Monday, November 05, 2007
More Reason To Fear Cardrooms
A card game in New York did not end well for a 55-year-old mathematician after the guys in masks with guns showed up.
Friday, November 02, 2007
Supernova--Part 1
Okay, this catharsis is a long time coming. Heading into the Main Event, once again, I hadn’t play near as many tournaments as I would have liked, but my results in live tournaments this year have been very good. More importantly, my style of play in the early going of tournaments of late had allowed for me to accumulate a lot more chips than I normally do at the early stages.
Since I bought in late, I was seated in seat 10, which I hate. The good news is that gave me a very good view of Shannon Elizabeth’s tramp stamp (she was in seat 4 at the adjacent table). As we were waiting for the tournament to start, I looked around at my tablemates. No known players. Good. The only player of note, seated directly to my right in seat 9, was some Euro who was talking with Katja Thater. I assumed he would be playing a Scandi/German style aka LAG.
I decided to play the Main Event while listening to my iPod, which is actually a very tough decision for me. Usually, I prefer to listen to the action and not get distracted, but I decided that mostly non-vocal pieces might work. The WSOP is SO loud, you basically have to use something. My iPod line-up, on random shuffle:
Beethoven’s 9th
Mozart
The Mission by Enno Mericone, as played by YoYo Ma (really, this is a classic)
Theme to Rudy
Gonna Fly Now (Rocky)
Theme to Schindler’s List
Stars Wars theme song
Imperial March (Star Wars)
Silent Night (Enya)
Don’t Stop Believin’
50-100:
The button was in seat 10 (Hooray!), and before I had a chance to settle in, seat 7 had raised to 300, seat 9 called, and I looked down at two red aces. Shit. What’s the first thing that goes through your mind when you get dealt aces on the first hand of the main event? “Great, I’m going broke. Right. Fucking. Now.” I raised to 1,200 and both called (Yikes!). Flop came 9 high, uncoordinated. Checked to me, and I bet 2,000. Seat 7 called, and my scary Euro friend folded. The turn was a blank, and it went check-check. The river paired the 9, and after a small think, 7 checked. I happily checked behind and won the hand. Up to 4,500 on the first hand, yo!
Within the next orbit and a half, I was dealt AK three times. I won the first two hitting an ace or a king on the flop, and I folded the third from the small blind when it was raised in front of me (absurdly weak-tight, but just had a funny karma feeling). I played a few more small pots during the first level, and I think I won every single one, rarely to showdown. At the end of level 1, I had 37,500. Great start.
100-200:
Level 2 was fairly uneventful for me, and I don’t recall any major hands. Seat 4 proved to be one of the craziest donks I’ve ever seen. He swung from 10k to 40k twice during the level, and he called a 13k bet on the river with jack-high. Jack-HIGH. The best part was his opponent said “nice hand” and turned over a higher jack-high. Wow. I must have won a few small pots, probably with some safe-ish stealing, and I end the level with 41,400.
200-400
Level 3 seemed to get the game out of the dirt. People at our table started busting, and there were a lot more flops. I was hovering around 45k when this hand came up: I made it 1300 to go with kings in the hijack. 4 called, including both blinds. The flop came Q92r. The small blind (what appeared to be a good, solid player) bet out 2,000 and got one caller. I thought about folding (is that insane?!) for a second just because I didn’t want to play a a big pot with an overpair against a bet and call. Then I decided he must be leading with AQ to see where he was and made it 6,000 to go, the SB folded, and the initial caller called. The turn was a 7, and he check-called 6,000 more. The river was a blank, and he checked. I probably missed a value bet to AQ here, but I didn’t want to get raised with just an overpair, so I checked, and my kings were good. At the end of the level, I was among the day 1c leaders with 70,500, and I hadn’t faced any real decisions. Things were going unbelievably well. We headed off to dinner
Since I bought in late, I was seated in seat 10, which I hate. The good news is that gave me a very good view of Shannon Elizabeth’s tramp stamp (she was in seat 4 at the adjacent table). As we were waiting for the tournament to start, I looked around at my tablemates. No known players. Good. The only player of note, seated directly to my right in seat 9, was some Euro who was talking with Katja Thater. I assumed he would be playing a Scandi/German style aka LAG.
