cough)...
  2. Since when is a $20 sit-n-go considered "culture"? I mean, my game is pretty goddamned artful, but still...

Monday, October 30, 2006

What Gonz Has Been Up To


In the spirit of a scary Halloween, here's a recent picture (right) of our favorite Batface-in-exile that some may find entertaining. Photos by Jen B.

Now I understand why he was replaced by Fawcett.

OK, and I can't resist. Don't ask me why being up late looking at pictures of Gonz has inspired my first post on The Batfaces ... but here's another, which I think may be worthy of a caption contest.

Friday, October 27, 2006

Re: Greatest poker site ever

Dunno, mine seems a bit outrageous too... I mean I folded 3 times in an hour. Guess they don't have batface/aggressive as a category yet.

During current Omaha session you were dealt 50 hands and saw flop:
- 8 out of 8 times while in big blind (100%)
- 6 out of 7 times while in small blind (85%)
- 33 out of 35 times in other positions (94%)
- a total of 47 out of 50 (94%)
Pots won at showdown - 10 of 18 (55%)
Pots won without showdown - 7

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Greatest poker site ever?

Take a look see at this little gem. They're selling poker software that tracks how other people track you online. For the most part, I think it works. Our good buddy over at pokerati goes by the moniker "danmdotus." I think they nailed it. However, there must be a flew glitches in the software. After all, our own Gentle Shane (who goes by "jolrog" online) seems to be COMPLETELY miscast.

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

WSOP 2007 dates released

Recieved a letter today from the Rio announcing the dates for next years WSOP. Seems to be starting MUCH earlier than in the past. The first tournament starts June 1st and the final table for the Main Event will take place on July 17th. Hooray poker!

Welcome to Pokerstars

I first played internet poker around 4 years ago, I guess, and then it was the crazy limit games at Yahoo! (It was the only game I could play at work without downloading any software). Then, about a year later, I finally ventured over into the real money realm with Party Poker. I only chose Party because it seemed to be the easiest to fund at the time. I funded my account by buying phone cards, being too stupid to understand how Firepay or Neteller work.

As a result of the recent legislation, we all know Party is done in the US. While I believe that Party's and other online sites' corresponding public cowering is absurd (and not very forward-looking), I've had to shift my allegiance to pokerstars (may join over at Full Tilt, too). Perhaps more incredibly, I've actually figured out how to create a Neteller account. (I may or may not be up $15 in my new playground.) Go Poker. Go Batfaces!

Friday, October 20, 2006

Set over set

"well I'm just gonna have to pay that man off."
-SS2

We always knew TBR thinks just like Doyle.

Monday, October 16, 2006

Tran-tastic


Other than myself, the hottest tournament player out there has got to be TBR man-crush and Sacramento Kings' fan, JC Tran. At the Festa Al Lago at Bellagio, Tran made three final tables last week, finishing 5th, 3rd and 5th. So you look at his stats and think, well that's good play, but he doesn't have any big cashes. Well two weeks ago, he won Poker Stars World Championship of Online Poker and $600,000+.

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Firepay out of poker business

Got this email from firepay today. Boooo to firepay.


On September 30, 2006, the United States Congress passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006.
Once President Bush approves the Act. FirePay (www.firepay.com) will no longer allow US consumer payments for online gambling merchants.
  • Beginning the day President Bush signs the Act, FirePay will decline any purchase transactions from US FirePay account holders at any gambling merchant site.
  • Ten days after President Bush signs the Act, FirePay will decline any transfer attempt made by any online gambling merchant to a US FirePay account.
All US FirePay accounts holders will continue to be able to make purchases and receive payments from non-gambling, online merchants, as well as “Deposit From” and “Withdraw To” their US bank account.

Click here for the latest news and opportunities for FirePay account holders.

** Please note:
  1. This new policy will not affect FirePay account holders from outside of the United States

  2. For any questions regarding these deadlines or policy, please email info@firepay.com

Monday, October 09, 2006

Soaring on the wings of love

Your Philadelphia Eagles are in first place in the NFC East. It's true. It's wonderful.

And now, everyone's favorite song:

Fly Eagles fly, on the road to victory
Fight Eagles fight, score a touchdown 1-2-3
Hit 'em low, hit 'em high, and watch our Eagles fly
Fly Eagles fly, on the road to victory

E-A-G-L-E-S...EAGLES!