I decided to play the Main Event while listening to my iPod, which is actually a very tough decision for me. Usually, I prefer to listen to the action and not get distracted, but I decided that mostly non-vocal pieces might work. The WSOP is SO loud, you basically have to use something. My iPod line-up, on random shuffle:
Beethoven’s 9th
Mozart
The Mission by Enno Mericone, as played by YoYo Ma (really, this is a classic)
Theme to Rudy
Gonna Fly Now (Rocky)
Theme to Schindler’s List
Stars Wars theme song
Imperial March (Star Wars)
Silent Night (Enya)
Don’t Stop Believin’
50-100:
The button was in seat 10 (Hooray!), and before I had a chance to settle in, seat 7 had raised to 300, seat 9 called, and I looked down at two red aces. Shit. What’s the first thing that goes through your mind when you get dealt aces on the first hand of the main event? “Great, I’m going broke. Right. Fucking. Now.” I raised to 1,200 and both called (Yikes!). Flop came 9 high, uncoordinated. Checked to me, and I bet 2,000. Seat 7 called, and my scary Euro friend folded. The turn was a blank, and it went check-check. The river paired the 9, and after a small think, 7 checked. I happily checked behind and won the hand. Up to 4,500 on the first hand, yo!
Within the next orbit and a half, I was dealt AK three times. I won the first two hitting an ace or a king on the flop, and I folded the third from the small blind when it was raised in front of me (absurdly weak-tight, but just had a funny karma feeling). I played a few more small pots during the first level, and I think I won every single one, rarely to showdown. At the end of level 1, I had 37,500. Great start.
100-200:
Level 2 was fairly uneventful for me, and I don’t recall any major hands. Seat 4 proved to be one of the craziest donks I’ve ever seen. He swung from 10k to 40k twice during the level, and he called a 13k bet on the river with jack-high. Jack-HIGH. The best part was his opponent said “nice hand” and turned over a higher jack-high. Wow. I must have won a few small pots, probably with some safe-ish stealing, and I end the level with 41,400.
200-400
Level 3 seemed to get the game out of the dirt. People at our table started busting, and there were a lot more flops. I was hovering around 45k when this hand came up: I made it 1300 to go with kings in the hijack. 4 called, including both blinds. The flop came Q92r. The small blind (what appeared to be a good, solid player) bet out 2,000 and got one caller. I thought about folding (is that insane?!) for a second just because I didn’t want to play a a big pot with an overpair against a bet and call. Then I decided he must be leading with AQ to see where he was and made it 6,000 to go, the SB folded, and the initial caller called. The turn was a 7, and he check-called 6,000 more. The river was a blank, and he checked. I probably missed a value bet to AQ here, but I didn’t want to get raised with just an overpair, so I checked, and my kings were good. At the end of the level, I was among the day 1c leaders with 70,500, and I hadn’t faced any real decisions. Things were going unbelievably well. We headed off to dinner
Thursday, October 25, 2007
You know you're running good in Omaha when...
you are sitting in the SB with KhKdAs5s, see a flop of Ks7s2s 6-handed, check it, and it's bet pot and called in 4 spots in front of you.
Go main event buy-in.
Go batfaces.
Go main event buy-in.
Go batfaces.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Touchy, are we?
While sweating fellow Batface Austin Pete in a tournament on Full Tilt, Clonie Gowen was moved to his table. I asked Clonie, "Who is your favorite Batface?". No response. 5 minutes later she busted out when her pocket TT (thanks Fawcett) couldn't improve against someones QQ. (Gotta win races.) I offer my condolences and 3 seconds later I receive this email...
Hello Zach,
It has come to our attention that you have been abusing your chat
privileges at the Pro tables. We value all players and wish to cultivate
an environment in which they can play without being harassed or called
names at the Pro tables.
A copy of the offending chat is shown below:
ImZach (Observer): tough luck Clonie, see you at the
Hooker Bar?
We have revoked your chat privileges at this time for a period of one
month, after which time they may be reinstated upon your request. Any
attempt to circumvent this suspension may result in the permanent
closing of your account.
We thank you for your cooperation in this matter, and wish you best of
luck at the tables.
Regards,
Sherri
Full Tilt Poker Support
murmur
Monday, July 23, 2007
Bot Limit
No time to really talk about this right now, but it's cool and neat:
http://www.cs.ualberta.ca/~games/poker/man-machine/
Phil Laak and Ali Eslami are taking on the newest and meanest poker computerbot today in a nifty 'duplicate match' (double blind?) --- the same cards will be dealt simultaneously in the Laak-Bot match *and* the Eslami-bot match (which takes place in a seperate room), but the bot will have the opposite hand against Eslami. Assuming it doesn't just use that info to know what each person has, sounds like a very reasonable way to compare skills. Follow the action live from the link above. Also, its awesome that Laak wears sunglasses when playing against the computer.
http://www.cs.ualberta.ca/~games/poker/man-machine/
Phil Laak and Ali Eslami are taking on the newest and meanest poker computerbot today in a nifty 'duplicate match' (double blind?) --- the same cards will be dealt simultaneously in the Laak-Bot match *and* the Eslami-bot match (which takes place in a seperate room), but the bot will have the opposite hand against Eslami. Assuming it doesn't just use that info to know what each person has, sounds like a very reasonable way to compare skills. Follow the action live from the link above. Also, its awesome that Laak wears sunglasses when playing against the computer.
Monday, July 09, 2007
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Friday, July 06, 2007
SNG domination
We pick up this match 12 hands in....
Hand 13: Tiny B vs. noND and its a dead heat.
Hand 16: On a board of 8J7AQ, nd bets out 120 into a 160 pot. TB folds. ND dominating
Hand 21: a raise preflop by nd means its time for a reraise by TB. Aggression wins once again. TB takes the lead
Hand 32: booorrriiinnnng
Hand 36: TB raises big preflop and nd fold. TB then shows 'the todd" and the crowd goes wild.
Hand 40: TB is very limpy. Calls a bet on the AK4 flop, check the K turn and bets out 180 on the river. ND folds. TB shows a Jack high bluff. ND very tilty...
hand 41: MAN DOWN!!! ND raises to 180 preflop, tb reraises to 450 and ND pushes. ND show the zach (QJ off) and Tiny B tables AA. The board blanks out and we are a full $11 richer. Ship it!!!!
Hand 13: Tiny B vs. noND and its a dead heat.
Hand 16: On a board of 8J7AQ, nd bets out 120 into a 160 pot. TB folds. ND dominating
Hand 21: a raise preflop by nd means its time for a reraise by TB. Aggression wins once again. TB takes the lead
Hand 32: booorrriiinnnng
Hand 36: TB raises big preflop and nd fold. TB then shows 'the todd" and the crowd goes wild.
Hand 40: TB is very limpy. Calls a bet on the AK4 flop, check the K turn and bets out 180 on the river. ND folds. TB shows a Jack high bluff. ND very tilty...
hand 41: MAN DOWN!!! ND raises to 180 preflop, tb reraises to 450 and ND pushes. ND show the zach (QJ off) and Tiny B tables AA. The board blanks out and we are a full $11 richer. Ship it!!!!
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Watch and learn, bitches
Tiny B is in a high-stakes heads-up sit-and-go on FT. And im here to report it. Go Batfaces and good luck all in!
Hand 2: Big raise by Tiny B, TJstone thinks and mucks. TB up.
Hand 7: Flop is 763 rainbow, TJStone bets and TB calls. Turn is a blank. TJ leads out and TB calls. river is an Ace. TJ bets, tb raises and takes it down. Batfaces dominating.
Hand 14: First all in!. TJ limps, tb raises, tj pushes. TB tanks and folds. pussy.
Hand 17: TB getting run over. On a board QQTTblank, TJ bets and TB folds.