Monday, October 02, 2006

Sang = Profit

My favorite part of the Associated Press story on the proposed Harrah's buyout is as follows:
Analyst Rod Petrik of Stifel Nicolaus said Harrah’s shares had been relatively cheaper than its peers in the casino business for several reasons, “perhaps none more important than its inability to crack into the growing Asian gaming markets.”

[Begin clapping slowly]

It's official, and make sure you read the trip report (though I'm a little disappointed I wasn't mentioned specifically).

Sunday, October 01, 2006

We Love Big Todd!

Big Todd is out in 5th. Aces cracked. Cashed $19,900. Hurty, but, you know, Go Big Todd! Go Batfaces! '06 is instantly the Year of Tiny B.
UPDATE: So, so hurty. Five handed, Todd is in the little blind with $60K in chips. Big Blind has $15k, blinds are 4-8 thou. Obviously, he isn't doing anything until Big Blind risks his stack. Unless... Folded to button, who moves $140K all-in to isolate the BB. Todd looks down and sees As-Ac. Calls, BB of course folds hoping Todd goes out. Flop comes A-x-x with two hearts. Turn is a heart. River a king. Hurt. Y.

Chow Time


Tiny B is currently taking a dinner break in Tunica. Big Todd is still 4th of 5 in chips. Resuming at 7:15 or so, CST. Batface nation quakes in anticipation.

Update to the Update

Five left. Todd fourth in chips. Guaranteed $19k.

Batface Nation would like to say something:

"Go."

"Big."

"Todd."

Seven Left

Tiny B is next-to-last in chips.

Final Table Todd

It's down to nine, and Tiny B is still in it. He's got 54K, about 5th or 6th in chips.

And if Big Todd can stare down Marcel Luske, he can stare down anyone. Go Big Todd!

Darling also in the house

It should be noted that Darling finished 8th last night in the $200 Second Chance Tourney.  From what I could tell, most of the 200+ field knows he likes Jack Daniels and that at times the board is very flushy.

Still Alive-ish

Thanks to Tulsa and TBRs reporting, you know I'm hanging in the tunica tourney.  You have to finish in top 8 or so for any real money, so I'll need to double up early tomorrow. My last double up came when I moved all-in with Q9(the comstock) on the button after it was folded around to me. The big blind made a very good and expensive call with KJ(the Shane). I felt relief as everyone knows that comstock always defeats Shane. So, after a jack flopped, I wasn't surprised to see runner runner club to make my Q high flush. The qualility of play and the quality of people playing has been spectacular... Something I'm not used to in Dallas.  We resume at 2PM tomorrow. I'm going to go to bed now. As always, go batfaces.

Done for the Eve

Todd makes it to the overnight break.
17 left. So very tired. 29k in chips. 38k is average.
Sleep well, Tiny B.

Sleep well.

TBR, You Gassed Up?

Todd is almost to final 15. That means TBR and I have to check our maps and do this.

Big Todd says...

"19 minutes, 17 players."

Represent, bitch.

GBT

Todd's latest text:
Runner runner is my friend.
Mind, too, Tiny B. Mine, too.

Go Big Todd!

Runner-Runner Double Through

Todd was short (perhaps the shortest of the remaining 18) and just doubled through with runner-runner. Very Shaney. Go Batfaces! Still 18 remain...

Go Big...Clonie?


Missed this last week. Worth shouting out to honorary Batface Clonie Gowen.

Latest Text From Todd

"18 left. I'm short."

Murmur

Actual conversation with the wife while we're waiting for texts from Todd (Texts From Todd is a good band name, btw):

[Shakira video comes on MTV Hits]

Tulsa: Oh, Lord. Is it going to be weird if I start masturbating? She makes me a little crazy.

Tulsa wife: That's okay. She makes me a little crazy, too.

[murmur. and...scene]

Down to 20...

Playing shorthanded, Todd has 24000 with blinds at 800-1600 with 100 ante. Will play until 2 or final table. Hopefully, Tiny B is still there. Go BIG Todd!

Quick Commercial Break

While Batface Nation is waiting on the Tiny B-Tunica outcome, I am going to take advantage of your attention to make this gratuitous yet very important point. I am abusing your good will to make this off-topic proclamation because I think it's important for everyone to know this. In fact, I think it's crucial to our nation's prosperity that everyone acknowledge this fact: Dane Cook is not funny. At all.

Back to Todd.