Hand 24: MAN DOWN! TJStone open pushes for 1,465 and Tiny B insta-calls. TJ shows A5 and TB turns over AQ. A Queen on the flop and the Batfaces whip another donkey's ass. GO Batfaces!!!
Hand 2: Big raise by Tiny B, TJstone thinks and mucks. TB up.
Hand 7: Flop is 763 rainbow, TJStone bets and TB calls. Turn is a blank. TJ leads out and TB calls. river is an Ace. TJ bets, tb raises and takes it down. Batfaces dominating.
Hand 14: First all in!. TJ limps, tb raises, tj pushes. TB tanks and folds. pussy.
Hand 17: TB getting run over. On a board QQTTblank, TJ bets and TB folds.
Hand 24: MAN DOWN! TJStone open pushes for 1,465 and Tiny B insta-calls. TJ shows A5 and TB turns over AQ. A Queen on the flop and the Batfaces whip another donkey's ass. GO Batfaces!!!
Live blogging the live blogging of the 2-7 triple draw
Lots of action at the final table tonight. We've already lost a couple of players with Todd Brunson going out in 7th place earning him a cool $51,669.
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Saturday, June 23, 2007
World Series of Bad Beats
Sounds like our fearless leaders have had some pretty horrific, yet eerily similar beats. Freeze busted out of Event 35 ($1,500 NLH) when he went all in with Kings and was called by pocket Jacks. Flop is A K Q, turn is a blank, river is the 10. Man down.
Shane just busted out of Event 38 ($1,500 NLH) when he raised in MP with JJ, big stack puts Shane all in and Shane calls. Big stack shows 88. Flop is J 7 4, turn is 10, river is the 9. Man down.
Go Batfaces!
Friday, June 22, 2007
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Man down
Just got this text from Tiny B
"I'm Out. Poker sucks. At pool at Caesars. Go vodka and lemonade. Fuck the proclaimers. Tulsa down also. Going to get drunkest ever."
As of 3:00pm Vegas time, Shane and TBR were still alive.
Go Batfaces!
"I'm Out. Poker sucks. At pool at Caesars. Go vodka and lemonade. Fuck the proclaimers. Tulsa down also. Going to get drunkest ever."
As of 3:00pm Vegas time, Shane and TBR were still alive.
Go Batfaces!
Batface Domination
Our fearless leaders had a very productive first day in Vegas. Tiny B and Tulsa chopped a $175 sat for $800 each. Shane also chopped a sat for
$560. All will be playing in the $1500 donkeyfest today at 12:00 local time. Good luck all in!
Go Batfaces!
$560. All will be playing in the $1500 donkeyfest today at 12:00 local time. Good luck all in!
Go Batfaces!
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Love Me Some Darling
Around midnight last night, I received the following text message from T-Roy (aka Darling), who had already arrived at the WSOP with some of his high-stakes cronies in tow:
"Starting sat(ellite). 1 guy wearing gloves. One with painted black nails. One paraplegic in a wheelchair. Weighs 80 lbs. And the rest can't speak English."
A few hours later:
"That sat worked well. Some weirdos can't play."
Darling up $10k.
Go Batfaces!
"Starting sat(ellite). 1 guy wearing gloves. One with painted black nails. One paraplegic in a wheelchair. Weighs 80 lbs. And the rest can't speak English."
A few hours later:
"That sat worked well. Some weirdos can't play."
Darling up $10k.
Go Batfaces!
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Odds to win WSOP main event
according to sprotsbook.com
This isnt the entire list, but in my opinion these were the most interesting. Anyone willing to even bet $1 on Amarillo Slim, Ben Affleck or Jamie Gold?
The favorites are:
Ivey 150-1
Jesus 200-1
Negreanu 200-1
Hellmuth 200-1
Allan Cunningham 400-1
Amarillo Slim 600-1
Amir Vahedi 600-1
Andy Black 400-1
Annie Duke 500-1
Antonio Esfandiari 300-1
Barry Greenstein 600-1
Barry Shulman 500-1
Ben Affleck 800-1
Chip Reese 500-1
Chris Ferguson 200-1
Chris Moneymaker 500-1
Dan Harrington 250-1
Daniel Negreanu 200-1
Dave Ulliott 250-1
David Pham 400-1
David Sklansky 600-1
David Williams 400-1
Doyle Brunson 600-1
Eric Seidel 250-1
Erick Lindgren 300-1
Evelyn Ng 600-1
Freddy Deeb 600-1
Greg Raymer 300-1
Gus Hansen 250-1
Howard Lederer 250-1
Huck Seed 500-1
Humberto Brenes 500-1
Jamie Gold 500-1
Jennifer Harman 600-1
Joe Beevers 600-1
Joe Hachem 600-1
John Juanda 300-1
John Phan 600-1
Johnny Chan 250-1
Marcel Luske 300-1
Men Nguyen 400-1
Michael Mizrachi 300-1
Phil Gordon 500-1
Phil Hellmuth 200-1
Phil Ivey 150-1
Phil Laak 300-1
Sam Farha 500-1
Scotty Nguyen 250-1
TJ Coultier 300-1
Ted Forrest 500-1
Todd Brunson 500-1
This isnt the entire list, but in my opinion these were the most interesting. Anyone willing to even bet $1 on Amarillo Slim, Ben Affleck or Jamie Gold?
The favorites are:
Ivey 150-1
Jesus 200-1
Negreanu 200-1
Hellmuth 200-1
Allan Cunningham 400-1
Amarillo Slim 600-1
Amir Vahedi 600-1
Andy Black 400-1
Annie Duke 500-1
Antonio Esfandiari 300-1
Barry Greenstein 600-1
Barry Shulman 500-1
Ben Affleck 800-1
Chip Reese 500-1
Chris Ferguson 200-1
Chris Moneymaker 500-1
Dan Harrington 250-1
Daniel Negreanu 200-1
Dave Ulliott 250-1
David Pham 400-1
David Sklansky 600-1
David Williams 400-1
Doyle Brunson 600-1
Eric Seidel 250-1
Erick Lindgren 300-1
Evelyn Ng 600-1
Freddy Deeb 600-1
Greg Raymer 300-1
Gus Hansen 250-1
Howard Lederer 250-1
Huck Seed 500-1
Humberto Brenes 500-1
Jamie Gold 500-1
Jennifer Harman 600-1
Joe Beevers 600-1
Joe Hachem 600-1
John Juanda 300-1
John Phan 600-1
Johnny Chan 250-1
Marcel Luske 300-1
Men Nguyen 400-1
Michael Mizrachi 300-1
Phil Gordon 500-1
Phil Hellmuth 200-1
Phil Ivey 150-1
Phil Laak 300-1
Sam Farha 500-1
Scotty Nguyen 250-1
TJ Coultier 300-1
Ted Forrest 500-1
Todd Brunson 500-1
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Full Tilt accepting debit cards
Public Service Announcement #1893
Just deposited some money into Full Tilt using my debit card. Carry on.
Just deposited some money into Full Tilt using my debit card. Carry on.
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Go BaTVfaces
Finally Randy has something to do at the office while waiting for the next CardPlayer article to get published. (top link)
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
The loneliest / worst people on earth
hang out at the hotel bar. This place makes me sick. One one side of the bar is nothing but douchebag morons form Kentucky trying to impress their douchebag moron coworkers form Ohio. The other side of the bar is the lonely and twice divorced sales rep from Virginia still working at age 67 and still traveling cross country 9 months a year to put his slutty/ungrateful bitch of a daughter through community college. And all these fuckers want to do is talk. I just want a overpriced, not-sure-its-really-meat cheeseburger, 4 beers, and the Yankee - Rangers game on TV they won't shut the fuck up. The waitress is fat, the bartender may be a dude, and the tv might as well be black and white. So what ends up happening? I drink 6 beers and end up taking 2 shots of vodka. (I love Vodka). I hate these people.
Go Batfaces
Go Batfaces
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